The band beat out eight other acts to claim top spot in the final of the annual music competition held on Friday at Woden Town Square.

In winning the competition, the band will get a recording session, as well as event management, photography and graphic design for advertisements.

Lead singer and rhythm guitarist David Kenneth-Wine, 24, said the four-member band was not expecting to come away with the top prize.

“We walked in with our heads held high but we didn't expect to win at all,” he said.

“We all thought a couple of the other acts had a much better chance and we were expecting to walk away empty handed.”

This was the first time the band had entered the competition for musicians under 25, which is now in its eighth year.

Each band had to perform a 20-minute setlist, and were scored by a panel of three judges on sound quality, the onstage performance as well as interaction with the crowd.

Since forming last year, Lions of the Underground have made regular appearances at the Basement in Belconnen and are about to release their first EP.

However, Mr Kenneth-Wine said the win at Lift Off has been the band’s biggest achievement.

“[The organisers] want to keep the all-ages music scene alive and having this music festival is a way to give young people a kick start to their career,” he said.

While the band’s lead singer said the competition used to feature mostly metal acts, over the last few years there has been a more diverse range of entrants.

“There’s a lot more solo artists, there was a jazz band and there some rap and R&B acts,” Mr Kenneth-Wine said.

The band is planning to use their recording session for another single, which they said they will release after their EP as a separate project.

Coming off the back of their win, Lions of the Underground are already looking ahead to 2017.

“The main goal is to put out another EP and to play to more crowds and to tour as much as we can,” Mr Kenneth-Wine said.