Have fun. Be better!
Student Performance Opportunities
We offer several performance opportunities for our students as well as join in with other places around town.
One aim of these sessions is so students have a goal for all their practice. When you have a goal somehow you find more time to practice. So, all of a sudden, you're getting better through this extra work.
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Another big aim is for students to enjoy playing their music. Especially when in a group there's a lot of fun to be had.
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Practicing
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Make sure you are well practiced before the jams.
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Work hard on your songs. Learn the sections. Learn the arrangement. You can still use your books when we play but aim to almost know the songs off by heart.
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Performers must be totally practiced and prepared for their session. Remember, you are playing with other musicians now, so any time you take to figure things out that you could have practiced, it's time out of their day as well. This also means turning up to your session early e.g. 10-15 minutes before the start time.
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Why it is useful
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These jam sessions are a great first step for those who are looking to put all their practice to use. You get to play with other students of the same level, and being able to play confidently with other musicians is a great skill to have as a musician.
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The sessions are held right here at Bandwagon, so the atmosphere is very relaxed. This way you don’t have to worry about nerves and you can focus on your playing and having fun.
It's very rewarding to see what you can do with all that practice and get some valuable experience while you do it.
Here is an explanation of each performance opportunity -
Bandwagon Student Concert.
It's an opportunity for students to perform in front of an audience. Students use the concert as a goal for all that practice they’ve been doing. There's also a little more incentive to practice so you will find yourself having quiet a leap forward in your skills and confidence. This big leap forward stays with the student.
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It’s about getting on stage and showing off all that hard work. Doing it for yourself. Doing it for your family and friends. It’s an amazing feeling of satisfaction when you walk off stage after an awesome set. Performers get to play in a relaxed party atmosphere. Each performer does their best songs in front of a friendly and receptive audience.
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Want to play in a band? Now you can – have fun playing songs with other guitarists, bass guitarists, drummers and singers. Be a part of the exciting music experience that comes from playing with other musicians. We’ll find your other band members. We supply nearly all the gear.
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For all ages. All styles welcome. We book the venue. We organize the rehearsals. We do the lugging, set up and pull down. The focus is on FUN !! – at rehearsal and gigs.
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After all this practice and rehearsing we do a gig!! Bring your family and friends to witness your birth as a rock star. Just like our rehearsals it’s all arranged – the booking of the venue, the PA, the amps, the drums, etc. Remember also that the audience is a friendly one – they are all there to support people doing their hobby – so even though it can be a little nerve racking at least you are going to be supported.
Bandwagon Friday Jams.
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There are two groups on each second Friday. Brian and Paul are the tutors.
In the week after the jam Brian and Paul collate the suggestions for new songs and send the list out to each group which gives them almost two weeks to get the songs ready.
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When they get together the groups play a mixture of old songs and the new ones they've all been learning.
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With this regular cycle of practicing at home and then jamming together all the students are finding their skills zooming ahead. All the time also having a lot of fun!!
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Bandwagon Rock Band Week.
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This is aimed at the teens.
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In the last or second last week of the Christmas holidays we put bands together.
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The bands rehearse each day Monday to Thurs and then do a performance on the Friday.
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We did our first one in 2025. Unfortunately, we won't be doing one in 2026 due to illness.
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Next Level Youth Jams.
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An amazing opportunity to jam with other musicians presented by Abby Skye and her team.
These are held monthly.
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Musicians turn up and put their name on a board. From there they are put into bands and then perform one song. As the turns go around players will get another chance to play.
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The Bundaberg Eisteddfod.
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The eisteddfod has included rock instruments for some years now and we are super grateful to them for that.
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Students can perform solo, in duets/trios and in rock band.
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Most students choose to do 3-4 solo sections and then the band.
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There's a real supportive vibe to the rock sections of the eisteddfod, especially on rock band night. The Shalom theatre is bursting at the seams with players and audience. The level of the bands is very high as they've been rehearsing for weeks to prepare.
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Bundy Jam Session.
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These are held monthly at the Ballistic Bargara in town.
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We will be taking our rock bands from Rock Band Week and the eisteddfod for extra performance opportunities.
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Otherwise musicians turn up and form a scratch band to play some songs.
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