There were no surprises in Christchurch today that winners of the Apra Silver Scroll song of the year hailed from the garden city.
The boys from Opshop may have moved north early in their careers, but that has not stopped Christchurch including them in an impressive musical roll call.
In the award for the best song of the year, Opshop's song Today was deemed most worthy
Although they are now based in Auckland, Christchurch is where the band began, along with many other of the big names in the New Zealand music business - including Scribe, Bic Runga, Tiki Taane, Atlas, Anika Moa, Salmonella Dub, Shapeshifter, Hayley Westenra, Fur Patrol, and Ladi 6.
So how does Christchurch keep churning out the talent?
Tom Rainey, from Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology jazz school said: "I think the high schools are fantastic and there is a great feeding ground. It's always been a great music scene - there's a lot of opportunity to perform live".
The prominence of former pupils like Bic Runga is not just a source of pride for schools - it also provides a valuable lesson in how to achieve
Cashmere High School Principal Paul Densem said:"it's not just about being talented. It's about being very talented, about working really really hard and having some savvy or nous about the industry".
Some say the sheer onslaught of talent means there is no denying Christchurch's place at the top of the New Zealand music scene
With Cashmere 'death metallers' Beneath the Silence taking out the Smokefree Rockquest last weekend, the Southern juggernaut shows no sign of slowing.
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