No gimmicks, no electronics, and no BS. Just pure, bare bones, heart and soul straight out of the Indiana local music scene.
And nothing could be finer.
For the 7th time, the Acoustic Live Challenge kicked things off from its new home, 274 Sky Bar in Downtown Indianapolis. Over the next 11 weeks, some of the best that the scene has to offer will take the stage and show us what they’ve got.
Before we get too far into it, here are the rules:
Each band will perform for 25 minutes in front of their fans, their peers, and a panel of judges keeping an eye on their every move. The catch? You can only perform acoustic, which means no electric instruments; no drum kits; no more than 3 people can be on stage at a time; and you can only perform original music, meaning no cover songs. At the end of the night, those in attendance will vote for who they want to see move on, with a 60/40 split between fan and judge points. The top 2 performers from the evening will earn a spot in the semi-finals in July, where they will ultimate compete for a chance to become this year’s champion.
Good? Good, now let’s move on.
There’s a feeling of anticipation going on throughout the 3-story building. The crew from Real Scene TV is even here to capture it all for a future broadcast. While they conduct interviews, there are a few pleasantries being exchanged amongst performers. Hey, these things also come with a sense of unity.
As the clock ticks closer to 8:00 p.m., it looks like they’re just about ready to go.
There are a few technical difficulties at the beginning of the night thanks to going completely wireless for the first time in the contest’s history. The issue is eventually resolved, and for the first time in 3 years, our host Rob Snodgrass welcomes everyone before introducing our first act.
Paul Stout is the first to take the stage, bringing his own blend of country all the way from Kokomo. From someone who doesn’t usually listen to country, I was very impressed with what he brought to the table. His very rich, bold guitar matched his voice perfectly, which was very clear and concise. Plus, his very personable demeanor just added to his overall charm. As with most opening acts, things started out a little stiff, but eventually he loosened up. He was into it, he dedicated a song to someone in the crowd, and he definitely charmed more than a handful of people, including those sitting behind the judges’ table. It might not have been anything groundbreaking, but he does what he does well and doesn’t force anything or try to jam too much into a performance, a common occurrence during competitions like this. Overall, a nice way to kick things off.
A brief intermission while we set up for the next act. Some walk over to the bar for a drink, while others run to a TV so they can find out the score for the Pacers game. The time actually passes by pretty quickly. It’s amazing what happens when you take away the theatrics and gimmicks. This is all bare bones, and it is lovely.
Jeff Kelly is our next performer, bring a more chill vibe to the room (no pun intended if you keep reading). He brought with him a song he wrote about the winter, which immediately brought back terrible memories of being holed up in my home while listening to “Trapped Under Ice” on constant loop…
Anyway, let’s get back to what’s really important.
Like our previous act, he also brings a nice big, bold sound. It’s nothing that reinvents the wheel or goes too far off the acoustic guitar and harmonica-beaten path, but he makes it work. Storytelling is a strength of his to make it a more immerse experience, but time constraints can often make that difficult, as it did tonight. He has a very unique voice, which may have been a little harder to understand when he wasn’t projecting, but other than that, it was another quality performance courtesy of the ALC.
We’ve reached the halfway point (or as midway as you can get on a show with 5 performers), and I’ve uttered my first profanity about basketball when I check the score. We’ll see if there’s a better result by the time I check back again. For now, music!
Austin Beliles is next, and for his performance, he plays a very diverse set, from something upbeat and fun to something more easy-going. In short, no two songs are alike, and that’s a good thing, especially in a competition where you have to be able to separate yourself from the rest of the pack. As far as personality, he seemed to stick to the script and may have even rushed through parts just to get as much as he could into the brief 25-minute set time. Of course, there’s not much you can do about that part. Overall, he’s clear, he’s confident, and certainly looks comfortable on stage.
We’ve had three soloists so far, which means it’s time to shake things up a little, right? For act #4, we have Ghosts of Kin, a rock duo that by the looks of it has a very loyal following (we’ll get to that more later). Many participants think of innovative ways to make up for the contest’s restrictions, and this group does it with great chemistry, even bigger energy, and a rocking sound that definitely brought down the house (or at least this floor of the building). Sound issues aside, the drum box was a nice touch to add percussion, and Alan Long’s pedals gave his guitar the biggest and most complete sound possible. The downside? They may have been a little too into it, creating a slight imbalance during their songs (a point their fans disagreed with and booed me for saying so…). That point aside, Ghosts of Kin hits the ground running and looks like a serious contender early, and we’re only one week in…
Just one more to go tonight. We’ve been well-represented this evening. Not just in styles (folk, country, rock, etc.), but also in showing us that there is great, original, homegrown talent in this city. I love my job.
Speaking of styles, our last performer brings something that another judge has been waiting for all evening: the blues. That being said, let’s welcome Jason Emery and Weathered Feathers (also referred to as “The Crew,” but that quickly stopped after we learned their actual name).
There were four of them, and per contest rules, there could only be three on stage at a time, which meant a lot of tag team action after every song. Admittedly, I thought it was a little hard to follow at first, but hey, when there are restrictions, you find creative ways to get around it. As for their performance, Emery has a very unique voice, which gives his take on the blues a very raw, gritty sound that anyone can appreciate. He’s blunt, honest, and presents the kind of soul that you want to see from a performer. It may not be big and flashy, but you can’t help but admire what he was able to put together. All in all, a nice way to cap things off this evening.
Now comes the fun part: attendees are now asked to turn in their ballots, making sure to vote for 3 acts of else their ballot doesn’t count. Five acts came, and five acts impressed. Not a bad way at all to kick off this thing. It feels like a very neck-to-neck race to see who’s moving on, and soon, we’ll have our answer.
Rob Snodgrass makes his way back to the stage to thank everyone for coming and supporting their local scene. Then comes the news that everyone wants to hear.
So without further ado, here’s who has earned a spot in the semi-finals:
2.) Jason Emery
1.) Ghosts of Kin
And just like that, the night is over. All of our performers exchange pleasantries, the TV crew packs everything away, and as the celebration is just beginning for our winners, it’s already time to start looking towards next week.
One week down and 10 more to go. If Night 1 is any indicator, we’re in for a great ride. So go ahead, grab your friends, come out to 247 Sky Bar for a few drinks, and enjoy some of the best of what Indy has to offer.
And what’s better than supporting those around you?
See you all next week.