The University of North Florida hosted its annual Battle of the Bands competition between student and alumni bands Thursday night at the J.B. Coxwell Amphitheater. Winners of the competition were awarded the opportunity to open for the university’s annual Ozfest event.
Battle of the Bands was hosted by Nelly’s Echo and the bands featured were Caleb White as “The Weekend,” Dawn Cardia, Off-Suit, The Regulators, Dad Sneeze, Now We’re Even, Quarter-Life Crisis, Loose Change, and Huffaluffaguff.
Each band had the opportunity to showcase their talents through a small handful of original or cover songs. Songs ranged from indie to hard rock and punk and students watched and danced from the grass turf.
Performer and UNF student Dawn Cardia said it was the “biggest party at UNF I’ve ever seen.”
Students used tickets for food trucks, to get airbrush tattoos and create their own guitar pick necklaces or key chains throughout the night as they listened to the performances.
A local Jacksonville indie band that performed was Loose Change. Two band members, Elias Medrano and Brayden Tebbe, a UNF junior, met in their sophomore year music theory class where they started the band together. They eventually brought on junior Ben Wells and senior Luke Scarborough, who previously had played with Tebbe.
Another group, Now We’re Even, won third place for the night. Now We’re Even is a sister duet brought together by Violette Lani and Iris Andie. They have been professionally performing in Jacksonville for four years and produce their own singles.
As the night ended and voting concluded, The Regulators claimed the Battle of the Bands Championship title and will now perform at the Spring 2026 Ozfest event.
The Regulators is a local punk rock band that has been together for two years and perform their own original music. Band members Andrew Bultman, Chaz Guernsey, Noah Harrell and Tommy Strube met through the UNF Surf Team. They started playing at local Jacksonville house parties and surrounding areas like Kona Skate Park. They wish to continue their music career and one day play on larger stages.
Bultman, a UNF junior and drummer for The Regulators, explained a little more of the band’s vision.
“We want to bring punk rock back,” Bultman said.
The headliner the Regulators will open for at Ozfest has yet to be announced. Last year, local band Red Magnolia won Battle of the Bands and opened alongside Wale for Lil Yachty at Spring 2025 Ozfest. The event typically takes place in early February, but has yet to be announced.
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