The 8th season of Asheville’s Brown Bag Songwriting Competition is coming to a close this month after 11-weeks of stiff competition from some of Western North Carolina’s best singer-songwriters.
The event will be hosted at Asheville Music Hall on Sunday, November 23rd and will feature winners from each of the 2014 Brown Bag series semi-finals. Performers will be competing for a $500 cash prize plus studio time in Echo Mountain and Collapseable Studios. Tickets are on sale now for $10 and available at the venue box office as well as online from Brown Paper Tickets at http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/900522. A networking event for musicians and music professional will take place prior to the finals starting at 6 pm.
The Brown Bag, which is modeled after Atlanta’s famed Eddie’s Attic, is Asheville’s premiere songwriting competition. The event provides a platform for local musicians to showcase their talent while supporting Asheville’s burgeoning music community. Over 100 aspiring musicians will have competed in the 2014 Brown Bag’s weekly competitions for a spot in the upcoming finals. Each semi-finalist is selected by a panel of local judges and rated on the composition and performance of their original music.
Prior to the finals event, Asheville Music Professionals (AMP) will host a networking social. AMP provides education, advocacy, connection and collaboration for musicians and music professionals who thrive in the Buncombe County arts scene. The social will be a place for the music community to learn more about AMP’s projects and endeavors. Food and a silent auction will be on hand. A Brown Bag ticket allows entrance to both events.
Local musicians still have two more chances to compete in the Brown Bag semi-finals on Monday, November 10th and Monday, November 17th. Performers are encouraged to sign up early in advance of the event at Asheville Music Hall between 7 pm – 7:30 pm since the list does fill up early.
The current semi-finalists in the Brown Bag Songwriting Competition are:
Round 1 (September 8th) – Dan Shearing
Round 2 (September 15th) – Brittany Ann Trambaugh
Round 3 (September 22nd) – Alex Taylor & Warren Costello
Round 4 (September 29th) – Matt Townsend
Round 5 (October 6th) – Matt Sellars
Round 6 (October 13th) – Utah Green
Round 7 (October 20th) – Living Dog
Round 8 (October 27th) – Endymion is the Moon
Round 9 (November 3rd) – Sven Hoosen
Round 10 (November 10th) – TBD
Round 11 (November 17th) – TBD
The Brown Bag Songwriting Competition attracts local and regional musicians of varying experience levels. Brown Bag is the only competition of its kind in Western North Carolina. In a region full of creativity and musicality, Brown Bag serves as the ground floor for Asheville’s emerging talent. “We are proud to provide a supportive listening environment for original music and elevate the craft of songwriting,” says Jenny Greer-Fares, founder of Brown Bag. “It’s all about original music and the search for variety and individuality.”
Entrants perform two songs each (up to 15 mins total) in front of a panel of judges to compete for the Brown Bag’s weekly prize. Sign ups start at 7:00 pm sharp at Asheville Music Hall. The contest is $3 to enter (non-performers); you will be allowed to play 2 songs or a total of 15 minutes, groups of 3 people or less and NO full bands please. This competition showcases songwriting and musicianship – only original material is allowed!