Dons Got Music competition will lead to epic opportunity

Three groups competing in Monday's first-ever Dons Got Music competition are hoping strong performances lead to PFW immortality. The winner will be the opening act for Flo Rida on April 26 at Gates Sports Center.

Dons Got Talent is free to attend. This battle of the bands runs from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in the International Ballroom at Walb Student Union. Mauve, Punching Lucky, and Natalie and Crew advanced to the finals via auditions that took place Feb. 12 and 13.

"This is our first performance where we are playing for something," said junior Michael Boyd, drummer with Natalie and Crew. "These are big stakes with over 2,000 people who are possibly going to be in the building, and we're opening for a big-name artist. This is something bigger than what we've ever done."

Here's a look at the bands that will be competing on Monday:

Mauve

The name was decided before most current members joined, as a friend named May asked lead singer Miriam Pinkus to name a band after her. Pinkus suggested the color mauve, meaning artistic ambition and originality in color psychology.

The group includes senior Jack Claypool on guitar, senior Evyn Michele on guitar and drums, junior Rowan Mullen on bass and keyboards, freshman Nolan Reynolds on bass and guitar, junior Anna Sewell on drums, and sophomore Pinkus on vocals and bass. Focusing on a classic guitar-driven rock sound with aspects of R&B, grunge, and shoegaze, they formed the band about a month before the audition and have only played a couple of gigs.

Originally, they joined the competition for fun-and another chance to play before an audience.

"Now we've got a lot more music to learn, and we've got to step up our game a little bit," Mullen said. "It's nice to feel like you're doing something, and you have a goal to work towards."

Mauve continues to write and practice new material in preparation.

"It'd just be a good opportunity for us in general to have that step up and make us feel like we can actually hang out there with the people that have years of experience on us," Michele said.

Though she'll be the smallest person on the stage, Pinkus has a huge voice that resonates with volume and range.

Punching Lucky

The origins of this band's name would make any punk rocker of the late '70s proud. Kids, don't try this at home.

While watching someone get punched during the Disney movie "Lemonade Mouth," Reece Hunt, whose nickname is "Lucky," mentioned it's always been his dream to see if he could handle a blow to the face. Then Hailee Richmond said she had always wanted to slug someone in the face. Before the haymakers could start, Ella Yates piped up, "That has a nice ring to it-it's a name for sure."

Four band members were touring PFW's Sweetwater Music Center in August when they decided to work together, finding their alt-rock and punk style with inspiration from Paramore and Radiohead. All freshmen, Hunt plays guitar, Richmond provides guitar, bass, and vocals, Yates is the lead singer, with Madison Maillet on drums and Daisey Klonne on bass and guitar.

"I don't care what we're performing for," Hunt said. "I can't imagine anyone else I'd rather be on stage with. I've been lucky enough to perform a lot, but nowhere has it been a tighter-knit bond on stage. We could be in front of 300 or two people and I'll still be just as excited."

After writing it a month earlier, the group debuted an original song during its audition.

"I feel like we've amped it up, and our writing has continued to develop as a band," Yates said. "Now we're writing songs with multiple melodies and all sorts of different guitar parts."

Natalie and Crew

The most experienced of the finalists, Natalie and Crew have played together for three years. Like many bands, they've experienced a few personnel rotations before stabilizing this year. Now they're ready to showcase their interest and skill in multiple genres.

"It's the love of performing that always is first to me," said lead singer Natalie Dominiak, a PFW junior. "I love being on stage, putting on a good show, and entertaining people."

Senior Eleysha Lee plays bass guitar, senior Jesse Frausto plays guitar, and senior Amara Wiley is a percussionist and vocalist. The crew also features junior Michael Boyd on drums, sophomore Noah Vaughn on keyboards, and freshman Hailee Richmond, also of Punching Lucky, on guitar and vocals.

"I would say there's a bit more urgency, like when it comes to creating; we don't want to just go up there with all covers," Lee said. "We want to show what we've got, too, so we put together some originals, and then we've also got to get a good long set."

With Dominiak's performing presence on stage-and sometimes in the crowd-the band name seems natural, but the group is looking for something new and might debut a new moniker Monday night.

"Doing something like this and getting this opportunity will be able to propel us forward and find ourselves a little bit more," Vaughn said. "This is big for us as independent musicians, but we love playing together and being around each other."

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