30 October 2012 - 0 Comments

10 Dunedin high school bands have been busy recording and mixing their original songs for the first ever AMPED Music Project’s recording project.

AMPED Mixtape Volume 1 was recorded at Blue Line Music Studio over a hectic two days and mastered by Daniel Potter.

It’s available for free download from http://ampedmusicproject.bandcamp.com/ with everything from satirical funk music to metal meets the bagpipes. Check out the freshest talent Dunedin has to offer!

The album was released on Saturday 27^th October at the twice yearly music festival Chickstock IV that saw 160 people turn out to watch 13 young bands who have participated in the project.

AMPED is a mentoring programme that holds regular free all-ages, alcohol-free gigs for high school bands and solo acts to perform to their peers. As part of the project students learn how to organise gigs, manage their band, sound engineering, song-writing, DIY recording, performance and about the music industry.

In a new development of the programme we recorded ten of the bands that participated in the project in the first half of 2012. AMPED coordinator, Jess Young, said the album is a testament to their hard work and awesome talent.

“This project aims to remedy the lack of engaging events for young people to attend in Dunedin. AMPED is a great opportunity for young musicians to achieve their goals by GETTING INTO IT, NOT OUT OF IT! The workshops give them a massive head start in the music industry and the gigs are a space to have fun with the focus on the music and rather than drinking alcohol” said coordinator Jess Young.

The recording of the Amped Mixtape was made possible due to a grant by the Bendigo Valley Sports & Charity Foundation. AMPED is a project of the Dunedin Fringe Arts Trust and is sponsored by Alcohol Advisory Council NZ.

Upcoming regional tour to Oamaru and Balclutha

But it doesn’t end there, AMPED is taking our bands on their first tour outside the Dunedin area! First stop is Balclutha on 30 November at The Rosebank Lodge, followed by Oamaru’s Penguin Club on 1 December.

Young said the tour would be a great challenge for the bands and introduces to new situations and audiences. “We will be working with local bands from Balclutha and Oamaru as well as schools and local youth groups. We’re really looking forward to sharing the project with other people.”

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