Media Release: Smokefreerockquest 25 years of music success – Waikato heats results.
They came, they tuned up and they played their hearts out. The top 10 bands and three solo/duos from Waikato were
selected at heats on Sunday at Clarence Street Theatre and now go on to the regional final.
Around 700 entries are expected to go through the regional heats and finals in 23 towns from Invercargill to Whangarei
between now and July 13. SFRQ Founder and Director Glenn Common says the standard of the bands that played off on Sunday
reflected the increasing sophistication that SFRQ organisers have noted in recent years.
“Over the 25 years we have been running Smokefreerockquest there has been a massive sociological shift for young
people,” he says. “The access they have to music, both the amount and range, is amazing. For us, this has resulted in an
eclectic range of genres at any one time, rather than one trend dominating for a short period.”
This year there is a separate category for solo/duos, and the top three solo/duos for Waikato, selected at the heats
are:
Harry Parsons- Cambridge High School
Ruby Walsh- Hauraki Plains College
PDJ- Morrinsville College
The top ten bands to play off at the regional final at Clarence Street Theatre at 7pm on Saturday 29 June are:
Situation Vacant- Hamilton Boys' High School
Sunday Best- St Peter's School (Cambridge)
Chocolate Milk Homicide- St John's College (Hillcrest)
The Beautiful Shambles- Hillcrest High School
Red Nite Sky- St Peter's School (Cambridge)
Smoking Barrels- Taumarunui High School
The Shift- Hamilton Boys' High School
Hot Nothing- Waikato Diocesan School For Girls
All Of A Kind- Putaruru College
5 Rupee- Morrinsville College
Tickets for the Waikato final are $20 at the door or pre sales from Ticketek.
At the regional final, first and second place for the solo/duo will be announced, as will the top three placings for
bands, and a range of other awards from women’s musicianship to best song. The top two regional bands and solo/duos will
then submit videos that go into the judging pool for selection to play off at the national final in Auckland on 28
September.
Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners’ prize packages for bands and the solo/duo winners, that
include musical gear to a total value of $13,000 from NZ Rockshops and their suppliers, inclusion on the NZ On Air Kiwi
Hit Disc, radio promotional support, 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 Mobile People’s Choice voted by text with the opportunity to open the SFRQ National final.
More info at sfrq.co.nz or facebook.com/thesfrq
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