The Wanaka regional final of the nationwide competition Smokefreerockquest to find the 2009 version of Anika Moa, Evermore or Opshop is being held at the Lake Wanaka Centre from 8pm.
This year, 13 bands or soloists from Wanaka, Queenstown and Alexandra are on the entrants list, down from the 21 entries originally received by organisers.
"What with the school holidays, there has been quite a fall-off between those who put their names forward and those actually now playing on Saturday night," media representative Jacquetta Bell said.
Rockquest director Pete Rainey expected the Lake Wanaka Centre to be "pumping".
"Whether the kids are from remote country schools or big city colleges, they all get a realistic taste of musical success, complete with sound system, full lighting and a mosh pit.
For kids in small towns around New Zealand, Smokefreerockquest is the event of the year.
"Sometimes it is the only live underage music gig in the whole year," Mr Rainey said in a statement.
Two Wanaka finalists and the people's choice winner will go into a selection process, based on their DVDs, from which six regional finalists will be chosen to go to the national final.
The national final will be held at Auckland's Power Station on Saturday, September 19.
Bands confirmed for the Wanaka event are:Mercury Brigade, Shilo, Oracles of Autumn, Dr Roboto, Ladies First, boar attack boar (Mt Aspiring College, Wanaka); Talkback Amp, Your Grandma, NTE, O'Base, Intergalactic Disco Movement (Wakatipu High School, Queenstown); Turban, Shoot The Breeze (Dunstan High School, Alexandra).
