What’s usually associated with rock band performances is a sound exceeding 100 decibels. But at Battle of the Bands on Feb. 20, Northwood J-rock band Fourth to Six energized an audience of roughly 200 with their Japanese high school sailor uniforms and iconic dance moves.
Hosted by the High School Youth Action Team at Heritage Park Community Center, the event, held annually since 1994, brought together seven rock bands to compete for the title of “Best Band.” Bands were judged based on musical talent, stage presence and crowd response, with fan votes breaking ties. Ghost Town, a band of Portola High School students that played pop songs like Laufey’s “From The Start” in a rock style, was this year’s winner.
“[Hearing the bands] play makes me want to go back in [to the stage area] again,” audience member senior Rey Rydwell said. “It just has a lot of energy that makes you want to dance and join … and to be part of this more in the future.”
Fourth to Six is made up of seniors Rei Iwai (lead vocal), Minkee Han (lead guitar), Jack Kim (drums), Sinbi Yin (bass) and Jay Lee (second vocal and second guitar). As anime fans themselves, they played J-rock band Kana-Boon’s “Silhouette,” an upbeat song known for being an opening for the anime “Naruto: Shippuden.”
“I liked how she sang in Japanese, I like the vibe of Japanese rock and I like their outfits as well,” Rydwell said. (Iwai, Yin and Lee had worn Japanese high school uniforms onstage.) “It was very cute and very unique compared to other bands that I’ve seen perform.”
Two audience members, seniors Lex Tran and Dustin Truong, turned heads as they lit up the room with “wotagei”—a glow stick dance used by Japanese idol group fans to cheer on performers—midway through Fourth to Six’s performance.
“I want [the audience] to think, ‘Oh my gosh, that was so fun! That was such a fun performance!’ more than, ‘Oh my gosh, they were so good!,’” Iwai said. “I want everyone to enjoy the performance.”
With graduation approaching for its members, Fourth to Six’s future is also fleeting as most of the band members will likely part ways for college. Even so, they hope to reunite and perform again if time allows, leaving Battle of the Bands as both a milestone and a possible farewell.
“This name, Fourth to Six, we’re gonna keep moving it on, it’s gonna keep living on and it’s never gonna die,” Iwai said.
While this chapter may be closing for the band, Battle of the Bands itself is not done. According to City of Irvine community services supervisor Steve Knollmiller, the competition will continue annually with high interest from Irvine teens. HSYAT’s next major music event will be the Teen Musical Festival on April 24, also at Heritage Park.
For more information on Fourth to Six, visit @fourth_to_sixth on Instagram.
