HeadChef serves up winning rockquest performance

HeadChef took out the top youth music award. Photo supplied.

A dub-roots four-piece Wellington band has taken out the top prize at this year's Smokefreerockquest competition.

HeadChef from Wellington High School won the top youth music award at Auckland's Q Theatre last night.

The band was made up of Carlos McQuillan (rhythm guitar and vocals), Leon van Dijk (lead guitar and backing vocals), Dylan Quinn (drums) and Ted Bartley (bass and backing vocals). McQuillan said the group was mentored by Black Seeds member Mike Fabulous.

"That really helped us and we worked and reworked our songs - I think it was their structure and our performance that got us through."

In second place was Joe's Van from Mt Maunganui College, a trio with a six-year history in Smokefreerockquest. They were Cormac Seymour (lead guitar), Rory Priest (drums) and Jake Nicholas (singer and bass).

The solo/duo section winner was Georgia Lines, from Tauranga's Bethlehem College, who also won the Smokefree Women's Musicianship award worth $1000 cash. Lines said she planned to make music her life.

"I want to surround myself with people who can help me. Smokefreerockquest has developed my songwriting - we all bring something to the competition and I guess the judges saw that in me tonight."

Georgia Lines, from Bethlehem College. Photo supplied.

Second place went to was Cam Dawson, a profoundly blind Year 10 student at Manurewa High School. The judges were Jeff Newton (NZ on Air), Damian Daniels (FOUR), Hamish Jackson from NZ Rockshops and new Zealand musicians Anika Moa and Aaron Tokona (Weta, Cairo Knife Fight, AHoriBuzz).

Mr Newton said the overall standard of the six finalist bands was so high he'd have been comfortable with any of them winning.

"HeadChef stood out for the quality of their songwriting, musicianship and performance - they were brave in what they shot for - with harmonies, rap and some surprising elements and complexities that they executed to a very high standard."

Moa described Lines as "absolutely fantastic".

"She was very entertaining, she dressed well, oozed confidence and is a very good songwriter - her songs nailed it."

Smokefreerockquest top prizes:
* HeadChef won $10,000 of musical gear from the NZ Rockshops and their suppliers;
* Georgia Lines won $3000 worth of musical gear;
* HeadChef and Georgia Lines will receive a $10,000 song and video package from NZ On Air, inclusion on the NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc, radio promotional support, and video play on youth music channel FOUR; and
* HeadChef and Georgia Lines also won an all expenses paid, seven day tour to Fiji.

* Second place getter, Joe's Van, from Mt Maunganui College received $5000 worth of musical gear
* Third placed band, Vivid, with members from Diocesan School for Girls and Marist College, won $3000 of musical equipment.

Other awards:
* MAINZ Scholarship for outstanding musicianship worth $4800: Micah Van der Touw, from Keri Keri High School;
* APRA Lyric Award worth $500: Elsie Whelan from Hutt Valley High School;
* Lowdown Best Song Award: Vacant City, with members from Wairarapa College and Rathkeale College;
* The Smokefree Women's Musicianship worth $1000: Georgia Lines; and
* The People's Choice Award: The Oxymorons with members from Gisborne Girls' High School and Green Bay High School.