Five bands competed, but at the end of the night, Enjoy had won the Whiskey Bar’s Battle of the Bands contest on Aug. 24.
Enjoy was the evening’s first band to play, and they immediately won over the crowd with their pop-rock tunes and loud guitar rifts. Some of the Hudson County-based band’s fans were in attendance to support the boys, and overall the judges agreed they performed better than their competitors.
"All the bands were really good. It was a tough choice. I wouldn’t have wanted to be a judge in that situation," said Enjoy guitarist Scott Rednor after the show. "We love the Whiskey Bar. It’s a great venue with a great sound system."
Enjoy has been playing the tri-state original music circuit relentlessly for more than a year. With a unique radio-friendly yet hard-rock sound, the band creates quality music, and they performed very well live.
"It was fun and nerve-racking, and it felt weird to compete," said Jason Pendergraft, Enjoy’s lead singer. "There’s great live music in Hoboken, and the people running the Whiskey Bar are very ambitious."
For winning the contest, Enjoy received a discount at Dave’s Sound Repair in Whippany, and studio time at Big Blue Meanie Studios in Jersey City. According to Rednor, the band will utilize the studio space to finish several songs for their upcoming album, set to debut in November. They will also keep touring the area to recruit more fans.
Enjoy was one of more than 50 bands to take part in the Whiskey Bar’s original band contest, which began in April. The other Battle of the Bands finalists included Barefoot Landing, Persun, Coventry Road, and Sprout.
Coventry Road, the third band to play on Aug. 24, put on a good show as well. They received an enthusiastic response from the crowd, and lead singer Virginia Kamentizer captured the audience with her great rock voice.
"We played very well, and the turnout was excellent. Enjoy put on a good show. We’re all winners tonight," said Coventry Road drummer Mike Possumato.
Despite bad weather, more than 100 patrons flocked to the Whiskey in downtown Hoboken. Mike Ulrich, Wesley Siegel and Sara Groulo came from Mahwah to watch the show. They had heard of Enjoy and Sprout, and felt compelled to experience the contest live, despite the 45-minute drive to town.
"This is live music at its best," said Siegel, a student at Ramapo College.
Jersey City residents John Bednar and Michael Winsett came to Hoboken to go bar-hopping. Once they made their way to the Whiskey Bar, they stayed for the show.
"They should do this more often," Bednar said.
John Seymore, a Grammy Award winner producer for Santana and other rock bands, was one of the judges for the competition. He judged the bands based on their crowd response and professional work.
"They’re all good. This contest helps the bands develop their confidence on stage," Seymore said.
The event’s organizers said plans for another original music contest are in the development stages.
For more information on Enjoy visit www.enjoyband.com or call Onion City Agency at (201) 914-5473. The Whiskey Bar is located on 125 Washington St. Visit them on the web at www.whiskey-bar.com. q