From Auckland to Dunedin, students are ready to take the stage with over 200 school bands lined up for this year's Rockshop Bandquest, the nationwide music contest for intermediate and primary students.

Rockshop Bandquest is run by Rockquest Promotions, the team behind Smokefreerockquest, Smokefree Tangata Beats, and Showquest performing arts competitions.

Founder and director Glenn Common says Rockshop Bandquest is a vehicle to develop musical talent, with 14 live events this year, as well as an online contest for bands from outlying regions.

He says after nine years of running the programme, it was clear the event had a lasting impact experience on the participants.

'Rockshop Bandquest likely to be the first experience these kids have on a full set up, with a light show and professionally mixed sound,” he says.

'They're performing to a live audience of their peers and families, which is both challenging and confidence building.

Rockshop sponsors vouchers for the winners' schools. Spokesman, Hamish Jackson, says supporting young bands and giving them the opportunity to perform is very much a part of the ethos of the company.

Rockshop Bandquest Bay of Plenty is on Thursday, August 15 at Baypark.

13031. start time is 6.30pm and tickets cost $10 at the door.

Bay of Plenty Rockshop Bandquest bands include:

Spoiler Alert

Mount Maunganui Intermediate

Electric Echo

Otumoetai Intermediate

High Octane

Mokoia Intermediate

GreVouS

Greerton Village School

Priority

Mount Maunganui Intermediate

PARANOID

Papamoa College

Relentless

Otumoetai Intermediate

Chocolate Cwossant

Mount Maunganui Intermediate

Reverb

Tauranga Intermediate

High Voltage

Whakatane Intermediate

Hot Mess

Mount Maunganui Intermediate

1st Impressions

Rotorua Intermediate

Overdrive

Tauranga Intermediate

CLaK Clack BaNG

Mount Maunganui Intermediate

Acoustic Vibes

Otumoetai Intermediate

Rockshop Bandquest is for bands of three to ten members, up to and including Year 8, who play one or two songs. There is an award for the best original song to encourage bands to write their own material, but the focus is on performance skills.

This year, over 200 bands from around the country have entered Rockshop Bandquest, performing in events run from August 12 to August 31, with four events in Auckland, one in Hamilton, Tauranga, Gisborne, Hawke Bay, Wellington, Nelson, three events in Christchurch, and one in Dunedin. There is an online national final with results announced on Friday 6 September.