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Wellington band manager/lawyer wins Rhythm & Vines Protege competition

Friday 3 December 2010, 2:58PM

By Switch PR

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WELLINGTON CITY

Wellington band manager and lawyer James Mason has been announced the winner of the R&V Protégé competition.

After impressing the judges with his music and legal experience and knowledge, James (or Mace), 27 and from Te Aro, came tops in the musical festival’s search for the ultimate understudy.

James will now get to work alongside the R&V team at the upcoming Gisborne event and learn the ins and outs of putting on a music festival.

As part of the Artist Liaison team, he will get to work with a number of the 40-odd artists in the line-up, which includes headliners NERD, Justice and Chromeo and local heavyweights Shihad, The Naked and Famous, Hollie Smith and P Money.

James will also get a three-month paid contract to work on next year’s festival. And if all of that wasn’t enough, he receives $3000 in Amazon clothing, Panasonic equipment, and a VIP and backstage access and onsite camping for himself and five friends.

A total of 76 entrants submitted video entries with the Top Six finalists being flown to Auckland for indepth job interviews, Staying at the Quadrant Hotel, they also attended the Vodafone Music Awards and took part in challenges with R&V’s media partners MTV and ZM.

Special mention also goes to Matt (Flash) Gordon from Auckland and Diaz Clarke from Cambridge who made it to the Top Three announced last week. Matt also had the public vote, winning the ZM People’s Choice Award. Both Matt and Diaz win festival tickets and onsite camping for themselves and five friends.

R&V Program Director Hamish Pinkham said choosing a winner was no easy task as the judges felt all the finalists were not only talented but great people.

“We’re hoping all six will continue on as R&V ambassadors and be involved in the festival in some capacity. Leo looks set to manage the beach stage at BW Campgrounds’ festival, Matt and Sven will help the Media Liaison Team, and Breiana will work with the Sponsorship Team.”

Big thanks to all those involved in making the competition a success: R&V partners grabaseat, Amazon Surf Stores, Panasonic, ZM and MTV, plus Trademe, the Quadrant Hotel and Student Job Search.

For more information, go to:

www.behindthevines.co.nz

www.rhythmandvines.co.nz

www.facebook.com/rhythm.vines