School of Rock and Roll

Soundspace (K311) was at capacity on Wednesday 6 May as students, families and peers gathered to see the bands rock out at the 2026 Rock Band Competition.

A school band performs on stage in front of an audience. Four pupils play guitar, bass, and drums while one sings into a microphone, with wooden panels as the backdrop.

Across six bands and three divisions, the evening showcased the breadth of musical talent at IGS. Junior competitors APE-X and The A’s brought serious energy to the stage, with first-time performers showing real courage as they stepped up to deliver classics by AC/DC and Black Sabbath respectively.

In the Intermediate division, Entity, Violet Burn and The Lemons turned up the volume, with more experienced performers really getting into the spirit of their songs. Violet Burn were a particular highlight, opening boldly with their own original composition, Violet Burn before segueing into a confident rendition of Green Day’s Basket Case – a set that drew a strong response from the crowd.

The Lemons brought a soulful edge to Lenny Kravitz’s Fly Away and Entity had the audience moving with Livin’ On A Prayer.

Senior band Shattered Sticks rounded out the night with a powerful performance of Silverchair’s Tomorrow, a fitting closer for an evening full of energy.

What stood out most across the night was the sense of community that has been carefully nurtured within the IGS Contemporary Music Program. Students across year groups cheered each other on, collaborated and shared a genuine love of making music together. The venue was packed with an audience of staff, parents and friends!

The Music Department continues to focus on building an environment where students feel supported, develop their skills and find their people, regardless of age or experience. Events like this are a testament to that effort, and a reminder of just how much can grow when young musicians are given the space and encouragement to thrive.

A young boy in a black outfit plays the violin on stage in front of an audience, with a drum kit and an amplifier visible in the background.

A young person with curly blond hair wearing a dark hoodie plays an electric bass guitar with a patterned strap, looking focused under warm stage lighting.

A young woman with long dark hair stands on stage holding a microphone, looking to the side and smiling. A person in the background is partially visible, seated at a drum kit. Wooden panels line the wall behind them.

A young person wearing a navy hoodie plays an electric guitar on stage, focused on their performance, with an audience watching in the foreground.

A young person with blond hair plays an electric bass guitar on stage, wearing a dark polo shirt. The background features vertical wooden panels, and the lighting highlights the musician’s focused expression.

A boy in a navy polo shirt plays a drum kit on stage, while a girl sings into a microphone in the foreground. The background is wooden panelling.

A young boy smiles whilst playing a red electric guitar. He wears a black T-shirt with AC/DC printed on it and blue jeans. The background features wooden panels and part of a music stand.

A young boy wearing a dark shirt and a backwards cap sings into a microphone and plays a red guitar with a colourful strap, performing indoors with a blurred audience in the foreground.

A young boy with dark hair plays an electric guitar, focused on his performance. He wears a dark shirt and stands against a blurred, warmly lit background.

A young child with long blonde hair, wearing a white shirt and purple tie, holds a microphone and stands in front of a blurred background with vertical lines and drums.

A boy smiles whilst playing a red electric guitar. He wears a black AC/DC T-shirt and jeans, standing in front of a music stand and piano with a wooden panelled background.

A young boy with dark hair, wearing a navy shirt and blue wristband, plays a drum kit intently in a room with wooden panelling.

A young boy stands on stage playing a blue electric guitar, focused on his performance. A piano and percussion instruments are visible in the background; the setting appears to be a music recital or concert.

A young person with long hair plays a drum kit, wearing a dark blue shirt, in a room with wooden panelled walls. The drum kit is light-coloured and a cymbal is visible to the right.

Results

Division	Band	Members	Song	Result
Junior (Years 5–6)	APE-X	Matthew C, Elliot E, Eric F, Jett L, Tom M and Sonny S	Highway to Hell – AC/DC	Winner
Junior (Years 5–6)	The A’s	Alexander B, Anton D, Alexei P and Alex T	Iron Man – Black Sabbath	Runner-Up
Intermediate (Years 5–6)	Entity	Hunter A, Bianca C, Henry G, James K, Olive P R and Linus S	Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi	Winner – Covers
Intermediate (Years 5–6)	Violet Burn	Dara H, Miranda H, Mitchell J and Hudson W	Basket Case – Green Day	Runner-Up – Covers
Intermediate (Years 5–6)	Violet Burn	Dara H, Miranda H, Mitchell J and Hudson W	Violet Burn (original)	Winner – Original
Intermediate (Years 5–6)	The Lemons	Rose B, Frankie H, Tom M and Ferdi P	Fly Away – Lenny Kravitz
Senior (Years 10–12)	Shattered Sticks	Jackson A K, Matthew B, Stevie D and Luella P	Tomorrow – Silverchair	Winner

Overall Winner – Rock Band Competition 2026: Shattered Sticks

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