Sewercide Rats: Katikati's Teen Punk Band Pause Gigs to Record Debut Album

Three college-aged girls from the Western Bay of Plenty have been making noise on the local music scene under the name Sewercide Rats — a punk band whose raw, loud sound and striking look draw inspiration from the punk movements of the 1980s and 1990s. Sierra Prassinos (Year 11, Katikati College) handles vocals and guitar, Mia Robertson (Year 10, Katikati College) plays bass and backing vocals, and Georgi Gregory (Year 11, Ōtūmoetai College) is on drums. The trio have been together for around 12 months.

The band started in 2024 under the name Drowners before a lineup change prompted a rebrand. After reaching out through a drum instructor to find Gregory, they settled on the name Sewercide Rats for its shock value and creative edge. Their first cover was 'New Radio' by Bikini Kill, and from there they began writing original riffs that eventually became their own songs. Their first major outing was at Band and Deliver's opening session of 2025 on 16 May at The Jam Factory in Tauranga — a free gig series designed to give young musicians a platform in a supportive environment.

Since then, the band has played at The Jam Factory with Stunt Clown in March, supported a Punkuation gig in May, performed at the Bay of Plenty regional final of Smokefree Rockquest in June, and appeared at Loserpalooza festival on Totara Street on 21 June. Despite building a loyal following in a short space of time, the girls have decided to step back from gigging for now. "We're focusing on putting out an album and writing more originals," said Prassinos. With four original songs already under their belts, the band is knuckling down — and keeping the door open to pursuing music professionally one day.

Originally published in Katikati News (Sun Media).