2013 Smokefreerockquest - North Shore Final Results

2013 Smokefreerockquest - 25 Years of Kiwi Music Success

North Shore Final Results

Rangitoto College band Ludo took the honours at the Bruce Mason Centre in front of a crowd of 500, as this year’s North Shore winners of Smokefreerockquest.

The five piece alt-rock group battled it out against 11 other bands from the North Shore, a successful effort front man Cody Wilcox puts down to their musical style.

“The other acts were really good, but I didn’t really hear anyone else with the same sound as though,” he says. “I think our uniqueness set us apart.”

The other members of Ludo are Joshua Strand (rhythm guitar), Pierre Beasley (acoustic guitar), Wil Goodinson (bass), and Luke Lattimore (drums). The band also won the Lowdown Best Song Award.

Second place in the band category went to The Great Moon Hoax, also from Rangitoto College, formerly known as SFRQ national finalists Get Off The Grass. The Great Moon Hoax is made up of Julius Hattingh (electric guitar, vocals), Alex Estrin (drums), Flynn Roser (lead electric guitar), and Matt Neale (bass).

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

Founder and director Glenn Common said from here on the North Shore 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.”

The full list of awards made on Friday night were:

Band 1st Place: Ludo from Rangitoto College

Band 2nd Place: The Great Moon Hoax from Rangitoto College

Band 3rd Place: The Whodunnits from Long Bay College

Smokefree Award For Women’s Musicianship: Kate Gumbrell from Whangaparaoa College

APRA Lyric Award: Shannon Casey from Albany Senior High School for her song Getaway

Lowdown Best Song: Ludo from Rangitoto College

The Mainz Musicianship Award: Aram Valesyan of These Guys (lead guitar), from Northcote College

Skinny Mobile People’s Choice: Kate Gumbrell from Whangaparaoa 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.

Other Auckland finals are coming up for Auckland Central, Auckland West and Manukau. Details on our website sfrq.co.nz

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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