By Emily Marie Mayo, Deputy Features Editor

The final round of UCC Music Society’s Battle of the Bands competition is here to kick off March with some noise! If you're a fan of college basketball (or have binged How I Met Your Mother) then you know it's time for some bracketing.

March Madness, the annual NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) single-elimination basketball tournament, captivates millions every year. Even Barney Stinson used bracketology to track down his biggest dating saboteur in HIMYM Season 3, Episode 14. So, why not apply it here?

*Neil Patrick Harris as Barney Stinson in* How I Met Your Mother, *Season 3 Episode 14*.

We’re bringing the bracket format centre stage for Battle of the Bands, hosted by the UCC Music Society. Eight local bands have gone head-to-head in sets of four, with only two from each advancing. The finalists, chosen through a mix of audience votes and judges' scores, will battle it out for an exciting grand prize. Only one band will win, but which will it be? This article will recap the high-voltage performances of Heat 1 and 2 to try and find out.

Let the music madness begin!

**Heat 1: Ether, BABYRAT, Big Empty, MDR**

Ether were the first to take the stage at Cyprus Avenue, and they wasted no time setting the bar high. Opening any gig and getting the crowd riled up is no mean feat, but Ether managed just that. With Chris Kett on vocals and guitar, Shao Tampus on drums, and Rob Cashman on bass, this alt-rock trio had the audience on their feet from their very first note.

Their music carried the weight of 90s grunge influences whilst injecting a modern edge, making their set both nostalgic and refreshingly new. Kett’s gritty yet melodic vocals blended seamlessly with Cashman’s pulsing basslines, while Tampus’ drumming provided a dynamic backbone with precision and power.

They performed the fan favourite, “Nocturnal”, which is now streaming on Spotify. The lyrics, ‘Stay away from me/I do what I want to/Now you’re in my dreams,’ capture the rebellious spirit that emanates from the band.

Midway through, the band switched gears with “Neptune”, a slower, more introspective piece that allowed for a moment of calm in the midst of the storm. The melancholic melodies gave the audience a chance to catch their breath while showcasing Ether’s versatility. The shift in tempo only made their final track, “One Day”, hit harder. They closed with an electrifying performance, proving that Ether is a band to watch.

*Big Empty, 2025. Photo by Annmarie Kett.*

Big Empty electrified the venue from the jump. The rock four-piece with Franek G on vocals and lead guitar, Nikita Shtokalenko on drums, Rufus O’Connell Cantillon on bass and Seán McGrath on guitar fed off the intensity of the crowd. Their fans, affectionately known as the Big Empty Heads, showed up in DIY merch and flocked to the stage in support.

The night’s momentum surged with “Portis Pilots”, a track in which Franek’s desperate vocals crashed in and out of the song’s brooding melody when he sang, ‘And it feels like drowning and my head is pounding. ‘I just want to be me.’ “In the Mood for Love”, however, slowed things down with a sultry groove and Arctic Monkeys-esque swagger: ‘In the mood for love, are you in the mood for me?’

Between songs, he kept the adrenaline high, rallying the audience, calling,‘Are you ready for more?’ and ‘Are you ready to dance, Cyprus Avenue?’ The answer from the audience was a resounding yes.

To close out the night, the band tore through a cover of The Stooges’ “I Wanna Be Your Dog”, culminating in a ferocious guitar face-off between Franek and Seán.

If you’re wanting more from Big Empty, you’ll be happy to hear that they are playing Fred Zeppelin’s on March 7th. Online tickets have already sold out, but there will be more available at the door, so make sure to get there early.

*BABYRAT, 2025. Photo by Annmarie Kett.*

BABYRAT scurried onto the stage and sank its teeth into the crowd. This fierce, in-your-face, punk-pop band with Zoe Callanan on vocals, Aela Lawler on drums, Cormac McCarthy on bass, and guitarists Matthew Lucas and Jamie Kierans is all attitude and spunk.

Although their sound is sweet, their lyrics contain no sugar coating. This rat pack will tell you how it is. Their setlist, “Roses”, “Anybody Else But You”, “Talk Talk”, “Nature of the Game”, and “First to know”, offers no-nonsense insights into relationships with mean girls, exes, and everything in between.

Zoe’s biting delivery made every line land with great impact. Coruscating lyrics like ‘Anybody else but you could walk through that door and make me smile’ and ‘I think of you when the bitter kicks in from my gin and tonic’ were coupled with a performance that left the audience feeling every bit of the band’s scathing emotions.

