No cause for pessimism now
The Pessimistic Monkeys should be bursting with optimism now after winning this year’s Battle of the Teen Bands in Kerikeri. The band is made up of Sofia Mikhailiadis (vocals), Tyler-James Ratunigaloa-Edwards (vocals), Hector Danilo (drums), Bevan McKenzie (bass), Cameron Dudley (guitar) and Felix Danilo (guitar).
The Danilo brothers and Sofia Mikhailiadis had previously tasted success in the annual competition, organised by the Be Free music mentoring programme for future rock stars up to the age of 19. Their win this time was perhaps made a little easier by the absence of contenders from Kaitaia, who have traditionally done well but didn’t show this time, possibly thanks to Covid-19 concerns.
The concert was the Turner
Centre’s first major event since the lockdown, level 2 restrictions limiting the audience to 100 people, and requiring the bands and stage crew to remain confined within a separate bubble.
There were just five entries this year, all from the wider Kerikeri area, but the judges, who included musical heavyweights such as bass legend Billy Kristian and singer Makareta Umbers, still had a tough job picking the winners.
Individual awards went to Sofia Mikhailiadis (best vocals), Dillan Blythe Drake (Under Pressure, best lyrics), Kosta Silich (bass, Frotha, best instrumentalist), and Alisha Tahere (vocals, Frotha, best performance).
The People’s Choice award went to the Pessimistic Monkeys, by a narrow margin over overall runnersup Frotha.
Our Band was third overall.