Top of the Rocks

Press Release 03/11/06
For Immediate Release

Top of the Rocks

New Zealand's hottest up and coming bands are being given a chance to prove their worth on the silver screen in the new live music competition Top of the Rocks.

In a twist on Englands Top of the Pops, bands are invited to play a live set for a live audience.

The last song from their set is filmed, professionally recorded and then edited into a live music video. The bands ability to make a successful live video is judged and the top six bands this season will be battling it out live for the winning title.

The Top of the Rocks finals are being held at SPACE bar in Newmarket on 18 November and will screen the following week on Alt TV. A panel of judges will be present and will be choosing a winner based on the performances that night.

The winning band will win a recording package from York Street Recording Studios, plus $5000 worth of advertising on Alt TV and a $400 photoshoot from Photographers Inc. The runner up will receive $1000 worth of music vouchers from Musicworks. Every video recorded for Top of the Rocks this season also has the chance to be play-listed on Alt TV.

The shows organisers and presenters Coralie and Adam Usmani say the show is all about great rock music, live bands, a live audience and getting behind NZ music.

As musicians themselves, the couple recognize that TV and radio are essential to break into the NZ music industry. They have also experienced, first-hand, how difficult it is to break into this industry and earn airplay time.

The show is heavily based around capturing live performance. Bands are judged on the overall ability of their music to capture an audience both in a live environment and on the TV screen.

"At the end of a bands set the cameras come out, the band plays one last song and the audience goes wild because they know they're on camera."

"People like to be involved, when it comes to music, so when you tell them they're going to be on TV they get really amped and the atmosphere is great, which is what live music is all about," says Coralie.

"By making Top of the Rocks a competition for the best live performance we are also leveling the playing field. Well known bands can compete against lesser known bands. In the end, creativity and an electric performance are keys to success," says Coralie.

The show has been running on Alt TV for three months now and the couple say it is an idea that started small but has been constantly evolving.

"When we pitched the idea of a live music competition to Alt TV we had no idea it would go this far."

"We ended up getting a business loan, a pile of sponsors and presenting the whole show ourselves," says Coralie.

Bands in the finals include The Rabble, The Have, The City Newton Bombers, Bad Town, Alpine Fault and Battle Circus.

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