TRIUMPH: Nothing But Treble beat six other groups to make their way into the national Battle of the Bands line-up in February next year.

The annual Doha College Battle of the Bands saw some stiff
competition and incredible musical talent. By Anand Holla

While pop star Meghan Trainor soared her way to the top of the music charts insisting she is all about that bass and no treble, the winners of what is arguably Qatar’s most awaited young music band challenge are the inverse — they call themselves Nothing But Treble.
Clinching the fifth annual Doha College Battle of the Bands competition, the student band beat six other groups to make their way into the national Battle of the Bands line-up in February next year.
Driven by Slash’s brooding, angsty guitar playing and Axl Rose’s inimitable whistling and wailing, Civil War is one of the definitive songs of hard rock band Guns N’ Roses — and arguably their most political composition. Not to mention, it’s a really tough song to cover given its complexities.
Nothing But Treble, comprising six students that includes Doha College’s Head Boy Thushan Puhalendran and senior prefects, won the competition with their rousing cover of this classic.
When Doha College initiated the Battle of the Bands competition four years ago, it was devised to raise the profile of music and allow students from years 8-13 to develop their own bands, play great music and perform to an audience.
Alberto Sorrentino, who is the founder of the competition and also Doha College Music Teacher, said that the competition continues to expand with new schools joining across the Mena region.
Sorrentino said, “This was a fantastic year especially as we had bands from each year group; every grade from Year 7 to Year 13.” Clearly, the competition has grown each year to involve more schools.
Sorrentino added, “I would like to congratulate all our winners. I am always impressed with the quality of the student performances; there is incredible talent in this school. I would like to make a special mention of the Year 7 band Titanium who wrote and performed an original song, and our only female drummer in the competition Eman al-Sulaiti from Bear Party.”
Lead singer of the winning band — and Senior Prefect — Hiba Argane said the group of Year 13 students was looking forward to competing against the other schools in the competition.  “We are so excited; we now have a chance to prove ourselves at the International competition,” she said.
Nothing But Treble, comprising Hiba Argane (vocals), Robert Taylor (bass), Thusan Puhalendran (guitar), Achintya Suden (guitar), Harun Bhat (piano) and Jack Dillon (drums), has been performing together for five years.
The competition saw some cool rock and pop numbers covered with gusto, while the crowd swayed to the awesome energy of the upcoming talents. The Coolbeanz, who picked the second place prize, performed No Way Back by the Foo Fighters, and the third place went to Maths Class for their cover of Knives and Pens by Black Veil Brides.
Earlier this year, Community wrote about six Year 9 students of Doha College, at the inaugural year of the institution’s Year 9 music competition in March, tasted glory and fame in an intense contest featuring around 150 students, split into 25 bands.
Following a competition that saw the kids stretch their inner musical geniuses to their utmost limits, Quintessence, a band of six, bright 14-year-olds, were chosen winners for their melodic, soaring pop-rock track One Last Time.
The prize was a dream deal – to have their song professionally recorded, to star in a suavely shot music video that is now on YouTube, and of course, score bragging rights for becoming instant rock stars in their school and beyond.
At last year’s Battle of the Bands, the band 2Metal4Water had clinched the first place with a cool cover of Skillet’s Not Gonna Die.