West Coast Smokefreerockquest 2012 results

West Coast Smokefreerockquest 2012 results

A last minute decision to get a mate to play drums for her paid off for singer songwriter Rasela Barrow who won the West Coast Smokefreerockquest regional final at the Regent Theatre on Friday night.

Rasela, who is in year 13 at Grreymouth High School, talked her classmate Cory Devine into joining her on drums, even though he hadn’t played for a couple of years.

“He’s a really good musician and I thought one of my songs was missing a beat element,” Rasela said. “I just talked him into it at lunchtime and it worked out alright.”

Rasela says her songs tell stories and are about ‘girly things’, like her song about a boy who will never have a girlfriend because he loves skiing too much.

Rasela is planning to take a gap year to focus on her music, and entering Smokefreerockquest was all about getting her prepared for this.

Second place went to The Rusty Stallions from Buller High School, made up of Angus Pahl (acoustic guitar and drums), Hayden Millings (bass and acoustic guitar), Ashish Bejoy (keyboard) and Drew Cropp (lead guitar and vocals).

These top two bands win musical gear from associate sponsor NZ Rockshops and go on to compete for one of eight national finalist spots in this year’s Smokefreerockquest national final at Claudelands in Hamilton on 22 September.

Rockquest Promotions Founders and Directors Glenn Common and Pete Rainey said from here on the West Coast finalists would have to work hard and draw on their creativity to make the most of the opportunity Smokefreerockquest offered.

“In August judges will be selecting the eight finalists from DVDs of their own original music,” Common said. “There are a range of skills they’ll need to pull this together – creativity and musical ability are important, but they also learn to work together as a group and have to be well organised to produce the video footage that could be their next step towards Kiwi music success.”

The eight national finalists will be selected from a pool made up of first and second place-getters from each of the 24 regional finals, and bands from Rockshop Second Chance, an opportunity for established bands who feel they didn’t play at their best on the night.

Smokefreerockquest powered by Rockshop, has a prize package that includes musical gear to the value of $10,000 from NZ Rockshops and their suppliers, a NZ On Air new recording and music video grant worth over $10,000, a place on the NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc, a radio promotional support for a single, and video play on youth music channel FOUR. There is also the MAINZ Scholarship for outstanding musicianship, the APRA Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award, the Smokefree Women’s Musicianship Award and the Skinny People’s Choice, voted by text, with the opportunity to open at the SFRQ National final.

Other regional awards made on Friday night.

Third place winning musical gear from associate sponsor NZ Rockshops and their suppliers: Defusion, John Paul II High School

APRA Lyric Award: Gemma Maree, Buller High School for her song ‘Run’

Lowdown Best Song: The Rusty Stallions from Buller High School

The Mainz Musicianship Award with the opportunity to be selected for the $4500 Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand Scholarship, announced at the national final: Zachary Swindlehurst, the lead guitarist from Scarred By Design, Reefton Area School

Smokefree Award For Women’s Musicianship: Rasela Barrow, Greymouth High School

Skinny People’s Choice voted by text: Defusion, John Paul II High School

To find out more about Smokefreerockquest 2012, visit the official website sfrq.co.nz.

ENDS

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