SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST 2015 Auckland Manukau final rinal results

SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST 2015 Auckland Central and Manukau final results

Teen bands rocked out at the Dorothy Winstone Centre for the second weekend in a row, in the Auckland Central and Manukau regional finals of Smokefreerockquest.

Joe Says No won first place for Auckland Central on Friday night, an alternative punk rock band named for lead guitarist Joe Curtis’s rejection of all other band names that came up for discussion.

Joe is from Mt Albert Grammar, as are Ollie Curtis (drums), Jin Yun (bass) and Denzel Kelemete (lead vocals), while Ethan Broughton (lead guitar) is from Auckland Grammar.

Denzel says the students, ranging from year 10 to 13, have been playing gigs around Auckland for the last year and a half, with their songs about love, girls and other random subjects.

“We had been practising our set really hard - we try to have the best performance we can and go really crazy,” he says. “We depend on the crowd to give some energy back – I got into the mosh pit and did some crowd surfing.”

Second place in the band category went to The Bad Apples, with members James Macewan (lead vocals and brass) Jack Owles (lead guitar) and Harry Scholes (bass), all from Western Springs College, and George Brajkovich (drums) from Rosmini College. George also won the MAINZ musicianship award with the opportunity to win a $4000 MAINZ scholarship.

The full list of awards made on Friday at the Auckland Central regional final was:

Band 1st place: Joe Says No, Mt Albert Grammar School & Auckland Grammar

Band 2nd place: The Bad Apples, Western Springs College & Rosmini College

Band 3rd place: Host club, Western Springs College

APRA Lyric Award: Denzel Kelemete from Joe Says No, Mt Albert Grammar School

Lowdown Best Song: Skwid, Kaipara College, Epson Girls Grammar & St Kentigerns

Smokefree Award For Women’s Musicianship: Jasmine Hey,vocalist from Skwid, Kaipara College

People’s Choice voted by text: Pixelated, Diocesan School For Girls

MAINZ musicianship award with the opportunity to win a $4000 MAINZ scholarship: George Brajkovich, drummer from The Bad Apples, Rosmini College.

Manukau

On Saturday night the venue was pumping again for the Manukau final, won by nine piece soul R&B funk group Reciprocate from Alfriston College.

Keyboard player Sheldon Rua says they entered last year but now have some new band members and more singers.

“We have really powerhouse vocals and there are just so many of us, I think that made us stand out,” he said. “Our sound is quite different.. we’ve got a fun goovy vibe, we got the crowd going and we had teachers and fellow students there with a banner.”

The other band members are Jacob Kauri (drums), Joel Singsam (keyboard), Pauline Tuia (lead vocals), Wayne Pagaialii (bass), Zaire Ugapo (rhythm guitar ) and Taualoa Lemalu, Precious Tusega and Eunique Ikiua (backing vocals).

Second place went to Edgewater College upbeat-funk five-piece Find the Time, with band members Angus Grainger (drums), Toma Te'evale (keyboard), Loseli Tupou and Petaia Fata (vocals) and Salle Tamatoa (bass). This band also won the Lowdown Best Song award.

The full list of awards made at the Manukau Regional final Saturday night was:

Band 1st place: Reciprocate, Alfriston College

Band 2nd place: Find the Time, Edgewater College

Band 3rd place: Tribe of Three, Pukekohe High School

APRA Lyric Award: Jonny McGregor, Tribe of Three

Lowdown Best Song: Find the Time, Edgewater College

Smokefree Award For Women’s Musicianship: Sapati Apa-fepulea'I, keyboardist from The Burtones, Kings College

People’s Choice voted by text: Sonic , Sancta Maria College

MAINZ musicianship award with the opportunity to win a $4000 MAINZ scholarship: Tearataua Ulberg, drummer from Three Crochets Lower, Mangere College

The next stage:

First and second place from Auckland Central and from Manukau win musical gear from associate sponsors NZ Rockshops, and the opportunity to gain selection for the national final at Auckland’s Raye Freedman Centre on Friday 11 September.

