Bay bands to rock it out

Otumoetai College band 'The French Doors'. Photo/supplied

Bay bands are fine-tuning their instruments and warming up their singing voices ahead of the Smokefreerockquest 2017 regional final in Tauranga tonight.

A total of 12 bands, including three from Bethlehem College and one from Otumoetai College, will perform in the regional final at Totara St Performing Arts Centre on Friday.

The bands competed in heats last month and will now play for first and second place and the opportunity to go into the judging pool for the coveted six spots at the national finals in September.

Bethlehem College bands 3 Quarters, Jovi, and The Good Stuff are three of the 12 bands in the regional final, as well as The French Doors from Otumoetai College.

Year 10 band members of The French Doors, Emily Arden, Sloane McNamara, Grace Finnigan, Jahvis Stantiall and Flynn McLaughlin, said it would be a dream to play in the national finals.

"We are doing it for the experience and exposure and to have a good time," they said.

The Otumoetai College band will play two original songs including Can you feel it written 12 months ago and Waiting written about a month ago.

A song inspired by a girl on a bus won the Bay Smokefreerockquest solo-duo title for 16-year-old Fletcher Oxford from Tauranga Boys' College.

"I have been playing music since I was about 3 and wrote my first song when I was 7," he said.

"My family is quite curious as to where it [the musical talent] came from."

Fletcher described his music as honest and dictated by melody and lyrics.

"When people can relate to the lyrics it makes the song more memorable."

His winning song was called Down the Line.

Smokefreerockquest founder and director Pete Rainey said at this level some entrants were already demonstrating the standout factor that would see them achieve music career success.

"It is fascinating for us to look back at success stories like Kimbra, Evermore and Broods where we could see the star factor right back at the regional level."

Fletcher Oxford. Photo/supplied

Finalists

Bands joining Bethlehem College and Otumoetai College include Katikati College, Rotorua Boys' High School, Western Heights High School, Taupo-nui-a-Tia College, Whakatane High School, and TKKM o Huiarau.

They are joined by Tauranga Boys' College's Fletcher Oxford, Samantha McCutchan from Taupo-nui-a-Tia College and Paras from Bethlehem College who were the top solo/duos for the Bay at last month's heats.