Local Teen Band Makes Semi-Final Round in National Contest

A local teen band is gaining national attention after being selected to the semi-final round in a countrywide battle of the bands.

Bulletproof Snow, which includes band members Trey McLaughlin, Jake Yacobelli, Matt Coon and Connor Cheney, is a Hartland-based band that is in the running for a grand prize of a trip to Europe to perform in 2013 SchoolJam finals taking place in Frankfurt, Germany. 

Online voting is going on through Nov. 30 with the top eight bands moving to the final round with the chance to travel to California in January and perform in Downtown Disney. Voters may cast a vote each day for their favorite band.

The band that gains the most popular vote also will receive $1,000 for their school's music education program. 

The annual competition sponsored by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is in its fourth year, according to a press release from CEO and NAMM president Joe Lammond.

"We have seen how this program has continued to showcase the musical talents of teens across the country and support valuable school music education programs that often serve as the gateway for many to play music for a lifetime," Lammond said.

Inspiring, supporting and promoting young musicians is what the competition is all about, according to Bulletproof Snow’s lead vocalist, 15-year-old Trey. The Hartland High School student says he is excited that the contest has the potential to not only benefit his band, but his school, as well.

“I really like what they’re going for,” Trey said. “To help support school music education since music is definitely a really important thing in people’s lives.”

Trey met two of his other bandmates, Matt Coon and Jake Yacobeli, at Hartland High School, while drummer Connor Cheney is a student in Milford. 

The band came together in March, according to Trey, and the teenage boys have already played more than 20 shows and are currently in studio recording their first demo.

Traveling and playing shows almost every weekend, Trey credits the supportive parents of each band member who help with transportation, promotion and set-up for gigs. 

"We’re really lucky to have our parents because they’ve done a lot for us," he said. "They definitely support the band."

Samples of the band’s original music are on the SchoolJam voting page and according to Trey, the band’s songwriter, their sound is a combination of “Foo Fighters meets Skid Row.”

Four songs, including Trey's favorite, "This Emptiness," will be included on the band's first extended play (EP), which will be released later this month.