Auckland Central And Auckland West Finals on 5 & 6 July

SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST 2013 – 25 YEARS OF MUSIC SUCCESS – Auckland Central And Auckland West Finals on 5 & 6 July

It’s another big weekend for youth music on July 5 and 6 as the top youth bands in Auckland Central and Auckland West play off in regional finals of Smokefreerockquest 2013.

The bands to play off were selected at heats held in May and June.

Smokefreerockquest founder and director Glenn Common says he’s expecting big crowds and the usual wide age range in audience support.

“As well as peer support, we see grandparents and parents coming along to SFRQ to see their kids excel on stage, under lights in a real theatre – it’s a professional set up and they respond to this opportunity,” he said. “Over the 25 years we’ve been running SFRQ it’s been a positive influence on thousands of young people’s lives and has created a way for kids to communicate with each other and with their parents and teachers.”

Those competing to join the ranks of Kiwi music success at the Auckland Central regional final are:

The King and his Friends . . Auckland Grammar, Edgewater College

Vivid . . . . . Diocesan School For Girls

Eyes Of Evergreen . . . Selwyn College

The Loud Mouths . . . Western Springs College

Infamous . . . . Wesley Intermediate

The Moots . . . . St Kentigerns, Western Springs Coll, Westlake Boys’ HS

Keepsake . . . . Auckland Grammar

Uneek . . . . . Waikowhai Intermediate

Descend . . . . Auckland Grammar

Open . . . . . Western Springs College

Scarlette . . . . Marist College

Last Road Home . . . Sacred Heart College, Howick College

The Auckland Central final is at Auckland Girls Grammar on Friday 5 July, start time 7pm, tickets $20 from Ticketr Direct or at the door. There will be a guest band during the judging.

Those competing at the Auckland West regional final are:

Iluminate . . . Kaipara College

Genetically Incorrect . . Kaipara College

Arrested For Slapping . . Kaipara College

Fed-up with Fergus . . Green Bay High School, Lynfield College

Winnie and the Fros . . Kaipara College

To Be Confirmed . . Kaipara College

Meridian Vibe . . . Green Bay High School, Henderson HS, Green Island HS

Sneaky Prawnz . . Kaipara College

Nexus . . . . Green Bay High School

Lick the fizz . . . Green Bay High School

Sonar Day . . . St Dominic's College (Henderson)

Day Glow . . . Kaipara College

The Auckland West final is at ZEAL on Saturday 6 July, start time 7pm, tickets $20 from Ticket Direct or at the door. A guest band will perform during the judging.

At both events awards for the top three bands, the MAINZ Musicianship Award, Smokefree Award For Women’s Musicianship, Lowdown Best Song, the APRA Lyrics Award and the Skinny Mobile People’s Choice voted by text will be announced.

The top two bands from each event will send in their videos for selection as one of the six bands to play off at the national final in Auckland on 28 September. Still to come is the Manukau final on Saturday 13 July, at the Dream Centre.

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.

National Finalist selection 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 to be selected as one of the two solo/duos to play off for national honours.

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.

© Scoop Media