SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST 2015 – Nelson finals on Friday night

SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST 2015 – Nelson finals on Friday night

It’s the big night of the year for youth music in Nelson next Friday as the top bands and solo/duo performers in Nelson-Tasman play off in the regional final of Smokefreerockquest 2015.

The top 11 bands and two solo-duos to play off on Friday at the Theatre Royal were selected at heats held last weekend.

Smokefreerockquest founder and director Glenn Common said Smokefreerockquest offers the entrants on Friday night a platform for live performance that builds on what they have learnt at school.

“The support that contemporary musicians get in schools these days is evident in the number of young musicians that get to performance standard,” he said. “Secondary school teachers offer tuition and encouragement, create space for bands and soloists to practise, they come along to support them at Smokefreerockquest and help them to get the most value from the experience of entering SFRQ – before, during and after.”

He said the professional performance environment offered by SFRQ included a stage set up with lights, sound, projection and technical support in a show that includes a guest band, MC and lots of giveaways.

There are 13 acts competing to join the ranks of Kiwi music success at the Nelson regional final. The top two solo/duos for Nelson selected at the heats are:

Gemma Christall Nelson College For Girls
Zeal Garin College

The top 11 bands to play off at the regional final are:

The Motion Garin College
Coastal Nelson College For Girls
Turgid Nayland College
Rekindled Pursuit Motueka High School
Toxic Vain Waimea College
ITELO Nelson College
Clandestine Garin College
Tetra Nelson College For Girls
Future Class Garin College
Masterpiece Nelson College
Nocturnal Avenue Waimea College

The Nelson final is at Friday, 22 May at the Theatre Royal start time 7pm, tickets $10 for school students and $20 for adults from TicketDirect or at the door. Presales advised – this is very likely to sell out.

At the Nelson final, first and second place for the solo/duos will be announced, along with 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 People’s Choice voted by text.

Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners’ prize packages for bands and the solo/duo winners, that includes $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, a $20,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package’ a ‘Decent Exposure’ campaign on FOUR, a photo shoot with Thievery Studio, a branding package from Imaginary Friends and the Unleashed Travel ambassador award – a seven day trip to Fiji.
There is also the MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand) Scholarship for Outstanding Musicianship, the APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award and the Smokefree Women’s Musicianship Award. The People’s Choice award is voted by text, with the opportunity to open the Smokefreerockquest national final.

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

ENDS

© Scoop Media