The Envoy

On Thursday, May 7, Hunter College’s Black Box Theater filled with electric hums and guitar riffs as the crowd reacted to each song echoing through the speakers. Students from across the City University of New York attended Where Hunter College Speaks Radio’s annual Battle of the Bands, where six bands competed for first place and the title of the night’s winner. This year the event brought together multiple CUNY radio stations, expanding the collaboration behind the showcase. 

The Envoy interviewed the bands that lined up for the event for this feature piece, including 2/14, Tenfold, Freak Out, Majunche, Nobodys Nothing, and Pawn Promotion. 

Formed by Sky Carlson in 2022, 2/14 draws inspiration from emo hardcore and classic pop-punk influences, creating an undeniably youthful sound, as showcased on their debut album, Adrienne’s Garden. 2/14 has returned with a new single, “Decorate Me,” ahead of its 2026 sophomore album. 

The band also confirmed they mainly perform original music, responding simply: “Original music, duh.”

When asked about expectations going into Battle of the Bands and how the experience compared, the band said they expected results to be calculated either by a judges’ panel or direct voting, which they described as more customary for BOTB events. Still, the group said they had a great time performing.

Tenfold also took the stage with a story shaped by earlier musical collaborations that started in middle school, eventually bringing Omar, Erin, Danny, and Michael together as a full band. 

The group said its origins trace back to early projects between members who later reconnected and decided to start fresh after bands had dissolved. Tenfold officially formed in September of last year. 

“We were looking for a bassist,” the band said, recalling how the official band came together. 

Tenfold described its sound as a blend of post-hardcore, alternative rock, and alternative metal, shaped by influences including Smashing Pumpkins, Deftones, and Black Sabbath. They said their style is a “mix of post-hardcore and alt rock.”

The group said it learned about Battle of the Bands through Brooklyn College’s radio station, WBMB, after the president gave them a heads-up about the CUNY-wide event. 

“He let me know, I signed us up, and now we’re here,” Omar said. 

When asked what they were looking forward to, members pointed to the competition and the atmosphere, including seeing other performances and playing the venue. 

Freak Out members said the band formed after they met in the same high school music class and decided to stick together musically. 

“We all joined the same music class in high school, and we just created a band from there,” Freak Out said. “We stuck together ever since.”

The band said it primarily plays alternative rock and covers while it continues to work on original material. 

Freak Out said they learned about Battle of the Bands through CUNY connections and described the event as exceeding expectations. 

“This is crazy,” Freak Out said. 

The group said they had a mix of excitement and nerves going into their set, noting that their performing experience had been limited since forming the band.

Further throughout the night and in between sets, CUNY by Students ran raffles and handed out free merchandise, with employee and Hunter alumn Nikole Rajgor assisting at the table.

Majunche formed after its members connected through a shared interest in hardcore music.

The band’s vocalist, said the group’s roots trace back to early exposure in hardcore music and a desire to create something in the same genre. Members said they met through friends and shows before gradually building the lineup.

The band said the band name comes from a Guatemalan slang term meaning something “mediocre” or “less than,” which they reinterpreted in a political context tied to resistance. 

For the band, more of its material is original, though it occasionally performs covers. 

“We started with a few songs, and from there we put our ideas together,” Majunche said. 

Majunche described their sound as hardcore and said they learned about Battle of the Bands through CUNY-related social media posts, such as CUNY by Students. Members said they were most excited to perform and check out all the bands’ performances. 

The band also said they have a demo coming out soon. 

Nobodys Nothing formed after a group of friends from middle school started making music together years later, eventually building their band. 

Malcolm, Andrew, and Tyler said the group came together after reconnecting following high school and gradually turning earlier ideas into original songs. 

“I signed us up last minute,” one member said, saying they learned about the event through a contact at The Knight News, Queens College’s student newspaper. 

‘We prepared in like two days.”

Nobody’s Nothing emphasized that they primarily write original music, and they are prepping to release a single titled “Kill the Pain,” which they plan to finalize soon. 

Nobodys Nothing described its name as a play on identity and meaning, pointing to its message that no one is “nothing” while also referencing personal interpretation. 

“It’s kind of a double meaning,” the band said. “Nobody is nothing. Everyone is meaningful.”

The group said it has been together for about five to six years and viewed the event as an opportunity to refine its live performance.

“Just the crowd energy,” one member said. “Getting in that performance again, it’s been a while.”

Pawn Promotion, the winner of the night’s event for a second year in a row, said the group formed through shared living and early collaboration. The group had performed under the name Pawn Promotion for roughly three years. Zeke – a Hunter College student and the band’s newest member- has contributed significantly to recording, mixing, and mastering the band’s latest album. 

Their album, Rain, is available on streaming platforms and marks their first full-length release.

“It was a lot of work,” the band said. “It’s our first real album.”

The band said their set includes both aggressive, fast-paced material and longer experimental pieces, including a 20-minute instrumental track exploring historical and political themes.

Looking ahead to the performance, the band said the live crowd remains the most important part of the experience. 

“When there are people there, and they’re enjoying it, it’s a whole different dimension,” the band said. 

The group said returning to the Hunter College stage carried added excitement after winning the event again. 

Pawn Promotion won Battle of the Bands for the second consecutive year and said the moment felt both surreal and meaningful. 

The group said the win helped amplify the message behind its music, which they described as rooted in social awareness and systemic change within the CUNY system.

“I think the message of our music really rings,” a member said. “It feels great to win because it sends the message.”

The band added that it hoped its music and the broader CUNY community would inspire impact beyond the stage.

“I hope this message reaches the right people, and we get to see more action,” the band said. “Not just in our lifetime, but in the near future.”

 Next year’s WHCS Radio president-elect, Robert Rada, said this year’s event expanded through collaboration among multiple CUNY radio stations, which helped broaden the reach and diversity.

“It was really a collaboration that we didn’t have last year,” Rada said. “All the radios came together to unite, and we had a platform to promote all radio stations.”

He said that the partnership contributed to a wider range of participating bands and created a more open, student-driven space across CUNY campuses.

Looking ahead, Rada said next year’s organizers hope to make the event more structured, with a stronger promotional strategy and increased coordination between student-run stations. 

“We want the creative process to be more organized,” Rada said. “Have all the radios come together again and work more, and hopefully get more CUNY students involved.” 

Moving the event from the Thomas Hunter Game Room, where it was held last year, to the Black Box Theater expanded the space and atmosphere. WHCS Radio thanked Peter Jackson for helping coordinate the accommodations.

Throughout the night, students moshed, clapped after each performance, and reached for free merchandise as screams echoed through the theater. The energy reflected a sense of inclusivity and community that organizers and students said defines CUNY.

Towards the end of the night, stage lights dimmed in the Black Box Theater while the crowd slowly emptied out, voices still buzzing over the night’s final performances.