Nelson's top 16 school bands were selected to go on to the Smokefreerockquest 2008 regional finals at heats held at Nayland College on Sunday. (25 May)

It's Smokefreerockquest's 20th anniversary and event directors Glenn Common and Pete Rainey say the level of sophistication of the acts they see on stage just gets higher every year.

"Young musicians are producing better music at a younger age and they are hitting the industry far better equipped than ever before, largely due to the motivation and support that Smokefreerockquest provides, and the excellent support schools give to this event."

These are the 16 bands that go on to compete for the Nelson regional title,
plus prizes and the chance to be selected as finalists:

Komatose Nelson College
Best Left Unsaid Waimea College & Nayland College
MetaphoriX & Nayland College Nelson College, Waimea College

Milk & Cookies Waimea College & Nayland College
Al Dente Nelson College for Girls & Nelson College
Pants Optional Nelson College for Girls
Tent Nelson College
The Defect Society Waimea College
SUNNY Nelson College for Girls
DepthCharge Nelson College, Nayland College & Nelson College For Girls
Union 1.5.0 Waimea College
The Gaion Guy Nayland College & Nelson College
White Velvet Nelson College
Slave To Obsession Nayland College
Crave Electric Garin College
Static Horizon Garin College

These bands play off at the Nelson finals, at 8pm on Friday 6 June at the Trafalgar Centre. Tiickets are $20 from Everyman or at the door. The guest band is Auckland's hot quartet, Elemeno P.

Over the winter, heats and finals from around New Zealand will be filmed by music and youth culture television channel C4. The national finals of Smokefreerockquest will be held this year at the Christchurch Town Hall on Friday September 5, with a 20 year commemorative concert featuring past Smokefreerockquest successes on Saturday September 6.

Prizes at the national final include musical equipment from NZ Rockshop to the value of $10,000, and The Edge Airplay Award with NZ On Air where the winning band's music and video are recorded at York Street Studios with guaranteed airplay. Other awards reinforce the key Smokefreerockquest aim of encouraging students to write and perform their own music. Individual prizes are awarded for best lyrics, women's musicianship and the best song. A scholarship to the Tai Poutini contemporary music course is awarded for musicianship, along with selected bands being matched with past successes in a mentoring programme supported by the Music Industry Commission and the Ministry of Education.

More information is available from the official Smokfreerockquest website
www.smokefreerockquest.co.nz

ENDS

Smokefree
Smokefree exists to encourage New Zealanders to adopt and maintain healthy attitudes and lifestyles. Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Pacifica Beats ensure the positive Smokefree message reaches young people in their own environment.

Twenty years of Smokefreerockquest
Smokefreerockquest is the biggest and most influential nation-wide youth event held in New Zealand, reaching audience numbers in excess of 100,000 every year. Founded in 1988 by music teachers Glenn Common and Pete Rainey, who now run Rockquest Promotions full time out of Nelson, it has become a New Zealand institution. Musical successes from Smokefreerockquest over its 20-year history include Opshop, Atlas, Evermore, Die!Die!Die!, Flight of the Conchords, the Datsuns, Brooke Fraser, Anika Moa, The Electric Confectionaires, Steriogram, Aaradhna, Spacifix, Phoenix Foundation, The Feelers, The Black sSeeds, Nesian MysticMystik, Bic Runga, The Checks, Fur Patrol, Liam Finn, Pine, King Kapisi, 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 encourage their peers to support 100% original New Zealand music. For more information visit www.smokefreerockquest.co.nz or email help[at]smokefreerockquest.co.nz

ENDS