While chapel allows student musicians to practice their worship-leading skills, and choir and band perfect choral music, Battle of the Bands encouraged music of a different variety: rock and roll.

The April 24 concert-competition, held in Ground Zero, hosted eight bands, all vying for the “Battle of the Bands 2009 champion” title. After 15 minute performances from each group, emcees Heather Lichti and Jenn Boudreau, both juniors, announced Five Guys on a Bench as the winners.

The band consisted of senior Trevor Bodi, freshman David Casuga, junior Aaron Kroeker and brothers Josh, ’12 and Daniel, ’10, Hopper. A three-person panel awarded the band’s performance of “Eye of the Tiger” with the title.

“From the very start, it was never about musicality or winning musicianship,” Daniel said. “It was simply the desire to try and have fun.”

The Hoppers say the inspiration for the band came only shortly before the competition.

“We were lying there on the bed like, ‘You in a band?’ ‘No.’ ‘You in a band?’ ‘No.’ ‘You wanna be in a band together?'” Josh said. “We had trouble getting Casuga to be our bassist, but we had no trouble with Aaron and Bodi. We had one practice just the four of us, and then we just started singing our parts and it just came together.”

The audience, made up of campus and visiting students, added to the rock-concert feel of the event.

“There was a group of people in the front by stage. We were all jumping up and down and dancing,” Elise Porter, ’11, said. “It was awesome ? one of the most fun concerts I’ve ever been to, because I really liked the music.”

In addition to Five Guys on a Bench, the event hosted two other bands with FC students; Siphin and Heart of a Hero, as well as five from other schools.

Freshman David Casuga played bass for both Five Guys on a Bench and Heart of a Hero, experiencing both triumph and defeat.

“I am disappointed because I think if Nick [Methgen, ’10, Heart of a Hero lead singer] hadn’t lost his voice, we might have won,” Casuga said. “But it was okay that we didn’t because I won with the other band.”

For more information, read the April 29 blog, BOB rocks it, the April 28 blog, Music, mannequin heads and merry dancing or check out Battle of the Bands boys.