Smokefreerockquest Explained

Smokefreerockquest
Sponsor:Smokefree/Auahi Kore
Country:New Zealand
Year:1988

Smokefreerockquest (SFRQ) is an annual music competition for intermediate and high school bands throughout New Zealand.

The first Rockquest was held in 1988, and was organised by Christchurch radio station C93FM as a local event. The following year, school teachers Glenn Common and Pete Rainey formed Rockquest Promotions and by 1990 had made Rockquest a national event, with five regional finals and a national final. In 1991, Smokefree became a major sponsor, and the name became the Smokefreerockquest.[1] Glenn Common and Pete Rainey now run Rockquest Promotions full-time out of Nelson.[2]

Smokefreerockquest reaches audience numbers in excess of 24,000. Its aim is to motivate young musicians to prove their musical ability and to encourage their peers to support original New Zealand music. Initially bands played covers, but very early in the evolution of the event (and running parallel with the evolution of music in New Zealand) there was a shift to original music.

Musical successes from Smokefreerockquest include, Park Rd, There's A Tuesday, Midnight Youth, Opshop, Evermore, Ladyhawke, Minuit, Marina Davis, Jeremy Lawrence, Kids of 88, Die!Die!Die!, Pistol Youth, Bang!Bang!Eche!, Ivy Lies, Cairo Knife Fight, Cut Off Your Hands, Luke Thompson, the Datsuns, Zed, Brooke Fraser, Anika Moa, Anna Coddington, The Electric Confectionaires, Steriogram, Aaradhna, Spacifix, The Phoenix Foundation, The Feelers, The Black Seeds, Nesian Mystik, Bic Runga, The Checks, Julia Deans, Pine, King Kapisi, Kingston, The Fresh Prints, The Naked and Famous, Rival State,[3] Autozamm, Taste Nasa, Kimbra, Elemeno P, Alien Weaponry[4] and Joe's Van.[5]

Competition format

The SFRQ consists of around 40 regional competitions across New Zealand with the top regional bands progressing to the national final.

Each region holds both heats and a regional final. Acts that place first or second in each category (Solo-duo or Band) at their regional event have the opportunity to submit a 12-minute performance video which is judged by a panel of industry professionals. From these video submissions, 10 acts are chosen to compete at the national final. At the national final, the competing bands have 8 minutes to perform on stage before the overall winner is announced.[6]

The regional areas are: Northland, North Shore, Auckland Central, Manukau, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Rotorua, Taranaki, Whanganui, East Coast, Hawkes Bay, Manawatu, Wairarapa, Wellington, Nelson, Marlborough District, Canterbury, West Coast, Timaru, Otago and Southland.[7]

Prize package

The overall national winners (Band and Solo-duo) receive a prizepack which includes the opportunity to record a single, musical gear from NZ Rockshops, a New Music Single grant funded by NZ On Air which allows the act for have a music video created and released professionally, and mentoring with a music industry professional. Second and third placed finishers also receive Rockshop vouchers and the opportunity to record a single.[8] Other awards at regional events include second and third placings, ZM Best Song Award, APRA Lyric Award, ZM People's Choice Award, Musicianship Award, and Best Vocals Award.[9]

Past winners

width=50Yearwidth=180Winnerwidth=200Schoolwidth=100Region
1989Outer ControlHornby High SchoolChristchurch
1990De Funk ExpressHillmorton High SchoolChristchurch
1991Auntie BeatriceWhakatane High SchoolWhakatane
1992Exploding PoppiesWaimea CollegeNelson
1993HallucianSelwyn CollegeAuckland
1994Kate in the Lemon TreeWanganui CollegiateWanganui
1995Dancing AziansKaramu High SchoolHawkes Bay
1996MarystapleAotea CollegeWellington
1997Atlas WoodsWairarapa College/Kuranui CollegeWellington
1998Handsome GeoffreyHamilton Girls' High SchoolWaikato
1999Son of SpankKāpiti College/Tawa CollegeWellington
2000Evermore"Twin Oaks School"[10] Manawatu
2001Carriage HLogan Park High SchoolOtago
2002The HaveWanganui High SchoolWanganui
2003FalterMairehau High SchoolChristchurch
2004IncursaSt Peters CollegeAuckland
2005The Electric ConfectionairesTakapuna Grammar SchoolNorth Shore
2006Neil RobinsonUnlimited Paenga TawhitiChristchurch
2007SolomonRangitoto CollegeNorth Shore
2008Beneath the SilenceCashmere High School/Kaiapoi High School/Rangiora High SchoolChristchurch
2009Jesse SheehanWellington CollegeWellington
2010The Good FunTe Awamutu College & Hamilton Boys' High SchoolWaikato
2011The PeasantsGarin CollegeNelson
2012New VinylNelson CollegeNelson
2013A Bit NigelTaupo-nui-a-Tia College & Rotorua Boys' High SchoolRotorua-Taupo
2014Head ChefWellington High SchoolWellington
2015Joe's Van Tauranga
2016Bream Bay College & Otamatea High SchoolNorthland
2017Minimal SilenceHowick CollegeManukau
2018Mit EldnarManurewa High SchoolManukau
2019Arlo MacHavelock North High SchoolHawkes Bay
2020Red WavAorere College & Marcellin CollegeManukau
2022Smoked PaprikaHillcrest High SchoolWaikato
2023ParkdaleMount Albert Grammar School & Selwyn College, AucklandAuckland Central

Post-event successes

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: History of the Rockquest. TKI.
  2. Web site: SmokeFree Rockquest.
  3. Web site: Twenty five years of Smokefreerockquest. Smokefreerockquest.
  4. News: Smokefreerockquest national finals results 2015. 14 September 2015. Scoop. Scoop. 14 September 2015.
  5. Web site: About SFRQ. Smokefreerockquest.
  6. Web site: How it works - Stages. Smokefreerockquest.
  7. Web site: Region dates. Smokefreerockquest.
  8. Web site: National Prizes. Smokefreerockquest.
  9. Web site: Awards. Smokefreerockquest.
  10. Because Evermore were homeschooled, they made up "Twin Oaks School" as their school name. Web site: Smokefree Rockquest – 20 years young. Get the Skinny from Skinny. Get the Skinny from Skinny. 19 August 2015.
  11. Web site: National Winners '89 – Outer Control.
  12. Web site: National Winners '90 – De Funk Express.
  13. Web site: National Winners '91 – Auntie Beatrice.
  14. [Bic Runga]
  15. Web site: Thinking Room - Anika Moa. muzic.net.nz.
  16. Web site: Anika Moa bio. the Adults.
  17. Web site: National Winners '00 – Evermore. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110518073856/http://www.smokefreerockquest.co.nz/history/00. 2011-05-18.
  18. Web site: Evermore Biography. AllMusic. Jason Ankeny.
  19. Web site: Evermore Bio.
  20. Web site: National Winners '01 – Carriage H.
  21. Web site: Die! Die! Die!. Sputnik Music.
  22. Web site: National Winners '04 – Incursa.
  23. Web site: Kids Of 88 - More than Quick Thrills and Sugar Pills. NZ Musician. Lydia Jenkin. 2010.