They came, they rocked, they conquered.
The eight members of Lakeview School's rock band JAMATTAC were yesterday joking Lakeview was now Wairarapa's new "School of Rock" after they won the "Rock 2 Roslyn" Battle of the Bands contest at Palmerston North's Roslyn School on Thursday.
Pictured, front from left, is vocalist Celine
Aporo, keyboardist Tanieka Marunui, drummer Josh Ingle and vocalist Annie Ruddock. Behind them, from left, is guitarist Apiana Tetau Quinn, vocalist Moses Aeto and guitarist Aidan Hodgkinson. Bassist Tui Wilton is absent.
On top of their victory over eight other bands, JAMATTAC - an acronym of each member's first name - also triumphed with Tui taking home the award for Best Bass Player and Annie picking up Best Vocalist.
Apiana said the crowd was "pretty tough", but when it was announced Lakeview were the winners "we all sat there in silence for a few seconds - then got up and shouted".
Principal Ed Hodgkinson, who with music teacher Pip Hansen assumed "roadie" duties at the event, was full of praise for the young rockers.
"We as a school are proud of their achievement. Lakeview School is now known for being a musical school - so if you've got a child interested in music, this is the place for them to come. The children are just going from strength to strength."
The band, who will play their final gig together at the school's prize giving ceremony, wasn't the only Wairarapa success story at the contest.
Guitarist Jake Schdroski and drummer Logan Telford of the Masterton Intermediate School band Not For The Faint Hearted picked up awards for Best Guitarist and Best Drummer.
Performers from both bands also picked up other individual awards at the Wellington Battle of the Bands contest in October.
