The Bathgate Park School band is among 178 primary and intermediate school bands from around New Zealand plugging in for this year's Rockshop Bandquest.
Bandquest is the younger sibling of Smokefreerockquest, and the level of talent ''just keeps on rising'', founder and director Glenn Common said.
''Rockshop Bandquest is a vehicle to develop this talent, with 12 live events this year, as well as an online contest for bands from outlying regions.
''Very often, Rockshop Bandquest is these bands' first experience on a fully set-up stage, with a light show and professionally mixed sound.
''They're performing to their peers and families, which puts them under a little bit of pressure, but in a supportive environment.''
Mr Common said the young bands had been feeding into Smokefreerockquest for the past six years, and he could see how the encouragement was helping pupils to progress musically.
Bandquest is for bands of three to 10 members, up to and including year 8, who play one or two songs.
He said there was an award for the best original song, which encouraged bands to write their own material, but the focus was on performance skills.
Bands entered in tonight's Otago Bandquest are On Top Of The World (Dunedin North Intermediate), Rockin' Kiwis (Taieri College), Harmonizers (Kaikorai Valley College), 7YearS (Tahuna Normal Intermediate), BGP Tawhaki (Bathgate Park School), 27 Legends (Taieri College), Allegro (Dunedin North Intermediate), Dysfunktional (John McGlashan College), The Pain Killers (Dunedin North Intermediate), The Boys (John McGlashan College), Twinz (Kaikorai Valley College), and Infinite (John McGlashan College).
The event is at Bathgate Park School and starts at 7pm tonight.
