Smokefree Pacifica Beats – national finalists
Smokefree Pacifica Beats – national finalists &
Smokefreerockquest 2017 – top 30 bands and solo-duos
announced
Who will be the
next Kimbra, Marlon Williams or Alien Weaponry? A record 880
bands and solo-duos played off from May to early July in 37
heats and finals from Invercargill to Whangarei, and now the
talent has been whittled down to the Smokefree Pacifica
Beats top nine finalists who will compete at this year’s
final; and for Smokefreerockquest the top 10 solo-duos and
top 20 bands.
The regional finalists from both events prepared 12 minute videos of their band or solo-duo performing, and these were viewed by a panel from the NZ music industry made up by Priya Sami from the pop project Trip Pony, singer-songwriter Seth Haapu and drummer Richard Orr, all based in Auckland; singer-songwriter Flip Grater from Christchurch and Wellington based singer-songwriter Thomas Oliver.
SMOKEFREE PACIFICA BEATS NATIONAL
FINALISTS
The Smokefree Pacifica Beats finalists to play
off at the Dorothy Winstone Centre at Auckland Girls Grammar
School on Friday 1 September are:
Solo-duos:
Blessed,
Manurewa High School
Makayla and Lakum, Manurewa High
School
Rose Campbell, Wairoa
College
Bands:
Jubilee, Aorere College
(Auckland)
Te Urewera, TKKM o Huiarau
(Ruatahuna)
Mellow, Gisborne Girls' High
School
Horizon, Hastings Boys' High School
Humble 8,
Porirua College
Proud Brown, Haeata Community Campus and
Mairehau High School (Christchurch)
Fuzhun, Shirley Boys'
High School (Christchurch)
Judges spokesman Seth Haapu
said he was honoured to be a judge and mentor: “There is
an exciting new wave of music in Aotearoa coming from our
rangatahi that shines a light on kotahitanga, culture and
diversity. Their music speaks to the shared experience of a
generation, which is a true taonga in these
times.”
While Priya Sami said the Smokefree Pacifica Beats entries were truly inspiring this year: “The level of talent across the country has been outstanding and there is a vibrant wairua to these original songs and performances - I guess that’s the result of a contemporary music competition that encourages our rangatahi to embrace their language and their culture and to be true to themselves.”
SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST TOP 30
The top 10 solo-duos in
Smokefreerockquest are:
Mollie Harvey, Auckland
Central
Jenna Jones, Auckland
Central
Sonatane Kaufusi,
Manakau
Sam Egli,
Taranaki
Lauren Carr,
Wairarapa
Ellie and Laura,
Nelson
Brooklyn Scott,
Nelson
x2,
Canterbury
Nat and Jono,
Canterbury
Contradiction,
Canterbury
The top 20 bands in
Smokefreerockquest are:
AO8,
Northland
O-Boy!, North
Shore
Bad Apples, Auckland
Central
Daffodils, Auckland
Central
Minutes to Monday, Auckland
Central
Haze,
Manakau
Minimal Silence,
Manakau
Half Eaten Pie,
Waikato
Rural Delivery,
Waikato
French Doors, Bay of
Plenty
Made Alive, Bay of
Plenty
Charlie Whack, Hawkes
Bay
Suburban Goons,
Taranaki
Fruit Juice Parade,
Manawatu
KOA,
Wellington
Run77,
Canterbury
Fuzhun,
Christchurch
Pseudo Sane,
Timaru
Cheery Moon, Central
Otago
The Dense,
Southland
NEXT STEP
The Smokefreerockquest
top 30 will be narrowed down to the top eight bands and top
three solo-duos, to be announced at 6pm on Monday (July 31).
An additional band will be selected from the top 20 via the
People’s Choice voted by text. The Smokefreerockquest
national final is on Saturday 2 September at the Dorothy
Winstone Centre at Auckland Girls Grammar School.
Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national
winners’ prize packages for bands and solo/duo that
includes $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, a $16,000 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, and the Smokefree Vocals Award. In addition
Smokefree Pacifica Beats has the Smokefree Mana Wahine
Award, the Reo Award and the New Zealand Music Commission
Best Song Award.
Musical successes from
Smokefreerockquest over its 28-year history include Broods,
Leroy Clampitt, Kimbra, Aaradhna, Opshop, Evermore,
Ladyhawke, Kids of 88, Die!Die!Die!, Joel Little, Tiny
Ruins, Marlon Williams, Brooke Fraser, Anika Moa, Kora,
Thomston, Midnight Youth, Steriogram, Phoenix Foundation,
Devilskin, The Black Seeds, Bic Runga, and The Naked and
Famous.
Smokefree Pacifica Beats standout successes
include Nesian Mystik, the only New Zealand band to ever
have ten singles all certified gold or platinum; plus Ria
Hall, Spacifix, Adeaze, Strangely Arousing and last year’s
winners, up and coming Northland metal band Alien Weaponry.
Ends