Teen aims high after disappointment

The Smokefreerockquest (SFRQ) has kept a Whangarei 17-year-old's musical dream alive after he missed out on a spot on the X-Factor.

JT Taylor and his Whangarei Boys High School band Wingin' it want to better last year's Smokefreerockquest performance and qualify for the national final.

The band was one of 45 Northland high school bands competing in the regional heats at Forum North on Sunday night. Wingin' it was one of the 11 bands which made it through to the regional final on July 12 at Forum North.

"There was more competition this year. It had a lot more purpose this year," said JT.

Winging It will practise twice during the week and once on the weekend in preparation for the finals.

Despite not getting a spot on the X-Factor as a solo performer, JT says he likes the show. "I'm really impressed with it. It's better than the Australian and USA versions," he said.

But he said Wingin' it wouldn't be entering the X-Factor because it's more for vocalists.

Matt Ealand, SFRQ organiser, said the night was a phenomenal success, with about 700 people in attendance.

"By the end of the day the atmosphere was electric. People were on their feet cheering and screaming," he said.

"There were 45 bands and probably 45 genres. It's a real discovery time in music and I guess we are all at the coal face of seeing it."

SFRQ Founder and Director Glenn Common says the standard of the bands that played on Sunday reflected the increasing sophistication that SFRQ organisers have noted in recent years.

"Over the 25 years we have been running Smokefreerockquest there has been a massive sociological shift for young people."

This year there is a separate category for solo/duos, and the top two solo/duos for Northland, selected at the heats are: Miss Minority Rodney College (Mia-mae Stevens-Taitimu) Summer Ash Kerikeri High School.

At the regional final, first and second place for the solo/duo will be announced, as will the top three places for bands, and a range of other awards from women's musicianship to best song. The top two regional bands and solo/duos will then submit videos that go into the judging pool for selection to play off at the national final in Auckland on September 28.

Heading to the finals

Bands

• 
  Sounds Like Trouble, Tauraroa Area School
• 
  The Monkey Assassins, Rodney College
• 
  Alien Weaponry, Bream Bay College Waipu Primary and Otamatea HS
• 
  The Vybes, Otamatea High School
• 
  Beanie Reef, Kamo High School
• 
  Tidelines, Otamatea High School
• 
  Wingin' it, Whangarei Boys' High School
• 
  Haze, Rodney College
• 
  Myriad Creatures, Kerikeri High School
• 
  Back2Back, Kerikeri High School
• 
  Co-lab, Whangarei Boys' High School

Solo/duos

• 
  Miss Minority, Rodney College (Mia-mae Stevens-Taitimu)
• 
  Summer Ash, Kerikeri High School