Ready to rock

by Sammi Taylor
9th November 2015

TALENTED young musicians from the Greater Warrandyte region are putting on a not-to-be-missed show this month.

The annual Wonnies Battle of the Bands, hosted by Wonnies Music and Sport, will showcase the hard work of Warrandyte’s best primary school bands and music groups.

Students from Anderson’s Creek Primary School, Donvale Primary, Eastwood Primary and more will have the chance to perform in front of a live audience, on a stage equipped with professional sound and lighting gear. The school bands have been preparing for months to compete in the competition, hoping to wow their family and friends and the all important judging panel.

“It’s something I never got the opportunity to do when I was younger, get up on stage and be in a rock band. It was always concert bands or brass bands, orchestras and stuff,” says Scott Van Gestrel, director and founder of Wonnies.

“Nowadays with shows like The Voice, these kids want to get up on stage and perform in front of an audience.”

The professional set up of the event is an added bonus, Scott says, and really gives the kids a taste of what it feels like to play a live music gig.

This year, the battle will be recorded and filmed, giving the kids a memento of their experience. And a few years down the track, when they’re famous, it might even be evidence of their musical career beginnings.

There are two coveted prizes to give out this year. On top of the overall winner of the battle, there’s a new award for an up and coming band, chosen by the judges.

“It’s for young bands, kids who are eight or nine who have never been on a stage before. They get to perform on a stage, so instead of competing for the big prize, which is a challenge, they get to compete for a junior prize,” Scott says.

High school students have an opportunity to perform as well in super bands, made up of past winners and students from Wonnies. Quiet Bedlam, an acoustic trio from Warrandyte High School, are headlining this year’s battle.

The community is heavily involved in the event—not only are they encouraged to attend, but there’s a strong Warrandyte presence in the judging panel, which features a music teacher, a representative from one of the primary schools and a keen member of the community.

“I’d love to get a celebrity judge one day, that’d be cool,” Scott says.

Sponsors are another huge part of community involvement, and Scott is incredibly thankful for the support of local businesses, including the Diary, Quinton’s IGA, Bunnings Warehouse and more.

Wonnies Battle of the Bands will be held at Anderson’s Creek Primary School at 12pm on November 29

More details can be found at www.wonnies.com.au