Bands through to final six
Xavier Toby
Thursday 5 June, 2008 8:00am
THE rock revival is rampaging through the Inner West, with two of six finalists in a national band competition coming from Strathfield.
The competition, hosted by youth radio network Triple J received hundreds of entries.
The only rule was that at least half the members of the band had to be in high school and each entry had to be an original song.
Two members of the band [is], who made the finals, attend the McDonald College in Strathfield, while the singer and bass guitarist of the Kthanxbyes, who also made the finals, go to Meriden High, also in Strathfield.
Year 11 student Tom Ugly is the lead guitarist and vocalist of [is]..
Bass guitarist Mehli-Ann Butt previously played piano, then picked up the bass in Year 7 after school one day.
The McDonald College is a school for performance excellence, and two other bands at the school also entered the competition. Kthanxbyes vocalist Laura Connolly, in Year 12 at Meriden High, has been singing ever since she can remember.
Laura was training at a performance arts studio and now receives vocal training through school. She sings in other styles including jazz and classical.
Georgie-Rae Cobon is in Year 10 at Meriden, and joined the Kthanxbyes soon after she started playing bass.
"Being in a band motivates us to get better," she said.
The competition winner is announced soon and they get to play at a school assembly along with Australian rock band Something With Numbers.
Visit the Triple J website to check out and rate the finalists. All votes and comments are considered by the judges: www.triplejunearthed.com
School of Rock can be contacted through: www.rockschool.com.au
