Hawkes Bay solo duo winners

Smokefreerockquest & Pacifica Beats 2017 – Hawkes Bay solo duo winners and band heats & Pacifica Beats results

Isabelle Lorch may be the next young New Zealand singer to watch after taking out the solo duo title at the Hawkes Bay Smokfereerockquest regional heats at Napier Boys’ High School on Saturday.

The 14 year old Year 10 student from Taradale High School describes her music as emotional, and attributes her win at her first Smokefreerockquest to pushing herself vocally and instrumentally.

“It was nerve-wracking on stage to begin with, but when I picked up my guitar I felt at peace,” she said. “My song was a love song, but not your classic love song, but was more saying that I’m better and stronger on my own.”

Ruby Tuesday (Ruby McKnight) from Napier Girls’ High School placed second. These two solo-duos now put 15 mins of their best material together to submit for selection as national finalists.

The 12 top bands selected at the heats will go on the play off for the top two places and other awards at the Hawkes Bay final at Napier Municipal Theatre on Saturday 10 June at 7pm.Tickets are available from Ticketek. There will also be performances from the first and second solo duos.

The 12 bands selected to go on to the final are:

Elephant Room Napier Boys' High School

So Crates Lindisfarne College

Black Out Napier Girls' High School

Quick Fixx Havelock North High School

Rosco Rebellion Napier Boys' High School

Unwritten Napier Girls' High School

Chip Havelock North High School

The Aebros Flaxmere Collegeg

Precious Years Havelock North High School

Horizon Hastings Boys' High School

Te Paki'z Tamatea High School

Trash and the Boiis Flaxmere College

The winners of Smokefree Pacifica Beats were self descibed island jazz fusion band Horizon from Hastings Boys’ High School, comprised of Year 12 and 13 students. this was their first year entering Smokefree Pacifica Beats.

Vocalist LJ Crichton says their win may be down to how relaxed they were when they were on stage performing.

“The confidence takes over when we perform and we go with the flow,” he said. “The emotions come through when we are on stage and we just do whatever comes naturally. We are all focussed on sharing our music and we believed in what we played.”

The other members of Horizon are Jordan Fuimano (electric guitar, keyboard), Victory Peni (drums) and John Sali (bass).

They will now put 15 mins of their best material together to submit for selection as Smokefree Pacifica Beats national finalists

Founder and director Glenn Common said the level of performance at the heats seems to keep going up every year as entrants get more support for contemporary music from their schools, make use of on line resources and have role models who have used Smokefreerockquest as a springboard to success.

“Between now and the regional final their preparation work is part of the process that makes Smokefreerockquest and Pacifica Beats such valuable learning experiences for young people,” he said. “The 12 bands going on to the finals need to practise hard, craft their set, get their supporters rallied and make good use of networking opportunties and social media to promote themselves and their achievements. For a lot of students these steps can be part of their NCEA assessments.”

The regional events for both Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Pacifica Beats run from May 12 until July 7, with the top regional bands and solo/duos submitting video footage for selection to play off at the Smokefree Pacifica Beats national final on Friday September 1 at the Dorothy Winstone Centre in Auckland, followed by the Smokefreerockquest national final on Saturday September 2.

Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners’ prize packages for bands and solo/duo winners that include $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, a $16,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package a ‘Decent Exposure’ campaign on The Edge TV, and a photo shoot and branding package from Imaginary Friends. There is also the MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand) Scholarship for Outstanding Musicianship, the APRA Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award, Smokefree Vocals Award, and the People’s Choice voted by text with the opportunity to open the Smokefreerockquest national final.

Musical successes from Smokefreerockquest over its 28-year history include Broods, Leroy Clampitt, Kimbra, Aaradhna, Opshop, Evermore, Ladyhawke, Kids of 88, Die!Die!Die!, Joel Little, Tiny Ruins, Marlon Williams, Brooke Fraser, Anika Moa, Kora, Thomston, Midnight Youth, Steriogram, Phoenix Foundation, Devilskin, The Black Seeds, Bic Runga, and The Naked and Famous; Smokefree Pacifica Beats standout successes include Nesian Mystik, the only New Zealand band to ever have ten singles all certified gold or platinum.

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