SmokefreeRockquest Celebrates 20 Years

The SmokefreeRockquest is celebrating it’s 20th Birthday this Saturday night in Christchurch with the help of some former winners turned NZ favourites. The line-up includes: Evermore, Opshop, Elemeno P, Anika Moa, Goodnight Nurse, Minuit, Aotuzamm and Anna Coddington.

Can't make it? Now worries,  SmokefreeRockquest are also releasing a compilation album to mark the occasion - Melodies, Moshpits, and Mullets - 20 years of Smokefreerockquest is a double CD featuring the best bands and musicians to compete in Smokefreerockquest over the last two decades. Featuring The Checks, Anika Moa, Evermore, The Datsuns, Weta, Steriogram, Fur Patrol, Sommerset, Brooke Fraser Die Die Die and many more...

Press Release:

It’s going to be a huge weekend for music in Christchurch with some of New Zealand’s top acts coming together to celebrate 20 years of Smokefreerockquest! After packing up the 20th Annual National Final on Friday Sept. 5th at the Christchurch Town Hall, we're straight back into the following night at the same venue with the Smokefreerockquest Retro Show! (Sat Sept. 6th 8pm)

Smokefreerockquest is the biggest and most influential nation-wide youth event held in New Zealand, reaching audience numbers in excess of 100,000 every year. Directors Pete Rainey and Glenn Common who started the event 20 years ago in Christchurch - in the Town Hall - said they’ve had a great response from the bands the event nurtured back in their school days as young musos.

“We are thrilled to have people at the top of their field in the kiwi music industry so willing to take part in this retro concert,” Rainey said. “We’re bringing together just some of the acts that have kicked off their careers with Smokefreerockquest - it’s going to be a great night of music, memories and celebration.”

Musical successes from Smokefreerockquest over its 20-year history include Evermore, Die!Die!Die!, the Datsuns, Brooke Fraser, Anika Moa, Cut off your Hands, Flight of the Conchords, The Electric Confectionaires, Elemeno P, So So Modern, Steriogram, Fat Freddys Drop, Aaradhna, Atlas, The Feelers, The Blackseeds, Nesian Mystic, Bic Runga, The Have, Fur Patrol, Liam Finn, Falter, Pine, King Kapisi, and The Checks.

And...to celebrate their 20th Anniversary, Smokefreerockquest are releasing "Melodies, Moshpits, and Mullets - 20 years of Smokefreerockquest" - A double CD featuring the best bands and musicians to compete in Smokefreerockquest over the last two decades. Featuring The Checks, Anika Moa, Evermore, The Datsuns, Weta, Steriogram, Fur Patrol, Sommerset, Brooke Fraser, Die Die Die and many more...

Just putting it in perspective, in the twenty year history of Smokefreerockquest there have been...
- over 30,000 musicians
· over 10,000 bands entered
· over 300 Regional Finals
· over 15000 new original songs
· over 240,000 people attended Heats and Finals
· total including school shows - who knows

Smokefreerockquest Retro Concert, Celebrating 20 Years...
Tickets $39 with student ID, $49 without
>From Ticketek
8.00pm - 11:30pm