A THRILLING finale to the 2008 Okehampton Battle of the Bands wowed the crowds in Simmons Park last Saturday.
The competition has been in full swing since mid-July and Saturday saw six battle-hardened bands take to the specially erected stage in Simmons Park.
Hardy souls braved the elements to witness a remarkable evening of live music that is fast becoming one of the landmark events in Okehampton's entertainment calendar.
Bands in the final came from across Devon and brought their travelling fans with them — they all helped create a fun-filled festival atmosphere for the whole family to enjoy in Simmons Park.
As well as live music there was plenty more on offer to keep everyone entertained, including a bucking bronco, bouncy castle and an inflatable bungee run.
Kicking off proceedings with their fusion of instrumental rock and jazz were FieldMarshall GorseFinger. They were followed by Plymouth metal band Huron who treated Okehampton to a stunning show packed with energy.
Third on the bill were North Devon outfit Underclass Strife, followed by the bravado and showmanship of Tavistock band Adventures Of . . .
The last two bands were The Pretty Jacks and the unforgettable Barnstaple group The Yum Yums.
The evening concluded with a journey back in time to the heyday of the UK's most successful band as tribute act The Beatlez, fresh from Merseyside, pulled out all the stops with a selection of classic tracks from the Fab Four.
With organisers praising the high standard and quality of all the bands performing, the judging was almost too close to call with just a few points separating the top three.
However, Huron were the band who managed to pull everything together on the night and were eventually named winners, followed by Underclass Strife in second and Adventures Of . . . in third.
Huron, who usually play gigs in Plymouth, Bristol and London, were delighted to win.
Their front man and lead singer, Sean, said: 'It's fantastic. Such a great event.
'Everyone that turned up was amazing and it's such a nice tight community here.
'It's huge fun to do these things.'
The best musician award went to FieldMarshall GorseFinger guitarist Steve Yates, while The Yum Yums were voted in as the best fashion icons.
Organiser Richard Appleby was delighted by the event's success but disappointed more people did not brave the weather.
He said: 'I'm very pleased indeed with the success of the event and the turnout, considering the weather.
'But I'm disappointed that some people were influenced by the weather and decided not to come.
'Community events like this, and the Okehampton Show this week, are so important to the town that they should be supported whatever the weather and I would urge people to support them come rain or shine.'
With the quality of this year's bands so high, Okehampton's Battle of the Bands has a growing reputation for the high standard of music performed.
Richard added: 'The standard is getting better and better, it's now so high.
'Everyone knows that this is a serious and quality event.
'The ending with The Beatlez was fantastic and it was great to see everyone enjoying themselves.'
Okehampton mayor Kay Bickley was full of praise for the event: 'I thought all the bands were brilliant and all the hard work that goes into this is so appreciated.
'It's a fantastic event for Simmons Park and great for the community.
'I take my hat off to the organisers and the police who made it safe and welcoming for everyone.
'What's nice about it is that it's a combination of a great performance opportunity for our youngsters but it is also an event that is attracting people into the town from all over Devon.
'It's important to encourage youngsters and give them these opportunities.
'When I was driving back from Exeter and heard Richard promoting it on BBC Radio Devon it made me proud to be mayor of Okehampton.'
l Pictured above is event organiser Richard Appleby with members of the bands.
For more pictures, see pages 20 & 37.
Picture by Ian Snell