15 Spectacular Years: The Battle of the Bands
By Brian Dema ’03, ’11 MBA
The curtain would rise at any moment, and we were still filled with questions: Were we ready? How do you mic a sitar? And where in the world is our keyboardist!?
But when we saw the crowd before us — by far the largest audience that any of us had ever played for— we knew we were a part of something special. The first Battle of the Bands (BOTB) between Kellogg and Chicago Booth had begun.
And yes, our keyboardist finally showed up.
That was 2011, and BOTB has been going strong ever since. Now in its 15th year, the bands will be taking the stage on May 17 at the Aragon Ballroom, a 4800-person venue famous for hosting everyone from jazz big bands to the likes of Nirvana, Metallica and The Grateful Dead!
“What I remember from the Battle is the rush of the first power chord in our opening arrangement, and the excitement of the crowd singing along to the songs,” said Ryan Blackwell ‘22 MBA, member of the Captains of Industry. Or as Alex Rose ‘24 MBA, member of the Rocket Pockets, puts it: “The simultaneous mix of adrenaline, zen, jitters, humor, trust and camaraderie that comes from the green room before the start.”
Origin story
During my time at Kellogg, I was part of the band for the Special K! show where I experienced the impact of coming together over music with my classmates. Outside of school, I was in a funk band (aptly named Funk in the Trunk) with a guitarist from Chicago Booth. Together, we realized that the student musician community was bigger than any single school, and thus the Battle of the Bands was born.
We took a leap of faith that first year, as we were unsure of how this event would be received. The bands fronted their own money to rent a venue, and we made posters and left branded guitar picks in the mailboxes of every student.
The massive response to the event took us by surprise. Six bands played to a crowd of nearly 500 people. We brought in $13k in revenue, and the bands saw a return on invested capital of 256%.
To top it off, a Kellogg band won that year.
Since then, BOTB has grown, and in recent years, it has been held at The Vic Theatre to an audience of 1,400. Tickets regularly sell out in less than 5 minutes.
“The bond I formed with my fellow bandmates is truly unique,” said Dennis Yue ’24 MBA, member of the Rocket Pockets. “It taught me the value of perseverance and hard work both for personal enjoyment, but more importantly, to craft an awesome experience for our audience.”
Banding together
As an alum, I’ll always cheer for Kellogg to win, but there are no losers in this competition.
Even during that first year, you could feel the magic. Some of the musicians were old hands at performing, while others were new to playing gigs. They took their first steps into the limelight at the Battle and came out more experienced and more confident players.
“Playing in the band gave me more confidence to lead and respect different personalities and skill sets,” shared Andre Boaretto ’11 MBA, member of the Captains of Industry and the Special K! band.
A competition between two graduate schools may seem silly, but business is built on forging relationships. “While competitive, I found the Battle of the Bands — and all other Kellogg-Booth events — a great way to get acquainted with our Kellogg neighbors and expand our collective networks in Chicago,” explained Booth graduate and Battle of the Bands performer Jason Will.
Shared interests and experiences bring people together, and nothing does that quite like music. BOTB is another example of how the business school experience creates connections.
It takes logistics, marketing and time management. It’s also people and learning to work together. A band is a unique type of team that requires intimate collaboration and open communication. Like running a startup, it can be emotional and intense even when everyone has the same goal.
“I've always thought that being in a band is a lot like launching a startup,” said Ben Silton ‘20 MBA, member of the Captains of Industry. “Are you in it for the most fun, or to make the best music? Are you all on the same page about the audience you're trying to please? Are you willing to stop playing when less is more?”
Echoes of BOTB continue to reverberate in my life. I’ve met many alumni from both schools who remember the event, and there is an immediate connection between us. I have a new client for my agency who played in BOTB 12 years after I did.
Memories of stardom
Some of us may never play a stage that big again, while others are just beginning their journey in music. For all of us, BOTB and playing in Kellogg bands gave us a unique chance to experience the limelight.
“I’ve worked on and led many big brands in my marketing career, but I’m equally proud of helping start the Captains of Industry,” shared Adam Landau ’10 MBA. “I’m amazed to see the progress and lasting impact this band is making on Kellogg students’ lives.”
For my part, I still play. I’m in a band with Dan Sanders and Brandon Marshall, two Kellogg students, who I met through the music community in Chicago. In fact, nearly every Kellogg band alum that I’ve spoken with is still performing in bands. And all of them have said that they would play a reunion show.
“Almost all of my bandmates were at my wedding, and we actually performed an encore of our final song from Battle 2024. It’s a moment that I’ll remember forever on one of the most important days of my life,” said Katie Pimentel ‘24 MBA, member of the Captains of Industry.
Keep on rockin’
It’s been 15 years of phenomenal performances and unforgettable fun, thanks to the hard work of many Kellogg and Booth musicians. I can’t wait to attend this year’s event at the Aragon, and I know that I’ll be blown away by the talent.
When I think about the lasting legacy that came from that first show in 2011 at the Double Door, all I can do is hold up a flame and hope for 15 more years.
Some unforgettable moments from Battle of the Bands
