Baycourt is set to rock this weekend with more than 30 college bands contesting the Western Bay of Plenty round in the Smokefreerockquest.

This year's format sees all of the Western Bay bands contesting a heat on Saturday afternoon with the top eight from that called back for a concert that night.

Attic Sky's from Whakatane High School, pictured here performing in the 2010 Smokefreerockquest, is back for a second crack at the competition in 2011.

From the top eight, two will be picked to go into the final selection process where they have a chance to play at the national final being held in September.

Event cofounder and director Glenn Common says interest in the event keeps growing with more than 800 entries nationally this year.

'Where else can teenagers get up in public and express in their own language, their innermost thoughts about life?” says Glenn.

'All we do is support them with equipment and expertise and give them a setting that attracts an audience – then it's over to them to make the music and sing the songs.”

The Western Bay heat is at Baycourt Theatre on Saturday, July 2 from 1.30pm, with the top eight bands called back for a final beginning at 8pm.

Last year's national Smokefreerockquest winner, The Good Fun, is the guest band to perform while the judging is done.

The two top Bay of Plenty bands go into the final selection process to play at the national final to be held in the new 5000-seat Claudelands Arena in Hamilton on September 17.

The prize for tha national winner includes a NZ On Air new recording and music video grant worth $10,000, a place on the NZ On Air Kiwi Hit Disc, musical gear to the value of $10,000 from NZ Rockshops, recording time at York St Studio, 1000 CDs of the winner's single produced by Forge Media, and radio and TV play and promotion of the single.

There is also the MAINZ Scholarship for outstanding musicianship, the APRA Lyric Award, the Lowdown Best Song Award and the Smokefree Women's Musicianship Award.

Bay of Plenty entrants:

Distinction Mount Maunganui College

Georgia Lines Bethlehem College

Vexxon Aquinas College

R.P.M Mt Maunganui College, Tauranga Boys' College

Dark Angel's Sister's Te Puke High School

Attic Sky's Whakatane High School

Fracture Katikati College

Jessie&abbie Tauranga Girls' College

Rhian Bethlehem College

Martyr'Dom Mt Maunganui College

Prodigious Whakatane High School

Ayo Katikati College

The Fallen Aquinas College

Naomi Ludlow Bethlehem College

Pendeo Aquinas College, Otumoetai College

Spill Tauranga Boys' College

Claudia Peake Mt Maunganui College

Rag Tag Tauranga Boys' College, Otumoetai College

Eyes Of May Tauranga Boys' College

Crimson skies Bethlehem College

Anna Jones Tauranga Girls' College

Verity Katikati College

Red Nite Sky St Peter's School (Cambridge)

Climbingtrees Mount Maunganui College

Love Storm Mount Maunganui College

Vesuvius Mount Maunganui College

Tessa Davies Mount Maunganui College

Season of Assault Mt Maunganui College

Savage Reservation Aquinas College

Eugene Whangamata Area School

Reform Taupo-nui-a-Tia College

The Plugs Mount Maunganui College