Girl band wins showcase of teen music

29th May 2008 -The Press

Mayor and apparently proficient guitarist Bob Parker opened the Christchurch live music expo and showcase, Chartfest, at the Christchurch Town Hall yesterday with a bit of career advice for the teen audience.

"If I could go back in time and do things again, I wouldn't go into politics I'd be a musician," he said to howls of approval from the local high school students, teachers and parents packed into the James Hay Theatre.

Opshop frontman Jason Kerrison spoke of the need for students to be as dedicated to subjects such as accounting and mathematics as to jamming with their band.

"Dot your is and cross your ts," he said, before performing an acoustic solo version of the group's song One Day, which he said was often referred to as the "NZ Post song".

Kerrison then joined Ben Campbell (Atlas) and Harry Lyon (Hello Sailor/Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand) to judge the winner of the Chart High School Band competition.

The organiser of Chartfest, the Christchurch Music Trust (Chart), has held competition heats over the past two weeks and the three finalists, Funk's Fault of Riccarton High School and Subtle Impression and 3rd Inertia, both of Burnside High School, vied for first place and the opportunity to be the opening act for the live music showcase later in the evening.

"The future of New Zealand music is obviously in safe hands. If the energy of 3rd Inertia could be bottled and sold for $2.50 a litre, we'd all buy some," Lyon said before congratulating the winning all-girl band.

3rd Inertia Rosanne Burdett, Alice Foote, Lucy Foote and Gabby Kerdenelidis were thrilled to win.

Burdett, 17, said the win was "amazing".

"It's something we've all been working towards. All our practise has paid off. It really means a lot to us. Music is my total passion."

For many, it was 14-year-old vocalist Nikki Wolvekamp of second-placed band Subtle Impression who also left a lasting impression.

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