Members of People’s Entrance celebrate winning with their trophy in hand.
From left to right: Leo Edwards ’28, Annie O’Connor ’26, Zach Rakotomaniraka ’27, and Mark Monteiro ’26.
Wheaton’s annual Battle of the Bands opened up in the Lyon’s Den on Saturday Feb. 21, hosting some of the best bands on campus in a night of friendly competition. Hosted collaboratively by ResLife, the Music Co-Op, Art Haus, and MAD House, the event aimed to crown a winner for the campus tradition. Midnight Melody took home the golden statue for 2025, but this year it was anyone’s game.
As the reigning champions, Midnight Melody opened for the event. The band composed of five sophomores took the stage as the crowd danced, cheered, and clapped. Their opening song was Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy.”
A total of eight bands competed, two per round, but only one took home the title. Between each act, the hosts of the event, Jacob Packard ’27 and John O’Meara ’26, offered entertainment to the crowd and advised everyone to vote for the band and music they liked the most. Engaging audience members, Packard and O’Meara captivated the crowd with skits and jokes about pop-culture, campus ongoings, and the horror franchise Five Nights at Freddy’s.
Well-known bands like Midnight Melody, People’s Entrance, Vicious Kid, and Outlive the Dinosaurs joined ranks with bands newer to the spotlight like Drip Dry, Mourning Glorie. Making their debut were bands to watch, Hallowed Ground and Lepht Shu.
The pressure was on for the young bands, as the prizes this year were especially incentivizing. The winner received a professional photoshoot voucher, while the top two received the opportunity for a mini concert in one of our own academic buildings, reminiscent of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series, a departure from the prizes received last year.
By playing both original and covered music, the bracket advanced from the qualifiers, to the semifinals, and then to the finals. Midnight Melody, Drip Dry, People’s Entrance, and Vicious Kid all advanced to the second round.
Afterwards, Drip Dry played against Midnight Melody and won by 1 percent of the vote. People’s Entrance played against Vicious Kid, and successfully moved on as well.
The finale was intense as Drip Dry went against People’s Entrance. Playing original music, the first-year student band potentially had a shot at winning the entire event. However, People’s Entrance—comprised of Mark Monteiro ’26, Leo Edwards ’28, Zach Rakotomaniraka ’27, Annie O’Connor ’26, and Walker Elsaesser ’24—covered Måneskin’s “Beggin” and swept the entire competition.
“Everyone involved in the Battle of the Bands was so amazing and we are so thankful to be a part of such an amazing community,” People’s Entrance said after their win.
In a twist of fate, the band had actually lost the finale last year to Midnight Melody after a close battle, so this was a full-circle moment for the friends.
They also expressed that this isn’t their last show. “People’s Entrance are all such good friends and cannot wait to continue playing for everyone around campus. So much love!” the band shared.
The next event will most likely be Wheaton Woodstock, so keep an eye out for information regarding that!