Over 600 Students Get Together for Rockshop Bandquest 2026
An incredible 617 young musicians from across Tāmaki Makaurau took to the Bruce Mason Centre stage from Monday 17 – Wednesday 26 August for Rockshop Bandquest 2026, celebrating the talent, creativity and confidence of primary and intermediate student performers.
Presented by Rockquest Promotions and the Wright Family Foundation and powered by Rockshop, Bandquest provides young performers the opportunity to share their creativity and help them develop confidence, resilience and teamwork skills while celebrating among whānau, friends and music lovers.
Launched in 2011, Rockshop Bandquest is RQP’s primary and intermediate school pathway to Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Tangata Beats. Participants collaborate with classmates through learning covers or writing originals, and build leadership and goal-setting skills. This year, the programme has attracted more than 350 acts – over 2,500 young people from 184 schools across Aotearoa!
Rockshop’s General Manager of Artist Relations, Sponsorship and Events Hamish Jackson comments;
“Rockshop Bandquest is one of the highlights of the year for us! It’s so awesome seeing young people experience the joy of live performance, often for the very first time, and build lifelong creative skills. Creating these opportunities for the next generation of musicians across Aotearoa is hugely important to us at the Rockshop.”
In Auckland, students from all corners of the region were brought together by their passion for music, performing and creativity. Students received mentoring and support throughout their soundchecks from judges Bella Bavin and Leo Spykerman (Coast Arcade), and many participants said they didn’t even care if it was a competition – they were there to have fun and be with their friends.
Dan Cosgrove, the music teacher at Southwell School, says;
“I think it’s so important to have events like this for young kids as we nurture their talent and they learn stage presence, musicianship. This programme ignites the flame of a love and passion for music. The amount of improvement this band [The Blue Socks] has made since term 1 is out of this world, coming in every week, practicing super hard – not only at school but in their own time – and the performance and outcome tonight is a testament to the work they’ve put in.”
Bandquest is powered by the Rockshop, presented by the Wright Family Foundation, and made possible through the generous support of the Lotteries Board (DIA) and Lion Foundation.
2026 Rockshop Bandquest – Auckland Full Awards List:
Greater Auckland – Day 1
17 August
1st place: The Red House – Northcross Intermediate win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
2nd place: Live Wires – Mahurangi College win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
3rd place: Ferg Jams – Ferguson Intermediate win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
Special Awards:
Original Song Wright-er Award: Blueprint – Northcross Intermediate win $100 Rockshop voucher for their school music department
Star Vocalist Award: The Illusion – Northcross Intermediate
Star Vocalist Award: Moonlit Oceans – Northcross Intermediate
Specialist Instrument Award: Radioactive Punks – Northcross Intermediate
Rockstar Styles Award: Powder Chords – Northcross Intermediate
Killer Guitarist Award: The Illusion – Northcross Intermediate
Rock-Solid Bassist Award: The Cordics – Auckland Normal School
Rocking Drummer Award: Brainless Pigeon – Northcross Intermediate
Outstanding Keyboardist Award: Locked In – Northcross Intermediate
North Shore
18 August
1st place: The Anarchy – Murrays Bay Intermediate win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
2nd place: Nebula – Murrays Bay Intermediate win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
3rd place: Neon Soul – Belmont Intermediate School win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
Special Awards:
Original Song Wright-er Award: Neon Soul – Belmont Intermediate School win $100 Rockshop voucher for their school music department
Star Vocalist Award: Space Invaders – Murrays Bay Intermediate
Star Vocalist Award: Tidal Waves – Glenfield Intermediate
Specialist Instrument Award: Heat Wave – Belmont Intermediate School
