KATE CASEY Nova106.9 Music Director and ROCK SCHOOL’s judge spends some time with RAVE MAGAZINE

RAVE MAGAZINE: There is a current resurgence in Band Competitions lately – do you think this is indicative of the strength and diversity of local music?

KATE CASEY: I think the number and quality of bands entering these competitions is indicative of the strength of the local music scene in Brisbane. The Rock School competition run by Nova 106.9 is no exception - this year we received an unprecedented number of entries and the standard of artists has never been higher.

RM: How do you see an event like Rock School benefiting those in High School or Primary School bands?
KC: Rock School is the only band competition for high school students run on Brisbane radio. It gives primary and high school bands a unique opportunity to attract mainstream attention and commercial radio play for the duration of the competition. Giving these bands the opportunity to perform alongside a major artist like Faker and to a large crowd is also an incredible opportunity for up and coming student bands. The chance to win $5000 in prize money isn’t bad either!
RM: Did you have many Primary School entrants?
KC: Rock School did attract entries from several primary school bands, with some recently announced as competition finalists. It’s just amazing how talented some of these students are and how the sound they produce is beyond their years. We have a primary school band, Blak & Whyt in the Originals Finalist category, who wrote a song about homework which was really cute.
RM: Overall how have you viewed the quality of entrants?
KC: All the judges this year commented on the standard of entries this year being higher than any year previously. I’m sure those who come along to the Nova Live and Loud performances at the Ekka to hear this year’s finalists perform will be impressed.
RM: Have these types of competitions occurred in other NOVA states – like the Sydney Easter Show, or the Royal Melbourne show? If yes, what has been the experiences gained by the winners?
KC: Based on how well Rock School has been received in Brisbane, several other Nova stations in other states are hoping to run similar competitions aimed specifically at school bands in the next 12 months.
RM: Do you see Nova’s commitment to discovering new bands an ongoing one, in terms of identifying youth talent?
KC: Absolutely – Rock School keeps getting bigger each year for Nova 106.9. The challenge for us now is to ensure we can make Rock School better and different each year. We like to keep the competition fresh – which is why we introduced the originals category this year.
Supporting local Brisbane bands has been a focus for Nova 106.9 since the station launched four years ago. We showed our commitment to local music with the introduction of Nova’s popular Unsigned initiative, where Nova 106.9 plays unsigned bands and encourages listeners to buy their music through iTunes. The standard of music we receive for Nova Unsigned is outstanding and our listeners really respond to the chance to support local bands.
Some of the Brisbane bands we’ve played that have supported the headliners at Nova’s Live and Loud stage at the Ekka include Small Mercies, Avalon Drive and Intercooler.
RM: Who are your Top 5 favourite local acts?
KC: My favourite local acts at the moment are The Boat People, Resin Dogs, Kate Miller-Heidke, The Grates and Intercooler.

FAKER & INTERCOOLER play with the Rock School winner at the Ekka on Saturday Aug 16.

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