In the limelight

Willie Cassidy on bagpipes and Dion Palmer on the drum opened the concert. Photo by Henrietta Kjaer

Brass players (from left) Ryan McQuaig, Ryan Western, Tom Gray, Andrew Bennington, George Bellami and Danielle Voschezang backstage before they joined the rest of the jazz group Best Served Chilled on stage.

Guitarists George Hartshorn and Jacob Sheehy (right) worked the crowd as part of the band the Fletcherz, which also includes drummer Damon Spijkerbosch and vocalist and bass player Sam Maxwell.

Southland singer-songwriter Annah Mac gave the audience to a treat by performing her forthcoming single, Baby Don't Change, before an audience for the first time.

Eighteen bands and soloists from Wakatipu High School took to the stage at Queenstown's Memorial Hall on Friday evening for the Big Break 2010 showcase concert.

Arranged by Rockformation, it was staged to give young Wakatipu musicians stage exposure ahead of their performances at the Winter Festival's Mardi Gras and the Smokefreerockquest competition.

Guest artist Annah Mac, a Southland singer-songwriter due to release her first album through Sony this year, performed an acoustic set during the concert. She also held a workshop for more than 60 Wakatipu High School music pupils before their performances.

"It has been great to meet the young Queenstown performers. There is a lot of talent here, and it is wonderful to be able to give something back through sharing my own experience," she said.

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