20 bands and over 100 students rocked it out on stage in our annual Rock of Ages and House Rock showcase to an audience of supportive staff, students and parents, kicking off Term 2s performing arts calendar splendidly.
After a programme revamp, the commercial bands has flourished with students able to take rock band lessons at lunchtimes and afterschool, leading to more spaces for the students to perfect their sound and increased opportunities to perform around the school and in the community. With more students joining the programme, we welcomed first time bands Red Rebels and Silent Echoes to the stage.
The night showcased a wide range of talent from these newcomers to experienced banes such as Engulfed in Flames, S.O.S, Crying Lightning and On the Wire. Our senior bands, Aftermath and Cognitive Approach, played their original songs which will be entered into the upcoming Rockquest and Play It Strange songwriting competitions.
Since the middle of Term 1, the curriculum music students worked hard to utilise a range of instrumental and vocal talent to create outstanding performances. The Year 11 Diploma class performed four songs including ‘Cake by the Ocean’ by DNCE and ‘Accidentally in Love’ by Counting Crows. The Year 12and 13 NCEA students mixed it up with Rihanna’s ‘Love on the Brain’ and ended with ‘Get Down’ from SIX The Musical.
For the first time, House Rock combined with Rock of Ages for one big showcase. With the theme of ‘Time Travel’, each house could choose rock music from any decade they wish from the 1950 through to the 2000s. Hanna travelled back to the 70s with ABBA’s SOS while Thornton, who came in third place, brought the crowd forward to the early 2000s with a powerful performance of the Arctic Monkey’s. Chandler narrowly missed out on first place with their guitar solo during Guns n Roses ‘Sweet Child of Mine. For the second year in a row, Swears took out the top spot with their 4-part harmony during Stevie Nick’s ‘Edge of Seventeen’.
It was a fantastic night showcasing our future rockstars. Thank you to all those involved from students to staff and audience members, on and off the stage.