Tuesday, 13 July 2010
Te Paamu, a motley crew with members from Aotea College, Te Kura Kaupapa o Te Rito and Te Kura-a-iwi o Whakatupuranga Rua Mano, stood out from other bands with their reggae sound at this year's Wellington-Hutt regional Smokefreerockquest finals.
The Otaki-based band, who outrocked the rest at the Wellington Town Hall on July 2, formed as the result of a music programme rooted in Hongoeka Bay.
Year 12 Aotea College student Matariki Styles says the band got together after a series of music workshops for young people at Hongoeka Marae in Plimmerton.
"The cousins from up in Otaki came down for those workshops and they wanted a drummer for their band, so they asked me to join."
The four-piece practise in a shed at his relatives' farm, so they called the band Te Paamu, Maori for "the farm".
"All the gear's up there, and my uncle said we could practise in the shed, so we could make as much noise as we want. We'd just sing to the horses."
Styles says they were confident going into the competition and just wanted to be as unique as possible.
It wasn't only their T-shirts, with a Maori motif designed by their keyboardist, that set them apart from the rest, guitarist Te Whaiao Manga says.
"We're inspired by bands like Katchafire and Nesian Mystik, and our sound was just a bit different from the others on Friday night. We had a bit of energy and we really tried to get the crowd into our music."
Second place went to the Velvet Regime from Naenae College, with Anthony Young from Wellington High School third. He also won the APRA Lyric Writer's Award and the Lowdown Best Song Award for Chasing the Sun.
Chelsey, from Otaki College, won the the People's Choice Award, selected by text votes at the event.
Local bands Garage Six, also from Aotea College, and Moscow Sons, from Tawa College, also made it to the finals.
Te Paamu will now submit a music video in their quest to score one of the eight places in the national final in Hamilton on September 11.
Prizes at the national final include a New Zealand On Air new recording and music video grant worth $10,000, musical equipment to the value of $10,000, recording time at York St Studio, and radio promotional support for a single.
