December 14th hailed the GRAND Final of the York Street Studios Acid Test, songwriting and performance competition at the Temple. The 6 finalists battled it out for prize packages worth in excess of $15,000.

And the Winner is... St Lucy
. December 14th hailed the GRAND Final of the York Street Studios Acid Test, songwriting and performance competition at the Temple. The 6 finalists battled it out for prize packages worth in excess of $15,000.

And the Winner is... St Lucy
.
The runners up are...
2nd: Krin
3rd: Somewhere South
4th equal:Monkey Puzzle
Dogs on Prozac
Punga

A capacity crowd came to the Temple for the event, and the room was buzzing with excitement. The final was the result of 17 weeks of preliminary shows, featuring 72 entrants, and a significant amount of work put in by the entrants completing business plans, press kits and being interviewed by a panel of the judges. The final six all put on excellent performances.

The winner, St Lucy says "Aotearoa has a great wealth of creative talent and the York Street Studios Acid Test (And The Temple) are but one platform from which to showcase this. Far too often is local music whored to an industry modeled and directed by trends based on foreign models (oh say can you see...). I feel privileged and special to be counted among the 100s of valid, prolific and determined artists making original music in an increasingly UNoriginal marketplace. Thanks heaps to The Temple, Kings Arms, Bar Bodega, The Arc Cafe, The B-net, local print media and Helen Clark for proving us with places and opportunities to express our truly unique, and defiantly KIWI brand of music and songwriting. Further development and support, through ventures such as this, strengthen our music economy fiscally and culturally leading us ever closer to the realisation of an Independent and successful NEW ZEALAND Music Industry. An industry that some future government will be able to sell to foreign investors for shitloads of money.
xxx Lucy"

The judging panel for the final included industry experts Camille Guzzwell and David Ridler of NZ On Air, Jeremy McPike of York Street Studios, Emma Philpott from NZ Musician Magazine, Phil Taylor and Edward Rooney from Central Leader, Tim Faville - musician/actor/entertainer, Gareth Wallis from Music in Parks, Andrew Szusterman of Channel Z, Fiona Wylens - our "punter" judge and of course Karen q Temple.

Last year's winner Soda, entertained the eagerly awaiting crowd and competing musicians whilst the judging took place.

The impressive prize packages include:
1st Prize - St Lucy
* $5,000 recording and mastering package at the prestigious York Street Studios
www.yorkstreet.co.nz
* Duplication of 500 CDs at SOFTWARE IMAGES - New Zealand's leading replicator of digital media www.softwareimages.co.nz
* Guaranteed airplay on Channel Z www.channelz.co.nz
* An advertisement in NZ Musician Magazine
www.nzmusician.co.nz
* 2 hours of aerial advertising from Airborne Ads
www.aeroplane.co.nz
* Guaranteed airplay from www.vision100.com
* The Index Music Directory www.theindex.co.nz

2nd Prize - Krin
* 20 hours of recording at MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of NZ) www.mainz.ac.nz

* 100 x 4 colour CD-R's in plastic wallets from SOFTWARE IMAGES www.softwareimages.co.nz

* The Index Music Directory www.theindex.co.nz

3rd Prize - Somewhere South
* 20 hours of recording at MAINZ (Music and Audio Institute of NZ)
www.mainz.ac.nz
* 50 x 4 colour CD-R's in plastic wallets from SOFTWARE IMAGES www.softwareimages.co.nz

* The Index Music Directory www.theindex.co.nz

Music in Parks Gigs
*For 3 of the finalists

Pie Mania - Auckland's leading gourmet pie cafe are also proud to be supporting NZ music by providing food for the judges.

For more information please contact Karen q Temple. 09-377-4866. nzmusic@temple.co.nz

St. Lucy is available for comment, photos or interviews on (021) 2623003, (09) 4449449 or (07) 853 5061.