Photo by Alan Mertz/The Slate

Acalasia Burns Bands in Battle

By Alan Mertz
Staff Writer

Four bands gathered together on Friday evening to play their hearts out to about 50 students, in hopes of winning an entry into the Battle of the Bands final round next month.   The bands included  Engine Press, Acalasia, The Devil’s Last Stand and Mercy Nation.

Engine Press began the night by playing its style of metal/rock music, which the band has been working on since its formation in October.  

Engine Press is a local band that contains students from Shippensburg University.  

The band currently has five songs written and ready for performances, and hope to have nine songs completed by the end of the summer.

The crowd then watched as last year’s Battle of the Bands final winners took the stage. Acalasia, a band from Altoona, continued to wow the crowd with its enthusiasm and great stage presence.

The next two bands on stage included The Devil’s Last Stand, a screamo/metal band from Gettysburg, as well as Mercy Nation, a rock/alternative band from Fleetwood.   Devil’s Last Stand had a very solid rhythm throughout most of its songs, and Mercy Nation had a bass player who played a non-fretted bass guitar which amazed some of the audience members with his playing ability.  

However, neither band had enough student votes to take the win, which went to Acalasia, that showed its talent through its stage performance and its well-written songs.

The winners from the previous rounds will play together in two weeks.   The bands include Operation Manatee, Double Entendre, Shelbyville and Acalasia.  The APB would like all students to bring their best friends and enjoy themselves for a fun-filled and action-packed evening of music on Friday, April 3.