Smooth sound wins day

A small yet impressive line-up of local tween bands, and one from out of town, rattled the Napier Intermediate School hall for the inaugural Rockshop Bandquest on Tuesday night.

The event, from the creators of secondary school competition Rockquest, featured seven bands from Napier, Hastings and Wanganui who each performed two songs to the 200-strong crowd.

Founder and director Glenn Common said the Hawke's Bay entrants displayed impressive vocal talents.

"The competition has been consistently strong and I am looking forward to having more original songs as the years go on," he said.

"Throughout rehearsals I noticed excellent groups, very talented and consistently really strong vocalists."

Mr Common also highlighted the inclusion of original songs by a number of the groups.

The seven groups played a range of rock hits, and performed impressive renditions of Amy Winehouse, Avalanche City, Queen, Duffy, Adele, and Guns N'Roses, with Napier Intermediate dominating the entrants and producing winning band, Smooth Groove.

Band members Iris Dunn, 13, Mia Sohnge, 13, and Felix Landon, performed Warwick Avenue by Duffy and an original composition inspired by "music and stuff".

"Our second song we wrote ourselves," Iris said. "Sometimes we make ones up after school that are inspired by music and stuff. We have made up five songs now."

Mia said she hoped the band's win was their first in a long line of competitions.

"We are going to enter Rockquest definitely, and hopefully people will remember our songs so we get famous."

Tuesday's competition was the last of six regional finals, and the grand final will play out online at www.bandquest.co.nz.

RESULTS:

1st - Smooth Groove, Napier Intermediate

2nd - H.I.S. Soundsystem, Hastings Intermediate

3rd - Sweet and Dangerous, Napier Intermediate

Best Original Lyrics - Tamatea Allegro, Tamatea Intermediate

Best Original Song - Smooth Groove, Napier Intermediate