Georgetown, American, and George Washington University Musicians Play It Out At Battle of the Bands 2025

On an uncharacteristically warm evening on November 8th, fans from all over the District gathered in George Washington University’s Square 80, a small pocket park in the center between student dormitories, for the third annual Battle of the Bands.

The evening featured three bands: Jam! from Georgetown University, Argo and the Violet Queens from American University, and Palisades from George Washington University. Though this is not the first event of its kind on campus, it was the first event hosted by WRGW, George Washington University’s radio station. Each band was represented by its school’s radio station, and the event offered free admission to students as a means to generate interest and recognition in the student music scene as they enter the wider D.C. scene.

Joining the event as judges were four representatives from the D.C. scene – Joe Lapan and Alisha Edmonson from Songbyrd Music House, recently named the best venue to see up-and-coming bands; Matt Doherty of D.C. venue promoter I.M.P.; and Ray Brown, booker for D.C. show promoter Red Brick Presents.

WRGW general manager Kendall Larade is proud of the work that WRGW has done to engage and promote student musicians. “The big purpose of the event is to get our different stations together to demonstrate how lively the D.C. music scene is and how the barrier to entry is low,” Larade said. “You can start playing music in college, and you can perform in front of all these people, and they’ll all be supportive of you as well.”

Anticipation in the crowd grew as it approached time for the first set to begin, but there wasn’t any sign of anxiety in the makeshift ‘backstage’ area where the musicians prepared. Performers and their crews sat around talking, laughing, playing cards, and otherwise waiting for instructions from the WRGW hosts. Fans from neighboring dorms emerged from inside and perched on fire escapes and roofs to watch the show from above.

Jam! began the evening song with a five-song set, filling the air with guitar-riffed renditions of “Just The Two of Us” by Bill Withers and Grover Washington, Jr. that included a rock interlude of the jazzy, upbeat song to feature their drummer and bassist, and “Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer. Georgetown students at the front of the crowd jumped, hollered, and chanted the band’s name between songs to show their school spirit and make sure their presence was known on rival territory.

Next up was Argo and the Violet Queens’ seven-song set, mainly comprised of originals like “Likeness of You” and “East from Sunday”, bringing a blues-y rock sound to the yard. Fans in the crowd were enjoying the lead guitarist’s 1970s look and dancing to the saxophonist’s solos, asking each other, “Why do I feel like I went back in time?”

The anticipation that didn’t exist at the beginning of the evening sure arose in the audience as Palisades prepared to take the stage. If anyone began to feel drowsy or disinterested between sets, it quickly went away when Palisades took the stage. Their self-described metalcore originals and covers during their five-song set, including originals  “Icarus Fell” and “I Choose Life,” prompted fans to mosh in front of the stage until they were sufficiently out of breath and weary. However, no amount of fatigue could stop the energy that Palisades brought to the Square 80 stage.

After Palisades’ set, it was time for the judges and fans to make their deliberations. Fans turned to WRGW Live’s Instagram page to vote for Fan Favorite. After a few minutes of deliberation, the judges were split cleanly down the middle on the winner, so the fan vote broke the tie and crowned Palisades the overall victor. As a quartet, the members took home the trophy made of broken CDs and left a spark in the air as they exited the stage.