Three college acts secured the right to compete for one of six spots in the national finals in Auckland in September - Mercury Brigade, Saturday night's top-performing band; boar attack boar, which was second; and women's musicianship winner Shilo Gibson, who was also voted the evening's most popular performer by text vote.
This year's regional final attracted 11 entries.
The audience was much smaller than in past years, at about 200, but the young crowd's enthusiasm was undiminished.
Mercury Brigade, comprising Hugh Haworth (15), Tom Sherson (17) and Tom Dickson (16), had the important task of warming up the crowd.
Co-judge Flip Grater said being up first was a difficult slot to be in but the band had "nailed it" against very close competition.
"They just had a really strong package, wonderful vocals, strong musicianships and they had strong songs," she said.
Shilo Gibson had a "unique and strong" style, very good timing, tasteful guitar accompaniment and did not overplay, Ms Grater said.
The Mercury Brigade band mates thought the winners would be their arch-rivals, boar attack boar, featuring the night's overall musicianship award winner Julius Brash, of Mt Aspiring College, on drums.
Winning was a "relief", "surreal" and "epic", they said.
The band got together in March, with Haworth writing lyrics and the trio working together on the music.
Tom Sherson is an experienced campaigner of three rock quests, Dickson has competed in two events and it was the first time for Haworth, who was delighted to win the top lyricist's award for a third song the band submitted to the organisers, but decided not to perform on Saturday night.
Sherson said he loved the rapport with the small crowd and believed more supporters would have come had they not had to pay $20.
Results: 2009 Central Otago regional rock quest winner: Mercury Brigade, Mt Aspiring College (Tom Dickson, Hugh Haworth and Tom Sherson).
Runner-up: boar attack boar, Mt Aspiring College (Benne Schwarz, Rohan Brash, Sam Lee, Julius Brash).
People's Choice: Shilo Gibson, Mt Aspiring College.
Women's Musicianship ($150): Shilo Gibson, Mt Aspiring College.
The Lowdown Best Song Award ($100 cash): The Intergalactic Disco Movement, Wakatipu High School (Matt Milliken, Matiu Gourlay, Connor Williams, Alex Fraser, Josh Baldey).
Apra Lyrics Award: Hugh Haworth, Mercury Brigade, Mt Aspiring College (for "Ballad of the Alternative").
Mainz Musicianship Award: Julius Brash, boar attack boar, Mt Aspiring College (opportunity to be selected for the $4500 Music and Audio Institute of New Zealand Scholarship, announced at the national finals in September).
