The four-piece band performed their songs Tequila Mockingbird, Just a Smile and a cover of The Black Keys song Tighten Up, winning recording time, a professional photo shoot, an X-Press Promotional package and $500.
Florence (guitar/vocals), and fellow band members Alexander Popoff-Asotoff (drums/vocals), Chris Mackenzie (guitar) and Greta Andrews-Taylor (bass), were shocked by the win.
‘We were actually quite surprised as we felt we hadn’t played as well as we could have and the competition was of a really high standard,’ Florence said. ‘But we were overjoyed and excited.’
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READ NOWThe 19-year-old said the win gave the band members more confidence in their songwriting and musical ability.
‘I suppose we just try to have a bit of fun; its music you can dance to, exciting, catchy, a little bit surfy,’ he said. ‘We like to think of it as car chase music.
‘We’re strongly influenced by gritty ’60s pop music like the Beatles and the Kinks, as well as surf music from that period.
‘We’re also influenced by ’80s punk and two-tone ska music like the Dead Kennedys and the Specials.
‘It’s good to know that people other than us actually like our music, because it’s really hard to judge yourself.
‘It’s also amazing to have the three days of studio time at our disposal ” we’re super keen to get in the studio and get recording.’
Hello Colour Red, a four-piece rock band from Dianella, took out second prize, and won recording time and $200, while Bayswater band The Arthur Dent Project won the High School Band category, $200 and a prize pack.
Mayor Terry Kenyon said the judges had a difficult job in reaching a decision as the bands were of such a high standard and very professional. He said the competition showcased the amount of young talent in the community.