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The votes are in – the winning acts have been decided. Tuesday night was the fourth and final qualifying round of The Project, allowing two more acts through to the final eight of the University of Maine’s acoustic talent contest.
Receiving 15 minutes each and rated by a panel of Campus Activities Board judges on their originality, musical sound, audience reaction and stage presence, Tuesday was the last opportunity for a music act to enter the competition.
First up was duo Ryan Kohler and Corey Ellis, both playing guitar. Their folk-style set was largely instrumental, but some limited vocals did appear in a couple of songs. They performed mainly arpeggio pieces with well-synchronized fingerpicking and varied tempos. The light-hearted duo was clearly enjoying the show, ending with an original track about life as a snail.
Morgan Donnelly took the stage next and gave a soulful performance with her guitar, radiating a bittersweet tone. Although not always pitch perfect, Donnelly had a sugar-sweet voice with an impressive range, and power was accessible at her fingertips. She sang a couple of cover songs, including a great rendition of “The Blower’s Daughter” by Damien Rice, and also performed some creative pieces, such as her imaginative closing song about “Alice in Wonderland.”
Next, Jon Bailey captivated the audience with his voice and guitar. He performed three songs, one of which was his own still-untitled piece. The remaining two were combination cover pieces, ending with his own take on Elliott Smith’s “Say Yes.” Bailey demonstrated real presence on stage with his engaging and distinct vocas and he received a great reaction from the busy crowd. Easily meeting the criteria, Bailey won himself a place in the final lineup.
The night finished with a lively performance from The Choice Professionals, composed of Nicholas Mathers and Karl Varian on guitar and trumpet, respectively. Bursting with originality, the duo sang a fun set of rock songs that stretched from frantic punk tracks to slower Tenacious D-style comedy songs about Lindsey Lohan. Impressive trumpet work laced solid guitar and strong vocals, and this experienced act glided through to the semi-finals.
Jon Bailey and The Choice Professionals now join the ranks of The Project’s successful contestants from the past few weeks. There are now eight acts competing in the semi-final on April 10. Tuesday’s qualifiers join Joshua Hiatt, “Johnny Rainfield,” Carl Hansen and Zac MacIntyre, duo Roland Albee and Jeff Halloy, Sons of David, Geoffrey deBree and Jonah Bruce, Katie Bradley and ensemble and Miles Hansen in the semi-final lineup. The battle for the final begins at 8 p.m. on Tuesday April 10 in the Main Dining Room of Memorial Union. This Tuesday, Java Jive will present the Mr. Fraternity Pageant, brought to you by Alpha Omicron Pi.
Bangor Daily News