Battle of the Bands Acts Announced

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Get ready to rock! Four bands and one solo act, each representing one County group, were selected to compete in the Battle of the Bands at the COC Nov. 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The live showdown is a benefit for the March of Dimes. Awards will be presented to the act that raises the most money for the non-profit organization and to the crowd favorite. It could be one and the same.

The battle pits the County’s groups against each other for a good time and a good cause. Represent your group and donate now! Or listen to the clips below and contribute to MOD based on your favorite performer. Fundraising continues through the day of the epic battle.

Without further ado, the performers are:

Community Services Group

Dona & the Servicemen are a guitar-driven classic rock band formed exclusively for the 2015 Battle of the Bands. All members are veteran musicians with years of stage experience and also happen to be current Community Services Group employees.

They are:

  • Jerry Benson, bass (DGS – Administrative Secretary IV)

  • Dona Debniak, lead vocals (DAS – Department Payroll Specialist)

  • Eric Nedelman, guitar/vocals (DPC – Administrative Analyst II)

  • Michael Hoag, drums (DGS – Building Maintenance Engineer)

  • Brian Hagerty, guitar/vocals (CSG Executive Office – Group Finance Director)

Watch Dona & the Servicemen perform Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.”

Finance & General Government Group

Arnold De Guzman, Multimedia Designer for the County Communications Office, will be making his musical debut at this year’s Battle of the Bands. Arnold loves to play acoustic guitar and is a fan of different genres.  

Since the age of 8, he's fiddled around with the guitars left at his house by uncles. The past five years is when he's spent more time practicing guitar and has performed with his niece and BWAN (Band Without A Name) at family gatherings. His musical inspirations include Jason Mraz, John Mayer and Paramore.

Watch Arnold perform Lionel Richie’s “Stuck on You.”

Health & Human Services Agency

Posse Café is founded on the mutual love for music shared between County employees Ana Maria Echeverria and Rueben Rubio.

Ana Maria has been singing throughout HHSA for 10 years, from FRC to TKC (The Knowledge Center.) Her gift of music has always been a gift she’s loved to share.

When not lending his voice to the ACCESS call center, Rueben Rubio is the guitar-toting second half of Posse Café—providing rich rhythms and smooth harmonies to Ana Maria’s soulful sound.

Watch Posse Café perform Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie” at the NAMI walk last year.

Land Use & Environment Group

For the past 14 years, Admin Analysts Jerry Schoen, from Parks and Recreation, has played drums and Phil Varela, from HHSA, bass in Steal Dawn—a rock & roll, dance band that has performed more than 750 shows.

The band, which has jammed at Park at the Park at Petco, Bahia Resort’s Harbor Cruise and the legendary Belly Up Tavern, prides itself on playing the “greatest Top 40 music from the last 40 years.” They perform everything from Aerosmith to ZZ Top, Bruno Mars to Usher, and Jason Aldean to Muse.

Watch Steal Dawn rock out to some of their favorite covers.

Public Safety Group

Three employees make up Unpaved Highway—a band said to play a “rock and road” style of folk grunge music. They draw on the sounds from John Mellencamp to Nirvana.

Eric Nedelman, an analyst with Purchasing and Contracting, played solo acoustic shows under the name Unpaved Highway for more than a year before connecting with Brent Livingston, an IT Engineer with the Sheriff Department, through a Craigslist ad for a bass player. Shortly after meeting they realized they both worked for the County. The band is now rounded out with Pablo Rodriquez, a senior IT engineer with the Sheriff’s Department, and a drummer.

Watch Unpaved Highway perform an original song.