Wish Worth Granting performs at The Espy this month in the Espy Artists’ Showdown. From left, Shamil Weerasekera, James Schilling, James Marshall, Caemin Szybkowski, obscured, and Josh Tharle.By Lilly O’Gorman
IT might have been their first performance and they might have been the youngest band competing, but Wish Worth Granting is proving they are ones to watch.
The hardcore/metal five-piece was one of three bands to successfully make it through the first round of heats and into the semi-finals of the Espy Artist Showdown.
Drummer Caemin Szybkowski is starting Year 11 at Berwick Secondary College this year, and his band mates are also starting VCE at St Francis Xavier College.
Despite the school year looming, Caemin said they tried to get together every weekend and practise as much as they could.
“It might be hard to juggle with school, but we’re just going to see how it goes,” he said.
“We’re hoping to record and get our EP done, and play a bunch of shows and get our name out there.”
So far, their plan is working.
Caemin admitted that winning their way through the first round of the competition at St Kilda’s iconic live music venue, the Esplanade Hotel, did come as a bit of a surprise.
“It was a bit scary, but we got through,” he said.
“I think there were nine or 10 other bands playing, and we were the youngest ones there.
“Three bands got through and we were one of them. Considering it was our first gig, I wasn’t really expecting anything.”
He described their sound as “kind of like hardcore mixed with generic metal” and said their collaborative song-writing style was made easy, since they all listened to the same bands.
“We all write the songs, (singer) Shamil writes most of the lyrics, and the rest we come up with at practice.”
Semi-final 2 of the Espy Artist Showdown is on Sunday 5 February, starting at 1pm at The Espy, 11 The Esplanade, St Kilda.
