From ‘Alive In Love’ To ‘Walking Backwards’ NHS Bands Battle It Out

By Eliza Hallabeck

Roughly two and half hours after school got out on Friday, February 25, the hallways at Newtown High School were nearly silent, but music would soon erupt from the school’s new cafetorium space as the Junior Class Council’s Battle of the Bands took to the new stage in the school’s expansion.

“Do your thing,” said Newtown High School junior class advisor Melissa Cacioppo to Junior Class Council member Mary Hamula.

With a smile, Mary nearly dashed sideways as she made her way to the stage. She outlined the rules for the event, half standing on tip-toe to reach up to the mic. Basically, she said, no moshing.

“Keep it school appropriate,” she said. “School rules apply.”

Mary, along with other members of the Junior Class Council, put the event together to raise money for future endeavors.

Ms Cacioppo and fellow Junior Class Council advisor Liz Ward stood on the sidelines as the Battle of the Bands began.

The Bands

Bands that took to the stage on Friday were Understatement, made up of Kyle Harrington, Scott Keating, Austin Ryder, Kurt Liniger; Tunnels, made up of Kaleb Rowe, Tim Eames, Benji Gerry, and Justin Sheridan; Smokebomb Mondays, made up of Liam Reynolds, Tim Eames, Harrison Buzzi, Dan Bittman, Matt Spencer, Pat Milano, and Jonah McKewon; Brett Linley, also known as “The Brett Linley Experience”; EatenByWombats, made up of Max Eckhart, Jackson Abatemarco, Matt Joyce, Evan Roberts, and Tom Barber; Thirty Days of February, made up by Amy Bohin, Nikki Stien, and Gala Fagello; A Sunset Tragedy, made up by Jeff Spencer, Quinn Giannini, Aiden Panagrosso, and Slater Roosa; A New Season, made up by Scott Keating, Kurt Liniger, Ishaar Gupta, and James Holcomb.

Also, Martin Luther King, made up of Neil Berthier, Tim Rooney, Paul Stone, and Andrew Wyton; Walking Backwards, made up of Kyle Harrington and Tim Ciavara; Shanel; Gascan, made up of Jackson Abatemarco, Hansel Joyce, and Rick Johannesan; Alive in Love, made up of Theo Hartlett and Morgan Luzzi; Ja’BaKon, made up of Dani Villa, Allie Jones, Lilly Rodriguez, and Katherine Scott; Original Recipe, made up of Griffin Paynter and Shaun Mangold; Nation of Boar, made up of Besmir Redzepi and Corey Finke; and Currents, made up of Jeff Brown, Mitch Lobuglio, Chris Baradit, and Bobby Black.

There was also a faculty band, comprising English teacher Amanda Friedman, science teacher Chris Canfield, Director of Security Mark Pompano, and NHS Assistant Principal Scott Clayton.

“I had a lot of fun being a part of it. I went to the one that the Marching Band hosted last year, and I had a lot of fun at it,” said Mary, reflecting on the night’s event.

Tickets for the Battle of the Bands event cost $8 in advance and $10 at the door. The night raised roughly $2,000 to go toward future Junior Council-sponsored activities.

By the end of the night, Smokebomb Mondays came out victorious from the battle.

But, Mary said, “It was really close between Smokebomb Mondays and Currents.”

Ms Cacioppo also said the evening went well, with students dancing and all around having a great time. The advisors, teachers, and gathered audience members, who ranged in age from 2-year-olds to grandparents, also seemed to enjoy the event, Ms Cacioppo reflected.

“I just think it was a really great community event,” she said.

Students from the school’s culinary department also helped out by overseeing the concession stand.

Ms Cacioppo also said the Battle of the Bands event brought out students that do not normally attend after school events.

“We had a great time watching the students display their talent,” Ms Cacioppo said, “we never knew.”