Media Release: Smokefreerockquest 25 years of music success – Wellington & Hutt Valley heats results.
They came, they tuned up and they played their hearts out. The top 12 bands and two solos from Wellington and Hutt
Valley were selected at heats on Saturday at Wellington High School 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 13 July. SFRQ Founder and Director Glenn Common says the standard of the bands that played off on
Saturday 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 two solos for Wellington and Hutt valley, selected at
the heats are:
Josh Dominikovich St Bernard's College
Legalo (Legalo Tumama) Wellington East Girls' College
NAME SCHOOL
The top ten bands to play off at the regional final at the Opera House at 7pm on 12 July are:
Point Of View - Hutt Valley High School
Shift - Wellington College
Until Autumn - Tawa College, Aotea College
Armada - St Patrick's Coll, Naenae Coll, Hutt Valley HS, Sacred Heart Coll
5th Element - Hutt International Boys' School
Greenroom - Hutt International Boys' School, Tawa Coll, Paraparaumu Coll, Aotea Coll
Spectrum - Aotea College
Bakers Eddy - Onslow College
Feggae Runk - Wellington High School & Com Ed Centre
Want A Reason - Heretaunga College
Harbour Lane - Hutt Valley High School
Reciprocity - Wellington High School & Com Ed Centre
Tickets for the Wellington and Hutt Valley 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
ENDS