SmokeFreeRockQuest: Southland Region Final Cancelled

2013 SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST - 25 YEARS OF KIWI MUSIC SUCCESS

Southland Region Final Cancelled

The Southland finals of the nationwide youth music event, Smokefreerockquest, have fallen victim to the storm that has battered the country over the past two days.

While the weather in Invercargill is fine today, the SFRQ crew could not get south from their base in Nelson, via Christchurch, to run the event.

Eleven bands were scheduled to play off at the regional finals at the Civic Theatre tonight, but have been informed the event is off. Founder and director Pete Rainey says it is only the second time in the event’s 25 year history that a gig has been called off – the first was in the Otago snow of 2007.

“We do this really reluctantly because we know how much it means to the young musicians,” Rainey said. “We looked at all the options, but we couldn’t reschedule as we’re in the thick of the regional finals with five other events this weekend alone – from Tauranga to Timaru.”

This year’s Southland entrants have not lost the opportunity to compete at the national level, and are being invited to send in videos of their music to be considered for the national final in Auckland on September 28.

The Southland bands are:

Prospero- James Hargest Colleg

Khellsey-Anna- Southland Girls' High School

Men In trees- James Hargest Colleg

Lily Jackson- Central Southland Colleg

Magnitude 10- James Hargest Colleg

Sky- Central Southland Colleg

Lusha - Gore High Schoo

The Peter Snell Experience- James Hargest Colleg

Sweet antics- Southland Girls' High School

Theatre Of Pain- St Peter's College (Gore

Scrambled- James Hargest College

Rainey said if they take up the video option it demands creativity and musical ability, as well as learning to work together as a group and developing the organisation skills they’ll need if they're going to make it on the Kiwi music scene.

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.

Finalist judging process: Two bands from each of 23 regional finals send in their videos for selection as one of the six bands to play off in the national final. Judging is done from a pool of 50-60 bands that also includes Rockshop Second Chance, an opening for established bands (playing regular gigs) who don’t feel they played their best on the night. The top two solo/duos from each region go through the same process.

More info at sfrq.co.nz or facebook.com/thesfrq

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