Smokefreerockquest 07: Nelson finals on Saturday

Media Release

It's the big night of the year for youth music on Saturday at the Trafalgar Centre when Nelson's top fourteen school bands play off in the Smokefreerockquest 2007 regional finals.

Entries nationwide have topped 650 - a record in the event's 19-year history. Smokefreerockquest event organisers Glenn Common and Pete Rainey say this reflects the appeal of live music.

"Kids want to sing and show their skills on their instruments and Smokefreerockquest gives them an audience of their peers to perform to," said Rainey. "We're noticing the sophistication of the bands is at a higher level at a younger age."

The guest band for Saturday night in Nelson is Goodnight Nurse who say they play a mix of 'irresponsible punk, heart-pounding rock and pop you find yourself humming three days later'. (See www.goodnightnurse.com/ for more info)

To witness what could be the next 'big thing' on the New Zealand music scene, get along to the Nelson final at 8pm on Saturday 26th May, Trafalgar Centre, tickets are $20 from Everyman or $20 at the door. These are the fourteen bands that will compete for the regional title, prizes and the chance to be selected as finalists:

The Daquiris Nelson College
Half a World Away Home School
New Profession Waimea College
Komatose Nelson College
Stiggma Waimea College
Josh Bate Nelson College
Draksus Nayland College
Cinnamon Lips Nelson College for Girls
Semantic Progression Nelson College
Jimarh Motueka High School, Garin College & Nelson Boy's College
The PInky Kinks Nelson College for Girls
Self-Appointed Kings Of Sarcasm Nelson College & Waimea College
EverAwake Garin College & Nelson College
Llamatron Golden Bay High School & Collingwood Area School

Heats and finals are being held around New Zealand right through the winter, with footage from several of these events being filmed by music and youth culture television channel C4. Two finalists from each of 25 centres then go through a further selection that based on sending in a video of their band performing. Through this process six finalists are chosen for the national final at the Bruce Mason Centre on Auckland's North Shore, on October 20th. At stake is first prize of 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 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, best vocals, women's musicianship, the best song and the best published music journalism. 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.

ENDS

More information is available from the official Smokfreerockquest website www.theset.co.nz.
You'll find a lot of finalist band info there - find the map and click on Nelson, or go to http://www.theset.co.nz/bandroom/nelson/

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