St Swithun’s School hosts Swith-Stock Festival

23 Feb 2016

St Swithun’s School performing arts theatre was the venue for a joint school music festival last week.
Bands from Winchester College and St Swithun’s played a range of folk, pop, hip-hop, R & B and acoustic sets featuring both original work and covers. The staging, created by St Swithun’s performing arts technical manager Mr Simon Freakley, included three live cameras and computer visuals of each band fed to a large screen above the drum kit. State of the art lighting created a ‘rock n roll’ style rig based around four upright trusses and a half circle.

Seven members of St Swithun’s Junior School rock band Turn up the Amps opened the evening with an impressive performance to a vocal audience of about 200. They were followed by St Swithun’s Senior School bands String Theory, Cardi and Folk On. Winchester College band Shagwagg played next, and then a multi-talented staff band. The evening culminated with a strong performance by St Swithun’s band The Morrows.

St Swithun’s School visiting guitar teacher and event organiser Rich Morrow said “Swith-Stock 2016 was a great success. The opportunity to perform contemporary music in a professional setting with first class staging, lighting and sound is a rare one, and the St Swithun’s girls and Winchester College boys rose to the occasion. The performances were as diverse as they were amazing and represented students of all ages. A memorable show and sincere thanks to all those who took part on and off stage.”

Photo: The Morrows – St Swithun’s seniors