Smokefreerockquest 2018 Otago final results

Smokefreerockquest 2018 Otago final results

Five piece jazz-dubstep band Solid Merit from Logan Park High took out first place at this year’s Otago Smokefreerockquest final at Kavanagh College on Saturday night.

The full line up is Cathy Zeng (vocals & keyboard), Albert Baeumer (lead guitar) Josie Baughen (bass), Abe Baillie (drums & vocals) and Finn McKinlay (trombone) who also won the MAINZ Musicianship Award.

It was the band’s third time in Smokefreerockquest and Abe Baillie said he had thought it was their best chance yet, ‘though there were a lot of other amazing bands’. He said the five friends all enjoy music and this comes through on stage.

“We have a lot of energy and creativity on stage, with our jazz influenced instrumentation and our songs,” he said. “We have some serious songs, but mostly we just mix it up with songs that are creative and a bit silly.”

Second place in the band category went to indie three-piece Bark like a Dog from Taieri College with the line up of Alex Cochrane (acoustic guitar), Matthew Reid (bass and vocals), Josh Glennie (acoustic guitar &lead vocals).

These two acts win musical gear from associate sponsors NZ Rockshops, and join solo-duo winners for Otago, Ben and Campbell (Ben Horlock and Campbell Landrebe, Kings High School), and Ashlee Maxwell from Taieri College in the opportunity to gain selection for the national final in September.

Smokefreerockquest Founder and director Glenn Common says there are more bands than ever before reaching the high standard required from national finalists.

“This means that real dedication is required to achieve the ‘stand out quality’ that the judges will be looking for,” he said. “They have to capture 15 minutes of their original material on video for selection as national finalists. It’s a process that demands creativity and musical ability, being able to work together as a group and having good organisational skills. What separates them out is perseverance – industry success seldom happens overnight.”

And Common encouraged those who didn’t make it through to stick with their music.

“Some bands and soloists will no doubt go on to success in the Kiwi music industry like SFRQ alumnae Kimbra, Marlon Williams and Shapeshifter, but for most of the young musicians SFRQ is about the experience of performing live on stage in a professional set up, meeting others who share their passion for music, and getting constructive and impartial feedback from more experienced musicians who are our judges and mentors.”

The full list of awards for Otago is:

Band 1: Solid Merit, Logan Park High

Band 2: Bark like a Dog, Taieri College

Band 3: Imperium, Kings High School

Solo/Duo 1: Ben and Campbell (Ben Horlock and Campbell Landrebe), Kings High School,

Solo/Duo 2: Ashlee Maxwell from Taieri College

APRA Lyric Writers’ Award: Melicen Barber, Paper Frogs, Logan Park High for ‘Spoon Moon’

Fatboy Style Award: Do Speak Louder, Logan Park HS, Kavanagh College & Otago BHS

Best Song: Club Martian, Taieri College

Smokefree Best Vocals: Kareena Dunlop, Plus 1, South Otago High School

MAINZ Musicianship: Finn McKinlay (trombone), Solid Merit, Logan Park High

ZM People’s Choice: Plus 1, South Otago High School

The top regional bands and solo/duos submit footage for selection as finalists to play off at the Smokefreerockquest national final on Saturday September 22 at the Dorothy Winstone Centre in Auckland, preceded by the Smokefree Tangata Beats national final 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 SFRQ webisodes (sfrq.nz), 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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