Gig Guide
Saturday September 6th
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· 12 Below: Parfait
· Bath St: CHEF [uk] & Jason Howson [ak]. Dubstep Intnl.
· The Backstage: 'Frequency' Dunedin DJ extravaganza
· THE BOG IRISH BAR: Sweet Naval Oranges
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Tuesday May 27th
Smokefree Rockquest -The Results press release
Smokefree Rockquest -The Results press release
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Otago Regional Finals Results
Four Dunedin teenagers are in for their chance at kiwi music success after winning this year’s [www.smokefreerockquest.co.nz] regional title on Saturday night in front of a crowd of 300 at the Otago University Union Hall.
First place in the Otago finals of the nationwide youth music competition went to TFF from Logan Park High School & Kings High School. Miki Treadwell, sax and synthesiser player says he joined the band last year, but the other three members have been playing together for three years. He described their sound as ‘noise-rock with some jazz and grind-core overtones’.
“After playing together for so long we had perfected our set and we know our genre very clearly,” he said, “I think we just played better than the other bands on the night.”
Second place went to New York Minutes from Timaru Boys High School who had asked to compete in Otago because they are going to be out of the country next month for the Timaru play-off. (June 27) They also won the Rockquest Promotions Best Song Award of $100 cash.
These two bands go on to compete for the six national finalist spots in this year’s [www.smokefreerockquest.co.nz], and take home regional prizes of vouchers for musical gear from NZ Rockshops and their suppliers. (Other awards follow at end of release.)
The full list of bands that played are:
New York Minutes Timaru Boys High School
Cascade St Hildas
Queen Anne’s Revenge Logan Park High School
TFF Logan Park High School & Kings High School
Dusty Strings Taieri College
Where's Jude? St Hildas Collegiate
Nadia Reid Queens High School
Sewage Logan Park High School
Synesthesia John McGlashan College & Taieri College
Solitaire Bayfield High School
The Intergalactic Jandals John McGlashan College
Sanhedrin Kavanagh College
Fun Time Kavanagh College
Jam Otago Boys High School
Rockquest Promotions Founders and Directors Glenn Common and Pete Rainey said it was now up to the two finalists to make the most of the opportunity Smokefreerockquest offered.
“From here on a degree of professionalism is required, and today’s young bands can rise to this challenge - many already have their own web presence and are even selling their songs online,” Common said. “To be selected for the national finals they have to make a 15 minute video of their own music. That’s going to take commitment, they’ll need to work together as a group and develop other skills that will help turn their creative talent into success.”
[www.smokefreerockquest.co.nz] and the [www.nzmusic.org.nz], with funding from the Ministry of Education, help the regional finalists by partnering them with mentor bands - bands that are a couple of years ahead and have first hand knowledge of the industry from the inside.
There are other opportunities to go in the finalists’ pool by entering the ‘NZ Rockshop Second Chance’ for established bands who feel they missed out due to ‘things going wrong’ on the night. Bands that have done five or more public gigs and have demo recordings of two or more songs, or have won ‘The Smokefree People’s Choice Award’, can also submit a video of 15 minutes of music, to be considered for selection as national finalists.
This means the six national finalists will be selected from a pool of more than 50 videos - made up of first and second place-getters from each of 24 regional finals, plus those from Second Chance or People’s Choice.
The national final will be held this year at the Christchurch Town Hall on Friday September 5, with a 20 year commemorative concert featuring past [www.smokefreerockquest.co.nz] successes to be held the following night. Prizes at the national final include musical equipment from NZ Rockshop to the value of $10,000, and The Edge Airplay Award with NZ On Air where the winning band’s music and video are recorded at York Street Studios with guaranteed airplay. Other awards reinforce the key [www.smokefreerockquest.co.nz] aim of encouraging students to write and perform their own music. Individual prizes are awarded for best lyrics, women’s musicianship and the best song. A scholarship to the Tai Poutini contemporary music course is awarded for musicianship, along with selected bands being matched with past successes in a mentoring programme supported by the Music Industry Commission and the Ministry of Education.
The other Otago awards on Saturday night went to:
The Mainz Musicianship Award with the opportunity to be selected for the $4500 Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand Scholarship, announced at the national finals: Angai Fakava, keyboard player from Jam, Otago Boys High School.
The Smokefree award for women’s musicianship with a prize of $150; and the APRA Lyric Writer’s Award judged from lyrics submitted at the heats: Anna Macdonald from Cascade, St Hildas; lyric writer’s awards was for her song Ms Monro.
The Smokefree People’s Choice Award: Solitaire, Bayfield High School
3rd place, winning vouchers from the NZ Rockshops and their suppliers: Fun Time, Kavanagh College
ENDS...
Related artists: TFF, Anna Macdonald, Nadia Reid
