It was the 10th anniversary of the event so fittingly the six banks—including Pegasus and The Job Numbers from ColensoBBDO, The Strands from Saatchi & Saatchi, Friends Electric from Barnes, Catmur and Friends Dentsu, Kurt Cocaine & the 27 Club from DDB, Still Serenading Shirley from FCB and Fish TACO from Flying Fish—performed songs from the different decades.
However, there could only be one crowned champion and it was Flying Fish that got the audience going to win its first championship title in BOTAB’s history.
This will doubt heal the wounds of last year when they were runner-ups to perennial BOTAB favourites Friends from Barnes, Catmur & Friends Dentsu.
Called Fish Taco, the band from Flying Fish was commended by judges Matt Heath, Jeremy Wells (Radio Hauraki) and Matt Headland (NZME) for having a tight set and ambitious vocals.
- Performer of the night Saatchi’s Kris Green shares the stage with Matt Heath and Matt Headland.
- Last year’s winner Barnes, Catmur & Friends Dentsu returned to put on another big performance.
- Daniel Barnes gave the impression that he’d done this before.
- Colenso’s crew again took to stage and didn’t hold back.
- DDB was all about the big ’80s hair.
- FCB entertains the crowd in a packed Kings Arms.
- Fish claims victory at this year’s event.
- Jeremy Well, Matt Heath and Matt Headland prepare to announce the winner.
- MC Tim Batt finds an alternative use for the script.
The judges said that they nailed the whole thing and this was evident in how badly the crowd wanted seconds – their encore performance confirmed their win.
For their efforts the band received:
- A production run of their own designed ice cream flavour from Much Moore Ice Cream
- A Music Video recorded by Franklin Rd and produced by Fish&Clips
- A day’s online post production at MandyVFX
- A $500 Lunch at Prego
- A carefully curated gift hamper
- The coveted BOTAB trophy
Also a winner on the night was Saatchi & Saatchi’s Kristine Green delivered an unparalleled audience. She took the title of Best Performer and a travel voucher to the value of $1000 thanks to Fortis Travel.
Supporting BOTAB 2017 was again the New Zealand Music Foundation and funds raised through collections on the night and the sausage sizzle will go towards helping tens of thousands of Kiwis right across the country every year through music projects that change the lives of people in need.