Tag Archives: Your Big Break Talent Competition

All Types of Kinds Wins 2018 Your Big Break Talent Competition at Gold Coast Arts Center, Long Island

All Types of Kinds, the 2018 “Your Big Break” Talent Competition winner, performing at Gold Coast Arts Center’s Acoustic Café, Great Neck, Long Island © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

All Types of Kinds is the 2018 “Your Big Break” Talent competition winner at the Gold Coast Arts Center’s Acoustic Café, organized by the Gold Coast Arts Center, Love Revolution Org, and the Rick Eberle Agency.

The band was among the top five finalists that also included two other bands – 37 Stripes and Psychopompus – and two singer/songwriters – Kaylee Shahira and Lydia Von Hof – who had won their knockout rounds held earlier this year. They performed in front of a sell-out audience and judges from the music business including producers, radio and television personalities and music business executives.

The competition really does provide a “big break”: as the talent competition winner, All Types of Kinds will have the opportunity to open for national acts at major local venues like The Paramount; recording time at DCITY Studios; a feature on Reverbnation.com; musical equipment from All Music Inc. and ZOOM North America; and public relations and social media campaign, booking and label services consultation with the Rick Eberle Agency.

All Types of Kinds, the 2018 “Your Big Break” Talent Competition winner, with judges and organizers at Gold Coast Arts Center’s Acoustic Café, Great Neck, Long Island © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com
All Types of Kinds, the 2018 “Your Big Break” Talent Competition winner, with judges and organizers at Gold Coast Arts Center’s Acoustic Café, Great Neck, Long Island © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

All Types of Kinds, a New York City-based Alternative band consisting of guitarists Billy Conahan, Ray Rubio, and Rocco Stoker, along with percussionist Berk O, won with their polished precision, sweet harmony, musicianship, artistry, versatility and originality in their smart lyrics. As a group, they have performed from folk to rap and other genres in between, and it all came out in this performance. Their music and shows reflect the band’s diverse background: they all are  singer/songwriters with an extensive repertoire of songs and experience performing in musical theater, stand-up comedy, and as actors. This all comes together in how they engage the audience, giving a very entertaining performance.

Psychopompous, which formed at Great Neck South High School, performing in Finals of “Your Big Break” Talent Competition at Gold Coast Arts Center © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

First formed at Great Neck South High/Middle School in 2010, Psychopompous is the most recent nominal iteration of the musical project formed by singer and guitarist Justin Kelly, percussionist Beni Hahitti, and bassist Maximillian Nero. The three created Psychopompous through a mutual interest primarily in progressive rock, and then expanded into an unending plethora of musical interests that continues to grow at an alarming, and often frustrating rate. Their music has taken notes from progressive rock, heavy metal, alternative, blues, funk, psychedelia, Gregorian chant, Tibetan throat singing, and occasionally whale songs. They have been known in the past for their sincere love of technical music, experimentation, improvisation, and their unbridled willingness to play music nobody wants to hear.

37 Stripes brought out a huge fan club for their performance in the finals of the “Your Big Break” Talent Competition at Gold Coast Arts Center © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

The band 37 Stripes, formed in the fall of 2016, consists of 8th and 9th graders. The members were introduced at the School of Music and Art on Long Island and quickly connected with one another and settled on musical upheaval as an alternative expression. 37 Stripes have been writing their music and playing at festivals and venues around New York City. Band members are Manhasset residents Andrew Hahn, who plays Fender bass, sax, and keyboard; Oscar Cellura on Fender guitars, and keyboard; and percussionist Zach Levine, a resident of Syosset, who plays the drums. The band has played at the renowned “Bitter End” in Greenwich Village and Mulcahy’s in Wantagh, NY. 37 Stripes were also finalists in the Town of Oyster Bay’s Battle of the Bands and the Morgan Park (Glen Cove) Summer Music Festival. They were invited to appear live on Rick Eberle’s “Rising Stars” radio program.

Kaylee Shahira performing in “Your Big Break” Talent Competition at Gold Coast Arts Center © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Kaylee Shahira is a young, passionate indie-pop artist with a killer sound who hails from northwest Indiana. Shahira loves writing about the questions nobody can answer — living with mental illness, personal life philosophies, and the intricacies of being a social animal. Shahira exudes promise as an emerging artist. She performed her original song, “Dime,” which contemplates the notion that a person changes every 10 years.

“Your Big Break” Talent Competition at Gold Coast Arts Center © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Lydia von Hof is a 16-year-old classically trained pianist, singer who ranges from jazz to opera, and, composer, and since her first appearance at Your Big Break, where a judge encouraged her to writer her own song lyrics, has become a passionate singer-songwriter. piano player, and songwriter whose song and performance just won first prize at the Young Performers showcase at the Hard Rock Café in Boston. The Commack High School junior performed as a soloist at Madison Square Garden at a New York Knicks halftime show and is the 2016 winner of Long Island’s Got Talent. Aside from singing pop, jazz, R&B, Broadway, and opera, Lydia has performed classical piano solos at both Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center.  She has been a returning musical guest on PATV’s “The Brick Wall.” She performed four of her own songs – evocative of Adele, who is one of her musical inspirations, along with Michael Jackson.

