It's Departure Lounge for Culture Kids

Wanganui band Culture Kids play their last gig, Departure Lounge, tonight - before members disperse to further their studies.

The five, four from Wanganui High School and one from Wanganui City College, were finalists in last year's Smokefreerockquest and were filmed for an episode of The Erin Simpson Show. They came together at the Underground Youth Fashion Show and have played often at the Whanganui Musicians' Club.

That's where their last gig is tonight, starting at 7.30pm in the Savage Club Hall. Alfresco Renata opens for them.

Their music was described by a rockquest publicist as "new-age funk pop with a few jazzy chords".

They say their influences include Jamiroquai and Six60. Vocalist Nai McGregor writes some of their songs, and said the subjects were "chasing the dream, believing in yourself and a bit of love" - but he insists the love stories are fictional.

Their best known numbers are What You Need, Chase It and Free.

It could be a year before the five play together again.

Nai is going to Whitireia Polytechnic to study music, which is what lead guitarist Max Brown will do, but later.

He's staying in Wanganui next year to train for the junior world kayaking championships in Canada.

Drummer Josiah Hodson and guitarist Thomas Powell are both heading to Otago University where Josiah is doing health science and Thomas will study neuroscience.

Katelyn Brown said it was "pretty cool" to be the group's only girl.

She'll be going to Massey University in Wellington to study graphic design.

The five may next play together in the summer of 2013-14, when four are back in Wanganui for holidays. It's likely they will.

"We just practice because we want to really," they said.