The Smokefreerockquest (Rockquest) is an annual competition between secondary school-age (twelve to nineteen year olds) bands throughout New Zealand.
The first Smokefreerockquest was held in 1988, and was organised by a Christchurch radio station, C93FM, as a local event. The Antony Pickard Band (Antony P is currently fronting the Auckland band 'KICK' included on Keyboards, Ian Gordon, a founder member and current keyboardist with Fat Freddie's Drop). The following year, Glenn Common and Pete Rainey formed Rockquest Promotions and by 1990 it had become a national event, with five regional finals and a national final. In 1991, Smokefree became a major sponsor, and the name was slightly altered to become the Smokefreerockquest.
The event has since grown to have twenty-two regional finals, from Northland to Southland, and has paved the path to mainstream media for bands and artists such as Bic Runga, Zed, Falter and Nesian Mystik, and in 1996, one of the finalists was Brad from Steriogram.
The official website of the Smokefreerockquest is www.theset.co.nz.
Past grand champions include:
1988 - Antony Pickard band
1989 - Outer Control
1990 - De Funk Express`
1991 - Auntie Beatrice
1992 - Exploding Poppies
1993 - Hallucian
1994 - Kate and the Lemon Tree
1995 - Dancing Azians
1996 - Mary Staple
1997 - Atlas Woods
1998 - Handsome Geoffrey
1999 - Son of Spank
2000 - Evermore
2001 - Carriage H
2002 - The Have
2003 - Falter
2004 - Incursa
2005 - The Electric Confectionaires
2006 - Neil Robinson
