Rockshop Bandquest Nelson - November 9 at Theatre Royal

Rockshop Bandquest Nelson - November 9 at Theatre Royal

From Stewart Island to Kerikeri, there are over 140 young school bands lining up to enter this year’s Rockshop Bandquest, the nationwide music contest for intermediate and primary students.

Bandquest is in its third year as the younger sibling of Smokefreerockquest, and for kids of intermediate age there’s never been a better time to be spotted at a school music contest, with international success stories Kimbra and Lorde having started their careers this way.

Founder and director Glenn Common says intermediate school talent quests are almost as old as intermediate schools, and there are even some regional contests, but he says Rockshop Bandquest raises the stakes because it is nationwide.

“We’re offering an opportunity for bands right across New Zealand to benchmark themselves against their peers in a setup that lifts their game, with stage lighting and professional sound mix and all the support they need to do their best.”

Rockshop Bandquest Nelson will be held at Theatre Royal on November 9. Tickets are $10 at the door from 6pm, event runs from 7pm – 9pm. The bands entered are:

Vermin Nelson Intermediate

Noise Control Nelson Intermediate

Blacksmiths Nelson Boy’s Prep School

Gelignite Broadgreen Intermediate

The Joez Broadgreen Intermediate

Central Station Nelson Central School

Crevice Tasman Primary

STIBBEX Tasman Primary

Coastal Nelson College for Girls Prep.

Desire 6 Ngatimoti School

Common says the contest is for bands of two or more members, from intermediate or primary schools, who will play a short set of covers or original songs. There is an award for the best original song to encourage bands to write their own material, but the focus is on performance skills.

Major sponsor, Rockshop, donates prizes of musical equipment to the winners’ schools. Spokesman, Hamish Jackson, says Rockshop Bandquest has quickly established itself on the musical landscape as one of the most exciting events in the development of young musicians.

“Three years ago Rockshop Bandquest drew 70 entries and this year that’s doubled – every year we are getting more bands entering with more musicians involved and we’re now staging events in more regions as well,” he said. “I think it’s going to be the best Rockshop Bandquest we’ve had and it's an event with an exciting future.”

This year Rockshop Bandquest will be held in Dunedin, Christchurch, Nelson, Wellington, Tauranga, Hamilton and Auckland, with online entries for bands in outlying areas. There will be mentoring sessions from successful Smokefreerockquest bands in the afternoon of the regional events and an online national final on 15th Nov, via You Tube.

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