Smokefreerockquest 2016 – Otago solo duo and band heats results

The future looks bright for Smokefreerockquest first-timer Levi Dick, after he took out the solo duo title at the Otago regional heats, held at Kavanagh College on Saturday.

Levi came up to Duendin to perform with his music teacher from Invercargill’s James Harget College, along with a couple of other entries.

His Dad plays in a band and having played guitar since year six Levi says he’s ‘versatile’.

“My favourite thing is just playing guitar without singing, kind of in the Jimi Hendrix style, but for yesterday I just played a soppy little love song,” he says. “I was actually surpised to win. The guy who got second was pretty good so when that was announced I was thinking – okay who could have won it?”

Joshua Larkins from Kings High School (Dunedin) placed second. These two solo-duos now put 15 mins of their best material together to submit for selection to play off at the national finals in September.

The 12 top bands selected at the heats will go on the play off for the top two places and other awards at the regional final at Kavanagh College, Saturday 11 June start time 7pm, tickets from NZTix.co.nz. The 12 bands selected to go on to the final are:

Like A Kid St Hildas Collegiate
Kosh John McGlashan College
28 Fifty Kings High School
limitless Taieri College
Alex and the Lads Taieri College
oh1 oh2 Menzies College
Juvenile James Hargest College
Bark Like a Dog Taieri College; Logan Park High School
Painted Blind Logan Park High School
Unscripted Taieri College
Farther from the Sun John McGlashan College; Logan Park High School
Six Years John McGlashan College; Kavanagh College; Kings High School

Founder and director Glenn Common said the standard at the heats just keeps going up as entrants get more support for contemporary music from their schools and have access to on line information resources.

“Between now and the regional final they go through all the aspects that make Smokefreerockquest and Pacifica Beats such valuable learning experiences for young people,” he said. “The 12 bands going on to the finals need to practise hard, craft their set, get their supporters rallied and make good use of networking opportunties and social media to promote themselves and their achievements.”

The regional events for both Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Pacifica beats run from May 13 until July 2, with the top regional bands and solo/duos submitting video footage for selection to play off at the Smokefree Pacifica Beats national final on Friday September 23 at the Raye Freedman Centre in Auckland, followed by the Smokefreerockquest national on Saturday September 24.

Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners’ prize packages for bands and solo/duo winners that includes $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, a $20,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package’ a ‘Decent Exposure’ campaign on The Edge TV, a photo shoot and branding package from Imaginary Friends.

There is also the MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand) Scholarship for Outstanding Musicianship, the APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award, Smokefree Vocals Award, the Dominate Style Award and the People’s Choice voted by text with the opportunity to open the Smokefreerockquest national final.

ENDS

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