15 Minutes Of Fame Local Garage Bands Get A Chance To Jam For Public, Dream Of Making It Big

Teen garage bands from the Spokane area and North Idaho hopped, jammed and bopped their way through 15-minute performances Saturday afternoon, dreaming of someday making it big.

The eight bands were competing for honors at the Battle of the Bands at Riverfront Park.

The three-hour competition was part of the Kids Week celebration. Performers were students from junior high and high schools throughout the region.

For most of the bands, the competition represented a chance to play another gig along their way to what they hope will be stardom. But for all, it was a welcome change from the hours they have spent practicing in basements, garages or wherever else there was room.

“It’s hard for kids our age to play other places,” said 17-year-old Matt Willis, the drummer for the band Fusion.

The band from Central Valley High School, which also includes Matt Beers and Chris Arger, both 16, and Mike Fairchild, 19, released its first album earlier this summer. The album has sold well so far at local music stores, leaving band members hoping to go “as far as we can go with our talent,” Arger said.

The bands came in all shapes and sizes. What the Heck, featuring Marquis Ashley and Mark Wright, both of whom completed junior high last June, competed with only two members. Shrinking Violets filled the stage with four members, two of whom will be headed to college in the fall. And Chris Knight played the trumpet in a solo performance.

“I like everyone’s talent and how young they are,” Miramda Butney, 15, said from her spot up front.

A sun-drenched crowd nearly filled the lawn across the river from the carousel, a week after the event was postponed because of rain. More than 200 people spread blankets, opened lawn chairs and grabbed what little shade was available to cheer on the bands.

“It was kind of intimidating,” said Sara Winther, 17, a guitarist with Shrinking Violets.

Jenny Maurer, 16, who sat with a handful of friends in front of the stage, was there to cheer on her boyfriend’s band. Maurer’s boyfriend, Brett Bly, 16, plays the guitar and sings for Preferred Astronauts, made up of students from Harrington, Reardan and Edwall high schools.

“There’s been good music actually, but they’re going to be the best,” Maurer said. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: 2 Color Photos

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: RESULTS The Best of the Bands: First - Disgruntled Jobox Second - Preferred Astronauts Third - Fusion People’s Choice Award - Bad Connection Best Guitarist - Chris Knight