2013 Smokefreerockquest - Wairarapa Region Final Results

2013 SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST - 25 YEARS OF KIWI MUSIC SUCCESS

Wairarapa Region Final Results

It was a clean sweep for the boys at the Wairarapa Smokefreerockquest regional finals on Saturday night. In front of a crowd of over 300 at the Masterton Town Hall, Worship The Fallen, a metal band from Dannevirke High School was awarded first place in the band category and Broken Guitars, a male duo from Wairarapa College took the solo/duo honours.

Worship the Fallen was formed at the start of the year especially for Smokefreerockquest. Lead singer with the four piece, Ethan Withey says they when they came on stage they really worked the crowd.

“We had lots of energy and really tried to interact with the audience,” he says. “Our aim was to go out and have fun, but it was a good surprise when they called out our name.”

The other members of the band are Josh Bond on drums and guitarists Nathan Gowan and and Jack Walsh .

Unsurprisingly, a damaged guitar was the inspiration for the name of the winning solo/duo performers. Taylor Houston and Matthew Sale from Wairarapa College, perform as Broken Guitars. The year 12 students have been playing together since year 9 but this is the first time they’ve entered Smokefreerockquest

“We’ve always just jammed and mucked about together but this year we sat down and wrote some songs,” Mathew says. He believes their whistling song, with only guitar and no singing, made them stand out from the other acts.

Second place in the band category and the Lowdown Best Song award went to Back to the Remedy from Wairarapa College, made up of Jake Schdroski (guitar), Zac Emerson (drums), Jesse Brown (lead guitar), Hayden Warren (bass). This band was in last year’s top 20 for the SFRQ finals.

Laura Jean from St Matthew's Collegiate won second place in the solo/duo category.

These four acts win musical gear from associate sponsors NZ Rockshops and the opportunity to gain selection for the national final in Auckland on Saturday 28 September.

Founder and director Glenn Common said from here on the Wairarapa finalists would have to work hard and draw on their creativity to make the most of the opportunity Smokefreerockquest offered.

“They now send in videos of their original music that will be judged in August as we lead up to the national final,” he said. “This process demands creativity and musical ability, as well as learning to work together as a group and developing the organisation skills they’ll need if they're going to make it on the Kiwi music scene.”

Other awards made on Saturday night were:

Third placed band, winning musical gear from associate sponsor NZ Rockshops and their suppliers: Underground Bass and The Sweet Operator from Chanel College.

APRA Lyric Award: Trent Graham, vocalist with Cast a Shadow from Wairarapa College

The Mainz Musicianship Award with the opportunity to be selected for the $4500 Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand Scholarship, announced at the national final: Jacob Kendrick the guitarist with The Weathered Owls from Kuranui College

Smokefree Award For Women’s Musicianship: Anna Jamieson, keyboardist from Not If We Can Help It from Kuranui College

Skinny Mobile People’s Choice voted by text:  Prevent The Tragedy from Wairarapa College

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

Finalist judging process: Two bands from each of 23 regional finals send in their videos 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.

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

ENDS

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