Local Bands Shine At Paramount Center's Battle Of The Bands II

Local professional musicians embraced central Minnesota's up and coming performer's last night at Project 37's 'Battle of the Bands II' that took place at the Paramount Center for the Arts in St. Cloud.

6 talented bands took the stage, each performing 2 original songs, and had the experience of a lifetime.

INCREDIBLE FIRST TIME OPPORTUNITY FOR MANY STUDENTS

Many of the students who performed in the competition had their first taste of what it's like to perform on a real stage, with professional lighting blocking their vision, and sound that filled the auditorium instead of their bedroom or garage. Also, the experience of having professional stagehands help them get set up for their performance had to be a thrill.

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YOUNG PERFORMERS

The bands played loud and proud, really showing everyone what the future of music in central Minnesota could look like. There were no performers over the age of 23, and it was quite an exciting evening for all who attended.

HAVE YOU BEEN TO 'THE B-SIDE?'

With opportunities like this, as well as what the all-new B-side Cafe is bringing to the table, young people who live here are getting the chance to meet other musicians, collaborate, explore their talents, and advance their skills to become amazing professionals in the near future.

Janelle Kendall, Stearns County Attorney, and lead singer of Janelle Kendall and The Perfect Storm, hosted the evening and gave a warm welcome to the future of central Minnesota music, encouraging all the students to continue their musical journeys and to come together to build an amazing music community for all to enjoy.

OPENING THE SHOW

Last year's winner, 'Borrowed Time' opened up the show with a great original crowd pleaser, and super vocals.

MEET THE FINAL SIX

This year, the bands that made the final six to perform for a chance to record in a professional studio were:

Shattered Spades
Foön
F-18
Farewell
PSA (Public Service Announcement)
Chameleon

This year, they added a voting choice for Audience Favorite by scanning a QR Code and voting for their favorite band during Intermission.

AUDIENCE FAVORITE - CHAMELEON

The Audience Favorite was the band that performed last in the evening...Chameleon. This three-piece band is tight...they have a high-energy rock vibe, and feature a drummer as their lead singer. They stole everyone's hearts with their ease of performance and their fun, catchy tunes, which you can find on streaming platforms.

JUDGES CHOICE - PSA

The judges' choices were as follows:

1st Place: PSA (Public Service Announcement)
PSA was a three-piece band that had an incredible lead singer and bassist, Elliott Hammer, Sean Martin on drums, and Tat Bou on guitar. The band clearly loved playing together.

2nd Place: F-18 This three-piece featured lead singer and guitarist, Ben Sjaaheim, Silas Dingman on drums, and bass player Anna Huff.

3rd Place: Chameleon, the Audience Choice. Judges said they loved the way this band played together. They were 'tight' and clearly were incredibly comfortable on the stage. The 3-piece band sounds like a 6-piece band, and featured Joey Marcella on lead vocals and drums, guitarist Porter Nightingale, and bassist Marek Konieczny.

Chameleon won a $10,000 prize last year as they were the top winners for Battle of the Bands at Grand Casino's Hinkley Event Center on Friday, September 5th of 2025. They've been performing together since 2024.

SLIP TWISTER PERFORMS ORIGINAL MUSIC

Finally, to end the night, Slip Twister came on stage to show the young performers what a few years of experience can do for a band. The band could have played tons of covers, but wanted to put themselves in the shoes of the students, saying they wouldn't want to have to compete with the incredible talent that was on stage.

All the proceeds made from the evening will go to Project 37, which includes the B-Side Cafe, who are hoping they can add a kitchen to the cafe next year to add to the already incredible atmosphere in downtown St. Cloud.

DONATIONS

If you would like to contribute to Project 37, you can click HERE to donate to ensure that these talented kids have a place to grow and nurture their talents for years to come.