2011

MBI School of Rock 2011

The Rock Band programme rocked off the start of the year with auditions being held in the School Library. Nervous students arrived with their backing tracks ready, guitars tuned, vocalists warmed up, ready to rock hard and do their first performance.

We managed to find ourselves with a total of 11 bands this year, and then found we needed to put feelers out for new mentors. Along with Gareth Kendon, Greg Jacobs, Gary Prentice and Greg Pienaar, who have stayed on from last year, we welcome aboard, Dean Rainey and Ryan Wallace, who are all exceptional musicans in their own right. The first gig of the year was a lunchtime gig performed by “Blood Red Skies”, which we found was a good way for performance to happen without the feeling of being too threatening.

The musicians goal for the year is to participate in the Intermediate School Battle of the Bands at the end of the year.

* Nov 5th MBI school hall - North Shore heats
* Dec 1st Bruce Mason Theatre – final covers battle
* Dec 6th Zeal Waitakere – final originals battle

Big gigs will be organized in Term 2 and Term 3 for the bands to gain experience on the big stage and to get performance ready.

2010

All the school bands are entered into the Intermediate Battle of the Bands in term 4. This is a competition aimed to give intermediate students the chance to play on a big stage with top of the line equipment and lighting. The competition consists of a covers (playing other peoples songs) and originals (songs you have written) section and bands can enter either or both.

Auditions for 2011 will take place in Term 1 on the Saturday of week 3. Come along if you want to join the following people as part of the rock band program.

My name is Jack Mahoney and I have accomplished a lot throughout the band program. I have been in Nitrous and participated in the Smoke Free Rock Quest, as well as the Intermediate Battle of the Bands and earned 2nd place in the originals heats. I have also been included in the recording of Nitrous’ new EP, In the Line of Fire. I have improved my skills on the drums in many ways, I am better at keeping the tempo at the right level, I am getting a lot more confident playing in front of large audience’s and I have learned more advanced drum beats/songs, my band. I have gotten on well with everyone in the band, at the start of the year they were just random people in my band but now they are friends. Being in the band has changed my views about my future my dream now is to be in an extremely successful band, and Nitrous helped me to get to where I am now.

Jack Mahoney - Drummer