Arts & Entertainment

What Makes Them Rock: Lights at Night

Meet the contestants in this year's Pasco County Battle of the Bands.

The clock is winding down as eight bands prepare to battle it out at Rockus Maximus XV.

The Pasco County Library System's 15th annual battle of the bands, featuring young musicians from the Bay area and elsewhere, will be held Friday, March 23. 

Up for grabs: $1,000 cash and 10 hours of recording time at Morrisound Recording in Tampa. 

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Patch caught up with Lights at Night, one of the bands hoping to take home the top prize, to find out what makes them rock. 

Patch: What are the names of your band members, what do  they play, how old are they and where are they from?

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Lights at Night:  

  • Paul Heyne, 30, rhythm guitar from St. Petersburg.
  • Paul Proco, 21, drums from St. Petersburg.
  • Keirsten Johnson, 21, lead guitar from St. Petersburg.
  • Marina Young, 18, vocals from Clearwater.
  • Brian Messick, 32, bass from St. Petersburg.
  • Devon Mackinnon, 22, multi-instrumentalist from St. Petersburg.

Patch: What style of music do you play?

Lights at Night: We play a form of progressive indie rock. Some have likened it to classic/indie rock. Either way it's in the alternative vein.

Patch: How long have you been together?

Lights at Night: We have been together for around 8 months. Devon being the final member (was) acquired about 2 months ago.

Patch: Why did you enter Rockus Maximus?

Lights at Night: Paul Heyne and Paul Proco were in a band before Lights at Night and we happened to see an advertisement for Rockus Maximus last year on the internet. We were too late to be a part of it last year so when the application process opened this year we knew it was the right time to apply. The band got together and entered because we thought we could win and we wanted to increase our fan base.

Patch: What will you do if you win?

Lights at Night: If we win we will smile and say "thanks!" We will also use the money to purchase merchandise for the band. We are recording an album right now. We are planning on making some vinyl and we have new T-shirt ideas that we would love to get made.

Patch: What makes you the best?

Lights at Night: First of all we make no claim on being the best. On that note, what makes us the best is our diversity and interesting sound. We don't sound like a cookie-cutter band, some say it is hard to place our sound. We like that about us. We love to play and listen to different genres of music and incorporate those genres into our style. We all have a strong friendship and work ethic and we are able to communicate well with each other, which in turn, positively effects the song or band as a whole.

Thanks and good luck, guys! 

Join the audience and support your favorite band at the Rotary Pavilion at The Concourse, 15325 Alric Pottberg Road (1/4 mile west of the Suncoast Parkway on State Road 52) in Shady Hills. The concert runs from 6 to 11 p.m.

The Land O' Lakes and New Port Richey Patch editors will be among the judges.

There is also an online voting competition currently under way. The band that garners the most votes in the online competition will bring home a $500 gift card from Encore Music. A $250 card goes to the band with the second highest number of online votes.

New Port Richey Patch and Land O’ Lakes Patch are both sponsors of the events along with Rasmussen CollegeMorrisound Recording and Encore Music.


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