It’s that time of year again! The 2025 Battle of the Band’s finale brought us another lineup of 4 incredible bands, a sold-out venue, and an unforgettable night.
Following three heats and an intense semi-final, which turned 30 bands into four, The Crescent Community Venue saw showstopping live performances from the student bands Section 4, Catch!, Free Beers and Pool Tables and Substate.
Section 4 started the night off strong with a perfectly executed alt-rock/shoegaze setlist, performed with style, flair, and a confidence that immediately made the mastery of their craft clear. The audience was immediately hooked by the lead singer’s powerful vocals, entrancing performance and beautiful lyrics. However, every member of the band got the opportunity to showcase their talents, with a jaw-dropping drum solo towards the end of the set, an impressive display in which the lead guitarist played his instrument perfectly behind his back, and a punchy and complex bassline underscoring the entire set. Section 4 also took a moment to show some appreciation to their crowd, throwing tulips from the stage into the hands of their fans. The addition of bar chimes to the band’s percussion section added an ethereal element to their sound, the cherry on top of a performance that proved to be unbeatable.
Next up was Catch!, an alternative/indie rock band. The powerful and expressive vocals of the lead singer perfectly encapsulated the rage-filled lyrics of their first track ‘I Didn’t Invite You.’ After recovering from a broken guitar mishap, the band put on an incredible performance where once again, every member of the band shone. The lead singer also took the time to pay tribute to her fellow female performers in Section 4, recalling that compared to the first Battle of the Bands she attended which featured only one woman on stage, this year there were three – ‘that’s a 300% increase’. The band continued the theme of throwing things into the audience, this time a set of inflatable beach balls, which brought a playful energy to the crowd and made me almost willing to forgive the amount of times I got hit in the head with them.
After this was one of the most anticipated acts of the night, the cleverly named ‘Free Beers and Pool Tables.’ This band offered a fun and energetic setlist, with an electronic sound and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. The crowd was well and truly warmed up by this point, with the lead guitarist parting the crowd to play in the middle of one of the many mosh pits that broke out during the performance. The highlight of the set was the heavily anticipated performance of ‘The Beer Song,’ and the ritual consumption of the cans of beer that goes with it. Free Beers and Pool Tables also continued the trend of throwing things into the audience started by the first two bands, only this time we were being shot at with a water gun. The incredible music and atmosphere of their performance made up for its only downside- the lack of any actual free beers or pool tables during their set.
And finally, Substate. Anxiously waiting for the start of the performance, fans of Substate could be seen milling around in the break with ‘Substate’ proudly branded on their foreheads in black marker (which was pretty thoroughly worn off by the end of the night – the mark of a good set.) Their unmistakable alt-rock sound and 90s garb once again wowed the audience, who knew from the previous heats to be prepared for moshpit after moshpit. However, this time, instead of throwing flowers, beach balls, or water into the crowd, the lead singer opted to throw himself into a crowd, for a mini crowd surf that ended the night on an amazing high.
A huge congratulations to Section 4, who after intense deliberations were declared the winners of the Battle of the Bands, 2025. Free Beers and Pool Tables also took home the amazing achievement of being the runners-up of the competition, and all of the bands that performed should be immensely proud of their part in the amazing community atmosphere that this event brings year after year.
If you missed out on seeing this year’s Battle of the Bands or were an enthusiastic attendee but just can’t get enough, fear not, as all of the finale bands have performances coming up soon. Section 4 are performing at the Fulford Arms’s NotOrbfest on April 25th, Free Beers and Pool Tables are performing at the Fulford Arms’s Orbfest on April 26th, and Substate and Catch! are both performing at Campus East’s Goodfest on April 27th. Additionally, for more exciting events make sure to keep your eyes on the organisers of Battle of the Bands, BandSoc, who have plenty more events and socials to come throughout the year.