Smokefreerockquest Founder and director Glenn Common says there are more bands than ever before reaching the high standard required from national finalists.

“This means that real dedication is required to achieve the ‘stand out quality’ that the judges will be looking for,” he said. “They have to capture 15 minutes of their original material on video in a process that demands creativity and musical ability, being able to work together as a group and having good organisational skills. What separates them out is perseverance – industry success seldom happens overnight.”

Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners’ prize packages for bands and the solo/duo winners that include $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.

Finalist judging process: Two bands from each of the 24 regional finals submit video footage 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, and three of them will go ahead to the national final.

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

Ends

For further information on Smokefreerockquest 2015 please contact:

Jacquetta Bell - jacq@nelsonmedia.co.nz 03 546 9661 – publicist
Glenn Common - glenn@smokefreerockquest.co.nz 021 744 536 - director & organiser for lower North Island
Matt Ealand – matt@smokefreerockquest.co.nz – 027 555 7007 BOP north organiser

Auckland Central winning band spokesperson and contact details: Joe Curtis, 021 209 9891 or 09 623 0316

Manukau winning band spokesperson and contact details: Sheldon Rua 021 1379670

Smokefreerockquest – 27 years of musical success: Smokefreerockquest is New Zealand’s only nationwide, live, original music, youth event. The series of around 50 events provides young musicians with the opportunity to perform live in a professional setting, in venues from the Far North to Invercargill. Smokefreerockquest 2015, powered by Rockshop, aims to motivate young musicians to prove their abilities, to realise the opportunities available in music careers, and to encourage their peers to support 100 percent original New Zealand music. The original founders Glenn Common and Pete Rainey were honoured with the MNZM in 2013, and continue to lead the team that now runs this New Zealand institution. For more information visit www.sfrq.co.nz

Hall of Fame: Musical successes from Smokefreerockquest over its 26-year history include Broods, Kimbra, Aaradhna, Opshop, Evermore, Ladyhawke, Minuit, Kids of 88, Die!Die!Die!, Streets of Laredo, Joel Little, Tiny Ruins, Cairo Knife Fight, Cut Off Your Hands, the Datsuns, Brooke Fraser, Anika Moa, Kora, Thomston, Anna Coddington, Midnight Youth, Steriogram, Phoenix Foundation, Estere, Devilskin, The Black Seeds, Grayson Gilmore, Nesian Mystik, Bic Runga, Julia Deans, The Naked and Famous, and Delete Delete.

Smokefree’s - Smoking Not Our Future Campaign: Smokefreerockquest plays a large part in helping students make protective connections to their schools, other students and communities. It enables them to develop new skills and aspirations for their futures. Smokefree has been the naming rights sponsor of Smokefreerockquest for 25 of its 27 years and this longstanding partnership has been mutually beneficial. Smoking Not Our Future is a direct to youth strategy and Smokefreerockquest provides the opportunity for youth to connect and engage with its messages. This year, young people will be asked to think about the benefits of being smokefree and get more involved in helping New Zealand become smokefree by 2025. For more information visit Facebook.com/notourfuture.

Smokefree Pacifica Beats: Smokefree Pacifica Beats recognises and reflects the unique cultural identity of Aotearoa New Zealand and the South Pacific. The event started in 1994 as the Urban Beats Award within Smokefreerockquest and has steadily built over the years into a competition in its own right. In Smokefree Pacifica Beats participants must incorporate Polynesian language, instruments, dance or movement in their performance and songs. The event motivates young musicians to prove their ability with cultural relevance, and to encourage their peers to support 100 percent original Aotearoa Kiwi music. The event’s Hall of fame includes Nesian Mystik, the only New Zealand band to ever have ten singles all certified gold or platinum.

ENDS

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