The PITCH hosted a watch party for the legendary UNC vs. Duke game this weekend, with a twist. Not only did we celebrate the greatest rivalry in college basketball, but we also created a rivalry among two student bands. In typical UNC Duke fashion, these two bands couldn't just play cordially back to back — it was a Battle of the Bands!
To introduce the two bands, we'll start with our side of the pond. The UNC band call themselves “Mush, Puppy!", and they're an emo punk band that formed in the summer of 2023. Each member of the band is a student at UNC and brought together through a shared music taste via bands such as Title Fight and Arctic Monkeys. Mush, Puppy! has pushed the boundaries of the local music scene by bringing high energy and emotion to various stages around Chapel Hill, including a headline show at Local506, multiple performances at Carver St Indie Night, and an ear-bursting show in a friend’s living room.
On the other side of the pond, the Duke band call themselves Last2Leave, and their lead singer Madeleine said that they started as some friends that would casually jam and play music together. They started hosting jam sessions in 2023 and slowly started to realize how much they loved performing together. Each time these jam sessions would happen, they would all be the "last to leave", so they officially became Last2Leave a few months ago. You can find them at Devines, a Duke bar, on Thursday nights to their student following playing oldies rock music like Pat Benatar and Bon Jovi vibes, plus some current rock pop vibes like Paramore.
Now I will say, Last2Leave handled being on enemy lines really well, and actually brought a decent Duke crowd. Yes, I'm a Tar Heel born, bred, until I'm dead, but the point of The PITCH is to create unforgettable experiences for everyone, and that shouldn't be limited to just UNC folks. I'm glad we can expand our reach to different parts of the Triangle! As far as the winner, Mush, Puppy! did end up pulling ahead, but both bands definitely put their best foot forward.
Who do you think had the better performance? I'll leave that up to you, dear reader.
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