Smokefreerockquest 2010 National Finalists Announced
The search for New Zealand’s next big musical find narrowed today as Smokefreerockquest announced the top eight bands to play off the national final at Hamilton’s Founders Theatre on September 11.
The nationwide contest
this year had 3000 entrants, 23 regional finals, a record 800 bands, with
the eight finalists covering a range of musical genres and a regional spread
across New Zealand.
THE EIGHT FINALISTS
Two Waikato bands feature in the top eight - they are Dinosaur Goes Rawr
(DGR) and The Good Fun. They’ll play off for the national title against
Custard Bear from Canterbury, the Peasants of Eden from Nelson, Te Paamu
from Otaki, two Auckland singer songwriters, Kriston Batistich and Massad
Barakat-Devine, and Bay of Plenty four piece Malcolm Jack.
THE SHORTLIST OF THE TOP 22
The eight finalists were selected from a short list of 22 bands that
director Glenn Common says had all reached a very high standard. The others
on shortlist were: A New Era - Bay of Plenty; Chelsey – Otaki; Convicted
Spacemen – Manawatu; DikDarCity - Hawkes Bay; Holy Shark – Northland; Jayme
Fitzgerald – Rotorua; Jordan Skipper – Marlborough; Peachebones –
Canterbury; Saturday Sessions - East Auckland; The Guest – Canterbury; The
Velvet Regime – Wellington; Vice Versa – Wanganui; Mercury Brigade – Wanaka;
Back to the Remedy from Wairarapa.
The judges agreed the quality of the finalists was ‘awesome’.
“The quality of music in this competition just keeps getting better and
better and I can’t wait to see some of these acts on tour,” said Op Shop
drummer Bobby Kennedy.
And Tania Deans from NZ on Air said the final eight made another great line
up for 2010: “It is going to be a great night in Hamilton - I am very
excited about seeing these bands live.”
September 11 is set to be a very big night for Hamilton with guest stars at
the final confirmed as chart topping R&B singer J.Williams, Auckland new
wave music duo Kids of 88 and Dunedin based indie rockers Die!Die!Die!.
Members of Kids of 88 were part of Incursa which won Smokefreerockquest in
2004, while Die!Die!Die! had members in the 2001 winning band, Carriage H.
This is the first of three years that Smokefreerockquest national final will
be held in Hamilton, this year at the Founders Theatre and from 2011 at
Claudelands, New Zealand’s newest purpose-built 5000-seat music arena.
Hamilton sponsorship and events marketing executive Karen Watkins says each
year Hamilton comes even more into its own as a youthful and dynamic city:
“This is an iconic event that has been turning out kiwi music legends for
the past 20 years - we are thrilled to be hosting it in the city for the
next three years, and even more thrilled to have two of our own taking the
stage in this first year.”
Mrs Watkins says to celebrate, Hamilton has something special in store for
fans, who are advised to ‘ keep their eyes peeled next week on our
HamiltonNZ facebook page’.
Prizes for the national winner this year include a NZ On Air new recording
and music video grant worth $10,000, musical gear to the value of $10,000
from NZ Rockshops, recording time at York St Studio, radio promotional
support for a single, the Edge airplay award with the opportunity to be
played on The Edge, video play on youth music channel C4, a place on the NZ
On Air Kiwi Hit Disc, a photo shoot sponsored by Schick and a promotional
package from Myspace New Zealand. There is also the Mainz Scholarship for
outstanding musicianship, The Apra Lyric Award, Lowdown Best Song Award and
the Smokefree Women’s Musicianship Award.
“If the national winner makes the most of the opportunity there is almost
certain success in the Kiwi music industry,” Smokefreerockquest director
Glenn Common said. “You just have to look at our track record to see the
influence the event has.”
Tickets to the national final are available from Ticketek or $20 at the
door, and the start time is 7pm.