Battle of the Bands Rocks on at DU

Students perform on stage at DU's Battle of the Bands competition.

Photos by Dave Pavlina

Several inches of fresh snow couldn’t keep musicians and music fans away from one of DU’s favorite traditions, Battle of the Bands. Held on March 6 and hosted by DU’s Programming Board (DUPB), the event was moved due to the weather from its usual place on the Nagel Mainstage Patio to Maglione Hall in the Sie Complex.

Seven bands and solo acts took the stage, each playing a two- or three-song set. They were competing for a chance to open for the electronic-pop group Between Friends at MusicFest, which is part of the annual May Days celebration. The student audience, who voted for their favorites at the end of the night, enjoyed music ranging from indie rock to folk—plus all the festivities and fun that go along with the annual event—while staying warm and dry indoors.

The first band of the night was Onion, a relatively new indie-rock band that snagged the runner-up spot. Next was Long Way Home, a folk band that played a sweet, melodious cover of “Linger” by the Cranberries, earning them third place in the competition. Other performers included Larissa Olson, Clove, Eye2Eye, Susie Land, and the final act of the night, Exhaler.   

The event’s emcees, Ryan Bouchard and Jack Schuchard from the on-campus improv group Skintight Outrage, nearly stole the show in between musical acts, cracking jokes and keeping the atmosphere light. 

That was one of the highlights of the night, said Ynosh Ilagan, co-chair of DUPB’s Mainstage committee and a fourth-year student studying film and biology. “I really liked how things turned out this year,” he said. “The emcees kept the crowd going, and people were having fun.” 

And the winner is...

The winner of Battle of the Bands 2026 was post-punk band Exhaler, who took the stage at the end of the night—but that didn’t stop them from hyping up the crowd. 

A particularly memorable moment came from Drew Tilbrooke, a fourth-year student at the Lamont School of Music, when he serenaded the crowd with a saxophone solo during the group’s final song of the night, a cover of Pitbull’s “Fireball.”

Tilbrooke is one of six Lamont music students—all graduating this spring—who make up Exhaler, including Grady Dionne and Julian Horne on guitar, Elan Jimenez on bass, Bryson Miller on drums, and Trevor Briggs on keyboards and vocals. 

The group, who met and starting playing together their first year at DU, has a bright future ahead. They recently released a single, “Post-Nasal Drip” (available on all streaming platforms), and have a new album coming out in April, “Don’t Wait Up on Me.” Fans of Exhaler—and anyone with an affinity for punchy guitar riffs and addictive drumbeats—should keep an eye out for their West Coast tour this summer, as well as a special show in Denver.

Members of Exhaler say performing at Battle of the Bands has been a crucial part of their endeavors and is meaningful for the DU music community at large. “This event helps you see how there is so much talent and drive, as well as diversity of artistry, coming out of this school,” said Briggs. “Absolutely every performance today was, like, in a world of its own, and that's a great thing.”

Missed the show—or just want an encore? Keep scrolling to see highlights from the night in our photo gallery.