The Winner of Battle 2025 is…

Movin’ On hosted its 30th Battle today and brought the judges a wide range of performances from Sunday Love Club, Swervo Staacks, Little Blue and the Stargazers, Fez, Just, Forrester Gray, Golden and Amelia and the Bad Men. There can only be one winner from this talented bunch; so the 2025 Battle winner is Fez! 

Fez after their Battle 2025 performance

The group showcases the talents of Xavier Hons, a third-year studying music technology, Jimmy Connely, a fourth year studying computer engineering and Max Hill, a third year at Lycoming College studying music. 

Hill and Hons have known each other since high school when they were both in a rock ensemble. 

“We always sort of knew we wanted to continue doing music after high school,” Hill said. “I think, Jimmy included in this, we all had a desire to be in a band in college to express ourselves, and it came up at the perfect time that we were all looking.”

The group said they describe their sound as “scuba rock,” an experimentation between a plethora of different sounds. Hill said that’s what makes the true Fez sound, that it’s not limited to one style. 

At Battle, the band stepped on stage in all red robes with matching red Fez hats, something they said is inspired by bands like Deevo and The Mummies. 

“Anything to be visually fun and enjoy our time playing on stage,” Hill said. “It’s also good for branding.”

The group said they also draw inspiration from artists like Elvis Costello, Built to Spill and King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard. 

This is the first year the band has performed in Battle, though Hill performed with another band two years ago. 

Hill said they decided to perform this year for the ‘hohay’ of it, just to give it a shot. They also wanted to do something bolder and different, according to Hons and Connely.

Now that their battle win is secured, the group is set to open in Movin’ On’s 50th anniversary show. 

They group said they are now focused on practicing as much as they can and bringing the energy they brought to battle tonight. 

“Our main message is that we like to have fun, we like to have a good time and in our music there’s a little something in there for everyone,” Hill said.