Resounding success
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| Theodress Avery lead singer Jordan Crawley gets caught up in the moment during his bands first-place performance. |
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By ELLIOT BUTAY Satellite Correspondent
3/16/2007
In front of more than 1,500 screaming fans, Tulsa-area high-school students made a little history of their own at the 2007 Satellite Battle of the Bands.
Theodress Avery took the top honor, followed by the 20s in second and the Fine Points in third place.
As early as two hours before doors opened, local teens lined the sidewalk leading to the legendary Cain's to watch the best local high-school music talent perform.
When the doors finally opened at 7 p.m., fans quickly rushed to the barricade to get as close to the action as possible. They eventually filled the wooden dance floor all the way to the bleachers.
The audience awaited the seven bands that would light up the historic stage -- the Dull Drums (Tulsa School of Arts and Sciences and Memorial High School), Picnic on the Moon (Owasso High School), 2 Weeks Ago (Jenks High School and Tulsa Community College), the 20s (Jenks and Bixby high schools), Theodress Avery (Metro Christian Academy and home school), the Fine Points (Cascia Hall) and an encore appearance by last year's winner, the Red Alert
The emcee for the second year in a row, Davit Souders, put it best: "If they never make music (again), they always have the fact they played to a sold-out Cain's Ballroom."
Souders, a DJ and musician who's an authority on local music, said that the future of music in Tulsa looks very good.
"It's good to see bands that good, that young," Souders said.
These young bands would get their chance to strut their stuff to an all-star cast of judges including former Battle of the Bands performers Ben Rector and Hank Hanewinkel III, drummer extraordinaire Jason Gilardi, the soulful Rochelle Chambers, judging veteran and singer Mary Cogan and Tulsa World music writer Matt Elliot.
Conor Robb, guitarist and background vocalist for the Dull Drums, the band that opened the show, said before the set, "We're going to set the bar high."
Andrew Iski, lead guitarist for the online rock-off winners, 2 Weeks Ago, spoke of his massive red afro and the supposed luck it holds.
"I'm seriously hoping it's going to pull us through in the People's Choice," Iski said.
However, it wasn't enough for 2 Weeks Ago. The Fine Points took home the $500 cash prize for the Bart Betow Memorial People's Choice Award. The award was named after a former Satellite correspondent and Cascia Hall student who was instrumental in planning the first battle. He died following a car accident in 2005. His family donated the $500 award, which coincidentally went to a band from Cascia.
It was apparent from the enthusiastic cheering at any mention of their name that the 20s were a crowd favorite -- and with good reason.
The band came out and made a statement through its music and stage presence. The band seemed to say: "We are the 20s, and you will like us." The performance earned the musicians the second-place prize of $500 at Saied Music Co.
The Fine Points also took home a $250 gift card at Saied for placing third.
The highlight of the night came from the performance of the first-place winner, Theodress Avery. When vocalist/guitarist Jordan Crawley came out and screamed "Hello, Cain's Ballroom!" the energy was undeniable.
The band rolled through its high-intensity song "Unstoppable," pushing through technical adversities with a confidence and outright rockability swagger that was nothing short of contagious.
On the final song, "Hold On," Crawley's guitar cut out and left him without an instrument. So he flipped his guitar on his back and grabbed the mike.
"It was really hard to keep a positive attitude. Then I looked at the other three guys just having the time of their lives," he said. "I'd never held a mike in my life, so I just grabbed it and went for it."
"Went for it" is the correct phrase for everything Theodress Avery did, and it earned the band eight hours of recording time on the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, 1,000 custom CDs, $1,000 worth of merchandise from Saied, a pro account on PureVolume.com, iPod shuffles, a lot of recognition and undoubtedly, some new fans.
Before the set, Theodress Avery's drummer Zach Annett said, "Winning would be the icing on the cake."
Consider their cake iced.
The show was capped off with the irresistible winners from last year, the brother-and-sister duo the Red Alert.
Hank and Christy Hanewinkel lit up the stage with their youthful yet mature rock. Later, they invited Theodress Avery and the 20s to play at Cain's again at the Red Alert CD release party, set for Saturday night.
Souders was the emcee for a reason, and his description of this year's show was perfect.
"I believe every year has built," he said. "This being the third year, the Satellite has got its groove on."
Elliot Butay 581-8336
Home school sophomore
satellite@tulsaworld.com
By ELLIOT BUTAY Satellite Correspondent
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