Are you ready to rock?

New Zealand music month may be over, but the music still plays on!
The youth event ‘Rock the South’ will return to Nelson’s Theatre Royal on Friday, June 8, with a music gig for all-ages featuring nine of the regions hottest up-and-coming youth bands.
‘Rock the South’ is produced by young people, who undertake a range of production and event management roles, and put together a strictly alcohol and drug-free event suitable for 14 – 24 year olds.
Regional Smokefreerockquest winners, The Recliners from Nayland College, will be joined by fellow rockquest finalists Waimea College bands Blind Eye, Acoustic Knot and and Shut Up Connor, and Nelson College for Girls band Equinox. The Recliners took out first place on May 18, with Blind Eye coming second and Equinox taking third place in the band section. Blind Eye scored the ZM peoples choice award, voted by text, on the night.
Axel de Maupeolu, team leader of festivals for Nelson City Council, says events like these are very important, “It is more about youth development than entertainment, it’s behind the scenes. This is youth having the opportunity to put together an event, under the supervision of youth-friendly organisations, and learning the whole process from beginning to the clean-up at the end. It’s a positive environment, they learn technical skills, behaviour skills, organisational skills, and they get to see what the events industry looks like.”
Tickets for ‘Rock the South’ are just $5 and are available from Ticket Direct online, or at the Theatre Royal box office. Door sales, $10, may be available but get in early to avoid missing out.