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SALT LAKE CITY -- Three local rock bands have made it to the semifinals of a national contest.
Not only does this contest give these bands exposure, but if they win, they'll get thousands of dollars for their high school music departments.
The guys of VIA know each other well. Even though they've only been in the band for a few months, they just clicked.
"They're just easy to play with, easy-going guys," says Matt Howitz, an Olympus High School graduate who plays drums in the band.
Alec Jackson from Olympus is on the keys. Jake Bills from Hillcrest High School rocks the base, which Chase Kroesche is the lead guitarist from Rowland Hall. The group has already played a few shows to screaming fans and now hopes to win an online competition. VIA is one of nearly 50 bands across the country to make it to the semifinals of the nationwide "School Jam Battle of the Bands."Kroesche wrote all the songs.
"Each song I write is very different," he says. "The band would tell you every song I write has a different genre."
That may be one of the reasons the band made it this far. If they win, each of their schools gets up to $5,000 for music programs.
"That would help because we are kind of lacking our music department," Jackson says.
Kroesche is hoping Utahns will show their support. "We just need anyone to get on schooljamusa.com and vote for VIA!" he says.
That's how the band will advance, with online votes. If they make the finals, they'll compete in California at Downtown Disney, and if they win that, they'll be off to Germany.
"I think we should win it because we are good," Jackson says.
Each band member plans to pursue music in their future.
Two other Utah bands made it to the semifinals as well - Poor Ophelia and 4th Floor.
Poor Ophelia is a Logan-based group made up of two graduates and two seniors from Sky View High School in Smithfield. They've been playing together since 2009.
4th Floor is made up of School of Rock Students. You can listen to some of their songs, including "Oleander," "Only by the Sky," and "I'll Wait" on the School Jam website.
[CLICK HERE] to vote in the national contest. You have until the end of the month.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
