Whanganui duo Why Vibrations only have to wait until Monday to find out if they have made it to the last part of the Smokefreerockquest comp.

Thirty bands have been selected by regional finals for the national secondary school band competition and this will be pared back to five bands and three solos/duo groups by Monday.

The 22 acts that don't make it to the final selection are contenders for the People's Choice award. The winner of that will be the ninth act in the national competition on September 24 in Auckland at the Ray Freedman Centre at Epsom Girls Grammar.

Monday's list will be selected by a panel of judges from the music industry.

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Why Vibrations from Whanganui High School are Te Paerata Tichbon and Michael Peterson. They were classed as a band in the contest, despite being a duo, because Michael played the drums. The two write their own material.

Smokefreerockquest has national winners' prize packages for bands and solo/duo winners that includes $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, a $20,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package' a 'Decent Exposure' campaign on The Edge TV, a photo shoot and branding package from Imaginary Friends.

There is also the MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand) Scholarship for Outstanding Musicianship, the APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award, Smokefree Vocals Award and the Dominate Style Award.

The finalists for Smokefree Pacifica Beats will be announced on August 10, with the national final for that event, also at the Raye Freedman Centre at Epsom Girls Grammar, on Friday September 23.