Grandpa Moses: Top row from left: Sam Golden, 18, guitar/violin/vocals; Bob Hanshaw, 18, bass; Malcolm Cooper, 18, guitar/vocals. Bottom: Seth Vietti, 18, piano/drums/vocals. Grandpa Moses has no frontman — each member writes and sings his own songs — so the band has a delightfully eclectic mixture of folk rock that ranges from melodic piano- or acoustic guitar-driven ballads to funky folk-rock tunes.
Jon and Jeff: From top left: Jon Plaza, 16, guitar/vocals; and Jeff Evans, 16, guitar/vocals. The duo's energetic acoustic guitar-driven pop performances include catchy melodies, toe-tapping percussion, witty lyrics, humorous intra-song banter and intense vocal harmonies — the latter is thanks to a combined 14 years of experience in the highly competitive Tucson Arizona Boys Chorus.
Kool Shades: From top left: Greg Stanley, 18, tenor sax/vocals; Nick Tkachyk, 17, drums; Sean McEvoy, 18, bass. From bottom left: Moss Worthington, 18, guitar/lead vocals; Clay Gibson, 17, trumpet; Aiden Fishbein, 17, keyboard/trumpet. Kool Shades' dynamic, high-energy mix of ska, reggae and progressive rock now includes a more hardcore sound, but the get-up-and-dance grooves still hold strong.
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Paul Revere: Clockwise from top left: Tony Perry, 17, guitar; Austin Keyes, 16, drums; Mason Betz, 17, guitar/vocals; and Tohbi Lundergan, 16, bass. Paul Revere's alternative rock 'n' roll makes use of a sonic palette that includes everything from shredding guitar riffs and catchy hooks to attention-grabbing tempo changes and some '80s dance rock thrown in for good measure.
The Thesis: Back row from left: Connor Button, 16, drums; Brian Hanshaw, 16, trumpet. Middle row from left: Ryan Theodore, 16, guitar; Andrew Dunn, 16, vocals/keyboard; Nick Bunch, 16, violin. Front row from left: Jack Mandish, 17, bass; Jeremy Kneller-Hernandez, 15, vocals/guitar. The Thesis uses trumpet and violin to add texture to an engaging landscape of alternative rock that often edges toward the experimental.
The Watchmen: Clockwise from left: Aléx Brill, 18, bass/keyboards/vocals; Carlos Nugent, 16, lead guitar; Wyatt Schaffner, 18, drums; and John Schaffner, 16, rhythm guitar/vocals. The Watchmen's guitar- and keyboard-driven indie pop/rock tunes can swing from delicate and sparse to lush and layered, but they always include captivating melodies and poetic lyrics — and sometimes even whistling.
Friday at the Rialto Theatre, 318 E. Congress St.
5 p.m. — John Lennon Educational Tour Bus recording studio tours begin • 6:30 p.m. — Rialto doors open. 7 p.m. Battle begins with a performance by last year's winner, the Afrodelic Stegosaurchestra.$2 donation suggested.
