300 cans of Hamm’s beer, ten bands, one champion

Few bands can say their entry fee into a battle of the bands was a 30 pack of beer, but that is the case with the F–M Battle of the Hamm’s. After four years, the battle returns to The Aquarium at 7 p.m. on Nov. 30.

Each of the 10 bands brings with them a 30 pack of Hamm’s beer, and the victor takes all – that’s 300 cans of the beer born in the land of sky blue waters. The winning band also takes home the official Battle of the Hamm’s championship belt.

The battle is less about competition and more about having fun and offering an eclectic bill that may not be seen elsewhere.

The Battle of the Hamm’s originally took place from 2004–2008 in the basement of the VFW, which was an all-ages venue at the time.

It wasn’t until 2015 that the battle was hosted at the Aquarium after one of the co-founders discovered an interest in the scene for its return. In a 2015 article for High Plains Reader (HPR), Chris Lindstrom said there was excitement about the battle’s return.

“I talked to a couple of people who are in bands now and they say that Battle of the Hamm’s was one of their first experiences with the F-M music scene,” said Lindstrom.

In the intervening years, Lindstrom had watched the scene grow to support many more bands, “Back then we had to seek out bands that were willing to play, and now there are so many types of bands,” he told HPR.

Now, The Battle of the Hamm’s is returning once again to The Aquarium, and the bands are excited. Baltic to Boardwalk lead vocalist, Ryan Hoffart joked that Pass the Flask vocalist Mike Hansen was going to bring cans of Hamm’s filled with PBR. “I wouldn’t do ya’ll like that. It’s going to be a clean fair set,” Hansen added a devil emoji at the end of his reply.

On Twitter, Hansen shared his excitement after they were confirmed for the battle, “PTF is playing Battle of the Hamm’s. My entire music career that has taken me across 49 state lines and two national borders has boiled down to this one moment. I want that championship belt.”

Swing Low is the reigning champ of the 2015 Battle of the Hamm’s and is back to defend their title four years later.

The competitors

Swing Low
Pass the Flask (tour kickoff)
Bottle Wound (comeback show!)
Jantzonia
disappear forever
Stovepipes
Walker Rider
Shrug
Widow
Wastelord (ex SOTOS)

If you go:

Doors open at 7 p.m.
Music starts at 7:30 p.m.
Entry is $5
Hamm’s door prizes and pounder specials