Holy Fingers heads for Rockquest final
Practising hard; Holy Fingers band members from left, Phelan Fuller (bass), Josh van der Waay (lead guitar), Ike Zwanikken (drums) and Willow Milligan (rythym guitar and vocals). Photo: Gerard Hindmarsh.
Golden Bay’s combined high schools band Holy Fingers has made it through to the regional finals of the Nelson and Marlborough Smokefreerockquest.
They were one of 14 bands selected from the 24 that played at the Trafalgar Centre last Saturday night, performing their five-minute long original song, Vines.
It didn’t all go according to plan. During the performance, drummer Ike Zwanikken dropped a stick, lead guitarist Josh van der Waay broke a string, Phelan Fuller’s bass guitar kept cutting out and Willow Milligan’s strap fell off his rhythm guitar, but that didn’t put off the judges, who saw raw talent plus commitment and musical ability. These will be critical strengths when they perform against 14 other bands in front of an expected 3,000-strong crowd and TV cameras at the Nelson-Marlborough finals on Saturday, June 26, again at the Trafalgar Centre. A bus will be organised to take Golden Bay supporters over to the event.
Until then, it’ll be full-on practice for Holy Fingers at their band room next to the Solly’s yard in Takaka.
Lead singer Willow said the band was keen.
“We’ve only played together for the last six months or so. But we are really looking forward to playing in front of that big crowd.”
In August, eight bands or soloists will be selected from throughout the country for the national final.
Gerard Hindmarsh