During “Roses”, the band threw in a nod to local nightlife mainstays with a cheeky reference ‘The girls from the Roundy go to Bróg to dance, and the girls from the Roundy don’t give second chances,’ The audience comprised of UCC students cheered, revelling in flattery and Cork City pride. The band’s unofficial anthem, “Nature of the Game”, had the audience chanting the catchy BABYRAT ethos: ‘I don’t chase, I just attract, because that’s so BABYRAT’ along with the band.

For their last song, “First to Know,” Matthew ‘Chewie’ Lucas unleashed a feral guitar riff, setting the stage for chaos. In true BABYRAT fashion, Jamie took things to new heights by zipping up onto the shoulders of an audience member to shred his guitar.

Go ahead and set your traps. Good luck trying to stop these guys from infesting your playlists.

MDR took the stage with a powerful performance that had the crowd buzzing, like lead singer K O’Reagan, who confessed to having downed two energy drinks before the set. With Kenneth Buckley on lead guitar, Joseph Golden on bass, Amy McWey on drums, and Katy Judge on backing vocals, the band’s chemistry was undeniable.

Their debut single “Sleeptalk” had the audience swaying to its bittersweet lyrics,‘But now I'm drunk on the beach drawing our names in the sand/Talk about you with my friends just because I can...’ Released earlier this year on Spotify, the track showcased MDR’s knack for blending emotional depth with infectious melodies.

They closed the night with “M.O.A.B. (Mother of a Bomb)”, an explosive piece for their finale that lives up to its name. As the song reached its peak, the crowd erupted into chants of ‘M.O.A.B! M.O.A.B!’

MDR’s onstage dynamic was just as entertaining as their songs. Between tracks, K O’Reagan kept the audience laughing with playful banter, at one point joking, ‘We let Katy [Judge] join the band because we realized it was a lot cheaper to have her as an official member.’ Without missing a beat, Katy shot back, ‘They’ve never paid me.’

It’s clear that MDR is on the rise. This time last year, they were playing their first Battle of the Bands gig. Now, they’re headlining The Pav this Thursday, March 6. If their performance at this show was any indication, you won’t want to miss it.

As audience members cast their votes and the judges deliberated, guest performers Little Known took the stage, offering a welcome interlude with their moving alt indie set. At last, it was announced that BABYRAT and MDR will be competing in the final. UCC’s Music Society released the names of the four bands set to compete in Heat 2: The Donnys, Maicín, Wheelbite, and Reserved for Rehab. And so, our bracket grows.

With the beginning of Heat 2, the crowd at Cyprus Avenue were hotly anticipating an electric night following the buzz of Heat 1. Led by Oisín Conroy on vocals and rhythm guitar, with Ethan Jackman on bass, Adam Drennan on keys, and Eoghan Conroy on drums, The Donnys took to the stage with a boldness, launching into their first song as the stage lights pulsed wildly, in sync with their fast-paced, 70s blues meets modern punk sound.

The band’s standout tracks showcased their knack for crafting extended, jam-heavy compositions that kept the energy high and the audience hooked.

“The Mailing List” kicked off their set with a strong start, Oisín’s defiant delivery cutting through the air: ‘Well, everything I say is wrong, but not for long… Well, every word I say is wrong, so I put ‘em in this song.’ The song surged forward with urgency as he pleaded: ‘I want you, I need you. When you gonna come out of your shell?’ It felt as if he was asking the audience directly, pulling them deeper into the performance.

*The Donnys, 2025. Photo by Emily Marie Mayo.*

The band closed with “The Window,” a powerful anthem where each member had a moment to shine: Adam’s shimmering keys, Ethan’s rumbling bass, and Eoghan’s thundering drums. It was a climactic moment where the band’s synergy was on full display, each instrument intertwining seamlessly to elevate the song to its peak.

Oisín’s vocals echoed back to the beginning of their set repeating another desperate refrain: ‘I said I want you/I said I need you/I said I’ll love you till the break of day,’ as he brought the song and the set to a full circle.

With Matt Hurley at the helm, Maicín delivered a set packed with playful charm, social commentary, and existential dread. Joined by Méabh Fitzgerald on keys, Aidan Kelleher on drums, Darragh McNamara on bass (and comic relief), and Ryan Daly on lead guitar, the band struck a balance between tight musicianship and spontaneous fun.

They opened with “Everything is Looking Good”, setting a hopeful tone with the lyrics, ‘This is where your life begins again.’ The upbeat start marked the beginning of a set filled with energy and possibility.

