Media Release: Smokefreerockquest – Otago solo- duo winners and band heats results.
Live music, original songs, selfies and first time nerves – it was all part of the mix at Kavanagh College on Saturday
in this year’s Smokefreerockquest Otago heats.
Over 700 bands and solo/duos are going through regional heats and finals in over 20 venues from Invercargill to
Whangarei between May 5 and July 6.
Founder and Director Glenn Common says while Smokefreerockquest is a competition, the environment at the heats is very
supportive and the emphasis is on participation.
“The competition is merely the framework on which we hang the opportunity to perform and for entrants to learn from each
other. They pick up skills such as stage presence from watching their peers, in a way that can’t be replicated in the
classroom.”
First placed Otago solo/duo selected at the heats was Ben and Campbell (Ben Horlock and Campbell Landrebe, Kings High
School, with Ashlee Maxwell from Taieri College placed second.
The boys both sing and play guitar and have been a duo for over a year, but they only decided a few days ago to enter
Smokefreerockquest.
“We just went up there to have fun and didn’t have any expectations so it was really awesome to win,” Ben says. “We put
a lot into our performance because we love music so much…when we perform we really just feel the music.”
First and second place both go into the judging pool for the national final, and will be joined by the top two bands
selected at the Otago finals in June.
These are the top 12 bands to play off at the Otago regional final at Kavanagh College, 23 June, start time 7pm, tickets
$20 adults and $10 students, at the door or from Evenfinda.
Under Apex John McGlashan College
Imperium Kings High School
Solid Merit Logan Park High
Diamonds on the Edge Kaikorai Valley College
Club Martian Taieri College
Plus 1 South Otago High School
Efflorescent Kings High School
electric orchid Taieri College
Bark like a Dog Taieri College
Do Speak Louder Logan Park High School
Paper Frogs Logan Park High
Rose and Three Thorns Taieri College
At the Otago final there are awards for the top three bands, the MAINZ Musicianship Award, Smokefree Award For Women’s
Musicianship, Lowdown Best Song, the APRA Lyrics Award, the Fatboy Style Award and the ZM People’s Choice voted by text.
The top regional bands and solo/duos submit footage for selection as finalists to play at the Smokefree Tangata Beats
national final on Friday September 21 at the Dorothy Winstone Centre in Auckland, followed by the Smokefreerockquest
national final on Saturday September 22.
The live events run from May 5 until July 6, and most regions will also be filmed for the hugely popular SFRQ webisodes,
fronted this year by NZ’s ‘First Bloke’ Clarke Gayford.
Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners’ prize packages for bands and solo/duo winners that
includes $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, $16,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package, a photo shoot and branding
package from Imaginary Friends. There is also the Musicianship Award, the APRA (Australasian Performing Right
Association) Lyric Award, Best Song Award, Smokefree Vocals Award, Fatboy Style Award, and the ZM People’s Choice.
Musical successes from Smokefreerockquest over its 30-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, Chelsea Jade, Nadia Reid, Aldous Harding, Steriogram, Phoenix Foundation, Devilskin, The Black Seeds, Bic Runga,
and The Naked and Famous. Smokefree Tangata Beats standout successes include Alien Weaponry, Strangely Arousing Nesian
Mystik, the only New Zealand band to ever have ten singles all certified gold or platinum.
Ends