Ten and Counting Win SJC Battle of the Bands

By a single point, judges awarded high school indie/funk band Ten and Counting victory at the St. John of the Cross Family Festival Battle of the Bands on Thursday night, and the right to open for well-known Beatles tribute band American English at Satuday’s Festival.

“This is a big deal,” said Ten and Counting guitarist P. J. McClosky. “We haven’t opened for anyone near as big… I think it’s going to be something where we can put together a lot of interesting connections where people will really enjoy the show. I’m looking very forward to it.”

Ten and Counting, who founded in 2008, came out sporting spray-dyed hair and rocked songs from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Umphrey’s McGee, Dave Matthews, Led Zeppelin and Muse, as well as a few originals.

The band, whose members hail from Glen Ellyn, Hinsdale and La Grange Park, are known for their work supporting anti-bullying and anti-suicide causes, and for their single, “Iain’s Song,” dedicated to Iain Steele, a LTHS student who tragically took his life in 2009. They now have an album out called Moon Hoppin'.

Runner-ups were Von Chalant, a Lyons Township alt-rock band with jazz influences. Von Chalant got to open Friday night for 80’s-rock band Infinity.

“It’s pretty cool, a lot of fun,” commented frontman Dan Suarez of Western Springs. “The setup’s cool and the tent is awesome, [and] we hope everyone enjoyed the music.”

Ten other bands performed, many playing modern rock staples, but others giving performances varying from an a cappella “Danny Boy” to a rendition of Napalm Death’s one-second grindcore classic, “You Suffer.”

Videos of all 12 bands can be seen above.

Ten and Counting are David Hahne, P. J. McCloskey, Matt Brooks, Stephen Ilhardt, and Evan DeLorenzo. Von Chalant are Dan Suarez, Brian Quinnlan, Christian Dwit, Michael Leszczynski (Steve Manns as proxy) and Nolan Galivan.