The Scarecrow Show, a local rock band, won The Battle of the Bands on Thursday March 30. Its three members have been playing together since childhood and plan to continue to grow their local popularity. (Annalee Bainnson/Assoc. Photo Editor)
This year’s Battle of the Bands winner, The Scarecrow Show, intertwines self-taught musical talent with a strong sentimental connection of companionship.
Hailing from Delevan, NY, the band consists of Ray Cook III on guitar, accounting major junior Benjamin Juchniewicz on bass guitar and Juchniewicz’s older brother Jon Juchniewicz on drums. All three contribute to the band’s vocals.
The trio titles their sound as a “high energy rock and roll with a punk attitude and a bluesy twist.” The group performs both originals and covers from bands like Black Sabbath, Metallica and ACDC.
The Scarecrow Show has grown their bond—as well as their band—since childhood. The chemistry and work ethic between the band members is an “organic process,” according to Benjamin Juchniewicz.
“My brother and I have been jamming since we were 10 years old,” Benjamin Juchniewicz said. “My dad hooked us on Black Sabbath by the time we were four. I started playing bass, [Jon] picked up drums … it was a natural thing.”
The Juchniewicz brothers have been friends and musical buddies with Cook since they were around 12 years old.
“We pride ourselves on the chemistry within the band,” Benjamin Juchniewicz said. “We say we can be in different rooms playing the same song and still be note-for-note spot-on because we just have that natural chemistry that comes from playing together for 10 years.”
Although the three members have been playing together for quite some time, The Scarecrow Show was just recently established in 2015. After years of playing together, things just “fell into place” to make their band official, according to Benjaminn Juchniewicz.
They spent their first year as a band working on their debut album, self-titled The Scarecrow Show. Available on Spotify, the band members are enjoying local fame. They have had 40 shows within the last six months and have even more lined up for the summer.
In fact, the band performed at the Hard Rock Cafe in Niagara Falls just two weeks ago. Sponsored by radio station 107.7 Alternative Buffalo, the band was joined by the local Geneseo-based band Ponder the Giraffe at the event.
Benjamin Juchniewicz described the Hard Rock performance as incredibly unique.
“We went in and the place was packed; everyone loved us, and it’s so cool—the legacy of playing the Hard Rock—everyone wants to play there, so it was a lot of fun,” Benjamin Juchniewicz said.
In the future, The Scarecrow Show aims to expand their horizons and grow even further as a band.
“I think for all of us, the number one priority is the band,” Benjamin Juchniewicz said. “We all have our backup plans, but I think any musician is in it to win it. You want to become big, and you don’t want to just play in local bars for the rest of your days. But at this stage, we realize that’s what we have to do.”
To spread their music locally, The Scarecrow Show hopes to open the 2017 Spring Concert for Catfish and the Bottlemen—which has been the privilege of previous Battle of the Bands winners.
For right now, though, The Scarecrow Show’s main objective is to continue making music.
“The reason we do it, even if we don’t become famous, is for the fun of it,” Benjamin Juchniewicz said. “We’re definitely in it for the long haul.”