On Tuesday night, Carolina Productions teamed up with WUSC to put on University of South Carolina’s very own Battle of the Bands in the Russell House ballroom. Three bands, The Whoops, Tripping On Bricks and Ropeswing Marathon competed for a chance to open up for this years’ Springfest on March 30. As the battle was beginning, an enthusiastic crowd was on hand to hear local Columbia bands give it all they had. “I’m a musician myself,” Julia Lensch, a second-year nursing student said. “I’m a violinist, so I’m excited to see what other people have composed and who’s the winner.”
Some people in the audience were even there to see their friends perform. “I actually came out because one of the bands that is playing, Tripping On Bricks, two of the members are orientation leaders with me, so I came out to support them,” Dylan Garren, a second-year finance student said. “I enjoy listening to live music so it’s just a good time to come out here and see what it’s about,” Garren continued.
Backstage before the show started, the bands were nervous, but joking around and excited to go out and perform. “It's gonna be cool to play with actual USC bands,” Ridge DeVuono, a third-year management and marketing student and lead vocalist for Tripping On Bricks said. “What I’ve heard so far, they’re all really good, so I’m anxious to hear how everybody does.”
The battle had two rounds. The first round had each of the bands play three songs. Then, after taking into account scores from the judges and crowd response, the two highest rated bands were allowed to move on. After all of that, the two bands that advanced were Tripping On Bricks and Ropeswing Marathon. The last round had the two finalists play three more songs each. Since this was the last chance for them to set themselves apart, both bands became even more enthusiastic with their performances by dancing on stage or by running across the ballroom while shredding a guitar solo.
In the end, Ropeswing Marathon was decided as the winner to open for Springfest. “We’re extremely excited about it,” Jake Lopiccolo, a high school senior who has been accepted and enrolled in USC and lead singer for Ropeswing Marathon said. “It’s cool to be able play these big shows and have the opportunity to.” It was announced later in the show that the artist who Ropeswing Marathon will open for is Grammy nominated singer-songwriter Cassadee Pope.