One week down, 10 to go, and while last week’s winners anxiously countdown the days until their next performance, it’s time for 5 more to give it a go.
Welcome to Night 2 of the 2014 Acoustic Live Challenge. Like last week, the rules still apply, but just in case you missed it, here’s a quick rundown:
There are 5 performers, and each will get 25 minutes to perform. The catch? No electric instruments and no more than 3 people on stage at a time. From there, they are critiqued by a panel of judges who look at everything, from stage presence all the way down to image. At the end of the night, the crowd and the judges will vote for who they think should move on (there’s a 60/40 split between both parties respectively). The two with the most points by the end of the night will move on to the semi-finals in July.
It’s 8:00 p.m., I’ve met those who will be judging with me for the night, and our first performer looks ready to go. Week 2! Let’s go!
Our host, Rob Snodgrass, welcomes everyone before introducing our first act, a soloist by the name of Chris Burch. For his set, he brings a welcome mix of songs ranging from slower ballad-esque tunes to one that, well, rocks. There’s nothing overly slow and nothing wild and crazy, just a guy who found a great balance. As for his projection, he also seemed to handle his dynamics pretty well, and his unique voice gave his music that little extra something. The downside? His music came with a lot of personality, which wasn’t necessarily shown when the songs were over. It seemed a little rushed in between songs, but maybe that’s a result of time constraints. Either way, it’s a nice way to kick things off.
I don’t know why I’m just now picking up on this, but a competition like this almost lends itself to a country artist. I’ll admit to not being a huge fan, but last week may have changed my thinking a little. Let’s see if this week can do the same.
Clint Zimmerman and Uncle Mike take the stage next. Even after only playing a few bars of their opening song, they have this whole country thing down: the image, the dual guitars, and even the slight twang in his voice all gave his performance the right aesthetic. The harmonica was also a nice touch. As for the two, they have a great chemistry and seemed to play off each other very well. If there was ever any flaw, it was that their guitars didn’t always sync up. One was either half a beat early or late. It never lasted too long, but it was enough to be noticeable. Despite that, they’re fun, they’re eager to perform, and as they put it, they’re just here to have a great time, and in the end, there’s nothing better than that.
It’s a little bit slower night here at 247 Sky Bar. There isn’t a basketball game to keep checking on, so here at the judges’ table, we’re spending our time wisely: by looking up what that drum box is actually called (fun fact: it’s called a cajón). Now that that mystery is solved, let’s get back to the music.
Carey Goodspeed and his band (called “Goodlennon”) is up next, utilizing a guitar, a cajón (See? There was a reason we looked this up), and Carey’s brother to harmonize vocals. Judging by the few in attendance, I’d say they brought the most people. They’re loud, they’re dedicated, and they even take it upon themselves to stand by the stage and dance along. Always great to see at a show.
As for the performance, the only word I could use to describe them is “fun.” All three play off each other very well, the harmonies were great, their dynamics were spot-on, and they just looked like they were having a blast up on stage. Carey has a very playful personality and he definitely lets that shine throughout the performance. They take their craft seriously, but they make sure they don’t take themselves too seriously. Overall, it’s a great blend of enjoyable acoustic rock, as well as a lesson in making sure that you’re at least enjoying what you do.
When you play acoustic, there really isn’t much to fall back on. You can’t rely on things like gimmicks or theatrics. Everything is stripped down, leaving you vulnerable to a lot of things, but on the other side of it, it can really showcase what you can put behind your craft.
Which leads us to act #4 of the evening, a folk-inspired soloist by the name of Steve Feldman.
He may not win any awards for style or production, but what he lacks in those departments he more than makes up for with deep, meaningful songs that harken back to the days when music was all substance. There’s an almost philosophical vibe to the entire performance, and there was a lot of weight behind those words. It might not be the most visually-pleasing performance, but you can’t help but admire that kind of heart and soul.
This is generally a very casual affair, but there is one person I’ve seen walking around dressed to the nines: slacks, button-up shirt, a vest, and a fedora. We later find out here is our final performer. That being said, let’s welcome Daryl McGuire.
He may be dressed up a little more than everyone else, but he brings a very chill/casual vibe to the room. His attitude gave off the impression that he was someone that just wanted to sit back, perform, and have fun with his friends. He’s even sitting in a chair as he performs, but he insists that this is because he’s lazy.
As for his performance, he brings a mixed bag of alt rock and even country-inspired tunes. When singing, it almost sounded like he was barking at everyone with as much as he was putting behind some of his lyrics (it kind of reminded me of “Water’s Edge” by Seven Mary Three). In between, there were moments of mishaps (dropping a pick and Uncle Mike handing him a new one), not knowing which song he wanted to play next, and an instance of going a little off the rails to interact with a few people in the crowd, but overall, he was fun, and he definitely left an impression, which can be key in a night as close as this one…
Five up and five down. Now it’s time to vote. Those who made it out turned in their ballots, while we here at the judges’ table chat amongst each other about what we saw. This was another good night, and voting could go either way. The wait can feel like an eternity, but we’re all finding ways to pass the time. Some have made new friends, others try to network with each other, and the rest maybe go over to the bar for another drink.
Rob Snodgrass has returned to the stage to announce our winners, but not before thanking everyone for their support. After all, none of this is possible without them. Sure, you can have an event with a bunch of artists, but having the support of the people is what keeps things going.
Anyway, let’s announce the results now, shall we? Here is who will be moving on to the semi-finals:
2nd: Clint Zimmerman
1st: Carey Goodspeed
And just like that, the night is over. Musicians exchange pleasantries and start hauling their gear back downstairs (we are on the 3rd floor), the sound crew packs away everything, and the rest of us return to reality…
…but not for long, for in another week, five more acts will get their chance to show why they’re deserving of the 2014 title. We’re just getting started, so go ahead, tune in, unplug, and support those around you.
See you all next week.