YOUNG musicians from schools across York battled it out at a Best Of The Bands competition at the Barbican.

More than 200 pupils, parents and teachers turned up to watch the bands perform yesterday.

All Saints' School's band Ironic came out on top, winning the Best Live Band category.

Guitar player from the band Mary Sayes also won the best individual performer.

Other prizes went to Nymph from Huntington School for the best recording and Midas from All Saints School for the best team effort.

The best cover version was given to Hot Rock from Huntington School for their rendition of To Have And To Hold.

Loki from York College produced the best original song and Conflux from the Performing Arts Centre were given the prize for best presentation.

Each band was given a maximum of eight minutes performance time, which gave them the chance to perform two songs which were either original or cover versions.

The event was judged by a panel including Tom Sharp, from Stone Soup, Steve Morrison, from MOR Music, Rose Kent, from Cube Media, Rosemary Cook, the Evening Press Education Reporter, Alex Browne, from Pig Hut Studios and Patrick Berry the bass player from Hazzard County.

The event, now in its ninth year, was organised by the City of York Council Arts Service.

It aims to support and encourage young musicians by giving them recording experience, performance opportunity and a chance to appreciate the work of other musicians.

Arts service music consultant, David Ashworth, said: "The Best of the Bands gig celebrates the wealth of talent in the City of York.

"Previous competitors have gone on to bigger events and some have even made music their chosen career."

The prizes for the best live band was a day recording at Pig Hut Studios and a microphone pack.

Other prizes included a headline gig at Fibbers, a two-hour recording session, HMV CDs, Virgin vouchers, and MOR Music accessories.

Updated: 10:46 Friday, July 11, 2003