One of the aspects of Booth that I absolutely love is the fun rivalry we have with that other MBA program to the North, Kellogg. It was something I did not expect coming into Booth at all (I assumed rivalries ended with college football!) but also something that I find myself getting super excited and competitive about every time. Almost twice a quarter there is some Booth v. Kellogg event, from case competitions to conferences, to soccer, rugby, and flag football, all the way to my personal favorite, BATTLE OF THE BANDS!
Every spring, our AudioBooth club organizes an epic battle between the incredibly talented musicians of both MBA programs. I love the event because the music and energy is incredible, but also because I get to see my student peers show how talented they are beyond the classroom. This year was unbelievable- the bands left it all out on the stage and I was blown away by the talent of the musicians.
I spoke with a few of our rocker Boothies after the showdown to ask them what it was like to be rocking out on stage in front of the whole school. Here’s what they said:
“Booth is one of the most supportive environments I’ve been in, and the audience at Battle of the Bands was no different. Being involved in music at Booth has given me exposure to a group of students whom I really admire and respect, and who have become some of my closest friends here. It’s also given me a unique outlet to express myself that’s different from speaking up in class or chatting with someone at TNDC. It enables me to share a different side of myself with the Booth community, which I really enjoy. I definitely want to do Battle of the Bands next year if I can! That audience was insane. It was also a really special experience to be up on stage with second years who have made my musical experience at Booth thus far so special. I’m really going to miss them!
Oh, and I was most excited to get to channel my inner 8th grade Hot Topic rocker. Not my usual look :)”
– Renuka Agarwal ‘18
“Being in my band at Booth has hands down been my favorite part of my Booth experience. Getting to bond with the talented musicians in my band and spend hours of time in the studio practicing and getting to know one another has been incredible. It’s impossible to describe the feeling of being on stage and seeing hundreds of your friends singing along and screaming in the audience, but it’s one of the most incredible feelings I’ve ever experienced. All of this wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible talent in the Booth community in both forming the band and putting on the show, or without the amazing support of our classmates who have without fail always been there to cheer us on and support us as we get to pretend to be rock stars for an evening!”
– Brian Tung, ‘17
“Performing in front of Boothies is so great. When I see my friends singing the songs and happy faces while I am performing from the stage, I feel I am 100% sharing the moments with them. I really feel something special, like I was floating in the air, and I don’t consciously think what riff or chords to play but just let my fingers and bodies move.
Each of Boothies has a different background and is from different geological places. Yet, at Booth, we work hard(and play hard) to achieve a common goal making a sizeable impact inside and outside of campus. I think performing at a Booth band was just an extension of this experience. Each of our band members, Brian, Sam, Cortez, and I have a completely different professional background, we are all different age, and we are all from different places. Also, after Booth, we are all heading toward different careers from consulting, banking to venture capital. Yet, we worked together so well as a team for a common goal having a great fun ourselves and with all our friends and family. It was a truly amazing experience. ”
– Youngrok Kim ‘17
“Performing with Between the (Spread)sheets at Battle of the Bands was surreal. I never thought I’d be on stage at the Vic in front of an audience of 1,000 people, more than 400 of whom are friends and classmates! It was awesome to see so many good friends out to enthusiastically support the performers and enjoy the show. The evening was full of so much talent: one of our band members has produced and sold music to companies, another one never ceases to amaze me when he belts out improvised harmony. Working with them has been such a memorable part of my last quarter at Booth — they rock! ;-)”
– Joanna Si, ’17
“Performing at BOTB gave me a high unlike any of my other experiences at Booth. Being on stage performing in front of 1,000 people, with a keytar in my hands, and with classmates shouting my name and throwing plus sized women’s underwear at me – there’s really nothing quite like it. Amazing to say the least. Also, I formed lifelong friends throughout my band’s countless hours of practice, and that’s something I will always deeply appreciate.”
-Stefano Breuer, ’17
