From the bluesy barefoot rock of Spooky Mojo to the a capella sounds of the Shaggy Boys to the pop-punk tunes of Mitey Felix, diversity was not hard to find in the Maintenance Shop Sunday afternoon.

The M-Shop was so packed with people out to see local bands, you’d almost think the Goo Goo Dolls came early.

Never before has there been such a crowd in the M-Shop to see local bands, and never before has one person seen so many different types of music in one setting.

The show spanned over six hours, and 11 bands took to the stage with minimal delays. Sound men and equipment crews sped throughout the day, helping bands break down and set up quickly.

“People put in a lot to make this work; they did a good job of putting this thing together,” Chinmoy Panigrahy, guitarist/vocalist for Medulla Oblongata, said. “It’s important for everybody to see and realize what kinds of bands are out there. Shows like this are a good chance for local bands to get noticed.”

Despite a broken guitar string and a few other minor problems, Medulla Oblongata was able to play a fantastic set of jazz, funk and rock, finishing in third place.

Right behind Medulla to finish off the day in fourth place was the crowd-pleasing members of The Shaggy Boys, who sang their hearts out to unique renditions of songs such as “One Week” by the Barenaked Ladies and “Can’t Help Falling In Love” by Elvis Presley.

Brad Seidenfeld, baritone for the Boys, was very pleased with the show.

“It was awesome seeing all the different types of groups supporting each other,” Seidenfeld said. “It’s a great chance for all these different groups to hear each other.”

Finishing in second place was the highly-energetic Mr. Plow, which lit up the crowd and got everyone on their feet with its special brand of hip-hop funk.

“Competition comes second, knowing who’s out there and getting to see all these different bands is something special,” Mr. Plow vocalist Dan Fjelland said.

Winning the battle and leaving with four hours of studio time at Trifecta Studios in Des Moines was The McKenzies. The band played an energetic set of rock and blues and marveled the judges with its catchy songs and hearty solos.

“I think we’re gonna record a single or mix a live album,” guitarist/vocalist Austin Powell said.

Guitarist James Biehn added, “I don’t really like the competition [part of it], but I like seeing fans of different bands getting a chance to see a type of music they don’t normally get to see.”

“It was certainly weird seeing punk kids bob their heads to the a capella sounds of the Shaggy Boys,” Veishea Music Coordinator and Battle of the Bands organizer Corey Moss said of the supportive crowd.

Organizers could not have picked a more diverse group of bands to play the festival. The lineup included something for fans of any genre.

For the first time ever, the hard-core shouts and anger of W.A.D. and Deviant came together with the pop tunes about milk from Pookey Bleum.

And it was certainly the first time The Prairie Dogs got to share the stage with Ames ska/punk heroes Grubby Ernie.

And all the bands agreed on the fact that the show was more about unity than competition.

“I don’t think the bands should be competing — it should be more of a local music showcase,” Brad Thoen, vocalist/guitarist for Grubby Ernie, said.

Veishea Battle of the Bands showed just how strong and diverse Central Iowa’s music scene really is.