The DBA Band Contest
The DBA Band Contest will be on the stage of the Tucson Bluegrass Festival at the
Desert Diamond Casino on
Friday, October 23, 2009 from 7pm to 9 pm. The competition
will be limited to 10 bands and prizes will be awarded to the top three:
1st Prize: $400 2nd Prize: $250 3rd Prize: $100
The
top four bands will also win the opportunity to perform at the festival: 1st Place on
Saturday at 12:15pm; 2nd Place on Sunday
at 12:15pm; 3rd Place on Sunday at 12:35pm; 4th Place on Saturday at 12:35pm. Each band must pay a $30 entry fee and each band member
must have a valid festival wrist band in order to compete. Entry fees
are non-refundable after September 1, 2009.
Registration: Ten
bands will be selected based upon the order in which their completed
registration form and entry fee are received. Any entries received
after the first ten bands
have entered will be placed on a waiting list and entry fees will be returned if not selected.
Performance:Each band will play three selections: a slow vocal song, a fast vocal song,
and an instrumental number, in any order. Each performance
must be at least 9 and not
more than 14 minutes. Talking between songs is allowed and encouraged, since it reflects
a band's rapport
with the audience.To avoid delays in setup, all bands must use a single
vocal mic setup with stage left and right instrument mics provided
by Old Blue Sound.
While the contest is not restricted to any specific style of Bluegrass music, contestants
must perform with acoustic
instruments with the exception of an acoustic electric bass.
No electrically amplified instruments, pickups, or contact mics are allowed
in the contest.
No percussion instruments, such as a snare, shaker or hand held drum are allowed.
Band Members: A band must consist
of at least three members. Songs, material, and
dress must be appropriate for family entertainment. No band member may compete in
more
than one band. Paid festival performers may not enter the contest. Any contestant
appearing under the influence of alcohol or drugs
will not be allowed on stage.
Contest Organization: A representative of each band must report to the band tent at 6:00
pm when the order of performance will be drawn at random. Contestants must be near-stage and ready to perform at their assigned time.
If not present, the band will be
disqualified. Contestants must remain in the stage area until the winners are announced.
If a playoff
is required and a contestant band is not present, the award will go to the
other competitor
Judging: Contestants will be judged
on:
Material Selection (difficulty, taste, authenticity, originality)
Instrumental
Performance (rythm, timing, intonation & expression)
Vocal Performance (intonation
and vocal quality for both leads and harmony)
Stage Presence (audience rapport and entertainment
value)
Length of Performance (less tha 9 min or more than 14 min be penalized)
Decisions by the
judges are final and not negotiable.
Information: Contact David Lanham at (520) 749-0335 or email