The latest Battle of the Bands (12/6/24) was full of talent. With various bands displaying their flair and musical expertise, the show truly had everything. One band in particular—Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS)—stood out with both its amusing name and its entertaining debut performance of My Bloody Valentine’s “When You Sleep.” 

The band is composed of all seniors from Marshall’s SAS and Magnet programs. With Jacob Weiss on lead guitar, Charlie Tarver on rhythm guitar, Jackson Oliver on bass, Kieran Finn on drums, and Namiye Nakazawa on vocals, every member of the band brings their unique style and personality to the group. This individualized yet strong group dynamic was clear on stage, as they received loud applause from the audience after their performance.

While this was TSS’s debut live performance, the members of the band are no strangers to the spotlight, as many of them have participated in previous Battle of the Bands events with different groups. When asked about their thoughts before the show, they all conveyed their slight nervousness but were certain that these nerves would go away as soon as they stepped on stage. “It’s more excitement than nervousness,” said Jacob Weiss as the rest of the group agreed. After taking the stage, it was evident that the nerves had already disappeared. 

After their encapsulating performance, the band was asked about their hopes for the future. They all shared their desire to spend more time playing together, eventually writing their own songs. They also look forward to playing at more Battle of the Bands events and the Bach, Rock, and Shakespeare event at the Greek Theater at the end of the year.

With many more performances to play and high future expectations, Toxic Shock Syndrome should be on everyone’s radar.