Takapuna's sweet young rockers

Haddon Smith (left), Jaisi Sheehan, Rob Fenton and Calum Gunn have been playing together for only three months. Picture / Dean Purcell

An Auckland teenage school band which draws on 60s rock'n'roll and barbershop harmonies has won top billing in the Smokefreerockquest.

The Electric Confectionaires from Takapuna Grammar School won the annual competition held in the Wellington Town Hall on Saturday night.

Its members - Haddon Smith (keyboard), Jaisi Sheehan (lead guitar and vocals), Rob Fenton (drums) and Calum Gunn (bass guitarist) - have been together only about three months.

Calum Gunn said they planned to focus on their music after three of the band finished school this year. "We've already been doing some gigs and have a couple more coming up."

The judges - singer-songwriter Anika Moa, Willy McAlistair from The Edge, Tania Deans from NZ on Air, Matt Headland from Warner Music and music producer Malcolm Wellsford - said the band had charm, stage presence and humour.

Their songwriting and musicianship were described as brilliant and certain to take them to the top.

"The New Zealand music scene needs a quirky band," said Mr Headland.

The Electric Confectionaires take home vouchers for musical equipment to the value of $10,000 from NZ Rock Shops and other suppliers, will get to record a song at York St Studio and air play on The Edge, and will be given a NZ On Air grant to produce a video.

Calum Gunn said the band were surprised to win.

"It may have been that we were relaxed on stage ... We have fun playing and we are honest with our music."

Second place went to another North Shore band, Midnight Youth from Rangitoto College in Mairangi Bay, who also won the Rockquest Promotions Best Song Award, worth $500.

The Legions of Sound from Wanganui High School came third.

The Smokefree Pacifica Beats finals in the Wellington Town Hall on Friday night were won by Az-One from Forest View High School in Tokoroa.

The judges - Anahera Higgins from TVNZ Mai Time, musician and TV presenter Jason Faafoi, Wellington singer Holly Smith and te reo award judge Ruia Aterahama - were impressed with the band's on-stage energy.

"I'm really excited by this generation,"said Jason Faafoi.

"They're so young and so talented, they're meeting the criteria of this competition [using Maori or Pacific language] and they're doing it with impressive musicianship.

"It's good to see them getting the encouragement that this competition provides."

An East Coast band, Koast-Line, from Wairoa College, had been selected as finalists in two events but were disqualified for not remaining smoke-free during the events.

Smokefreerockquest is the biggest nationwide youth event held in New Zealand, attracting audience numbers in excess of 100,000 every year.

Bands like The Datsuns, Anika Moa, Steriogram, Tadpole, the feelers, The Blackseeds, Nesian Mystik, Bic Runga, Fur Patrol, Betchadupa, King Kapisi, The Have and Zed have all competed in the contest during its 17-year history.