COMMOTION FAQs

COMMOTION student registration will open in April 2025. Pre-registration is open year round. Pre-registration means you will notified when registration opens and be guaranteed a place at COMMOTION for a month from when registration opens.

COMMOTION students get free entry to the showcase. Everyone else can buy tickets on the showcase page on the website, when these go on sale in June.

COMMOTION is for

• Singers
• Songwriters
• Musicians
• Electronic musicians
• Bedroom producers
• Beatmakers
• DJ's
• Rockquest entrants
• You've always wanted to be in a band but not had the opportunity

You need to be in at least 14 years of age and under 21 years of age at August.

COMMOTION 2023 cost $120 plus ticketing fees. 2025 prices will be set closer to the time but will be similar to 2023. This gives you two full days of workshops and entry to Saturday Showcase evening performance.
If you can't afford this, please contact us as we have a small number of scholarships available thanks to generous sponsors.

80 students plus tutors and crew.

COMMOTION is aimed at aspiring musicians, singers, DJ's and producers. There is no minimum ability level but we expect that you either play an instrument, sing, write songs, DJ, produce music, or have an interest in any of these.
If you have questions about this, please contact us.

A minimum ability level to take part in COMMOTION is basic proficiency in an instrument, singing, and/or songwriting. There is no compulsion to perform, however students are encouraged and supported to perform and aound two thirds of students perform at the showcase in a mix of solo, duo and bands.

We plan to release the final programme 60 days prior to COMMOTION.

Yes, absolutely. Some workshops may require pre-registration and have limits on places. This will be clearly communicated once the programme is finalised. If over-subscribed, places on these workshops will be drawn from a hat.

A common question we’ve been asked is what does this event offer that Rockquest doesn’t? Rockquest and COMMOTION both offer an opportunity to perform on stage, in addition…

1. COMMOTION offers students exposure to a wide range of facilitated workshop content otherwise unavailable, and maybe unaffordable, and the opportunity to try new things.
2. COMMOTION offers all youth attendees the opportunity to work with some well-known role model artist/tutors.
3. COMMOTION helps demystify pathways within the music industry.
4. To enter Rockquest you need to be a singer/songwriter or be in a band. Starting or getting into a band is not easy and we are aware that many youth musicians miss out on the opportunity to be in a band and our goal is that this event will offer an exciting opportunity to these people and will likely build their confidence and encourage future collaboration.

Yes! Whole bands are encouraged to attend COMMOTION.

You can apply to perform your original music (Band or solo-duo) as part of the showcase and indicate this on the registration form. Opportunities to perform are limited by the showcase running length and preference will be given to older/more-experienced performers.

No, there is no compulsion to perform and you can indicate this on the registration form. In previous years, around two thirds of students performed.

This will be a gig with professional sound and lighting for selected COMMOTION students to perform their music as solo/duo/bands or as part of a COMMOTION colab band. The audience will be COMMOTION students, tutors, crew, families, friends and the general public. Check out the video of last year's showcase: https://youtube.com/live/eslDnfQBQ18

Everyone: Daypack with lunch, snacks, waterbottle, notebook and pen, phone for photos and communication.

• Guitar and Bass: Your instrument, tuner or app, any pedals/effects you use and an instrument cable
• Keyboardists: You can bring your keyboard, or use supplied keyboards
• Drummers: Drumsticks
• Singers: Yourself
• Other instruments: Trumpets, violins etc, just bring your instrument
• Beat makers/producers: Bring your computer and a thumb drive and perhaps a bluetooth speaker.
• Everyone: Bring a USB thumb drive in case you create something in a workshop.

Any questions: Just get in touch.

You need to bring your own lunch, snacks and water bottle. There is a dairy over the road and a supermarket 5mins walk away but we recommend you come prepared with your own food because breaks are short 15-30min.

Accommodation and transport to/from COMMOTION is not provided. We hope that you and your family will make a weekend of it in Nelson.

Your gear is your responsibility. It is mostly just COMMOTION students, tutors and crew using the building and we have a designated space to leave bags and instruments while at COMMOTION, supervised by an event staff person. If you wish to leave gear onsite overnight, please check with event crew where to leave it.