Bandest of the Bands

The noise-o-meter has been used for decades in lieu of judges at Battle of the Bands events in order to ensure that the public is heard. This said, Friday night’s Bandest of the Bands at WOW Hall should be a wondrous display of democracy. And let’s not forget the music.

Three local up-and-comers will hit the stage Friday night and go head to head for the title of Bandest of the Bands: Locally based Small Joys — a four part indie-folk group with epic songwriting and masterful understanding of musical theory — share the stage with Mufassa — a rockin’ Sea Bell offshoot (for those who don’t remember Sea Bell: you missed out, bro) — and the Groundblooms, a truly badass indie noise pop group from right here in town.

The lineup’s sweet, but it’s up to you to decide which band has the chops to be labeled the Bandest. Cynics, do your worst.

Ethos magazine’s Bandest of the Bands starts at 8pm Friday, Jan. 25, at WOW Hall; $5 adv., $6 door.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!