National success is within the grasp of alternative-surf band ‘Joe's Van' after the Mount Maunganui College musicians were named this year's Bay of Plenty winners of Smokefreerockquest.

Joe's Van band members Cormac Seymour, Rory Priest and Jake Nicholas. Photo: Alex Hargreaves.

Coming second in New Zealand in Smokefreerockquest last year, the band's first place in the regional heats at Baycourt on Saturday gives band members Rory Priest, Cormac Seymour and Jake Nicholas another shot at making it through to the national final.

Jake says they came up with ‘alternative-surf' as the best way to describe their music.

'Our sound mashes all our favourite stuff together. I think we probably stood out because we were having such a great time, we were making the most our last time in smokefreerockquest and on stage we just feed off each other so much to create the energy.”

Jake says while it would be amazing to win the Smokefreerockquest final, that's not what it's about for ‘Joe's Van'. 'It's about having a good time when we play and any prize is a bonus.”

Jake, the guitarist for ‘Joe's Van' also won the MAINZ musicianship award, with the opportunity to win a $4000 MAINZ scholarship.

Another three piece outfit, progressive-rock band ‘Hogshorts!' from Otumoetai College, took out the second place in the band section. The members are Joshua Woodbine, Liam Buckley and Jack O'Brien.

Sixteen-year-old Ben Mollison from Bethlehem College was placed first in the solo/duo section. Ben plays both acoustic and electric guitar and has been playing music for a long time, but only writing songs for the last 18 months.

'I write about things that really inspire me, like other great musicians or art – one of my songs tonight was inspired by a John Lennon poster and the other one was a tribute to a family friend's mother who passed away,” says Ben.

'Some of her family was in the crowd so it was quite emotional, and you don't hear a lot of young people getting into folk so that was a bit different.”

Singer-songwriter Talia Dalton from Otumoetai College placed second solo/duo, accompanying herself on guitar.

These four acts win musical gear from associate sponsors NZ Rockshops and the opportunity to gain selection for the national final at Auckland's Raye Freedman Centre on Friday, September, 11.

Smokefreerockquest founder and director Glenn Common says there are more bands than ever before reaching the high standard required from national finalists.

'This means that real dedication is required to achieve the ‘stand out quality' that the judges will be looking for.

'They have to capture 15 minutes of their original material on video in a process that demands creativity and musical ability, being able to work together as a group and having good organisational skills. What separates them out is perseverance – industry success seldom happens overnight.”

The full list of awards made on Saturday night was:

Band 1st place: Joe's Van, Mt Maunganui College

Band 2nd place: Hogshorts! Otumoetai College

Solo/Duo 1st place: Ben Mollison from Bethlehem College

Solo/Duo 2nd place: Talia Dalton from Otumoetai College

Band 3^rd place: The Phonics, Otumoetai College

APRA Lyric Award: Ben Mollison from Bethlehem College

Lowdown Best Song: Lily and Samara from Waihi College

Smokefree Award For Women's Musicianship: Sammie Dudley, Mt Maunganui College

People's Choice voted by text: The Lost Gods, Papamoa College

MAINZ musicianship award with the opportunity to win a $4000 MAINZ scholarship: Jacob Nicholas, the guitarist from Joe's Van, Mt Mauganui College

Smokefreerockquest, powered by Rockshop, has national winners' prize packages for bands and the solo/duo winners that include $22,000 in Rockshop vouchers, a $20,000 NZ On Air recording, video and promo package' a ‘Decent Exposure' campaign on FOUR, a photo shoot with Thievery Studio, a branding package from Imaginary Friends and the Unleashed Travel ambassador award – a seven day trip to Fiji.

There is also the MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand) Scholarship for Outstanding Musicianship, the APRA (Australasian Performing Right Association) Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award and the Smokefree Women's Musicianship Award.

The People's Choice award is voted by text with the opportunity to open the Smokefreerockquest national final.

The finalist judging process sees two bands from each of the 24 regional finals submit video footage for selection as one of the six bands to play off in the national final.

Judging is done from a pool of 50-60 bands that also includes Rockshop Second Chance, an opening for established bands (playing regular gigs) who don't feel they played their best on the night.

The top two solo/duos from each region go through the same process, and three of them will go ahead to the national final.