Rockshop Bandquest 2014 results

Media Release: Rockshop Bandquest 2014 results

22 August, 2014

They may be young but they know how to rock – this year’s Bay of Plenty contestants took the stage on Thursday 21 August in this year’s regional final of Rockshop Bandquest, the nationwide music contest for intermediate and primary students.

Bandquest is in its fourth year as the younger sibling of Smokefreerockquest, and in the Bay of Plenty region attracted 15 keen entrants who competed at Baycourt Theatre in Tauranga on Thursday.

Event organizer Matt Ealand says the performances from this age group mix sophistication with a lack of self-consciousness.

“They’ve been watching TV and YouTube, they’re aware of what established musicians are doing and they want to emulate them,” he said. “But they are not worried about being mocked – they just get up there and give it heaps.”

Rockshop Bandquest is for bands of two or more members, from intermediate or primary schools, who play a short set of covers or original songs, with a focus on performance skills.

The awards made on Thursday night were:
First place winning $400 credit with The Rockshop for their school: Fifth Element, Otumoetai Intermediate, also won best female vocalist
Second place winning $200 credit with The Rockshop for their school: Caved In, Pongakawa School. Finn Blaymires from Caved In won the musicianship award and best keyboardist award.
Third place winning $100 credit with The Rockshop for their school: Zuhana, Katikati College
Best original song winning $100 cash for their school and best original lyrics winning $50 cash for their school: Vage Aclipse, Kaitao Intermediate
Male vocalist award: Talisha Field from Klassik Kidz, Mokoia Intermediate
Rockstar Styles award: Caleb Leighton, Kaitao Intermediate
‘Killer’ guitarist award: Paul Baek from Rampage, Mt Maunganui Intermediate
Rock-solid bassist award: Charlie Menhinick from Zuhana, Katikati College
Rocking drummer award: Seungkwan Kim from Coco Butter, Tauranga Intermediate

Rockshop spokesman, Hamish Jackson, says for many of the kids Rockshop Bandquest is the biggest musical moment of their lives so far.

“It’s great for us to be part of that, “ he says. “Bandquest provides a unique opportunity to intermediate kids, it’s all about participation and giving it a go. The kids definitely throw themselves into it and the results have been amazing.”

This year over 160 bands have entered Rockshop Bandquest, competing in Dunedin, Christchurch, Nelson, Wellington, Tauranga, Napier, Hamilton and Auckland, with mentoring sessions from successful Smokefreerockquest bands in the afternoon of each regional event, and on-line entries for bands in outlying areas. There will be an online national final announcement on Wednesday 24 September, via http://bandquest.co.nz/
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Ends

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