Every band needs a name and Knickers in a Twist and Rain Dance Maggie are just a couple of inventive titles from from Auckland high school bands entered in this year’s Smokefreerockquest, with heats coming up on Friday and Saturday at the Dorothy Winstone Centre at Auckland Girls’ Grammar.
The Auckland bands are among over two thousand young people who will compete during May and June in 20 regions from Invercargill to Whangarei in New Zealand’s only nationwide, live, all original, youth music competition. Founder and director Glenn Common said the heats provide a supportive atmosphere for bands and solo/duos to perform a song they have written themslves to an audience of their peers, friends and families.
“To perform live on stage is a great boost in confidence – it requires a lot of skils, not just musical ability,” he said. “For a significant number it will be their first live gig, while some may have been working towards this moment for a number of years. Smokefreerockquest is all about the opportunity to perform live rather than just about winning.”
SFRQ founder & director Pete Rainey says Smokefree has been supporting young Kiwis to showcase their passions for music for 27 years:“We’re proud to be part of a change that means smoking really doesn’t have a place in young people’s bands or their world today,” he said. “It’s great to stage an event that recognises that today’s musicians and artists will play a huge role in shaping New Zealand’s future with the goal of Smokefree 2025.”
The Auckland heats are all at the Dorothy Winstone Centre at Auckland Girls’ Grammar, start times for each below. Tickets are $10 at the door, kids under 5 free.
- North Shore bands competing in Friday’s heats, starting at 4pm are:
Obsession Rangitoto College, Kristin School
3-4 Glory Kaipara College
Abandoned Army Rangitoto College
Accidentally On Purpose Kristin School, Long Bay College
Ace Rangitoto College
Bitches in the sand Whangaparaoa College
Chasing the sun Rangitoto College
Dark Handsome Lies Pinehurst School
Denon Kaipara College
Distortion Rangitoto College , Westlake Boys’ HS, Murrays Bay Int
Exposure point Rangitoto College
Fire and Ice Kaipara College, Helensville School
Imagine That Kaipara College
o-Boy! Kaipara College
Reloading Kaipara College
Some form of Mustard Kaipara College
Special Ed. Westlake Boys’ High School
Stoop Kidz Kaipara College
Strattera Hobsonville Point Secondary School
The unknown element Rangitoto College
Tie Fighters Kaipara College
Ultrasound Rangitoto College, Long Bay College
Unknown Kaipara College
Unnamed Kaipara College
Stroodz Kaipara College
White noise Rangitoto College
1023mb Kaipara College
Ashen Rosmini College, Rangitoto Coll, Westlake Boys’ HS
Husk Glenfield Coll, Rototuna Junior HS
Fire Hoes Westlake Boys’ High School
- The Auckland Central bands competing in the heats are on Saturday at 10.30am are:
Bad Apples Western Springs College, Rosmini College
Skwid Green Bay HS, Epsom Girls Grammar, St Kentigern Coll, Diocesan School For Girls
President Diocesan School For Girls
Renegades Diocesan School For Girls
Ivy Diocesan School For Girls
Silvera Lynfield Coll Green Bay HS, Pakuranga Coll, Katikati Coll, Auckland Grammar
Randy’s Treehouse Green Bay High School
Daddy’s Dong Quest Mt Albert Grammar School, Auckland Grammar
Schism Lynfield College
Centuries Avondale College
Daffodils Western Springs College Kristin School
Oath to Azrael Massey High School
Lights out Marist College
Knickers in a twist Selwyn Coll, Sancta Maria Coll, Sacred Heart Coll
Finders keepers ACG Sunderland
Red in the wine Lynfield College
Woody hollow Dilworth School
Pause Clope Green Bay High School
S.P.A.M Massey High School
Strange Familiarity Avondale Coll, Home Schooled, Kingsway School
Elegant Truth Green Bay High School
- The Manukau bands competing on Saturday, May 13 are:
3pm Session
ATAXIA Kings College
The Borderline Ormiston Senior College
Half Time Sancta Maria Coll , Macleans Coll
Doubt It Otahuhu College
Gains Kings College
Shameless ambitions Waiuku College, TKKM o Waiuku
Fleet St Kentigern College
Majesty Alfriston College
The Different 3 Pukekohe High School
RedRocks Waiuku College
Dm7 Ormiston Senior College
Ethereal Waiuku College
The full range Ormiston Senior College
Revival 801 Wesley College
Little Leviathan Pukekohe High School
Profuse St Kentigern College
2120 Pukekohe High School
Pluvia Waiuku College
Identity Crisis Ormiston Senior College
Four Words Waiuku College
Flaxxies St Kentigern College
Sayon Waiuku College
Anti-Social Pukekohe Hill School
6pm Session
Deez Coconuts Manurewa High School
In A Sense James Cook High School
G3JEM Alfriston College
Young Nation Sancta Maria College
Hit Or Miss Pukekohe High School
The Innovation Pukekohe High School
High Voltage Sancta Maria College
Haze St Kentigern College
Spudnic Kings College
Misguided Youth Pukekohe High School
Majesty 8 Alfriston College
The blue drums Botany Downs Secondary College
Drive Pukekohe High School
Blessed Manurewa High School
Mind Over Matter Rosehill College
Minimal silence Howick College
TEEBEESEE St Kentigern College
Adrenaline Manurewa High School
Apparitions Pukekohe High School, Rome, Manurewa High School
Effectively Mangere College
Until War St Kentigern College
3ree Alfriston College
Sound Lounge Lizards Sancta Maria College
Jesse and the Jawlines Alfriston College
The top twelve bands from each heat will be selected to play off at the regional finals. The North Shore final is on Friday June 9, the Auckland final is on Saturday June 10 and the Manukau final is on Friday June 16. Auckland solo-duos will compete on Saturday June 11, and Smokefree Pacifica Beats contenders will have heats on Saturday June 17 and finals on Saturday June 24. All events are at the Dorothy Winstone Centre at AGGS, start times for all finals are 7pm, and tickets are $20 adults and $10 students from NZTix.co.nz
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 includes $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, a $16,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package’ a ‘Decent Exposure’ campaign on The Edge TV, 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 (Australasian Performing Right Association) 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.
