Energy on stage secures quest final - May 2015
Wanganui High School group Contraband wowed the Smokefreerockquest judges with their performance at the regional final for the second year running.
Lead singer Te Paerata Tichbon said the band knew what to expect after last year’s success and it gave them more confidence.
“I think we ‘felt’ our songs more this time around and our energy on stage put us out front and we were feeding off the crowd.”
The band’s drummer Mitchell Brett-Atkins caught the judge’s attention by replacing one of his drumsticks with a kitchen whisk to produce a different sort of percussive sound.
“Our sound is alternative with a touch of funk but on the night we were wanting to demonstrate our diversity so we were verging on a jazzy sound at times.”
The final is usually held at the Wanganui Opera House which is currently undergoing earthquake strengthening work so the event was moved to Wanganui High School Hall which Contraband said suited them fine.
“It is better to play to an audience that is on their feet and dancing than playing to people who are sitting down.
“We really fed off the audience energy and I’m sure that enhanced our performance as well,” said Te Paerata.
The band members are year 12 and 13 students and their lineup has not changed since they formed two years ago.
Te Paerata and Mitchell are joined by guitarist Amaan Merchant, bass player Finn Brown and keyboard player Ryan Peralta.
Songwriting is a joint effort, the lads say, with each musician adding their own signature flourishes and Te Paerata is the main lyricist.
The songs that won them first place were and the latter being a “softer kind of alternative song” intended to demonstrate their versatility.
“We will be putting our video together to submit for the national Smokefreerockquest final and we will add the songs we played last weekend as well as two others — we need to supply 15 minutes of footage,” the band members said.
Most of the band members said they are not following the X-factor on TV but drummer Mitchell said he is enjoying watching the progress of Brendan Thomas and the Vibes.
“They are the best thing on that show and it is very encouraging to see that they are still in the competition.”
Other Wanganui High School performers also excelled at the regional final — female band P90s, made up of WHS and Nga Tawa students, scored second place in the band section and WHS Screams of Insanity came third.
The Smokefree award for women’s musicianship went to drummer Stephanie Lockwood of WHS band What They Said, while the band’s vocalist, Aidan Voice, won the Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand musicianship award.
Jack Southee came second in the solo/duo category with City College’s Madison Eades coming first and the Lowdown Best Song award went to Rangitikei College duo Tia and Brylee.