Jul 11 Nelson has got heaps of talent as large numbers make the 2nd round of NZGT

This is not a huge surprise to discover that Nelson and the top of the south really has got a whole lot of talent.
The Toyota Talent Tour rolled through Bowater Toyota in May this year, and we got a sneak peek of some of the talent that was trying out the next day at the New Zealand's Got Talent auditions.
Overall we were blown away by the acts, and made a couple of videos, you can check them out in the links under "you might also like this....." in the menus to the right.

 It was no surprise then for us to read in the Nelson Mail today about the large volume of Nelson act's going through to the second round filmed in front of a live studio audience in Wellington in a couple of weeks time.

As it turns out they were very successful on the whole, as the following article posted on the Nelson Mail website testifies...

"Nelson: You have got talent, and heaps of it."

A total of 12 acts have made it through to the next round of New Zealand's Got Talent heats from the hundreds who turned out for the Nelson open auditions in May.

TVNZ publicist Meredith McGrath said there was no ceiling or minimum number expected from each region – it was a matter of making a good impression.

"If an act was good enough, then it would go through," Ms McGrath said.

She described the event as New Zealand's biggest talent showcase.

All manner of budding entertainers from hip-hop groups, singers, puppeteers, jugglers, dancers, drummers and marching bands queued at the Nelson School of Music on a night in May for their turn to impress the judges at the open auditions. The list of hopefuls, which included people from Marlborough at the Nelson audition ranged in age from 6 to some in their late 40s.

New Zealand pop queen, Suzanne Lynch, of The Chicks, and the show's executive producer, Bettina Hollings, who were judging the singers said they were amazed at the talent in Nelson.

By the time they reached Nelson the show's scouts had witnessed multiple forms of talent the length and breadth of the country, from a "howling dog" in Greymouth to a young man eating a burger while upside-down with his mate holding his feet, and a pole dancer who brought her own collapsible pole, executive producer and talent scout Darryl McEwen said.

"There are always surprises, like the ones you look at and would never imagine they could sing and they erupt into Pavarotti."

Ms McGrath said all contestants were under contract and were unable to speak to the media, or be named which was why she could not release any further details.

The 12 to make it through will appear at the Wellington heats, which will be filmed in front of the judges and a live studio audience on July 21 and 22."

As seen on Nelson Mail's website.