Smokefreerockquest 2011 hits Auckland this weekend

Smokefreerockquest 2011 hits Auckland this weekend with three days of playoffs involving 150 teen bands at the Logan Campbell Centre.

Interest in the event keeps growing - entries have now topped last year’s record of 800 bands and singer-songwriters.

The nationwide youth original music competition is now in its 24th year, and co-founder and director Pete Rainey says this year there are even greater opportunities for all those who enter.

“We have felt for some time that we could enhance the experience for all the kids who put their heart and soul into forming bands and writing songs, rather than just the top 14 in each region,” he said. “This year all entrants perform in a theatre with full lighting, sound system and a mosh-pit packed with fans – we’re already finding this is inspiring the young musicians, raising the level of performance and giving all those peers and parents who come along a much better experience as well.”

The new style regional events run in the afternoon, with the top eight bands performing again in the evening, along with a guest band.

The top regional bands go on to the national final, to be held this year in the new 5000-seat Claudelands Arena in Hamilton on 17 September. The prize package is designed as a big helping hand into the music industry. It includes a NZ On Air new recording and music video grant worth $10,000, a place on the NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc, musical gear to the value of $10,000 from NZ Rockshops, recording time at York St Studio,and radio promotional support for a single. 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.

It has been a busy time for last year’s Smokefreerockquest winners, Te Awamutu band The Good Fun, who have quickly made their mark on the music industry. They recorded their first single, Naughty Little Sin, at York St with Tui award winner Andrew Buckton, filmed their first music video for this single and have had over 120,000 hits on YouTube www.youtube.com/The Good Fun. They have performed in Fiji on a youth concert series to over 2000 teenagers and were chosen for the new C4 summer marketing campaign - Decent Exposure.

ends

© Scoop Media