Smokefreerockquest – East Coast heats coming up

Media Release: Smokefreerockquest 25 years of music success – East Coast heats coming up on 8 June.

Camp Of The Troubled and Tearaway Dispute could be the hottest new sounds on the Kiwi music scene if they hit the big time via the time-honoured pathway of Smokefreerockquest.

Now in its 25th year, New Zealand’s only nationwide, live, all original youth music competition is about to kick off in East Coast, with the heats scheduled for 1pm Saturday 8 June at War Memorial Theatre, Bright Street. Tickets $10, available at the venue.

Around 700 entries are expected to go through regional heats and finals in 23 towns from Invercargill to Whangarei. Founder and Director Glenn Common says while much has changed in the 25 years that SFRQ has been running, there are some things that remain the same:

“The enthusiasm of young people for their music, and the way they respond to having a platform to perform to their peers is one of the constants,” he says. “These days they can put their video clips up on YouTube, but that hasn't taken the thrill out of getting up on stage in front of a real live crowd.”

The East Coast bands performing at the War Memorial Theatre on Saturday are:

Pivotal SubDivision Campion College
KORNOHA Gisborne Boys' High School
EMANON Gisborne Girls' High School
Shadows In The Darkness Campion College
The Crayz Gisborne Boys' High School
Class of 96 Gisborne Girls' High School
Knives and Daisys Campion College
Righteous Youth Gisborne Boys' High School
Soul Nation Gisborne Girls' High School
Tatum Campion College
Paradox Gisborne Boys' High School
Add a description Gisborne Girls' High School
The Search Gisborne Intermediate
The Collaborations Campion College
Odysseus Campion College
Tearaway Dispute Gisborne Girls' High School
Revival Day Lytton High School
Pure Gisborne Girls' High School
838 Wairoa College
Camp Of The Troubled Gisborne Girls' High School
Radioactive Ilminster Intermediate
Unknown future Campion College
Daydream Ilminster Intermediate
March the 20th Gisborne Girls' High School
Stormchaser Ilminster Intermediate
The Velvet Rose Gisborne Girls' High School
Down Time Ilminster Intermediate
Foreign Flare Gisborne Girls' High School
The Terminators Ilminster Intermediate
Vibez Gisborne Girls' High School
Davote Gisborne Girls' High School
AJ and the Gang Campion College
Kayla Maree Campion College
One Rythm Gisborne Boys' High School
Maisy Campion College
Until Wednesday Campion College
Lockstep Campion College
Since Gemini Campion College
Hide and Seek Campion College
Stage fright Gisborne Boys' High School

The East Coast regional final is on Friday 14 June at the War Memorial Theatre at 7pm. Tickets $15 at Stephen’s Photo Plus.

This year there are separate categories for solo/duo acts and bands. The top two solo/duos will be announced at the heats. They will play off at the regional finals and will both go into the judging pool for the national final.

“We’ll have regional winners in the solo/duo section and the band section, and the same at the national final,” Glenn explains. “There will be more winners and more prizes and it means neither category will feel overlooked.”

Glenn says this change has been made in response to comments from entrants and teachers, and brings SFRQ more in line with NCEA assessments where bands are assessed separately.

The regional events run every weekend until 13 July, then the top regional bands and solo/duos submit videos for selection for the national final in Auckland on September 28. Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners’ prize packages for bands and the solo/duos, that include musical gear to a total value of $13,000 from NZ Rockshops and their suppliers, inclusion on the NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc, radio promotional support, and video play on youth music channel FOUR. There is also the MAINZ Scholarship for outstanding musicianship, the APRA Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award, the Smokefree Women’s Musicianship Award and the Skinny Mobile People’s Choice voted by text with the opportunity to open the SFRQ National final.

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

Ends

Smokefreerockquest – 25 years of music success
Smokefreerockquest is New Zealand’s only nationwide, live, original music, youth event. Celebrating it’s silver anniversary this year, the series of over 40 events reaches audiences from Whangarei to Invercargill. Founded in 1989 by music teachers Glenn Common and Pete Rainey, who now run Rockquest Promotions full time out of Nelson, Smokefreerockquest has become a New Zealand institution.
Smokefreerockquest 2013, powered by Rockshop aims to motivate young musicians to prove their ability and realise the heights they can reach in their music careers, and to encourage their peers to support 100 percent original New Zealand music. For more information visit www.sfrq.co.nz

Hall of Fame
Musical successes from Smokefreerockquest over its 25-year history include Kimbra, Midnight Youth, Opshop, Evermore, Ladyhawke, Minuit, Kids of 88, Die!Die!Die!, Pistol Youth, Annah Mac, Bang!Bang!Eche!, Ivy Lies, Cairo Knife Fight, Cut Off Your Hands, Luke Thompson, the Datsuns, Brooke Fraser, Anika Moa, Kora, Anna Coddington, The Electric Confectionaires, Steriogram, Aaradhna, Spacifix, Phoenix Foundation, The Feelers, The Black Seeds, Nesian Mystik, Bic Runga, The Checks, Julia Deans, Pine, King Kapisi, Kingston, The Naked and Famous, Autozamm and Elemeno P.

Smokefree’s - Smoking Not Our Future Campaign
Smokefreerockquest plays a large part in helping Smoking Not Our Future get its key messages in front of a large audience of young people. Smokefree has been the naming rights sponsor of Smokefreerockquest for 23 of its 25 years and this longstanding partnership has been mutually beneficial. This year young people will be asked to join The Movement, which is a way for them to get more involved in helping New Zealand become smokefree by 2025. SFRQ events help students make protective connections to their schools, other students and communities and they also develop new skills and aspirations for their futures. For more information visit Facebook.com/notourfuture.

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