Central Otago final Saturday June 16

SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST 2018 – Central Otago final Saturday June 16

The Lake Wanaka Centre will be pumping on Saturday (June 16)) as the top youth bands and solo-duos in Central Otago play off in the regional final of Smokefreerockquest 2018 (details below).

Smokefreerockquest founder and director Glenn Common says Smokefreerockquest offers the entrants on Friday night a platform for live performance that builds on what they have learnt at school.

“The support that contemporary musicians get in schools these days and the framework provided by NCEA is evident in the number of young musicians that get to performance standard,” he said. “Secondary school teachers offer tuition and encouragement, create space for bands and soloists to practise, they come along to support them at Smokefreerockquest and help them to get the most value from the experience of entering SFRQ – before, during and after.”

He said the professional performance environment offered by SFRQ included a stage set up with lights, sound, projection and technical support in a show that includes a guest band, MC and lots of giveaways.

SFRQ founder and director Pete Rainey said in regional cities the Smokefreerockquest final is often the year’s biggest youth gig and ‘a major influencer’.

“We’re really proud that our association with Smokefree has been part of a huge social change in New Zealand over the past 28 years. It’s absolutely a real thing that the number of young kids smoking has dropped and we’re right behind the idea of making NZ Smokefree by 2025.”

The Central Otago final is at the Lake Wanaka Centre, start time 7pm, tickets $10 for school students and $20 for adults from Eventfinda or at the door. The guest band is Devine, an electronic duo based in Dunedin, made up of vocalist Molly Devine and multi-instrumentalist and producer Maddy Parkins-Craig.

Those competing to join the ranks of Kiwi music success at the Central Otago regional final are:

No[x42] Wakatipu High School

By Perfection Mt Aspiring College

Greta Balfour Wakatipu High School

Easy Riders Mt Aspiring College

Cheery Moon Wakatipu High School

Theory Mt Aspiring College

TALKING Cromwell College

Revival Mt Aspiring College

Lost Wings Wakatipu High School

Not Yet Rated Mt Aspiring College

Iridescence Mt Aspiring College

Trainsurfers Wakatipu High School

dropouts Mt Aspiring College

Dylan Mt Aspiring College

Murphy's Law Wakatipu High School

Mellifluous Mt Aspiring College

Powdered Milk Mt Aspiring College

Stratosfear Mt Aspiring College

Better than Nothing Mt Aspiring College

Haven Wakatipu High School

First and second placed bands and solo-duos submit footage to be selected as finalists to play at the Smokefreerockquest national final on Saturday September 22 at the Dorothy Winstone Centre in Auckland; as do the winners of the Smokefree Tangata Beats Award, for that event’s national final at the same venue on Friday September 21.

The live events run from May 5 until July 6, and most regions are also being filmed for the hugely popular webisodes (sfrq.nz/video/) fronted this year by NZ’s ‘First Bloke’ Clarke Gayford.

Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners’ prize packages for bands and solo/duo winners that includes $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, $16,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package, a photo shoot and branding package from Imaginary Friends. There is also the Musicianship Award, the APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) Lyric Award, Best Song Award, Smokefree Vocals Award, Fatboy Style Award, and the ZM People’s Choice.

Musical successes from Smokefreerockquest over its 30-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, Chelsea Jade, Nadia Reid, Aldous Harding, Steriogram, Phoenix Foundation, Devilskin, The Black Seeds, Bic Runga, and The Naked and Famous. Smokefree Tangata Beats standout successes include Alien Weaponry, Strangely Arousing Nesian Mystik, the only New Zealand band to ever have ten singles all certified gold or platinum.

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