Warren Gets Ready to Rock

Who would know better than previous winners who should be this year's annual Recreation Commission Battle of the Bands winner?

Unlike previous years' events, where audience applause determined the winners, this year's judging will be done by the members of Jackie Treehorn, the band who won the last two years' contests and will open the show.

Three bands are in the competition, set for 7 p.m. Thursday at the municipal complex—Glass Cow (known to many as last year's second place winners, then called The Frets), Short Circuit and the Ryan Tunney Band. Glass Cow and Short Circuit will feature covers of classic rock, while The Ryan Tunney Band performs original compositions. 

Short Circuit includes Green Brook residents Ashay Grover, 14, on lead vocals and drummer Matthew Renzo, 12, along with 12-year-old twins Zubin and Zane Patel, of Totowa, on guitar and bass, respectively.

Glass Cow is Ben Orzat (Lead guitar and vocals), Henry Wolfson (drums and vocals), Max Picut (rhythm guitar) and Ed Weisgerber (bass).

New Providence-based Ryan Tunney Band, with Ryan Tunney, Kevin Tunney (bass), Zach Falk (guitars and vocals) and Jason Mango (drums) have only been together in this band configuration for a few months, according to Zach, but the members have known each other and played in various other bands for many years. In fact, he said he first met the Tunney brothers in the fifth grade.

"We're really looking forward to playing," he said. "We will be playing all original songs, but we do have one cover—'Stand by Me.'"

He added the band members have been heavily influenced by The Beatles in their compositions and style of playing.

The event will also include performances by two bands under the tutelage of Warren "impressario" Joe Cerisano, last year's top winners Jackie Treehorn and The Little Devils. Cerisano, who is also helping to organize the event, has performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Black Sabbath, but is perhaps best known for his vocals on many popular TV commercials. While Jackie Treehorn includes members Michael Cerisano (his son), Michael Pesci, Ryan Franklyn, Ralph Nicastro and Kevin Forrest, Cerisano is working to help develop a musical career for The Little Devils.

Both bands will perform two songs to open and close the event.

At stake for the contestants are prizes donated by sponsors Sam Ash Music, Muscle Maker Grill and the Grill Stone Resturant in Scotch Plains. The winning band will receive a $100 gift certificate to Sam Ash Music and $200 cash; second place winners get $150 cash and a $50 Sam Ash certificate; and the third-place band will receive $50 cash and a $50 certificate.