Local Teens Rock Ponquogue Beach During Battle Of The Bands

One thing the performers at the Town of Southampton Youth Bureau’s ninth annual “Battle of the Bands” were not lacking was energy. On Friday, June 10, members of eight bands gathered at Ponquogue Beach in Hampton Bays full of life and eager to rock out.

The first place winner of the contest, The Blazing Beaverducks, received booty including a $100 Sam Ash Music gift certificate, $100 cash, an East Hampton Bowl Party Package, the band’s website hosted for one year by Certain Media Inc. and one fully produced song by BullDog Studios. A unique and surprisingly large group of 11 performers, the band members describe their music as “ska-gressive,” or progressive, upbeat reggae.

The group is made up of Westhampton Beach High School students: Ethan Dornfeld on drums, Subi Chockalingam and Daniel Grindle on trombone, Paul Grindle on trumpet, Matt Floyd on percussion and vocals, Phil Sepuleveda on alto saxophone, Mike Sullivan on baritone saxophone, Corey Ash on bass, Cody Owen on tenor saxophone, Juan Herrera on guitar and Christian Thienel on guitar and lead vocals.

The bandmates agreed that the best part of performing on stage is “going nuts and having fun with it.”

According to Mr. Owen, the competition is the perfect place to hone their musical skills.

“The ‘Battle’ gives us a chance to perform music that we create ourselves,” he said. “Because being unique and being creative is so important.”

In second place was Human Error, starring Sage Gibbons from East Hampton on drums and vocals, Kevin Preller from Westhampton Beach on vocals, Sam de Poto from Shelter Island on bass and T.J. Dalton from Shelter Island on guitar and vocals. Second place prizes included $100 cash, a $75 Sam Ash Music gift certificate, a $25 Sunrise to Sunset gift certificate and a $25 John’s Pizza of Hampton Bays gift certificate.

After their performance, the group members said it felt great to feed off the crowd and know that everyone is enjoying the performance.

The Entertainment earned third place honors—$100 cash, a $75 Sam Ash Music gift certificate and a $25 Skidmore’s Sports gift certificate. The group includes Ryan D’Amico from Center Moriches on vocals and keyboard, Kevin D’Amico from Center Moriches on drums, Kevin Wieser from Center Moriches on lead guitar and John Capuano from Hampton Bays on bass. The band has been together for a year and a half and plays mostly alternative, soft rock. They said they are most influenced by groups like Cold Play.

The other bands that performed on Friday night were Degenerate Burnout, According to J., Urbanoid, Calypsis and Patrol.

Despite the impending inclement weather, the bands all rocked hard and had a blast.

“I’ve met so many more people, it’s brought up a whole new life for me,” said Tanner Reatherford of Urbanoid.

Many of the bands’ biggest fans, their family members, showed up to support their future rock stars and were grateful for their kids to have the opportunity to perform on such a big stage.

“I think it’s really exciting, my son really looks forward to these things and it gives them a positive place to release all this energy they have,” said Julia Halsey, mother of Russ Halsey from According to J.

Joe Rock of WBAB radio station hosted the competition. Musicians Charles Certain and Eva Adalai were the judges.