Munster’s bands crank their amps up and check their mics for this year’s return of Battle of the Bands, an electric competition between students displaying their talent through the thrill of music and dance. Battle of the Bands will take place next Wednesday, starting at 6 p.m. in the auditorium. This is the Student Government’s first Battle since 2020’s virtual competition.

Battle will introduce two new bands this year, Route 77 and Adolescence, and spotlight two individual solo performances by Tatum Hernandez, senior and Victoria Davis, sophomore. Rock band Creature of Habit featuring returning seniors Gernie Galvan, Dom Chudziak, Ryan Tully, Kevon Carter, and Tatum Hernandez will also return to the stage after their last live performance in 2020’s Battle performing a set of rock covers.

“The school’s music programs each have a component of what we do, but this competition is the only real way to perform in school as a five piece rock band,” Gernie Galvan, senior and keyboardist said. “I think we’re all just excited it’s back.”

Munster’s HUM Youth Group will also be performing at Battle this year, stitching together a set of individual group dances from their Hum Night. HUM has often participated in Battle in prior years, so Abhiram Kandregula, senior and HUM president, looks forward to bringing the group back on the stage.

“Coming back from COVID last year, not many of us were able to be a part of Battle,” he said. “We wanted to bring HUM back into the spotlight and give your members another chance to dance and show the audience what HUM is if they haven’t seen us before.”