6th September 2008 - Press Release
Hard rock act Beneath The Silence have won the 20th annual national Smokefreerockquest finals. With band members hailing from Cashmere, Rangiora and Kaiapoi High Schools, the Canterbury locals made a stand out home performance last night at the Christchurch Town Hall with a sound reminiscent of Kiwi metal heroes Blindspott and Los Angeles rap metal legends Rage Against The Machine (Pictured: Sophia Di).

Beneath The Silence beat out five other high school bands to receive the coveted prize pack that includes musical equipment from NZ Rock Shops to the value of $10,000, the recording of a single at York Street Studios in Auckland, NZ On Air funding to the value of $10,000, and guaranteed support from the Edge music network for the band's first single.

Second place went to The Slur Tones from Mt. Aspiring College in Wanaka, who also picked up the prize for best song for the psychedelic rock track 'Crazy Lady', and third place getters were New York Minutes from Timaru Boys High School.

Beneath The Silence vocalist Brooke Williamson expressed the band's delighted shock in winning "Words can't describe the feeling. I have so many thoughts. This genre deserves to be here now. We've worked hard this year and tonight we did what we do and did it well."

Event co-founder Glenn Common said : "It's a great result that a metal band has risen to the top just doing what they do as well as they possibly can. And having a female performing in the national winning band is representative of what is happening across the country this year."

The event was judged by an esteemed judging panel include representatives from NZ On Air, C4 Music TV, The Edge Radio Network, IMNZ, local music producers and Elemeno P frontman Dave Gibson: "Ït's the youth, it's the youngness, it's the freshness, it's the future. Yeah!" said Gibson, who's band also performed as halftime entertainment while pop-punk band Goodnight Nurse rounded out the night while the judges made their final decisions.

Co-founder Pete Rainey said: "Tonight was a great way to celebrate 20 years of the competition which continues to give young kids the chance to create their own unique sounds."

The Christchurch Town Hall will hold host tonight to a retro concert to celebrate Smokefreerockquest's 20th anniversary with performances from Evermore, Anika Moa, Elemeno P, Goodnight Nurse, Opshop, Autozamm, Minuit, and Anna Coddington. Tickets are available from the venue and ticketek for $49.

SMOKEFREEROCKQUEST GRAND FINAL WINNERS: Beneath The Silence (Cashmere, Rangiora, Kaiapoi High Schools)
SECOND PLACE: The Slur Tones (Mt. Aspiring College, Wanaka)
THIRD PLACE: New York Minutes (TImaru Boys High School)
ROCKQUEST PROMOTION BEST SONG AWARD: Crazy Lady - The Slur Tones (Mt. Aspiring College, Wanaka)
MAINZ SCHOLARSHIP FOR OUTSTANDING MUSICIANSHIP: Shellita Goldsmith (Gisborne Girls High School)
APRA LYRIC AWARD: Alice Williams (Nelson College For Girls)
SMOKEFREE AWARD FOR WOMAN'S MUSCIANSHIP: Rosanne Burdett (Burnside High School)

For photos, further information and interviews please contact reuben@isaacpromotions.com or 021 367 894.

* * *

Christchurch Band Beneath The Silence Win Rockquest 08!

c/o 3news.co.nz
Canterbury metal band Beneath The Silence have won the 20th annual Smokefree Rockquest.

They beat five other high school bands to win a prize pack which includes $10,000 worth of music gear, recording a single to be played on the Edge radio station and $10,000 in New Zealand On Air funding.

Band members hail from Cashmere, Rangiora and Kaiapoi high schools and singer Brooke Williamson said they had been working hard all year and were ecstatic.

"Words can't describe the feeling. I have so many thoughts."

Event co-founder Glenn Common was pleased to see a metal band leading the way in the national youth music competition.

"It's a great result that a metal band has risen to the top just doing what they do as well as they possibly can. And having a female performing in the national winning band is representative of what is happening across the country this year."

Second place went to The Slur Tones from Mt Aspiring College in Wanaka, who also picked up the prize for best song for the psychedelic rock track, and third place getters were New York Minutes from Timaru Boys' High School.

The national final took place last night in Christchurch and follows months of regional heats.

Previous high profile Rockquest winners include Kora (1991 - under the name Auntie Beatrice), Atlas Woods (1997 - whose members formed The Black Seeds), Evermore (2000), and Carriage H (2001 - whose members formed Die!Die!Die!).

CHART Gig: Tainted Album Release

Beneath The Silence are playing at The Civic, Christchurch on Sunday 19th October with Parkway Drive, Tainted, Sixlip and Habit... see christchurchmusic.org.nz/parkwaydrive-civic

www.myspace.com/beneaththesilencenz