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AMB to Host Final Round of Brown Bag Singer-Songwriter Competition on Wednesday

By JAY SALTON

The Brown Bag Original Songwriting Competition will have its final round Wednesday, April 29 at Appalachian Mountain Brewery at 8 p.m. This is the first year the competition has happened in Boone, and has been going on every Wednesday since April 8.

The competition gets its name from the brown bags that are passed around every week for each band that is playing. Participating musicians paid a $3 entry fee to join the competition.11041772_795001527245992_6433808746300639301_n

Depending on how much they are enjoying the performers, audience members are encouraged to put money in the bags. The amount of cash in the bag at the end of the night, in addition to how three judges feel about the music, determines who moves on to the next round. The performers keep the cash that the audience members put in their bag.

For the three qualifying rounds, each artist was allotted a 15-minute set. For the finals, they are given 30 minutes. Performers have been encouraged to perform original material for the event. Though cover songs are allowed, they receive no points from the judges for creativity.

Randy Brown, host of the weekly open mic night for AMB, was inspired to start the competition after competing in one of the same style in Asheville a year and a half ago.

 

“I just decided that it would be really cool to replace the open mic twice a year with a singer-songwriter competition,” said Brown.

The competition has proven popular among performers and audience members, and has already been extended to a twice-a-year event. It will now happen every September, as well as April.

The winner of the final round next week, which features six final contestants total, will receive a $200 cash prize, in addition to any money they make in their brown bag.

Even with the rainy weather of the last few weeks, large crowds have turned out for the weekly events, and AMB expects that to continue. There is no entry fee for audience members.

 

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