SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST 2015 – Auckland Central and Manukau final

SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST 2015 – Auckland Central and Manukau finals and two solo duo events on 12 - 14 June

It’s the big weekend of the year for youth music in Auckland (June 12-14) as performers play off in the Auckland Central and Manukau regional finals and two solo/duo events in Smokefreerockquest 2015.

The top 25 bands from Auckland Central and Manukau to play off over the weekend were selected at heats held last month at the Dorothy Winstone Centre; while the 77 contenders for the six Auckland solo duo spots in the finalist selection pool will play off in combined heats and finals events on Sunday.

Smokefreerockquest founder and director Glenn Common said Smokefreerockquest offers the entrants a platform for live performance that builds on what they have learnt at school.

“The support that contemporary musicians get in schools these days is evident in the number of young musicians that get to performance standard,” he said. “Secondary school teachers offer tuition and encouragement, create space for bands and soloists to practise, they come along to support them at Smokefreerockquest and help them to get the most value from the experience of entering SFRQ – before, during and after.”

He said the professional performance environment offered by SFRQ included a stage set up with lights, sound, projection and technical support in a show that includes a guest band, MC and lots of giveaways.

In Auckland Central the judges put 13 bands through to play off at the regional final on Friday 12 June. They are:

Apollo Mt Albert Grammar School
Host club Western Springs College
Calliope Auckland Grammar
Innerose Epsom Girls Grammar School
Joe Says No Mt Albert Grammar School
Tusk and Torn Waiheke High School
Pixelated Diocesan School For Girls
Skwid Epsom Girls Grammar School, St Kentigern Coll
The Bad Apples Western Springs College
The Flock Lynfield College
The Violence Auckland Grammar
Dominos toretto Dilworth School
Seven Sundays ACG Parnell College & Macleans College

The top 12 Manukau bands to play off at the regional final on Saturday 13 June are:

Three Crochets Lower Mangere College
Minimal Silence Howick College
Reciprocate Alfriston College
So Changes Alfriston College
Sonic Sancta Maria College
StereoVibes Alfriston College
Tribe of Three Pukekohe High School
Find the Time Edgewater College
Zacky p and the c munts Pukekohe High School
Melodic Messengers Ormiston Senior College
The Burtones Kings College
Rasta Jam Pukekohe High School

The Auckland Central final is on Friday 12 June and the Manukau final is on Saturday 13 June. Both events are at the Dorothy Winstone Centre, start time 7pm, tickets $10 for school students and $20 for adults from NZTix.co.nz or at the door.

At both regional finals the top two bands are selected to go into the national finalists’ judging pool and other awards and prizes are presented.

The two solo/duo events are also at the Dorothy Winstone Centre. Auckland Central and Manukau solo/duo performers start at 11am; and North Shore and West Auckland solo/duo performers start at 4pm.

Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners’ prize packages for bands and the solo/duo winners, that includes $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, a $20,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package’ a ‘Decent Exposure’ campaign on FOUR, a photo shoot with Thievery Studio, a branding package from Imaginary Friends and the Unleashed Travel ambassador award – a seven day trip to Fiji.
There is also the MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand) Scholarship for Outstanding Musicianship, the APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award and the Smokefree Women’s Musicianship Award. The People’s Choice award is voted by text, with the opportunity to open the Smokefreerockquest national final.

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

Ends

© Scoop Media