Series Synopsis

A band of thirty schoolgirls brave tensions, line-up changes and heartbreak to triumph at Europe’s top music festivals. Over the course of a year, the Sweethearts face the hardest lesson of all – when to let go.

Episode Synopses

Episode 2 – Singin' In The Rain

In the pouring rain, Sweethearts undergo a dress rehearsal for Europe: six gigs in forty-eight hours. Trumpet player Tilly battles stage fright at having to sing. The recording session for the band’s new CD runs dangerously behind schedule.

With the excitement of the European tour still in the air, the girls knuckle down for their gigs at Queenscliff Music Festival. It’s a dress rehearsal for the demanding schedule of Europe, with six gigs over forty-eight hours. Some of the girls are in their own bands, which are playing in the festival as well.

The girls sleep over at band captain Sarah’s house to make it easier to travel to Queenscliff. In the morning, trumpet player Maddi reveals she dreamt that her family had to move.

There’s a relentless downpour at the festival. The band sets up and bumps out across different venues all weekend, in the rain.

The festival is a test for trumpet player Tilly. She will be singing a song she co-wrote in front of the biggest crowd she’s ever performed to. Normally Tilly is in the horn section backline but she’s getting stage fright at the thought at singing out front on her own. She gets backing vocalist Rachel to stand towards the front with her as they perform the song. The reassuring presence works and Tilly’s fear subsides…for now.

From the wild weather of the great outdoors one weekend, it’s into the cabin fever of the recording studio for the next. The band is “laying down” tracks for their new CD. It will be a crucial tool in raising funds for Europe and for getting a product into the market for airplay, exposure and future gig bookings.

Recording studios are extremely expensive and the band is on a tight timeline to record the rhythm section sequences in one day. They fall three hours behind schedule straight away just from setting up equipment.

The sound engineers have trouble matching the click track to Sarah’s requirements as a drummer. The click track establishes the rhythm for the drummer to play against, and such problems are commonplace even for professional musicians. After a few adjustments, the click track works for Sarah…but bass player Georgia K is playing ahead of the drumbeat because she can’t hear the click track. Then there’s another take… and the clock keeps ticking.

With the girls tiring and the studio seeming like a time warp they go for one last take – it’s a keeper.