THE BANDS have battled and the winners have been crowned.
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The North West Battle of the Bands showcase event premiered online over the weekend due to COVID-19 restrictions.
All finalists came from the Narrabri area, and organisers said it highlighted the excellent local talent around the region.
Elsie Ford, a 17-year-old Narrabri High School student, won the coveted award for the original song category.
She entered a video of herself playing guitar and singing her own song Is This What Love is Meant to Feel Like.
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She said she started music at a young age and was influenced early on by her guitarist father.
"I got into music when I was in about Year 3," she said. "But I really only started singing in maybe Year 8, and I was very shy about it."
Although Elsie said she looks up to bands like Queen, Fleetwood Mac and The Beetles, it's her dad that has played the biggest role.
"My Dad was probably the biggest musical influence on me as he taught me how to play, and introduced me to great musicians," she said.
Elise won a cash prize and will have a mentoring session with the leader of the judging panel and professional singer-songwriter Sarah Leete.
"I really hope that I can learn a bit of a process for writing songs and writing more songs, because I'd love to write more, it's lots of fun," Elsie said.
The covers category was taken out by Narrabri group Pat the Acid Dragon with their rendition of Life is a Highway.
Luke Solomon was named runner-up for his performance of Randy Travis's Three Wooden Crosses.
It was the first time in seven years the North West Battle of the Bands had run, but organisers brought it back this year to help locals get through isolation.
Battle of the Bands organisers held the event on Facebook due to COVID-19 restrictions, and said hundreds of viewers tuned in for the event.
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
Police and crime reporter at the Newcastle Herald.
