Acoustic champion crowned

By Billy Roy

Posted on April 23, 2009, at 12:28 a.m.

Katie Bradley jammed on ukulele, djembe and acoustic guitar to take home a $500 gift certificate to Mark’s Music in Brewer on Tuesday night, the winner of the semester-long acoustic competition. She competed against Solo featuring Rachel Joyce before nearly 70 fans in the main dining room of Memorial Union.

The two competitors were accompanied by many talented University of Maine musicians. Instruments played throughout the night included guitar, bass, saxophone, violin and flute.

The spectators listened intently to Bradley’s fusion of jazz and reggae. Shouts of approval followed a song called “Narcissist,” which Bradley described as a twist on an old Irish jig.

Solo displayed a love for slow, alternative jams focused on strong vocals. The tunes varied in genre, letting audience members each enjoy their preference of music.

The event was sponsored by CAB in an effort to allow music lovers to display their original material, as well as popular cover songs including renditions of the Beatles’ “Come Together” and Tom Petty’s “Free Fallin’.” A panel of four judged the event.

“It’s a rush to play in front of a lot of people,” Bradley said about her reasons for entering the competition. “I love to just get together to play along with friends.”

With an unwavering smile, Bradley wasted no time showing her love for music.

“Playing music brings me a lot of joy,” she said. Cries of excitement from the audience after each song proved that listening to her music brought them the same thrill.

The soft hum between audience members and the dim lighting within the room provided for a chill, relaxing musical experience conducive to the acoustic styles exhibited.

Ambience aside, the show was not lacking in decibels – reverberations filled the dining hall, as well as most of the Union.

People attended not only to support their friends who played but common love for acoustic guitar.

“The reggae Katie played in the beginning was awesome,” said Taylar Donaldson, a first-year student in support of Solo featuring Rachel Joyce. “Her voice was amazing, firing off vocals like it was nothing.”

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