A Wānaka rock band which was able to tour and record its first album with support from last year’s Thrash More competition is encouraging budding musicians to enter this year.

The nation-wide Thrash More competition is open to high school bands and musicians up to age 25 with a $10,000 cash prize for the winner.

Seven thousand dollars will go to the band or artists towards music equipment, an album release or studio recording time, and the remaining $3,000 to the winner’s chosen secondary school or community music facility.

In 2023 Powder Chutes (featuring members Clarke West, Otis Murphy, Henry McConnell and Archie Orbell) won the competition and said it provided a host of opportunities.

“The prize money enabled us to both continue recording our debut album, and to pay something back into the community that’s been such an important part of our journey,” the band said in a statement.

The group used the $3,000 community cash prize to donate a Gibson Les Paul guitar to the Te Kura O Tititea Mt Aspiring College (MAC) music department.

“If you’re in a band, get writing and get involved in this year’s Thrash More,” Powder Chutes said.

The entry period for Thrash More (funded by AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand) began this week and it closes in November, with the winner decided by a yet-to-be-announced top Kiwi band.

“It has been exciting to see Powder Chutes… continue to grow from strength to strength, this past year,” AJ Hackett Bungy New Zealand co-founder and managing director Henry van Asch said.

He said there had been “overwhelming interest” in the competition last year.

“Based on the entries we received in 2023, there is a fantastic mix of emerging homegrown musicians across New Zealand, and we hope this initiative encourages them to give it a go.”

The month-long music competition is open to bands and musicians aged 13-25, from any music genre. 

Artists can enter the contest by filling out the official entry form via the contest website and uploading a video of their original song to social media, using the hashtag #ThrashMore and tagging @ajhackettbungynz.

PHOTO: Nat Warburton