There is just one week to go before some of the Bay's finest young musicians battle it out in this year's Smokefreerockquest.
Now in its 26th year, New Zealand's only nationwide, live, all original youth music competition will be putting an expected 3000 young people through regional heats and finals in 24 towns from Invercargill to Kerikeri.
Tauranga contenders for the annual music competition will begin playing at Baycourt Community and Arts Centre on Saturday from 1pm.
Founder and director Glenn Common said for many of the entrants this will be their first time on stage in front of audience.
"When you're in front of an audience you get an immediate response, it's a two way exchange of energy and it's even more personal when you're playing your own songs. Audience reaction may cause some bands to falter but others may play better than they ever thought they could," Common said. "That's the value of what Smokefreerockquest offers - it's a live experience as opposed to putting a video clip up on the internet."
The Bay of Plenty bands performing at the Baycourt Community and Arts Centre on Saturday are:
Sammie Dudley - Mt Maunganui College
Jack Burns - Whangamata Area School
Ben Mollison - Bethlehem College
B - Otumoetai College
Kara and Hope - Otumoetai College
Georgia Lines - Bethlehem College
The Most Popular Girls in School - Aquinas College
Joes Van - Mt Maunganui College
The Young Droogs - Papamoa College, Paeroa College
Liquid Sun - Katikati College, Waihi College
Hello Realism - Mt Maunganui College
Zuhana - Katikati College
Phonics - Otumoetai College
Increase5 - Otumoetai Intermediate
Elusive - Tauranga Boys' College
The top ten bands and two solo/duos are selected at the heats to play off at the Bay of Plenty final at Baycourt on Friday, June 20, tickets $20 from Ticketek. At the regional final the top two solo/duos will play off for first and second place, and both go into judging pool for the national final, along with the top two bands.
The regional events run until July 4, then the top regional bands and solo/duos submit video footage for selection as one of six bands and three solo/duos to play off at the national final at Auckland's Q Theatre on September 27.
More information at sfrq.co.nz or facebook.com/thesfrq.