The Sus-Tones, a four-man surf rock band, brought down the house at the second annual “Battle of the Bands” held September 7th, to benefit the Chorus Program of the St Johns County Center for the Arts.
Their performance at the Battle of the Bands culminated in a spontaneous party when audience members got to their feet, left their seats, and gathered at the stage, dancing to the music and improvising a balloon for a beach ball to bat around through the crowd.
“Oh, yeah!” said one judge following the Sus-Tones’ set. “That got me off that chair and on my feet! That’s what rock does. It gets you moving, it gets your heart pumping, it makes you feel it. That was awesome.”
Band-members Ivan Barber, Isaac Barzso, Cole Helman, and Iain Smith are students at St Augustine High School and are members of the St Augustine High School Guitar Program.
The Sus-Tones have combined their significant guitar prowess with a driving drum beat to develop a repertoire of high-energy music, including original compositions and covers of classic surf rock artists such as Dick Dale, The Ventures, and others.
The band took first place in the battle; winning $500 and recording time donated by Fish Tank Recording Studios.
“Just Class”, a musical trio made up of Devin Reardon and siblings Riley and Isabel Hillyer, took second place with their jazz and acapella performance, featuring freshman Isabel Hillyer on smoking saxophone. Third place winners were Ivan Barber and Iain Smith with their roots rock combo Rumble. Second and third place winners also received recording time donated by Fish Tank Recording Studios.
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