THEY are a pop-rock band who are influenced by the likes of Crowded House and the Beatles.And they credit their sound as being versatile, with plenty of acoustic tunes.

Meet The Stringsmiths — Ryan Diefenbach of Connells Point, Kieran Smith of Oyster Bay, Nathan Smith of Gymea and David Stringfield of Caringbah — a four-piece band which has performed together since late 2008.

The Caringbah High School graduates, who are all 19, play a collective role in writing the music.

“We all write songs and we all listen to different music,” said Diefenbach, the lead guitarist.

“We can hear all those different influences in all of our songs, from our niche interests.”

The Stringsmiths, a name which is a combination of some of the members’ surnames, won the Sutherland Shire Battle of the Bands competition last year.

As part of the prize, the boys received recording time at Studio 57, a social media training package, and the headlining spot for Shire Wide Youth Services music night for Youth Week.

With three members at university and the other working, the band rehearses every couple of weeks to practise new material.

“We’re aiming to release an EP later this year,” Diefenbach said.

“We literally have dozens of originals that we have written over the years. Hopefully, we can take advantage of the recording time we won.” Details: The Acoustic Pop, Rock Indie night is at Shire Wide Youth Services, 34-42 Allison Crescent Menai, 6pm to 10pm; Friday, April 20; entry: $5.

 St George and Sutherland Shire Leader.