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'North to Emerson' wins battle
By Ashley Preste
 Media Credit: Ryan Henry Lead singer Tyler Tholl and his band Games of May performs Wednesday night at the "Battle of the Unsigned Bands" at Ritsche Auditorium. The winner of the competition earns the right to open at the Mississippi Music Festival later this spring.
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North to Emerson went home with a paid slot to this spring's Mississippi Music Fest after winning first place Wednesday night at the 12th annual "Battle of the Unsigned Bands" contest.
The University Program Board (UPB), Mississippi Music Fest Committee and KCLD hosted the event which took place at 7 p.m. in Ritsche Auditorium. Five bands from different parts of Minnesota took part in the contest, with prizes given to the first and second place winners.
Before the evening began, the audience was given the rules of the contest. Each band had exactly 20 minutes to showcase their talent for the audience and judges. At the end of the evening, the judges would tally up the score sheets to determine the top two prize holders.
The first prize winners went home with gift certificates for Chipotle, Poorboys Subs and Granite City Food & Brewery, along with a slot to play at the Java Joint and a paid slot to perform at the Mississippi Music Fest April 25, 2004. Second prize winners also went home with a variety of gift certificates and a slot to play at the Earth Day Marathon.
Second prize went to the band Far from Falling. This event was their first time performing in front of an audience. Audience reactions were positive, with some members showing off their dancing skills in front of the stage.
Members of the first place band were overjoyed with their performance.
"Last year we dropped off a horrible demo and didn't get asked to the contest," said SCSU sophomore and North to Emerson member Adam Byrne. "We were surprised that we won."
North to Emerson has been together for a little more than a year and told KCLD emcee Famous Amos that they will "play for anyone who will listen."
After the completion of their first album, which was recorded in Sioux Falls, SD with Cat House Productions, the band is taking some time off from performing. North to Emerson, along with other bands from the event, are working together to set up some performances on campus.
Although some participants did not go home with a prize, many found the experience beneficial.
"This is the biggest place we have played for," said Pete Johnson, member of the band Games of May. "I felt comfortable, like I could breathe up there. I could open up and have more fun. Plus there was a big crowd and it was fun to hear them cheering for us."
"This was our first time playing in front of people together," said singer of The Rising Fall, Andrea Law. "We definitely want to play again."
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