Key points
- Battle of the Bands is an annual festival put on by PAB to showcase the best ASU musicians from across all campuses.
- This year, the event is happening Thursday, Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. in Civic Space Park.
- Eight bands will compete for the chance to open at Devilpalooza.
- A combination of student votes and a judging panel will decide the winner.
Indie, J-rock, mathcore, shoegaze, violent pop, metal, jazz and Sierreño. Eight bands. One winner.
Here's what you need to know before you go to Battle of the Bands this year.
The annual competition will take place Feb. 26 in Civic Space Park at 6:30 p.m. to showcase Sun Devil musicians and foster a downtown culture.
Eight musical acts will compete Thursday for the chance to open at Devilpalooza.
At the end of the night, four bands will be selected and moved on to a second round, where the winner will be chosen for Devilpalooza. The second round is on March 18 during Change the World at Mountain America Stadium, a showcase and exhibit of Sun Devil performances, art displays and idea pitches.
Nathaniel Helpern, the vice president of programs for Programming and Activities Board Downtown and a sophomore studying popular music, said Battle of the Bands has become downtown's signature event and is a celebration of music.
"It's an important event since we are in the hub of culture, arts and so many cool things here downtown," Helpern said.
What to expect
Food trucks will be at the event, as well as many giveaways and tabling. T-shirts, posters, keychains, fidget toys and more will be raffled off. Helpern said students will "definitely not be leaving empty handed."
Students will also be allowed to get involved in their local music scene. At the end of the night, attendees will make their voices heard as they vote on the band they hope to see move forward in the competition.
A judging panel will also decide the four semifinalists. The panel is made up of PAB presidents from all four campuses, and popular music professors, according to Diego Lara, the president of PAB Downtown and a graduate student studying global managing. This year, the scoresheet is based on stage presence, musicianship and marketability.
"Being able to use the scorecard allows us to average and diversify our scores and to make sure it's fair and balanced for everyone," Lara said.
The president of PAB said the only thing students will have to bring is their energy for the bands.
Lara said it has been important for them to represent all of ASU's campuses and multiple different genres of music. Over 25 bands applied this year, which was a record-breaking number for Battle of the Bands.
Who to expect
Alex Guthrie and the Uplands Band creates indie rock music. They are the largest group performing, made up of six members.
With a pilot album released on Spotify in 2024, Denko is a "mathcore" and rock group. Mathcore is largely instrumental with an emphasis on time signatures.
Heat Transfer is a group of popular music students who create chill indie music with a psychedelic flair.
Los del Centro is a band that plays regional Mexican and Sierreño music, which is a genre that consists mainly of guitars.
After putting out their first single on Spotify in 2022, Lucky Sisu has grown across the DIY music scene. Their sound is described as a "J-rock shoegaze."
My Upside Down has played venues across the Valley, such as the Nile Theater and the Rebel Lounge. The band describes their music as "violent pop."
Founded in 2025, The Chandeliers is a band that plays jazz, funk and alternative indie. They are part of the popular music program at ASU.
Vertigo is an established three-piece metal band that has performed across the Valley and recently released a new single.
Lara said it's important to give popular music students a platform and was a key part that the team wanted to accomplish. While bands need to have original music as a requirement this year, the event is expanding to solo acts, DJs and more.
In the past, each campus has had their own Battle of the Bands. In recent years, however, PAB Downtown has taken over planning the event.
Lara said he feels very proud of the event they were able to put together and is excited to see students enjoying the music.
Whether you want to dance, win prizes or enjoy a sample of the ASU music scene, Battle of the Bands has something to offer. The event is hoping to kick off hype for Devilpalooza.
"It gives us an opportunity to showcase who we are as downtown," Helpern said. "Being able to use our resources, use our student body here, is special for us."
Edited by Kasturi Tale, Senna James and Ellis Preston.
Reach the reporter at ajanusee@asu.edu and follow @lexijanusee on X.
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Lexi Janusee is in her first semester with the State Press. She is a freshman studying Journalism and Mass Communications with a minor in Theatre. Lexi also works for Blaze Radio, and is an on-air host for Open Mic.
