The Clarkston band Sail is heading for the sky after winning their first Battle of the Band competition in Birmingham.
“They’re really hitting their groove,” said Cherie Lowe of Independence Township, band manager and mother of drummer Thomas Lowe.
Based out of Clarkston High School, Sail includes Thomas Lowe, 17; lead singer Anthony Fink of Farmington Hills, 20; Jarrett Holtslag of Clarkston, 15, on keyboard; Ray Shaffer of Clarkston, 18, guitar; and Jimmy Redman of Clarkston, 15, bassist. They won the contest on Jan. 16.
The band, which got together last February, chose their name after a group meeting.
“We wanted a good group name that sounded new,” Fink said.
“Something like ‘sailing onto new horizons,'” Shaffer said.
“It’s vaguish, not of any certain genre,” said Lowe.
“Not like ‘Death Ponies,'” offered Shaffer.
“No connotations, and it’s one syllable,” Holtslag said.
“Two syllables would be too much,” said Fink, who also pointed out the band plays the classic Styx song “Come Sail Away” at every gig.
They’re all classically trained, with influences ranging from the Red Hot Chili Petters, to Styx and Carlos Santana, to classical composers like Wagner, Holst, Bach, and Tchaikovsky.
They play covers of songs in genres including progressive metal, pop, classic rock, and metal, but not country.
“We try to throw in a variety,” Holtslag said.
“I wasn’t into the Red Hot Chili Peppers but now I love them,” Fink said.
“It’s extremely fun. We meet really cool people,” Shaffer said.
They’re also working on original music ? enough to fill 2-4 hours.
“That’s two songs each,” Fink said.
Performances so far include paid gigs and fund raisers at restaurants and bars throughout Oakland County, Michigan State Fair, Peace Fest, and Taste of Clarkston on downtown Main Street.
“That was fun,” Fink said.
“We’re getting more well known locally,” Holtslag said.
“One guy came in and said ‘I heard about you guys,'” Shaffer said.
“So we have one fan,” Holtslag said.
Cherie said the band members have all grown musically and as a group.
“I think they’re doing really good ? everybody is a strong musician,” she said. “We are very grateful to win this contest and this is the first contest the band has won.”
The band is also ranked number 3 out of 69 bands on the Reverbnation Charts in the area in the rock genre, she said.
For more information, contact the band at Sailbandcontact@gmail.com.