Shark Bandit Takes 3rd in State Battle of Bands
Posted September 8, 2009
Countryside Alum Casey Pride’s band, Shark Bandit, took third place in the Seventh Annual Illinois Teen Battle of the Bands competition on August 22 at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield.
Shark Bandit is a four-piece rock/alternative band consisting of Conner Buenting on lead vocals and guitar, Phil Martin on lead guitar and vocals, Jake Bates on bass and vocals and Casey Pride on drums and vocals. In the competition The Con Men, a blues band out of Crystal Lake, took first place. Flipside from Glen Ellyn took second.
Shark Bandit began their quest by winning the St. Thomas More battle of the bands competition then moved on to state regional competition in Homewood where they also took first.
The competition began in February with 120 teen bands competing in local and then regional competitions. Over 500 teen musicians competed in 25 local competitions in hopes of reaching the finals. At each level, the bands were judged in five different areas – Stage Presentation, Stage Management, Sound Quality/Clarity/Musicianship, Song Quality & Originality, and Audience Response.
