8 Plus One and Claudia Jardine are 2011 winners

A soul-reggae band from Aranui High School and a singer-songwriter from Cashmere High School were the winners in the 2011 Canterbury Smokefreerockquest regional finals at Hornby High School over the weekend.

8 Plus One ( Jordan August, Sefo Samuelu, Teina Trill, Manu Vaoga, Uale Peneli, Alex Mosegi, Vai Punivai, Vidette Seumantafa and Caleb Vanilau) were the Saturday night winners.

Singer-songwriter Claudia Jardine tasted success on the Sunday night.

The winner and second placegetter from each night win musical gear from NZ Rockshops and are in the running for one of six national finalist spots in this year’s Smokefreerockquest. As the Christchurch event was delayed due to the earthquakes, the top bands did not have time to submit a DVD. Instead video footage shot at the regional final will be viewed by the judging panel, with the six finalists announced on Monday August 8.

The Christchurch events included performances by all girl band and past Smokefreerockquest winners Ivy Lies. Quest goers also enjoyed the Smokefreerockquest Circus, an expo-style addition to the main stage with workshops, hands-on displays and give-aways.

So who won what?

Results from Saturday August 6

First: 8 Plus One, Aranui High School
Second: Alf Stewart Appreciation Band, Burnside, Cashmere and Riccarton High Schools
Third: Century City, Cashmere High School
Smokefree People’s Choice: The Forster Brothers, Lincoln High School
The Mainz Musicianship Award: Caleb Waiari, guitarist from Alf Stewart Appreciation Band, Riccarton High
APRA Lyric Writer’s Award judged from lyrics submitted at the heats: Isaac Bennet, Phlat 9 Volt, Hagley Community College
Lowdown Best Song: Mirum, Christchurch Boys' High and Cashmere High
Smokefree Award For Women’s Musicianship: Niamh Sutton, singer guitarist, Century City, Cashmere High School

Results from Sunday August 7

First: Claudia Jardine, Cashmere High School
Second: Villain, Shirley Boys' High School
Third: Organectomy Shirley Boys' High School & Hagley Community College
Smokefree People’s Choice: TSOR from Thorrington School
The Mainz Musicianship Award: Adam Hattaway, guitarist from Bikini & Marlon, Unlimited Paenga Tawhiti
APRA Lyric Writer’s Award judged from lyrics submitted at the heats: Alexander Tardi-Zuch, Red Rackham, Oxford Area School
Lowdown Best Song: The Haze, Christchurch Boys' High School and St Andrew's College
Smokefree Award For Women’s Musicianship: Claudia Jardine, Cashmere High School

What happens next?

The two top Canterbury bands from each day go into the final selection process to play at the national final, to be held this year in the new 5000-seat Claudelands Arena in Hamilton on 17 September. The six national finalists are being selected from a pool made up of first and second place-getters from each of the 27 regional finals, where this year’s record 800 entrants played off over winter.

Latest news

In the final national selection process 8 Plus One made the top 20. The six national finalists are Get off the Grass, Rangitoto College North Shore, Auckland; Massad, Sacred Heart College Auckland; A Bit Nigel, Taupo-nui-a-Tia College, Taupo; The Velvet Regime, Naenae College and Hutt Valley High School, Wellington; The Peasants, Garin College, Nelson.

Update: National results announced

Nelson band The Peasants are set for Kiwi music success as the winners of this year’s Smokefreerockquest.

The six top bands played off in Hamilton on Saturday for the country’s biggest youth music prize after being selected from 800 entrants at regional finals held around the country earlier in the year.

Last year’s second place-getters, known then as The Peasants of Eden, had developed their performance and wowed the judges with their tight and mature sound. The Peasants’ band members are Georgia Nott (vocals and percussion), Abbey Phillips (vocals and keyboard), Chris Phillips (drums), Joseph Corban-Banks (bass), Rupert Wockner (rhythm guitar), Holly Tippler (vocals and keyboard) and Clark Hinton (guitar).

Second place went to singer/songwriter Massad from Sacred Heart College in Auckland, and third place went to Attic Sky’s from Whakatane High School whose members are Riley Brightwell (bass player and vocalist), Miles Sutton (guitar) and Ollie Butler (drums).

Four other awards were given out on the night: Alice Alsweiler, guitarist from Fuzz and the Sly Tones from James Hargest High School in Invercargill, won the MAINZ Scholarship for outstanding musicianship; the APRA Lyric Writers Award went to Hanna Olsen from Otamatea High School in Northland; The Velvet Regime took the Lowdown Best Song Award and the Smokefree Women’s Musicianship Award was won by Eden Roberts from Western Springs High School In Auckland.

Stacks of prizes

The prize package is designed as a big helping hand into the music industry. It includes a NZ On Air new recording and music video grant worth $10,000, a place on the NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc, musical gear to the value of $10,000 from NZ Rockshops, recording time at York St Studio, 1000 CDs of the winner’s single produced by Forge Media, and radio and TV play and promotion of the single.

There is also the MAINZ Scholarship for outstanding musicianship, the APRA Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award and the Smokefree Women’s Musicianship Award.

August 2011

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