Rockstar Styles Award: The Conspiracy – Murrays Bay Intermediate
Killer Guitarist Award: The Anarchy – Murrays Bay Intermediate
Rock-Solid Bassist Award: Nightfall – Murrays Bay Intermediate
Rocking Drummer Award: Mini Mayhem – Belmont Primary
Outstanding Keyboardist Award: Fever Dream – Murrays Bay Intermediate
Greater Auckland – Day 2
19 August
1st place: Vicente and the Unihorns – Northcote Intermediate School win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
2nd place: The Band I Need – Northcote Intermediate School win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
3rd place: Caution – Glen Eden Intermediate School win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
Special Awards:
Star Vocalist Award: Voltage Revival – Northcote Intermediate School
Star Vocalist Award: Frequency – Glen Eden Intermediate School
Specialist Instrument Award: JO – Northcote Intermediate School
Rockstar Styles Award: Panic Attack – Northcote Intermediate School & Horizon – Glen Eden Intermediate
Killer Guitarist Award: Shepherds Pie – Rosmini College & Hypnotic – Glen Eden Intermediate School
Rock-Solid Bassist Award: Crimson Chords – Northcote Intermediate School
Rocking Drummer Award: Groove Theory – Greenmeadows Intermediate & Harmony Divide – Northcote Intermediate School
Outstanding Keyboardist Award: Panic Attack – Northcote Intermediate School
Auckland Central
24 August
1st place: No Way Out – Te Atatu Intermediate win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
2nd place: Electric – Ponsonby Intermediate win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
3rd place: The Elements – Avondale Intermediate win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
Special Awards:
Original Song Wright-er Award: Blue Sand – King’s School win $100 Rockshop voucher for their school music department
Star Vocalist Award: Next Level – ACG Sunderland
Star Vocalist Award: Cadence – Avondale Intermediate
Specialist Instrument Award: The Elements – Avondale Intermediate
Rockstar Styles Award: Spiders – Avondale Intermediate & Velvet Chaos – Waikōwhai Intermediate
Killer Guitarist Award: Volume 11 – Te Atatu Intermediate
Rock-Solid Bassist Award: Chaos 7 – Ponsonby Intermediate
Rocking Drummer Award: Electric – Ponsonby Intermediate
Outstanding Keyboardist Award: The 7 Beats – Churchill Park
Manukau
25 August
1st place: Friday Harmonies – Somerville Intermediate School win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
2nd place: Meps Polyband – Mangere East Primary School win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
3rd place: No Socks – ACG Stranthallan win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
Special Awards:
Original Song Wright-er Award: Splash – Saint Kentigern Boys School win $100 Rockshop voucher for their school music department
Star Vocalist Award: R3LOAD – Manurewa Intermediate School
Star Vocalist Award: Zenturies – Somerville Intermediate School
Specialist Instrument Award: Saving Alex – The Gardens School & R3LOAD – Manurewa Intermediate School
Rockstar Styles Award: Fortress – Saint Kentigern Boys School
Killer Guitarist Award: KEY – ACG Stranthallan
Rock-Solid Bassist Award: MI Experience – Manurewa Intermediate School
Rocking Drummer Award: The Relics – Takanini School
Outstanding Keyboardist Award: MCs Vibez Band – Mangere Central School
Greater Auckland – Day 3
26 August
1st place: U’Rok 378 – Koru School win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
2nd place: Lights out! – Long Bay Primary School win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
3rd place: Kava Caj – Blockhouse Bay Intermediate win $300 of musical equipment from the Rockshop
Special Awards:
Original Song Wright-er Award: Chrome 8 – Holy Cross Catholic School win $100 Rockshop voucher for their school music department
Star Vocalist Award: Lost Property – Takapuna Normal Intermediate
Star Vocalist Award: Sour – Diocesan School For Girls
Specialist Instrument Award: Chroma – Blockhouse Bay Intermediate
Rockstar Styles Award: Bougie Pigeons – Takapuna Normal Intermediate
Killer Guitarist Award: Kava Caj – Blockhouse Bay Intermediate
Rock-Solid Bassist Award: Synthesis – Henderson Intermediate School
Rocking Drummer Award: Urok 56
Outstanding Keyboardist Award: Tīwaiwaka – Balmoral School
