With a first prize of $500.00 cash the FReeZA Battle of the Bands at Ararat’s A & J McDonald Hall on Saturday June 18 was a hotly contested battle between 5 young local bands from across the region.

Kicking off the night were Hamilton band Alien Vomit who were followed by Horsham group Sparko who proved you don’t have to be a guy to know how to Rock! Up next were Hamilton boys Piracy who were looking forward to playing their mix of grungy punk rock in front of an unbiased crowd.

With only two more bands to play the first of the home grown talent hit the stage in the form of 3 piece band from Stawell, Less Than Perfection, with a large following from Stawell coming to see these guys play the crowd got to their feet to get behind the local boys.

Clearly the hometown favourite Ararat 5 piece Deceptive Approach were the last band in the line up and with the crowd of over 200 local young people having been rocked into a frenzy by the previous 4 bands they went crazy for the last set of the night.

With the votes having been counted Ararat FReeZA Committee member and Battle of the Bands organiser Tracy Phillips took to the stage to announce the winner.

In second place were Ararat band Deceptive Approach and the winner of the inaugural Central Grampians LLEN FReeZA Battle of the Bands was…Piracy!

Piracy have already recorded a short EP and hope to record more songs in the future with the Battle of the Bands prize money going towards time in a recording studio. Apart from selling CD’s, they have also designed a logo, printed t-shirts and are about to start a website.

FReeZA is an initiative of the Victorian Government which provides funding for LenZone! to hold drug and alcohol free entertainment and events for young people. A team of five LenZone! work-placement students work with FReeZA Committees in Ararat, Stawell and Lake Bolac to stage the events.