'Power and presence' see band crowned 'Next Big Thing'

The Kostanzas beat ten other finalists to the £1,000 prize in Rotherham Radio’s inaugural ‘The Next Big Thing’ show at The Civic Theatre.

The band, who write all their own material, pipped fellow Rotherham group The Tivolis and musical theatre singer Ruby Harker (14) to the coveted top spot after battling it out in front of four local judges and a live audience at the event billed as “the ultimate music showdown” for the “future stars of the borough.”

All three were awarded the same number of points by the four judges.

But it was rock-driven five-piece The Kostanzas who ended up getting the nod on the night due to their “power, stage presence and technical expertise.”

The Kostanzas are fronted by 15-year-old Kalden Steel, from Oakwood School, backed by former school friends Reuben Huddleston, Alex Riley, Macy Beddows and Charlie Strzala.

“Winning this competition means so much to us,” said Kalden.

“It is only a year ago that me and Reuben got talking in the dinner queue and he asked me to form a band with him.

“We’ve come a long way in a short space of time.”

The Kostanzas won a day in the recording studio at Rock Out, the new music space on High Street.

The result of their work will be released as a 7in vinyl record.

Rock Out’s Martyn Scott was one of the judges alongside Paul Ballo Ballington – a singer/songwriter from Dinnington – Matt Fox from the Ruddle Bar at Braithwell and veteran running fundraiser Ray Matthews.

Stewart Nicholson and his colleagues at Rotherham Radio had whittled 60 original entries down to the final top ten that got to perform at The Civic.

The line-up included soloists Dan Towriss, Alicia Lovely, Violet Worthington, Maya Sissons and Trevor Carr plus The Hell Yeah Brothers and The LMPC (Lee McMahon) Band.

Additional entertainment at the glittering event came from Gillian Banks Theatre School, the renowned dance school in Maltby.

Rotherham Radio's Stewart Nicholson said: “It was six months of hard work and I’m glad everybody enjoyed it.”