Every year the whatzup Battle of the Bands is full of great music, great competition and  more than a few surprises. And every year the Battle of the Bands reveals at least one band that previously had flown under the local music scene's radar. At the conclusion of another successful year, most would agree that Kan-tis, along with the B-Sharps, would be counted among those breakout bands in 2007.

       Hailing from the suburban musical breeding ground of Waynedale, the three members of  Kan-tis originally met each other at Wayne High School. Guitarist Russell Bankert and drummer Josh Runkle, who also had a stint in the Red Barrels, started playing music together for fun.

       "We started off as a noise thing," explains Runkle. "We would get together and just jam with no specific purpose in mind." The two added bassist Scott "Scummy" Knepple in 2006. "Scummy and I worked together," added Bankert, "and he and Josh dated the same girl in high school, so we had known each other for awhile." After Knepple was added, the band started to, in Runkle's words, "write real songs."

       The expression "breakout band" is a fitting description of  Kan-tis in 2007. Though they already have a self-produced album available at Wooden Nickel stores and play out frequently in the area, the band has gone largely unnoticed in the local music scene, which may be a blessing in disguise. The band has used their stage time wisely to tweak their live performances and help evolve their sound.

       Starting slowly, they eventually saw their live shows come together about a year ago during a set with Definitely Gary at Bensons Bar & Grill. "Everything finally clicked," said Runkle, "and that's when we finally felt like a band. That's when the whole stage show began to be a big part of the act."

       So why would  Kan-tis, a band which doesn't fit into any traditional type and had no established fanbase, enter a contest that usually requires a lot fan support in order to be successful?

       "I was in it for the money," says Runkle jokingly before Bankert redirects the answer. "We entered the Battle of the Bands just to get our name out. Truthfully, we really didn't expect to get past the first round."

       If getting noticed was their only goal, then the band should consider the mission accomplished. Not only did  Kan-tis get past the first round, they also got past the second round (with an upset win over none other than Left Lane Cruiser) and rode their momentum into the semifinals, where their strong performance was bested by Knepple's other band, Pleasing Melani, and eventual Battle of the Band winners, The Orange Opera. Though they didn't win the whole thing, the band let it be known that they have arrived, gaining fans at a seemingly exponential pace at each stage of the contest.

       The  Kan-tis sound is best described as unique; however, if it had to be lumped into a category, it would probably be metal. Nevertheless, it is their stage performance, which can only be described as highly energetic and extremely unpredictable, that has allowed the band to escape from the traditional expectations of metal bands. "We play fast and hard like a metal band, but we aren't really associated with the black T-shirts. We haven't been welcomed by them at all," said Runkle.

       The members of  Kan-tis havenÕt allowed the metal alienation to discourage them. In fact, it could be said that it drives them even harder to become a better band. It seems that the band is more energized than ever.

       "We love Fort Wayne, and we will play with any band that has a show, but we fit better into shows that include bands like Definitely Gary because they are kind of goofy like us. The goofier the better, as far as we're concerned," explained Runkle. The band lists the Brass Rail and the former Bensons among their favorite places to play in and around the Fort.

       Costumes, masks, capes, Speedos and other props have become a regular part of the  Kan-tis stage show.

       "We got into [the costumes] accidentally. Scott is one of the goofiest guys ever. His mom actually makes part of his costumes for him. HeÕs the one that got it started, and it kind of spread to Josh and [me]. I would have never started dressing up if it wasn't for Scummy," explained Bankert.

       The band will use the studio time and money they won to record a few songs for an upcoming album. "This will be our first album together as a whole band. The songs are more cutting edge, and they are fast and loud. There won't be any 8-minute songs on this one. We have short attention spans," said Runkle.

       Will  Kan-tis take another shot at the Battle of the Bands next year? "Absolutely," says Runkle. ÒWhatzup puts on good shows, and you can't beat the adrenaline rush of playing on the [Columbia Street West] stage in front of 300 people. WeÕll definitely be back.Ó

       Consider that to be fair warning.

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