FOBISIA Battle of the Bands 2026 - a recap

After our student-led KS4 band Mog Band stormed to the podium last year in the KS4–5 final, and our KS3 band Seb Just Sneezed achieved a silver award in their category, we were delighted to be invited back to the Live Final, this year hosted by Denla British School in Bangkok.

To reach the Live Final, bands must submit audition videos. This year the competition was tough, with places limited to just 18 bands in each category from across 107 FOBISIA member schools. We were therefore thrilled that our KS4 band, Metanoia, secured a well-deserved spot in the Live Final line-up.

Last Thursday morning, after months of practice and finessing their song—and just six days after sitting their final IGCSE mock exam—the students departed for Bangkok. The first day was a whirlwind of check-in desks, oversized baggage drops, and lugging guitars around. Before long, however, we were checking in to the Kalanan Riverside Resort and freshening up for the Gala Dinner.

From that moment on, the students shone as representatives of both the school and their band—greeting competitors, socialising with the host school’s sound and lighting team, and cheering during the opening performances and cultural showcase.

Friday morning offered a welcome respite, with an extra hour in bed thanks to the time difference with KL. After a relaxed breakfast, students and gear were loaded onto the bus and we headed out for sightseeing along the rivers and canals of Thonburi, neighbouring downtown Bangkok. Travelling by boat, students visited temples, art galleries, and cultural areas, cultivating luck for the competition by feeding temple birds and spotting the massive monitor lizards locals believe bring wealth and prosperity.

Soon it was time to head to our host school. After a quick lunch, Metanoia warmed up for their all-important soundcheck. They sounded awesome—synchronised and incredibly powerful in the small warm-up room—and it was clear they were firing on all cylinders. With 36 bands to process, each soundcheck was limited to a precise 12 minutes, counted down to the second from stepping on stage. The students thrived under pressure, demonstrating excellent communication and teamwork with the sound crew, completing a full run-through with seconds to spare.

Following soundcheck, students attended workshops led by the music industry professionals who would judge Saturday’s final. They made an excellent impression, throwing themselves into every challenge with energy and enthusiasm.

Back at the hotel, that energy was far from exhausted. After a quick refuel with pizza, the band immediately put their workshop learning into practice. With the hotel full of participants, they resourcefully commandeered the gym—mirrors and air-conditioning included—as a rehearsal space to refine their stage presence. After a long day, they retired to their rooms to work on costumes, which would become one of the biggest surprises of the entire final. Little did we know how useful that enforced ‘lights out’ would be.

Saturday morning saw hundreds of students eat a tense breakfast before cramming instruments and costumes onto buses bound for Denla. The morning was incredible, as the 18 KS3 bands set an exceptionally high bar. The standard of entertainment meant lunchtime arrived quickly, and soon Metanoia were donning costumes and heading into a practice room for one final run-through.

The KS4–5 final began swiftly. As the fourth band in the line-up, Metanoia were quickly backstage, tuning up and awaiting their moment.

Finally, the time came. They took to the stage confidently, completed their line check, and waited for lights up. Ranbir and Abeer brought the house down with an epic opening guitar battle, before Sarah and Elijah powered the set forward. Their stage presence and chemistry were electric, unified by Caitlin’s commanding engagement with the audience. From that moment, it was a blur of rhythmic energy, dynamic power, and musical fireworks—until quite literally the lights went out… revealing glow-in-the-dark guitars and neon-lit costumes. A genius move that brought the house down.

Everything about their performance was next level, and as the lights came back up it was clear—they were the band to beat.

The wait through the remaining fourteen bands was long, and we were treated to some of the best young musicians in the region. The competition was fierce and the quality exceptional—judging this final would be as tough as performing in it. When the judges finally returned to the stage, decision in hand, the nerves were palpable.

Six bronze medals were announced. Then six silver. With each name called, the tension mounted—until it became clear: Metanoia had made the top six. A gold medal band. One of the six best across the entire FOBISIA network.

We could not have been prouder. As one of the younger bands in the category, they demonstrated musicality and professionalism beyond their years—they truly deserved their success.

As the curtain closed on the Live Final and we returned to the hotel, the excitement and emotion were hard to contain. The months of preparation were complete, and before long the conversation over a celebratory Thai dinner had already turned to one question: which songs shall we do next year?

FOBISIA Battle of the Bands will return next school year, with KS3 and KS4–5 video auditions opening in Term 1, ahead of the Live Final in Term 2. Look out for more information coming soon!