Media Release Southland Smokefreerockquest 2011 results

Perseverance paid off for last year’s second-placegetters, Fuzz and the Sly Tones from James Hargest College, who came though to win the 2011 Southland Smokefreerockquest final at the Civic Theatre in Invercargill on Saturday night.

It was a huge night for the band’s lead guitarist Alice Alsweiler who also won the Smokefree Award For Women’s Musicianship and the Mainz Musicianship Award with the opportunity to be selected for the $4500 Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand Scholarship, announced at the national finals.

Alice said Fuzz and the Sly Tones stood out with their funk reggae sound, their seven piece line-up that includes a sax and keyboards, their colourful appearance and their high energy stage presence.

“We were wearing about 150 glow-sticks as necklaces and belts and we had on brightly coloured clothes,” she said. “And we just played our best – we like to dance around the stage and the more fun we have the better we play.”

The other members of Fuzz and the Sly Tones are Asya Schmidt, Nithi Khanom, Lewis Ellison, Nick Garratt, Susana Sotutu and Hayley Botha.

Second place went to another James Hargest College band, Operation Rolling Thunder, whose members are Casey Barris, Blair Godby, Brandon Bryson and Matt Band.

These top two bands win musical gear from NZ Rockshops and go on to compete for one of six national finalist spots in this year’s Smokefreerockquest.

Rockquest Promotions Founders and Directors Glenn Common and Pete Rainey said from here on the Southland finalists would have to work hard and draw on their creativity to make the most of the opportunity Smokefreerockquest offered.

“The bands to play off at the national final in September are chosen from DVDs of their own music,” Common said. “This means they’ll need to work together as a group and develop the skills that will turn their talent into success.”

The six national finalists will be selected from a pool made up of first and second place-getters from each of the 27 regional finals, and bands from Rockshop Second Chance, an opportunity for established bands who feel they didn’t play at their best on the night. Last year’s record of 800 entrants has already been exceeded, with more entries to come as Christchurch bands have been given an extended deadline.

In term three, Smokefreerockquest and the NZ Music Commission, with funding from the Ministry of Education, will partner the regional winner with a mentor band - a band that is some years ahead and has first hand knowledge of the industry.

The national final will be held this year in the new 5000-seat Claudelands Arena in Hamilton on 17 September. The prize package is designed as a big helping hand into the music industry. It includes a NZ On Air new recording and music video grant worth $10,000, a place on the NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc, musical gear to the value of $10,000 from NZ Rockshops, recording time at York St Studio, 1000 single CDs produced by Forge Media, and radio and TV play of single. There is also the MAINZ Scholarship for outstanding musicianship, the APRA Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award and the Smokefree Women’s Musicianship Award.

In this year’s Southland Smokefreerockquest all entrants got the real life experience of rock stardom - performing on the big stage in the Civic Theatre, with eight called back for the evening final.

Other regional awards made on Saturday night.
Third place winning musical gear from NZ Rockshops and their suppliers: Lazarus Rising, Aparima Colleg
Smokefree People’s Choice voted by text on the night: Scrambled, James Hargest College
Lowdown Best Song: Nicole Parry, Peter's College (Gore)
The APRA Lyric Writer’s Award judged from lyrics submitted at the heats: Sam Ashworth, Verdun College for his song ‘Politricks’

To find out more about Smokefreerockquest 2011, visit the official website sfrq.co.nz.

ENDS

Smokefreerockquest – 23 years of musical success
Smokefreerockquest is New Zealand’s only nationwide, live, original music, youth event. Now well into its third decade, the series of 28 events reaches audience numbers in excess of 24,000 every year. This year the Smokefreerockquest Circus, an expo with hands-on displays, workshops and careers info will be held as part of Smokefreerockquest in main centres.
Founded in 1988 by music teachers Glenn Common and Pete Rainey, who now run Rockquest Promotions full time out of Nelson, Smokefreerockquest has become a New Zealand institution. Musical successes from Smokefreerockquest over its 23-year history include Opshop, Ladyhawke, Kids Of 88, Midnight Youth, Brooke Fraser, Cut Off Your Hands, Evermore, Minuit, Die!Die!Die!, Pistol Youth, Bang!Bang!Eche!, Ivy Lies, Cairo Knife Fight, Luke Thompson, the Datsuns, Anika Moa, Anna Coddington, Kora, Steriogram, Aaradhna, Spacifix, Phoenix Foundation, The Feelers, The Black Seeds, Nesian Mystik, Bic Runga, The Checks, Julia Deans, Liam Finn, Pine, King Kapisi, Kingston, The Naked and Famous, Autozamm and Elemeno P.
Smokefreerockquest aims to motivate young musicians to prove their ability and realise the heights they can reach in their music careers, and to encourage their peers to support 100% original New Zealand music. For more information visit www.sfrq.co.nz

Smokefree’s Smoking Not Our Future Campaign
The latest research from HSC shows that 94 percent of all young people have seen the Smoking Not Our Future initiative and that Smokefreerockquest plays a large part in getting its key messages and its celebrities in front of young people. Where possible, guest bands, judges, mentors and emcees at the events are part of Smoking Not Our Future. Smokefree has been the naming rights sponsor of Smokefreerockquest for 22 of its 24 years and this longstanding partnership between the two agencies has been mutually beneficial. Smokefree is able to deliver its messages to 25 percent of all secondary school students every year, while fostering connections to school and positive role models, as well as enhancing their musical abilities and aspirations.

Hamilton – Home of the national final
Hamilton is the now the home of the Smokefreerockquest national final. And it is easy to see why when you consider that the city is charged with one of the country’s most youthful demographics (15-24 yrs) and that it is the location of New Zealand’s newest, 5000-seat purpose-built music arena, Claudelands. Each year Hamilton adds to its already impressive portfolio of major events, including the now international Parachute Music Festival, the 2010 World Rowing Champs, the Fuel Festivals of NZ Music and Theatre, 2011 Rugby World Cup matches and V8 Supercars Australia. Building on that platform and bringing events of this calibre to Hamilton is what the city is all about. Smokefreerockquest has spent the past 23 years making kiwi music legends; it is a national institution that has gone from strength to strength. With a Vector-style arena set to open and over two million people on the city’s doorstep, Hamilton is the perfect venue to grow Smokefreerockquest even more. www.hamilton.co.nz for more info.