The venerable Smokefree Rockquest 2022 celebrated the high school music competition’s 35th anniversary with a very welcome live national final (as well as the Smokefree Tangata Beats final) at Q Theatre in Tāmaki Makaurau central over the weekend of September 23/24.
With lots of saxophones and something for most tastes among the 10 finalist acts, Smoked Paprika from Hillcrest High School in Hamilton were named the winning band, while first place in the Solo-duo category went to Zac And Maddison who are pupils from Garin College and Waimea College in Nelson.
The line-up of Smoked Paprika is Ephraim Frame (lead guitar), Ollie Neil (rhythm guitar, saxophone, vocals), Arlo Oliver (Keyboard, Synthesizer), Josh Hogarty (drums), and Sage Garrett (bass). With two excellent musicians in Zac Griffith on guitar plus vocals and Maddison Connor on keys and vocals, Zac And Maddison won their category ahead of second-place-getters Grace & Leigh, representing Albany Senior High and Kristin School on Auckland’s North Shore.
Although pipped for a first place prize, it was a great weekend for Stay In It from Palmerston North Girls High School who took second place in the band category and also won the Best Song award which includes having a song professionally recorded and $5000 in musical equipment. Adding to that success Stay In It also placed second in the Smokefree Tangata Beats staged the night before. The Manawatū band’s line-up is Rhema Brown (guitar, sax, lead vocals), Victoria Brown (drums, vocals), Roseta Leau (keys, vocals), and Natasha Vilivili (bass, keys, vocals).
Sounds Of La Salle, from De La Salle College in South Auckland won the Smokefree Tangata Beats final, praised by judges for their stage presence and performance. Their line-up is Sebastian Nisa (guitar), Joshua Alo (vocals), Ioane Pasikala (bass), Fonteyn Olofai (keys), Psalms Vaotuua (drums) and Faingia Fo (vocals). Ioane Pasikala also picked up the Musicianship Award.
