For four years now the Student Government Association has hosted the Battle of the Bands competition for student-run bands to not only highlight the local music scene, but also raise funds for the Joe Espy SGA Scholarship.
One of the four finalists is Fastlane Melvin, a Southern jam band that plays a wide variety of music including covers and originals.
The band consists of five members, with senior political science major Jack Standeffer and senior business major Russell Luccasen playing guitar. On bass is Berkley Young, a freshman majoring in civil engineering, and on drums is Hartley Richardson, a sophomore majoring in computer science. Finally, senior finance major Philip Lancaster is the band’s lead vocalist and keys player.
“We’re all super excited to play,” Luccasen said about Saturday’s competition. “We feel like we’ve all been building up towards something big so we’re pumped to get to showcase what we’ve got.”
A majority of the members of the band met through a fraternity, but the entire band has been connected to each other for much longer.
“Surprisingly enough, all of us are from Tuscaloosa except for Russell, our lead guitar player, so we’ve always had connections to each other in some way,” Young said. “I believe it was Phillip and Jack who wanted to start the band, so it was their job to rally the troops.”
In the beginning days of Fastlane Melvin, the band was purely for fun, routinely gathering in Standeffer’s parents’ basement to play together.
“The early days were just all of us sitting down and jamming together,” Luccasen said. “For example, Phil might start playing some chords or something, and then I’ll start trying to compliment what he’s doing and so forth. The next thing you know, the whole band kicks in.”
The formative years for the band are ultimately what made its members confident in their abilities, so much so to be willing to sign up to compete in Battle of the Bands.
“We thought it would be a fun way to play for a big crowd and get our name out there,” Standeffer said. “We just love performing, so any excuse to get on stage, we’re gonna take it.”
The opportunity is one of Fastlane Melvin’s biggest chances to make a name for itself.
“We just want a chance to play our music in front of a good crowd for a chance to be recognized by new faces,” Lancaster said.
The idea of winning the competition may have seemed like a longshot at first, but after being named one of the four finalists, victory for Fastlane Melvin could soon be a reality. The winner would also receive a cash prize and the new Joe Espy trophy.
“Winning would mean a lot,” Richardson said. “I’m low on gas money, and I have to pay some bills, so the prize is nice, but also getting named a winner just feels good and lets you know that the hard work paid off.”
After the competition, listeners can catch them at a myriad of locations across campus and around Tuscaloosa.
“We have our fair share of playing frats, tailgates, bars and date parties,” Young said. “It has truly been the best time.”
The band will be performing live at the Battle of the Bands on Saturday at Druid City Social, where there will be performances by other groups, a livestream of the football game versus Missouri, food trucks and more.
