Rockshop Bandquest 2013 Nelson results

Media Release:  Rockshop Bandquest 2013 Nelson results

Rock music on the small scale was on stage in Nelson on Saturday night (November 9) in 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 in Nelson attracted nine entrants who competed on Saturday night at the Theatre Royal, following an afternoon of mentoring from successful Smokefreerockquest bands.

Founder and director Pete Rainey says after more than 25 years in youth music production he still gets a kick out of kids’ creativity.

“Bands are just getting better and better at a younger age,” he said. “They’ve got the role models in the Kiwi music industry, they are more confident and are picking up a wide range of cultural influences from the internet…Bandquest is the ideal platform to channel and foster this talent.”

Rockshop Bandquest is for bands of two or more members, from intermediate or primary schools, who play a short set of covers or original songs, with a focus on performance skills.

First place winning $400 credit with The Rockshop for their school: Noise Control, Nelson Intermediate

Second place winning $200 credit with The Rockshop for their school: Gelignite, Broadgreen Intermediate

Third place winning $100 credit with The Rockshop for their school: Central Station, Nelson Central School

Best original song winning $100 cash for their school: Noise Control, Nelson Intermediate

Best original lyrics winning $50 cash for their school: Fletcher Dawson, The Blacksmiths, Nelson College Prep School

Female vocalist award: Freya Pinkerton, Noise Control, Nelson Intermediate

Male vocalist award: Fletcher Dawson, The Blacksmiths, Nelson College Prep School

Musicianship award: Zoe Sharp, Coastal, Nelson College for Girls Prep.

Rockstar Styles award: Kaitlyn Bremner, Krevice, Tasman Primary

‘Killer’ guitarist award: Jack Gorrill, Desire 6, Ngatimoti School

Rock-solid bassist award: Charlotte Halsey, Central Station, Nelson Central School

Rocking drummer award: Jackson Maitland, The Joez, Broadgreen Intermediate

Best keyboardist award: Ben Kirby, Gelignite, Broadgreen Intermediate

Rockshop spokesman, Hamish Jackson, says the nationwide company is firmly behind the benefits of music at this age level.

“Bandquest encourages participation and opportunity through music - intermediate kids are talented and very creative and it’s great to see them involved in music at school,” he said. “We hope they continue this musical journey through their Bandquest experience.”

This year over 140 bands have entered Rockshop Bandquest, competing in Dunedin, Christchurch, Nelson, Wellington, Tauranga, Hamilton and Auckland, with mentoring sessions from successful Smokefreerockquest bands in the afternoon of each regional event, and on-line entries for bands in outlying areas. There will be an online national final on 15th Nov, via You Tube.

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