Maicín then guided their set to a more reflective space as Ryan’s nostalgic harmonica began to play the opening notes to “Find Somebody New.” The lyrics, ‘Why try anything?/You gotta find somebody new, gotta find somebody new to prove I’m worthy,’ delivered a hard truth wrapped in soft melody. Lines like ‘I fear that I’m useless/God only knows why,’ and ‘I can’t sleep without headphones/I get this dream in my mind,’ made the crowd want to think about the difficult things, and even say them, as they sang along.

The mood shot back up again with “Che Guevara,” where Méabh ditched her two-tiered keyboard for a melodica, playing back-to-back with Matt, whose sharp wit and biting social commentary took centre stage. ‘Che Guevara/Derived, contrived to be your fridge-magnet/The once communist, consumerist plastic/I’d go to hell provided/I can keep the handbasket.’

“Gormless”, the Irish slang for ‘stupid’ or ‘senseless’ was last in their set. Ryan held up a sign marked with the song’s title, prompting the crowd to shout it back in the chorus. Matt took it a step further, passing the mic to fans to belt it out along with him. There’s nothing like a healthy dose of existential dread, and Maicín sure knows how to administer it. Toward the end, Matt sang ‘And we’re all gonna die someday, so you might as well sing along!’ If that won’t get you to groove, nothing will.

*Wheelbite, 2025. Photo by Annmarie Kett.*

Wheelbite, a jazzy punk band made up of skaters, is quick on the up-and-up. Despite having only performed five gigs to date, they already sound like a band with something to say. The group is composed of Julian on guitar and vocals, Igor on drums, Ethan on bass, and Jordan on lead guitar, each bringing their own unique flair to the mix.

Their upcoming single “Aries Girls” will be out soon, offering a glimpse into their evolving sound. They also played “Pomegranate” in which Julian sang, ‘What your skin looks like lit by the moon/I wonder what it feels like to be with you.’

“Now You Cry,” which featured the lines, ‘I don’t care that it’s your birthday. I don’t care about what you do,’ and ‘Next time you’re looking for me, won’t even waste my time/Oh, now you cry,’ stung the audience with their apathy.

Currently recording their upcoming EP, Wheelbite is sure to explore the boundaries of punk.

Alternative rock band Reserved for Rehab delivered a dynamic set, blending melodic introspection with punchy energy. With Ramah Kumar on vocals and guitar, Shao Tampus on drums, Chris Kett on bass, and Miko Musko on lead guitar, the band showcased their capacity for emotional resonance offset by infectious hooks.

Their set opened with “TWYSMN (The Way You Say My Name)”, a track with catchy guitar riffs entwined with yearning lyrics that reflect on what could have been, ‘I want you to stay with me/I want you to stay for weeks. I wonder what my life could have been if you were the same.’

Slowing things down, “HOLLOW” created a dreamlike atmosphere, with introspective lines that lingered in the air, ‘When I’m on my own sometimes I fly/I wanna see your dreams in the light.’

The band closed their set with a cover of “DAMMIT” by Blink-182, giving the audience the opportunity to sing along to the iconic lyrics, ‘Well, I guess this is growing up’. They transformed the song into something distinctly theirs with their deeper sound while keeping the energetic spirit of the original alive. Catch them playing Fred Zeppelin’s on March 7 alongside Big Empty if you can!

Melancholic rock band Mirrors, featuring vocalist and guitarist Jodie Lyne, bassist Zoe Callanan, rhythm guitarist Fionán ‘Junior’ O’Riordan, and lead guitarist Fionnan Sheehan were the guest performers of the night.

They closed their entrancing set with a brand-new song, written earlier that week. Though the title has yet to be shared, the chorus alone, ‘Step down from my heart/Would you let go of my soul? Would you take my burning hatred, keep it safe and turn it into love’ proves that it is destined to be a crowd favourite.

As they played their final notes, the band stood bathed in golden light. It was a glowing end to Heat 2.

And with that, the stage is set for the final. Suit up, get your (free) tickets, make bets with your pals, and get on over to Cyprus Avenue on Wednesday, March 5 to fill in the last blank in the bracket, witness the final battle, and cast your vote for your winner!

Follow UCC’s Music Society on Instagram @uccmusicsoc to stay in the loop with all things Battle of the Bands, and check out @amkfilmrolls for more incredible shots by photographer Annmarie Kett.

Battle of the Bands: March Madness Goes Musical

Media Bias in the Coverage of Sweden’s Mass Shooting