The North Park Student Newspaper Since 2023
Students rock the stage with the very first Battle of the Bands
GENERAL NEWS
Zoya Raza & Vihaan Mule
6/11/20262 min read
On May 1st, 2026, our school’s stage got stormed by our top rock bands, playing classics like “Scoring” by Death of a Conman, “Hotel California” by Nicholas and the Nickels, “Just the Two of Us” by Oreo, and “Queen of Peace” by Solstice and the Shoreline.
The morning classes went down to the cafeteria in excitement to watch the four bands perform their songs. Ths was the first annual Battle of the Bands that our school hosted. Including our amazing rock bands, they also showcased the concert band during halftime, playing the well-known classic “Don't Fear The Reaper” by the Blue Oyster Cult. To determine the overall winner, the students voted for their favourite band.
The winner of the 2026 Battle of the Bands was Death of a Conman. This band included Nadiya Shak, Ella Tsai, Berenice Jones, Ollie Lising, and Conway Hammond, who is a school alumnus and came back to join the band. When interviewed about how much they practiced, they said, "Only once every two weeks.” When questioned about how they thought the competition turned out, they replied, “We knew it was competitive, but it was surprising. It was super fun; it was a great experience before graduation and a great opportunity. We would love to do it again.” Finally, they mentioned the origin of their name, “Death of a Conman." “Ollie came up with it and was inspired by the Death of a Salesman book by Arthur Miller from an English assignment.”
The runner-up of this fierce competition was Nick and the Nickels, who performed the song Hotel California. Much like Solstice and the Shoreline, they mentioned, “We barely practiced.” They also said that, contrary to popular belief, “Nick didn’t name the band.” Instead, the rest of the band members spontaneously decided to name themselves “Nick and the Nickels."
Overall, the Battle of the Bands was a major success and tested the students' competitiveness, skills, and character. It also allowed our musicians to express themselves in a unique way. The crowd loved the performances, and each piece was played soulfully and flawlessly. We look forward to next year’s Battle of the Bands.