A roaring pubformance of finalists has resulted in Wicked Things winning the Australian Hotels Association NSW’s Rockin’ the Puburbs live music competition for 2023.
After three years quiet, the Association revived the ultimate pub band competition in NSW late 2022, announcing a grand final would take place at the iconic Selina’s Entertainment Centre, in the Coogee Bay Hotel.
Heats were held in Tamworth, the Illawarra, the Hunter, Central West and Sydney, showcasing entries from around the state.
Last week, before a packed house at Selina’s, the band from Sydney’s inner west wowed both the crowd and the judges with “shredding guitar, soaring vocals, and electrifying energy”.
The judging panel included rock legend and Rose Tattoo front man Angry Anderson, The Hon. John Graham MLC, Michael Rodrigues – 24-Hour Economy Commissioner (NSW), Alex Green – APRA AMCOS, Emily Collins – Music NSW, and Emma Nichols – Southern Cross Austereo.
Wicked Things is the four Hills brothers, seeing Kaleb on vocals, Cooper on drums, and twins Blade and Gericho on guitar and bass (respectively).
For achieving the top prize at the finals the band takes a $15k prize package, which includes a five-stop east coast pub tour starting in April, playing pub gigs in Sydney, Erina, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, and Toronto in support of the Screaming Jets.
“On behalf of the band we’re all stoked with the win,” relayed Gericho. “Tonight was the first time we had a chance to see the other bands and they were all phenomenal.”
Taking second place was funk, soul and rock act LamBros., receiving $4k, while each of the other finalists – indie outfit Dande and The Lion, country singer Jamie Lindsay, and rock trio Roar Sky Harvey – won $2k.
Live music is a major element to the Australian economy, employing 65k full-time and part-time workers. Expert studies report that for every dollar spent on live music, three dollars of benefit is returned to the wider community.
“This was the first time we’ve had a live grand final event for Rockin’ the Puburbs, and the level of talent was incredible,” stated AHA NSW CEO John Whelan.
“Post-pandemic it was important for us to strengthen the connection between pubs and live music and this event was the perfect way to do that.”
