Rockers amp up for the national finals
The best of the greater Waikato’s talent competed in Hamilton recently for a place in the national finals of the Smokefreerockquest.
After a night of high energy on stage in the Clarence Street theatre, top spot in the regional Smokefreerockquest went to Red Nite Sky, a group of Year 10s from St Peter’s in Cambridge.
They will go on, with solo songstress Eden Hapuku, from Fairfield College, to contest the Smokefreerockquest final.
Acoustic, head banging screamo, saxophones, beat boxing and electric all played to the packed out theatre.
“We didn’t think we were going to win because there was so much talent here tonight, “ Red Nite Sky band members said.
An excited Eden Hapuku admitted to being shocked: “It hasn’t really hit me yet”.
Third place went to All of A Kind from Putaruru College.
The top placegetters will send in a video for selection to play in the national final, at Claudelands Arena on September 22.
Girls’ high students, Hayley, 14, Isabella, 14 and Lana, 13, came to Smokefreerockquest for the rock music. Their favourites were The Beautiful Shambles, screamo band, We Need A Name, and winners Red Nite Sky.
National party MP, David Bennett presented the awards to the young performers.
Smokefreerockquest has a prize package that includes musical gear to the value of $10,000 from NZ Rockshops, a NZ On Air new recording and music video grant worth more than $10,000, a place on the NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc, radio promotional support for a single, and video play on youth music channel FOUR.
