Nelson Rockshop Bandquest 2018

Young and talented rockers are ready to take the stage in towns from Auckland to Dunedin – a record 215 young school bands are lined up for this year’s Rockshop Bandquest, the nationwide music contest for intermediate and primary students.

Bandquest is in its eighth year as the younger sibling of Smokefreerockquest, and the level of talent just keeps on rising. In Nelson 10 bands are entered and will play off at the Theatre Royal on Friday night (Aug 31).

Founder and director Glenn Common says Rockshop Bandquest is a vehicle to develop this talent, with 15 live events this year, as well as an online contest for bands from outlying regions.

“Schools are responding to the opportunity to give young bands’ the experience of performing on a fully set up stage, with a light show and professionally mixed sound,” he said. “Really it’s all about giving the kids an experience that extends them, that puts them under the pressure that comes with live performance and the exhilaration that is its reward.”

New Zealand Rockshops donate prize vouchers to the winners’ schools, and spokesman, Hamish Jackson, says Bandquest is a great event for the nationwide chain to support: “The more we can get kids playing music through events like Bandquest, the better it is for the artistic health of New Zealand music.”

Rockshop Bandquest Nelson is on August 31 at the Theatre Royal, start time 7pm, $10 + booking fee from TicketDirect and at the door.

The 10 bands who have entered Rockshop Bandquest in Nelson are:

Five and a half Broads Broadgreen Intermediate

4 Roses Nelson Girls College Prep Dept

Not yet discovered Ngatimoti School

Lions Eat Rhino Poachers Nelson Intermediate School

Riwaka School Band Riwaka School

Harvey and the Boppers St Josephs Nelson

Grandmas Rockstars Clifton Terrace Primary

The seven sins Ngatimoti School

The Backbeats Central Primary School

Shots Fired Broadgreen Intermediate

Guest Band is Smokefreerockquest Nelson second place getter Blind Eye, hard rock Waimea College band.

Rockshop Bandquest is for bands of three to ten members, up to and including Year 8, who play one or two 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.

Rockshop donates prize vouchers to the winners’ schools, and spokesman, Hamish Jackson, says supporting young bands and giving them the opportunity to perform live makes Rockshop Bandquest a perfect match for the nationwide chain.

This year the events from August 20 to September 3, with four events in Auckland, two in Hamilton, one in Tauranga, Gisborne, Hawke Bay (combined with Showquest), Wellington, Nelson, three events in Christchurch, and one in Dunedin. There is an on-line natonial final with results announced

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