Rock, pop and dance joined forces in one of the biggest gigs the region will stage this year.

Kirkbie Kendal School's Reach for the Stars 3 was a real party atmosphere with the choir's Get Happy kicking off the Tuesday night event.

One of last year's winners Hayley Davis opened the competition with another cracking performance singing not the easiest of numbers, Mariah Carey's Hero, and Robert Hebblethwaite's slick fingers danced along the piano in the James Bond theme.

The Band, led by guitarist Ben Markham, impressed -especially the antics of his brother and bass player Alex whose performance earned him the Brewery's special award.

And Lauren Roberts majored in a baton-waving Sk8er Boi.

It was a tough call for the judges with a cool 17-act line-up.

Sassy dancers Laura Stuart, and Kathryn and Charlotte Francis, shook the Kendal Leisure Centre strage and gyrated their way to third place with a sizzling Lady Marmalade routine from Moulin Rouge.

We wanted it loud and we got it as the potent force of Calefaction gave a blistering and mature show far in advance of their year 8 status, belting out Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit in true rock style and landing second prize.

Poised and soulful, Roseanna Skikun sang the Norah Jones number Don't Know Why and just tipped the balance taking first prize and backed by the hard-working House Band.

What a night

The talent fest continued on Wednesday night as another 12 acts exposed themselves to the acid limelight of peer scrutiny.

Emerging victorious were Fiona Simpson (who was also fourth singing solo on Tuesday), Alys Gardner and Rebecca Harris with the Sugababes' hit Freak Like Me. The threesome trilled in tune, earned screams from the crowd with their gorgeous micro-miniskirts and added their own sweetness to the saucy lyrics.

Earning second place was rock outfit Big Green Blue with their own catchy, slightly Beatlesque, composition. Third was crowd favourite Acrimonious Anguish. The four-lad outfit turned in a stunning thrash metal performance complete with guitar posturing and indecipherable lyrics delivered in a satanic growl.

Meanwhile, picking up fourth was the talented Tegan Shankley who strummed and sang her way into a prize position with Dido number Thank-you while David Clare on keyboard got a special prize for his faultless keyboard rendition of In Dreams from Lord of the Rings.

Credit must go to music teachers Ruth Houston and Jayne Crow for their unswerving support for the talented youngsters, not to mention Mr Music himself, Geoff Cater, who pulls it all together "to give every kid five-minutes of fame." JD/AM.

April 17, 2003 09:00