CokeSmokefreeRockquest National Finals at the Bruce Mason Centre

By FEDERICO MONSALVE

Seeing the pubescent rockers of New Zealand march on to the national finals of the CokeSmokefreeRockquest was the closest thing to Kiwi rock history in the making.

The Saturday event was part teenage nervousness, part determination, and a hell of a lot of wide-eyed, pimple-faced talent.

Forget the groupies and the roadies, these kids were all sharing dressing rooms, stuffing themselves with the complimentary soda pops, and asking for autographs and tips from guest acts Wash and Elemeno-P (when they ventured out of their private dressing room).

The six acts toiled through a melange of music styles that included the glam rock antics of the Checks (Takapuna Grammar), the punk angst of second-placed the Rabble (Orewa College), the clean-cut hip-hop vocal prowess of third-placed Fifth Element (Hornby High School), Grannypash (Sacred Heart Girls), an all-girl Ska band, Mission Gizzard (Dilworth School), playing what they call Nerd rock with undertones of bubblegum punk, and the overall winner, Falter (Mairehau High School).

Some of the highlights of the night included Takapuna Grammars glam rock whiz kids the Checks who, although having been together for only four months, managed to re-create the manic stage presence of the Rolling Stones and mix it with a unique fashion sensibility and melodic compositions.

This year's SmokeFree Pacifica Beats winner, the Spacifix, churned out one of the most hilarious pieces of rock'n'roll theatrics and onstage comedy I have seen for a while.

The large ensemble is part Jackson Five, part disco freaks, with lots of laughter going into the mix.

They are definitely an act to follow.

Judging by the audience's reaction, second-placed the Rabble deserved the award.

The punk-influenced trio spent as much on angst-ridden bursts of musicianship as they did on hair gel and drove the mosh pit into a continuous frenzy.

Winners Falter played a powerful and polished form of harmonic rock. They claim to admire and be influenced by bands such as Foo Fighters and Blind Side.

Although they didn't quite manage to engage the audience as fully as Rabble, their song Falling to Pieces has all the right elements.

They are bound to produce some of the anthems for this generation's indie rock aficionados.

Band leader Simon Hughes says he will try to use the exposure for maximum benefit and hopes to get a chance to jam with Steriogram, or even Pacifier.

Judging by the reactions from the crowd, that dream might become reality for these Christchurch lads.