Two Rotorua bands closer to the big time

Two young Rotorua bands have made the final of the prestigious Smokefreerockquest by beating out more than 600 entrants.

Success in the Kiwi music industry is one step closer for Rotorua Boys' High School and Taupo-nui-a-Tia College band A Bit Nigel, and Western Heights High School and John Paul College band Aftershock after being named as two of the six bands to make the final.

It's the third time in the final for A Bit Nigel, the indie-rock outfit made up of Hamish Nixon (lead vocals, guitar and synth), Sam Marshall (bass, synth) and Manawa Veitayaki (drums and backing vocals).

But it will be the first time for Aftershock, a four-piece metal band made up of Lukas Wharekura (lead vocals, rhythm guitar), Chris Everest (lead guitar), Shaun Loper (bass) and Oliver Prendergast (drums).

There were 654 entries in this year's event, with contenders going forward from 23 regional finals to play off at the national final on September 28.

Judges from the music industry named the top six bands and two solo/duos, selected from DVDs submitted since the regional finals.

Matt Warman, bass player from Kiwi band Midnight Youth, said the Smokefreerockquest finalists demonstrated that music in New Zealand was in a very good place.

"What really excited me was seeing that in spite of all the iPads and iPhones kids are still into the fundamentals of what music is about - guitars, basses, drums and making really good rock 'n' roll."

The two bands will be up against The Moots from Auckland, SundayBest and All of a Kind from the Waikato and AashaWillandCullen from Christchurch.

The solo/duo finalists are Harry Parsons from Cambridge High School and Khona Va'aga-Gray from Manukau.

The national final of Smokefreerockquest is at the Raye Freedman Arts Centre from at 7pm on September 28.

National winners receive a recording and music 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. Thousands of dollars worth of musical equipment will also be won.