Campbell River rockers Who is Barbosa won their second Battle of the Bands competition in Vancouver at the Railway Club.
The Jan. 15 show was put on by Pacific Audio Visual Institute and organized by students and instructors.
Andy Lynn Krieger, a Carihi grad who currently attends the institute’s Music Business program, was one of the organizers. She was also one of several solo acts to perform.
Who is Barbosa has been performing together since 2012, playing various venues and festivals, but it’s been challenging for the band to play together lately, as three members have graduated from Carihi and are in post secondary education.
Colin Massie on guitar is in grade 12 at Carihi and is active in the school band program; Mitchell Robertson on bass attends North Island College; Kyell Erickson, vocals/guitar, attends the University of Victoria; and Jacob Storback, drums, attends Simon Fraser University.
The band has managed to rehearse on holidays and reading breaks, and still manages to write and record new music.
At the Railway Club, the band played a 40-minute set, full of originals and a Jimi Hendrix Machine Gun jam. The crowd and judges – including Joey Keithley of the legendary punk band DOA – loved it.
First prize for Who Is Barbosa is 18 hours of recording at a studio in Vancouver, with possibly more time being added on.