The Opera House will be pumping next Saturday (June 9) as the top youth bands in Whanganui play off in the regional
final of Smokefreerockquest 2018.
Smokefreerockquest founder and director Glenn Common says Smokefreerockquest offers the entrants on Friday night a
platform for live performance that builds on what they have learnt at school.
“The support that contemporary musicians get in schools these days and the framework provided by NCEA 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.
SFRQ founder and director Pete Rainey said in regional cities the Smokefreerockquest final is often the year’s biggest
youth gig and ‘a major influencer’.
“We’re really proud that our association with Smokefree has been part of a huge social change in New Zealand over the
past 28 years. It’s absolutely a real thing that the number of young kids smoking has dropped and we’re right behind the
idea of making NZ Smokefree by 2025.”
Those competing to join the ranks of Kiwi music success at the Wanganui regional final are:
3 dollar man Wanganui High School
3 White Guys and Caleb Wanganui High School
Amy-Jean Taumarunui High School
Fuschia Wanganui High School
Ariana and Henry Rangitikei College
Bandboozled Wanganui High School
cipher Wanganui High School
etc, etc... Ruapehu College
Ferris Wanganui High School
In Business Wanganui High School
jessy gurnick Taumarunui High School
Pakalagisasa's Wanganui High School
Mary and Tasi Rangitikei College
Pantheon Wanganui High School
Spicy Wanganui High School
the remnant Wanganui High School
Corby and Tia Rangitikei College
The Zodiacs Wanganui High School
Wangaz State Of Mind Wanganui High School
The Whanganui final is at the Opera House on Saturday 9 June, start time 7pm, tickets $10 for school students and $15
for adults from the venue or at the door. The guest band is Palmerston North SFRQ veterans Soda Boyz, a noise punk trio,
with a ‘DIY kind of sound’.
Whanganui’s top two solo/duos and top two bands will be selected on Saturday night to submit footage for selection to
play at the Smokefreerockquest national final on Saturday September 22 at Auckland Girls’ Grammar. Winners of the
Smokefree Tangata Bests Award will go through the same process for that event’s national final at the same venue on
Friday September 21.
The live events run from May 5 until July 6, and most regions will also be filmed for the hugely popular webisodes
(sfrq.nz) 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