Year ends on winning note for band

Strangely Arousing perform at this year's Party in the Park as part of the Glo Festival at the Village Green. Photo / File

Rotorua reggae band Strangely Arousing are on their way to cementing themselves in the New Zealand music scene after winning the prestigious national Battle of the Bands competition.

The five ex-Western Heights High School students won the competition on Saturday, which consisted of three months of national eliminations at live music venues across the country.

They have picked up an impressive prize package, which includes recording time for a single at Roundhead Studios, a state-of-the-art recording studio owned by Neil Finn, as well as $1000 worth of travel on a tour bus, distribution of the recorded single to a quarter of a million radio stations across Europe and the USA, and a mixing desk.

Trombonist Liam Rolfe said the band was stoked with the win.

"It is really good for us, this really kind of cements it for us as musicians in the proper musician world.

"Hopefully we will have the right people looking at us," he said.

Strangely Arousing were one of the younger bands in the competition.

Mr Rolfe said they would head into the studio in the new year, but were unsure of what song to record.

"We need to finish writing some more songs and then figure out which one we want to record," he said.

Strangely Arousing are now based in Auckland and have already made an impact on the city's music scene, securing a steady line-up of gigs, and will play alongside some impressive acts this summer, including Fat Freddy's Drop and Kora.

The band won Pacifica Beats in 2013, and played at Raggamuffin.

Strangely Arousing will be playing in Rotorua at the Glo Festival on New Year's Eve, and with Fat Freddy's Drop on January 2 at the Lakefront.

A highlight of the year has also been releasing their first EP, drummer Oliver Prendergast said.

The band also includes Shaun Loper, Lukas Wharekura and Forrest Thorp.