Nelson Band Take Secon Place At Smokefreerockquest

Nelson Band Take Secon Place At Smokefreerockquest

Waikato home town band The Good Fun were the winners of the 2010 Smokefreerockquest National Final, held at The Founders Theatre in Hamilton on Saturday night in front of a sell out crowd of 1200.

In second place were indie-jazz band the Peasants of Eden from Garin College, made up of Caleb Nott, guitar, vocals, Joseph Corban-Banks, bass, vocals, Chris Phillips, drums, vocals and female vocals Abbey Phillips and Georgia Nott.

The winner's prize includes a NZ On Air New Recording and Music Video Grant worth $10,000, a place on the Kiwi Hit Disc and radio promotional support for a single, musical gear to the value of $10,000 from NZ Rockshops, recording time at York St Studio, the NZ On Air airplay award with the opportunity to be played on The Edge, video play on youth music channel C4, a photo shoot sponsored by Schick and a promotional package from Myspace New Zealand, a trip to Fiji from Unleashed Travel and mentoring from a NZ music industry legend.

The finalists' performance of their two original songs highly impressed the judging panel of Peter Hume, the bassist from Evermore (2000 winners of Smokefreerockquest); Ross Flahive, Programme Director from The Edge radio network; Matt Barthow, Assistant Programme Director at C4; Joel Little, lead singer from Goodnight Nurse; Scott MacLachlan from Universal Music and Tania Dean from NZ on Air. Smokefreerockquest Director Glenn Common said the night was not just about the winner. ³They are doubtless a standout, but there are seven other bands from a range of genres who are also capable of success in the Kiwi music industry just like finalists from previous years,² said Common. ³And we should not forget the other 800 bands who entered the competition this year ­ they all gained experience from the opportunity Smokefreerockquest gives young people to perform their original music to a live audience.²

Third place went to Malcolm Jack from Otumoetai College,Bay Of Plenty.

Other prizes awarded were the MAINZ Scholarship for outstanding musicianship which went to Luke Aekins-Reilly from Kamo High School in Whangarei; The APRA Lyric Award which went to Theo Jacobsen from St Kentigern College in Auckland; the Lowdown Best Song Award went to Massad Barakat-Devine from Auckland ; and the Smokefree Women¹s Musicianship Award went to Mahalia Simpson from Marian College in Christchurch. This year was the first of three years that the Smokefreerockquest national final will be in Hamilton, this year at the Founders Theatre and from next year at Claudelands, New Zealand¹s newest purpose-built 5000-seat music arena. Hamilton sponsorship and events marketing executive Karen Watkins says each year Hamilton comes even more into its own as a youthful and dynamic city. ³This is an iconic event that has been turning out kiwi music legends for the past 20 years - we are thrilled to be hosting it in the city,² said Watkins.

Youth music channel C4 will screen a five part series following Smokefreerockquest through to the regional finals, culminating in one hour special of Saturday night¹s final to be aired on the 6 November, from 5pm.

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