Bite the Bulleit under ‘Blinding Lights’

James Bulleit and the Dirty Blondes win Phi Mu Alpha’s Battle of the Bands

By Sarah Katherine Sisk Collegian Reporter

Hillsdale students packed inside of 55 Below last Friday to watch Phi Mu Alpha’s annual Battle of the Bands.

The lineup consisted of six student bands: Sean Connery Jr., Diet of Worms, James Bulleit and the Dirty Blondes, Schizmatics, The Drunk Uncles, and Half House.

“Most of the opportunities for musicians on campus are through the orchestra, choir, or jazz ensembles, so I’m really happy that events like this exist to give other kinds of musicians a chance to shine as well,” senior guitarist Michael Thelen said.

The bands were voted on by a panel of Hillsdale faculty judges: Arete Professorial Fellow Paul Rezkalla, Chair of Economics Ivan Pongracic, and Director of Health and Wellness Dustin Flores.

James Bulleit and the Dirty Blondes placed first, Schizmatics came in second, and Diet of Worms took third place.

Thelen said that seeing such a large crowd engage with their performance is one of the highlights of playing.

“Almost 400 people came to the event this year, making it one of the most-attended Battle of the Bands that Phi Mu Alpha has ever put on,” Thelen said.

James Bulleit and the Dirty Blondes, comprised of seniors Matthias Rhein, Nathan Bly, Michael Thelen, junior Avery Miller, and sophomore Matt Byrne performed a mix of old classics such as “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses and “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” by Journey and rock renditions of newer pop songs like “Blinding Lights” by The Weeknd and “Bad Romance” by Lady Gaga

“We try to strike a good balance between songs that we really love and songs that we know the audience will really love as well,” Thelen said.

“Thankfully there tends to be a lot of overlap between those two categories.”

Senior Matthias Rhein, vocalist for James Bulleit and the Dirty Blondes, said the setlist that works well for a live audience consists of a surprising mixture of popular songs.

“It’s a learning curve to understand which songs actually make people dance,” Rhein said. “But Michael Thelen, who’s been at this for three years now, really knows the formula.”

Miller said. “I’m happy that our group can go out there, not having to worry about the music but only about performing an entertaining show for the audience. Song selection plays into this as well, so I usually bounce our setlist around to a few of my friends to see if they like it or not.”

The Schizmatics includes sophomores Gavin Listro, Owen Gerth, John Schaefer, Jack Walker, Dravyn Spies, and Matt Byrne.

Byrne, vocalist and bassist

James Bulleit and the Dirty Blondes in the lineup.

“The show felt really good because the energy in the room was fantastic after Bulleit’s set,” Listro said. “I felt really inspired to do well after watching them play their hearts out.”

Schaefer, trumpet player for the Schizmatics, said the band has improved significantly since they won last year’s CHP Showdown.

“Every one of us has grown so much in our musicality over the past nine months since we formed the band, and I think we learn more with every gig we play,” Schaefer said. “We had to learn seven new songs over the past two weeks in preparation for battle, and the music itself was some of the most difficult we have learned.”

Hillsdale freshman Patrick Hamilton enjoyed supporting his friends playing in the bands.

“I had a lot of friends perform that night. It was really cool to see every band perform, and I was impressed with the musical talent,” Hamilton said. “It was really cool to see alumni and professors there as well to enjoy the music.”

Cheng’s card says “In all things, give thanks,” based on her love of Thanksgiving as a holiday, and desire to have a message that applies to every person that may be writing or receiving a card.

“I wanted to write something that is true, regardless of any situation,” Cheng said.

Dornbirer also loves Thanksgiving, and was a first-time submitter after admiring the Day of Thanks project for a few years.

“Day of Thanks is my favorite day of the fall semester,” Dornbrier said. “I love the camaraderie of friends gathered around our Student Union and I wanted to contribute to it.”

Dornbirer’s art features a bouquet of seasonal orange and red flowerslike mums, with “Thanks a Bunch” written in calligraphy on the side. Using a reference for the carnations and wheat stalks, Dornbrier invented most of the flowers herself, drawing what seemed to fit the time of year.

Alongside floral inspirations, the design also incorporated concepts of unity and celebration, according to Dornbirer. “Flowers have an inviting, celebratory feel, and the bunch of flowers gave me that while allowing me to incorporate fall colors,” Dornbrier said. “It also plays off of a gathering of a community.”