Young, Local and Ready to Rock

By Jessica Issa on April 9, 2013 in News

Talented, passionate and driven, The Citizens might sound like your average indie pop rock band, except for one thing: they’re still in school. Lewis Clark, Sachin Burns, Joey Reinhard and Ben Munro are all Year 9 and 10 students at Rose Bay Secondary College.

In December last year they were the youngest competitors at the WAYS Battle of the Bands – and they took home the title. Their prize included recording time at the Australian Institute of Music, which kick-started the boys to work on their upcoming EP. Their win also included the opportunity to open this year’s Bondi Blitz music festival in April.

“We’re really pumped about playing at Blitz. Playing there is a step up for us. A bigger audience and stage means we can spread our music to more people,” said lead singer Lewis Clark.

“The Citizens’ five- to ten-year goal is to play at The Metro, but our ultimate goal is to be famous and tour the world,” he added.
Lewis’s dad David Clark is also excited for the boys.

“All of us parents are extremely proud, supportive and encouraging. It’s very hard for an under-age band to get gigs. Battle of the Bands and Bondi Blitz are great opportunities,” he said.

Apart from winning Battle of the Bands, recording their EP and regularly rehearsing at Bondi Pavilion, The Citizens are on Triple J Unearthed and Bandcamp, are working on getting their music on iTunes, and are entering Youth Rock, an unsigned band competition held during Youth Week in April.

While the Bondi Blitz is a great platform for local bands like the citizens, WAYS Youth Work Coordinator David Adams was also quick to point out the festival is about more than just music.

“Bondi Blitz will finish off Youth Week this year in the Eastern Suburbs. Blitz has been going for over 20 years. It’s a free, all-ages music event aimed at young people, showing them that you can have a great night out without drugs and alcohol,” said David Adams from WAYS.

Bondi Blitz will be held on Saturday, April 21 at Bondi Park from 8am to 7pm.