Bay of Plenty solo duo & Pacifica Beats winners

Smokefreerockquest 2017 – Bay of Plenty solo duo & Pacifica Beats winners, plus band heats results

A song inspired by a girl on a bus won the Bay of Plenty Smokefreerockquest solo-duo title for 16 year old Fletcher Oxford at Otumoetai College on Sunday.

Fletcher won with his vocals and guitar, but also plays piano and sax.

“I’ve been playihg music since I was about three and wrote my fist song when I was seven – my family is quite curious as to where it (the musical talent) came from,” he says.

Fletcher describes his music as honest, and dictated by melody and lyrics: “It’s all about the lyrics to me – when people can relate to the lyrics it makes the song more memorable.”

Fletcher’s winning song was called ‘Down the Line’. He attends Tauranga Boys’ College and is ‘absolutely certain’ about making his caeer out of music.

Samantha McCutchan from Taupo-nui-a-Tia College placed second and Paras (Paraskevi Spiropoulos) from Bethlehem College was third. These three solo-duos now put 15 mins of their best material together to submit for selection as national finalists.

The winners of Smokefree Pacifica Beats were Te Urewera from TKKM o Huiarau in Ruatahuna.

The band members are Puhikura Teka (vocals), Rangiwhaitiri Edwards (bass), Kirihou Teka (vocals), Rangiataahua Tawhara-Mita (keyboard), Manaaki Ahuriri (drums).

Spokesperson for the reggae-soul band, Puhikura Teka, said they formed only two weeks ago but have all been in bands before and had a strong message delivered in Te Reo.

“Our song was based on our land – where we live in Te Urewera – and was to encourage our youth from our hometown to be who they are and to know where they’re from.”

Te Urewera now put 15 mins of their best material together to submit for selection as Smokefree Pacifica Beats national finalists.

The 12 top bands will play off for the top two places and other awards at the Bay of Plenty final at Totara Street Performing Arts Centre on Friday 30 June at 7pm. Tickets for the regional final are available from NZTix.co.nz, $20 adults and $10 students.

The 12 bands selected to go on to the final are:

3 Quarters Late Bethlehem College
Jovi Bethlehem College
The Good Stuff Bethlehem College
Bare Knuckled Katikati & Rutherford Colleges
B.I.A (Brothers In Arms) Rotorua Boys' High School
The Harmonics Western Heights High School
Twitch Western Heights High School
French Doors Otumoetai College
In The Resource Room Taupo-nui-a-Tia College
Made Alive Whakatane & Trident High Schools
Anastasia Western Heights High School

Te Urewera TKKM o Huiarau

Founder and director Glenn Common said the level of performance at the heats seems to keep going up every year as entrants get more support for contemporary music from their schools, make use of on line resources and have role models who have used Smokefreerockquest as a springboard to success.

“Between now and the regional final their preparation work is part of the process that makes Smokefreerockquest and Pacifica Beats such valuable learning experiences for young people,” he said. “The 12 bands going on to the finals need to practise hard, craft their set, get their supporters rallied and make good use of networking opportunties and social media to promote themselves and their achievements. For a lot of students these steps can be part of their NCEA assessments.”

The regional events for both Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Pacifica Beats run from May 12 until July 7, with the top regional bands and solo/duos submitting video footage for selection to play off at the Smokefree Pacifica Beats national final on Friday September 1 at the Dorothy Winstone Centre in Auckland, followed by the Smokefreerockquest national final on Saturday September 2.

Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners’ prize packages for bands and solo/duo winners that include $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, a $16,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package a ‘Decent Exposure’ campaign on The Edge TV, and a photo shoot and branding package from Imaginary Friends. There is also the MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand) Scholarship for Outstanding Musicianship, the APRA Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award, Smokefree Vocals Award, and the People’s Choice voted by text with the opportunity to open the Smokefreerockquest national final.

Musical successes from Smokefreerockquest over its 28-year history include Broods, Leroy Clampitt, Kimbra, Aaradhna, Opshop, Evermore, Ladyhawke, Kids of 88, Die!Die!Die!, Joel Little, Tiny Ruins, Marlon Williams, Brooke Fraser, Anika Moa, Kora, Thomston, Midnight Youth, Steriogram, Phoenix Foundation, Devilskin, The Black Seeds, Bic Runga, and The Naked and Famous; Smokefree Pacifica Beats standout successes include Nesian Mystik, the only New Zealand band to ever have ten singles all certified gold or platinum.

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