Nelson band New Vinyl are pumped to be going to the Smokefreerockquest national final.

The Nelson College band have made the top eight and will perform for first place in Hamilton on September 22.

The band members are Ed Palmer (double bass), Alex Farrell-Davey (guitar) and Allister Meffan (accordion).

"We're so pumped. We're just so excited to travel up to Hamilton and show the rest of New Zealand what we can do," said Palmer.

Meffan said in May he would describe the trio's music as "folky jazz" or "jazzy folk", or "folky blues jazz", or something like that. Palmer said it was something people would expect to come out on a vinyl record.

New Vinyl are the only South Island band to make the final, but Palmer said they would do the south proud.

"Don't worry, we're certainly going to make a big effort to represent the South Island and especially Nelson."

Garin College band the Peasants won the competition last year, but Palmer said that was no guarantee of success for New Vinyl.

"They were a completely different band to us. We just don't know what the judges are looking for this year, and the other bands are so good. We're just going have to give it our best shot."

He said the two bands' members had spoken at the Nelson regional final in May, and this had been good. "They had a few secret tips, but they will have to stay secret."

New Vinyl plan to play the two songs that won them the regional final, "and hope that's good enough to win".

- © Fairfax NZ News

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