The Battle of the Bands’ first place prize could go to waste today since only one band has signed up for the competition.

Battle of the Bands was originally scheduled as a competition, with the winner receiving a two hour recording studio time slot in Champaign, Ill. with Mark Rubel, Eastern instructor and audio director. However, if only one or two bands sign up, then the event no longer becomes a competition and those bands will just have the opportunity to perform a feature type show instead, said Cassie Falco, the University Board main stage coordinator.

This also means no one will win the first prize of recording studio time, however a undisclosed prize will be given in its place.

Falco credits the lack of bands signing up to the event posters.

“I think (the lack of bands signing up) is just because it doesn’t say on the Battle of the Bands posters around campus to sign up at the student activities center, like it was supposed to,” Falco said.

Even though one band has currently signed up, Falco has hopes that more will sign up at the event.

The Old College Try is the first and only band that has signed up to perform at Battle of the Bands. The band is looking forward to showcasing their talent, but want more people to sign up so the event serves its original purpose as a competition.

“So far we are the only band signed up and we are trying to get more bands to sign up,” said Brett Luneburg, a junior accounting major and bass player for The Old College Try.

The band was motivated to perform for the first time at Battle of the Bands to publicize their music and to win the first place prize.

The Old College Try consists of four members who play guitar, bass, bongos and sing. The band went through many different names before settling on The Old College Try.

“We have gone through a lot of names. (The Old College Try) is the one that has stuck so far,” Luneburg said.

The Old College Try will perform some of their original songs such as “Galapagos” and “Falling Away,” along with cover songs if their time slot allows for it. Battle of the Bands will take place in the 7th Street Underground at 7 p.m. Students can still sign up in the student activities center in the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union or at the Battle of the Bands.

Samantha Bilharz can be reached at 581-7943 or slbilharz@eiu.edu..