Four bands of Columbia Public School students performed at the Stephens Lake Park Amphitheater on September 5. The event was held by Darkroom Records, the CPS recording studio led by Mr. Jordan Smith, a teacher at Battle.
The opener of the show was Kora Belle who makes jazz and rock-influenced pop music. She performed solo with music she’d written backing tracks that she produced including her single “Virgin Suicide” available on all streaming platforms. “I love it, it’s amazing, music is a great way to have your voice be heard,” Kora said when asked how she felt about performing.
Following Kora, New Moon consists entirely of Hickman students guitarist Max Angle, violinist Cameron Watson, and accordion player Andy Liu. They play a mix of folk and Americana; the final song they played was their only original titled “Songbird.” Angle said, “I like closing my eyes and pretending I’m in my basement making music.”
Monsterya is a three-person band that is made up of lead guitarist CJ Grove who attends Gentry Middle School, drummer Olyssa Herico who goes to Hickman, and Skylar Gorzoch who plays bass, is lead vocals and attends Rockbridge. Gorzoch said, “We’re all young and it is fun to have this opportunity, Missouri is the place to be for this.” The band performed covers of punk rock songs like “Cherry Bomb” by The Runaways, “If the audience is happy we’re happy, and if they aren’t we still are,” said Herico.
Finally, the closer, Dusk N Dawn, a five-person alternative experimental rock band with Battles Elena Ireland playing keyboard, Noah Megill on drums, Lee Parzych on bass, AJ Schwarz with lead vocals, and Lyla Brite on electric guitar. “I’m excited, it’s my first show with the band and it’s really cool.” said Parzych. Dusk N Dawn performed a mix of covers and songs from their album releasing sometime in November.
