Who has the Biggest Mouth in the South Loop???

Like the Governator Schwarzenegger would perhaps say once in his lifetime: Forget Columbia’s puny little battle of the bands, aptly titled “Big Mouth,” the biggest clash of the colleges took place at the Metro in Wrigleyville on May 5 for the “Biggest Mouth Campus Clash. “

Three of the South Loop’s finest colleges – Roosevelt, DePaul and Columbia College sent their five best acts from their campus to perform their set in front of a panel of industry experts from record labels and LiveNation, as well as a chance to win free lunch at Epic Burger (yummy organic goodness right there), an opening slot at a future Metro show and a cool $3000. Not a bad prize, eh?

This is one of those Columbia events that are destined to work, I thought to myself as I walked to the Metro on that unusually gloomy Tuesday. Needless to say, I was definitely not disappointed. The acts who performed there were damn good and versatile to boot. A variety of genres, from jazz and hip-hop to pop, soul and electro (throw in tap dancing and singing too from the ever-so-adorable 345 trio) shared the stage and threw quite a diverse show.

Sure, there is future talent to watch at events like these, but more importantly, a majority of the student body gets a better understanding of the different types of talent that surround their campus and it sure promotes the hell out of school spirit, or what’s left of it.

There were hundreds of college students there and the sense of collective entitlement was refreshing to see, despite the apathy that the “college scene” seems to get these days, with rising tuition costs and decreasing employment opportunities during a national recession. Whether or not you hate Columbia College and their stupid motto “Create…change” (which serves as the local hobo chant around these parts), these bands that performed at “Biggest Mouth” really do inspire change. They breathe life by showcasing their various musical, spoken word, and performance talents to their own peers and we cannot help but cheer them on. That’s the type of school spirit that I like.

Another aspect that I found refreshing was the fact that this event was a collaborative effort. Where else can anyone see three rival colleges coming together in a concert setting to lay down bragging rights and local talent? Columbia College got the chance to compete against those lame schools down the street and truly prove who we are. Sure, they might have University in their name, but you can’t deny that Columbia has way more style and stage presence! It’s true, I mean, we have a tap-dancing trio (345) singing about heartbreak, for goodness sake! They are a true testament to what Columbia College Chicago is truly about: an extremely eclectic and artistic scene where innovative (and sometimes unusual) students merge with local surroundings in order to hone and craft that one remarkably exciting (and often appealing) craft into true talent.