Battle of the Bands
gree, recognition
mg anticipated
nembers Steve Breman, Tim Bartels and
on Saturday's Battle of the Bands.
manager.
As a result, the bassist learned 30 songs in
one exhaustive practice session.
The effort was worth it. After four
weekends spent rehearsing in a Pittsburgh
basement, the group had acclimated to its new
members and achieved an impressive group
unity.
This unity has proven to be an invaluable
asset during Third -■ Degree’s live
performances. Or*Btage,thegroup members
unleash their creative abilities and allow
improvisation to replace a structured set list
This spontaneous drive was illustrated
Saturday when Krupa introduced the opening
riffs of Jimi Hendrix's "Voodoo Chile." As
the band's one-hour time limit approached,
Krupa dove further into the song, virtually
oblivious to the time restraint The band closed
the piece with only minutes remaining, and
several members of the audience rushed to
help clear equipment from the stage before
time expired.
The action was only one example of the
audience's support. Third Degree was clearly
a crowd favorite; the band actually generated
howls and cheers during its sound check.
According to drummer Tim Bartels, the
crowd support can be a major inspiration.
"The crowd can help turn nerves into a
positive adrenaline flow," he explained.
The support also helped turn the gig into a
profitable performance. Third Degree finished
the day with a $3OO prize, which the band wiU
soon use to purchase studio time to make a
professional demo.
s’re
a’s
an,
ner
init
tan
With Saturday's victory, Third Degree has
taken a substantial leap toward that long
awaited recognition. Maybe now the group
will have to find a new reason for singing the
blues.
)ld
idly
id's
Thursday, October 4,1990
Mark Owens/ The Collegian
(continued from page 8)
Regina. Playing together for four years, SLR
unveiled a surprising amount of talent, technique,
and musical prowess.
With a sound reminiscent of early Rush, SLR
played in odd time meters and had very intense and
precise rhythm changes. SLR is Bruce Erikson on
guitar, Greg Filer on bass, and Dustin Davis on
drums. According to Filer, SLR's music is best
described as "progressive rock/fusion."
Well, the worst thing that could possibly
happen to an outdoors event happened. Yes, it
stalled to rain.
Third Degree took the stage with a few drops
coming down, but after their second number the
rain was falling too hard to continue. The
equipment was taken down, and the show was
moved to the Wintergreen Gorge. After a
considerable delay, there was music once again.
Third Degree, made up of Gregg Krupa on lead
guitar and vocals. Chuck Jones on rhythm guitar,
Steve Bremen on bass, and Tim Bartels on drums,
gave the audience a set filled with kicking blues
numbers.
After dedicating their set and the entire day to
the late Stevie Ray Vaughan, Third Degree started
off with "Pride and Joy" and then went right into
"Peter Gunn," which showcased Krupa's guitar
playing abilities. Other songs included in the set
were "Voodoo Chile" and a medley of "Goin'
Down" and "Crossroads."
To finish off the Battle of the Bands was a
classic rock band called Killin' Time. Together for
a year, Killin' Time played favorites from the
Rolling Stones, Yes, and Billy Joel.
Comprised of Bob Baflc on vocals and rhythm
guitar, Mike Gonda on lead guitar, Jarad Gomiack
on bass. Carmen Romano on keyboards, and Keith
Scully on drums, Killin' Time confirmed that the
music of the '7o's is still as good as it truly is.
The bands were judged on a one to ten scale in
the categories of appearance, vocals, instrumental
abilities, and unity. After the scores were tabulated
by the judges, Third Degree walked away with the
$3OO prize.
Pounding it out: Sweet Logical Regina drummer Dustin Davis impresses
the crowd with his speed and precision.
The Collegian
/ 1
Into the groove: Bassist Greg Filer gets into
one of Sweet Logical Regina's original songs.
Mark Owen s/The Collegian
Mark Owens/ The Collegian
Page