Bonney Lake, Sumner Musicians Round Up Hometown Fans for Meeker Days Battle of the Bands

A quartet of musicians from Bonney Lake and Sumner high schools make up one of four Pierce County bands vying for the chance to win the Battle of the Bands competition this weekend at Meeker Days in Puyallup.

Fall Days features Bonney Lake High School's Natalia Medrano (singer), Gavin Klockeman (lead guitar) and Nic Carter (bass guitar) and Sumner High School's Liam Hagerty (drums). The four, all juniors next fall, are honor students in their respective schools and have been playing together for more than two years, according to Carter's father, Greg. Music aside, they are also involved in other school activities including sports and choir.

The school life balance is difficult, admits the junior Carter, but band members still prioritize school work all the while pursuing their musical ambitions. They group practices two to three times a week at Hagerty's home during the school year and stretches out to four or five times weekly over the summer.

The hard work appears to be paying off. Fall Days will begin working with a producer to put on an EP this weekend, right after the Meeker Days competition, Carter said.

It's a fulfillment of a dream for Carter and Klockeman who have been friends seemingly since infancy and always wanted to start a band together. The two, along with Hagerty, attended middle school together and started there, during an 8th grade talent show. "Once we did, we bonded and kept going with it," Carter said.

Along the way, they met Medrano in high school, who sang in the school choir, and the quartet was complete.

Fall Days has performed locally at The Live Room in Sumner and at gigs as far out as Tacoma. 

Carter says their favorite song to cover is ZZ Top's "Sharp Dressed Man," but they'll be going all original songs on Saturday.

It'll be a chance to experience the group's creativity and talent firsthand, and Fall Days is hoping hometown supporters will be there during the competition to cheer them on because fan support is part of the total scoring in the competition.

The show takes place on the main stage at the Meeker Days Festival in Puyallup Saturday, June 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The winner gets to attend this year's Live It OutLoud eight-week summer music program for aspiring musicians sponsored by Ted Brown Music Company, a guaranteed 30 minute paid performance opening up Battle of the Bands 2014 and a free band banner.

More Information

Battle of the Bands - Meeker Days Festival (Facebook)

Fall Days on Facebook

Fall Days on ReverbNation