Sign In / Register
Four Mahurangi College boys have their hearts set on a career in music.
Members of Mahurangi College band Southgate are looking to launch a career in music as they continue to play for a spot in Smokefree Rockquest.The band, which only formed three months ago, is made up of drummer Vailala Vaotangi, bassist Alex Brown, guitarist Elijah Morley-Sturm and vocalist Jayme Curtis.
Southgate entered the Northland regionals for Rockquest, a youth music competition, after seeing posters at school and came third, missing out on the next round by one place.
However, they have used their ‘second chance’ option, which involved playing five gigs and sending in the videos to be be assessed. Based on the performances, the judges will determine if they should make the next selection process for the national finals.
“We were pretty bitter that we didn’t make the finals straight away, but not discouraged,” Jayme says.
The first of their five gigs was at the Matakana Pub.
“It was very well received,” Jayme says. “People ended up dancing around us and it’s these shows that have helped us build our support.“
They say band manager Penny Muir has been instrumental in their journey.
The band has more than 200 Facebook followers and more than 50 Youtube subscribers.
Jayme says he has even had one student asking him to sign their shoe.
Even if they don’t win Smokefree Rockquest, which would give them the chance to air a music video on national television, the band has no intentions of slowing down.
“Regardless of whether or not we win, we plan to go into a studio after the competition is over and record a five track EP,” Elijah says.
Competition rules prevent the band from signing with a label until after May next year.
The band says if it did win the competition, it would use the money to buy equipment as they have been borrowing the school’s instruments for performances.
Southgate will find out its fate in the Smokefree Rockquest ‘second chance’ selection process this month.
