At 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 12, students gathered at Cater Lawn to watch their peers showcase their talent against other student performers in the annual Battle of the Bands competition.
The seven bands included Americo, Cameron DuBois, Nate & Function, Loblolly, Back Porch, The Sidekicks, and Point of Sizzle.
De Bois won third place in the competition, following Point of Sizzle in second and Nate & Function in first.
Lauren Miele, senior in biomedical sciences and director of special projects for UPC, explained the tradition behind Auburn's Battle of the Bands event.
"It's a great way to showcase local talent and let students show lots of passion," Miele said.
Three judges ultimately decided which of the bands would win the grand prizes.
Tim Spicer represented Spicer's Music, which donated several freebees and gift certificates of varying amounts to all contestants based on their placement at the end of the event.
Tom O'Shea, owner of the Guitar Shoppe, presented the winning band with a recording session in the Shoppe's studio.
O'Shea said he has enjoyed seeing Auburn and music coincide for the past two years from his judging platform at the event.
"I look for people having fun and a band that's well rehearsed and ready to go," O'Shea said.
Gerritt Keaton, head drum major of the Auburn University marching band also served as a judge and represented the student body, which donated awards ranging from $400 to $200 via UPC.
Each band played a mixture of original and cover songs, presenting the audience with familiar and new music.
DuBois, junior in civil engineering, was the only solo composer amongst the artists. She said her love for music began in middle school, yet her first on-stage experience took place in college.
"My cousin is with UPC and mentioned how I should register for the event," De Bois said. "I thought it'd be a great opportunity to get my music out there and get some stage experience."
"It's always interesting what the area has to offer as far as independent artists," David Harris, freshman in software engineering, said. "It's a nice way to connect with Auburn and the community, and I'll probably go home and check out some of their work now."
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