Smokefreerockquest 2010 Nelson Marlborough

Media Release

Smokefreerockquest 2010 Nelson Marlborough regional final, Saturday 26 June

The Trafalgar Centre in Nelson will be pumping on Saturday night when 14 school bands from Nelson Marlborough play off in the Smokefreerockquest 2010 regional final.

Smokefreerockquest director Glenn Common says this event gives school bands a realistic taste of live performance in a formula that’s been replicated in 24 other regional centres around New Zealand over winter. And he says it’s not just the judges that will have their eyes on the bands.

“This year I’ve noticed that we are getting representation from almost all schools in many areas, and the teachers are coming along to support their students and often to assess their performance for NCEA,” Common said. “There’s no doubt that entering this event enhances a band’s performance – we notice significant improvement with bands that have entered for two or more years and it’s often bands with several year’s of Smokefreerockquest experience that make it to the national final.”

And Glenn Common says as a special treat for the Smokefreerockquest home town crowd iconoclastic punk three-piece from Auckland Die! Die! Die! will perform a guest set while the judging is done.

“This band is originally from Dunedin and now signed to Flying Nun - they are one of the kiwi bands that has toured most extensively throughout the world,” Common said. “They’ve come a long way from 2001 when they won the Smokefreerockquest national final as Carriage H.”

Saturday night’s show will also include local you-tube star parody rapper Paul Williams.

Common added a reminder to Nelson teens that the event is tobacco and alcohol free and there will be strict security at the entrance.

These are the Nelson Marlborough bands selected at heats last month to play off at the final on Saturday night at 7pm at the Trafalgar Centre, start time 7pm, tickets $15 at Everyman Records or $20 at the door.

Jordon Skipper Queen Charlotte College
CODA Nelson College
Misguided Monster Waimea College
Peasants of Eden Garin College
Marley Richards Nayland College
Driven Garin College
Paradox Waimea College
Blue Funk Nayland College
Holy Fingers Golden Bay High School
Ampzilla Nayland College
Cadence and the Consequence Nelson College for Girls
Alex Farrell-Davey Nelson College
Remastered Marlborough Boys’ College
Sela Manu Nelson College for Girls

Prizes at the regional final include $1150 worth of musical gear from NZ Rockshops and their suppliers. Two finalists and the People’s Choice winner from Nelson Marlborough will go into a selection process with winning bands from 24 other regions, based on their sending in a DVD of their original songs. There will be an announcement in August of the eight bands or soloists that will go ahead to the national final to be held at Founders Theatre in Hamilton on September Prizes combine into a big helping hand into the music industry and include a NZ On Air new recording and music video grant worth $10,000, musical gear to the value of $10,000 from NZ Rockshops, recording time at York St Studio, radio promotional support for a single, the Edge airplay award, with the opportunity to be played on The Edge, video play on youth music channel C4, a place on the NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc, a photo shoot sponsored by Schick and a promotional package from Myspace New Zealand. 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.
To find out more about Smokefreerockquest 2010, visit the official website www.sfrq.co.nz Additional info at www.myspace.com

Throughout May and June heats and finals are held in 24 regions, and from each regional final two bands go forward into the selection pool for the national final in Hamilton. In August eight bands or soloists are selected to go on to the national final, where prizes combine into a big helping hand into the music industry. Prizes include a NZ On Air new recording and music video grant worth $10,000, musical gear to the value of $10,000 from NZ Rockshops, recording time at York St Studio, radio promotional support for a single, the Edge airplay award, with the opportunity to be played on The Edge, video play on youth music channel C4, a place on the NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc, a photo shoot sponsored by Schick and a promotional package from Myspace New Zealand. There is also the Mainz Scholarship for outstanding musicianship, The Apra Lyric Award and the Smokefree Women’s Musicianship Award.

To find out more about Smokefreerockquest 2010, visit the official website www.sfrq.co.nz with additional info at www.myspace.com

ENDS

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