Budhist Priest bring the audience on a historical musical tour at the Gold Coast Acoustic Café © Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The headliner for the show was Budist Priest, which presented a stunning historical tour of music that went back to the “rock” of its day, in the 1600s, to Johann Pachelbel’s baroque Canon, and to “future”.

Rick Eberle of Rick Eberle Agency, the competition organizer, (center) with judges of Your Big Break Talent Competition: Mark Ambrosino, producer, artist at Sojourn Records; Jerry Lembo, artist manager, radio promotion;; David Caggiano – producer, artist and Guy Brogna – promoter, artist at All Music Inc © Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

The Gold Coast Arts Center is a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to promoting the arts through education, exhibition, performance and outreach. Located on the North Shore of Long Island, it has brought the arts to tens of thousands of people throughout the region for over 20 years. Among the Center’s offerings are its School for the Arts, which holds year-round classes in visual and performing arts for students of all ages and abilities; a free public art gallery; a concert and lecture series; film screenings and discussions; the annual Gold Coast International Film Festival; and initiatives that focus on senior citizens and underserved communities. These initiatives include artist residencies, after-school programs, school assemblies, teacher-training workshops and parent-child workshops. The Gold Coast Arts Center is an affiliate of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Partners in Education program, and the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. More information can be found at www.goldcoastarts.org.

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© 2018 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com,  www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin , and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com and moralcompasstravel.info. Send comments or questions to [email protected]. Tweet @TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures

 

Paris Ray is winner of Gold Coast’s 5th Annual Your Big Break Talent Competition

The 6 finalists of the 5th annual Gold Coast Your Big Break talent competition: grand prize winner, Paris Ray (second from left) and runner up Julia Lambert (fourth from left)with Julia Hayden, Lydia von Hof, Sydney Perruzza and Jaclyn Manfredi © 2017 Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

By Karen Rubin, Travel Features Syndicate, goingplacesfarandnear.com

Judges at the 5th annual final of the Gold Coast Acoustic Café’s Your Big Break talent competition had an unusually hard time picking the winners out of a talented field of six, but in the end, Paris Ray was the grand-prize winner and Julia Lambert the runner-up, at the Gold Coast Arts Center, Great Neck, Long Island, Saturday, April 1.

Paris Ray, a 21-year old from St. James who majored in  Studio Composition in the Conservatory of Music at college, dazzled the judges with her original song, “Astronomy” (“I became an astronaut so I could give you space.”) off her Just Visiting EP; a second, highly personal original song that gets to the heart of domestic violence, as well as the required George Michael song (each of the contestants only a week ago was assigned a George Michael song to perform).

Paris Ray was the grand prize winner of the 5th annual Gold Coast Your Big Break talent competition © 2017 Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

Julia Lambert impressed with her song-stylings on the acoustical guitar, and her original song that soon will be released on an EP (“Take a chance, it will be okay, I promise.”).

Julia Lambert performing at the 5th annual Gold Coast Your Big Break talent competition © 2017 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

All of the performers were audience favorites:

Julia Hayden, from Port Washington, backed up with a sensational band, performed two original songs plus  a tribute to George Michael, which offered a MiddleEastern meets MidWest country feeling, and an really interesting song that featured the drum roll of a marching band (“Carry on”).

Julia Hayden performing at the 5th annual Gold Coast Your Big Break talent competition © 2017 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Lydia von Hof, just 15 years old but conveying a skill and sophistication way beyond her years (she is a classically trained pianist who will be performing Chopin at Carnegie Hall), brings a full, rich voice to her performance.

Lydia von Hof performing at the 5th annual Gold Coast Your Big Break talent competition © 2017 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

Sydney Perruzza, from Carle Place, brought her bluesy style to her performance.

Sydney Perruzza performing at the 5th annual Gold Coast Your Big Break talent competition © 2017 Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

Jaclyn Manfredi, 17, brings a sultry style reflecting jazz, blues and R&B influences, and has performed at the Apollo Theater. She performed an original song, “Warehouse.”

Jaclyn Manfredi performing at the 5th annual Gold Coast Your Big Break talent competition © 2017 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The “Big Break” is not just a clever title. The young performers are competing for prizes that could well launch their career.

As the grand-prize winner of the 5th Annual Your Big Break talent competition, Ray  will have an opening spot for national acts at major venues like The Paramount, recording time at DCITY Studios and Online TV streaming opportunities, a feature on Reverbnation.com, a $250 gift certificate from All Music Inc. and ZOOM North America, a PR and social media campaign including management, booking and label services consultation with Rick Eberle Agency.

Lambert, as the runner up, won a video camera.

In addition, Rick Eberle has also invited all the contestants to appear on his radio and TV shows.

The judges are major players in the music industry including: ReverbNation.com’s Lou Plaia, All Music Inc.’s Guy Brogna, Songwriter Tara Eberle Drouin and Label Executives Stephen Marcuccio, Jerry Lembo, Linda Ingrisano, Mark Ambrosino.

Your Big Break Judges and Gold Coast Acoustic Café organizers are an elite group from the music industry © 2017 Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

The contestants for Your Big Break were selected out of 1000 submissions through Gold Coast Arts Center (www.goldcoastarts.com) and Reverbnation.com sites in response to an open call for musicians age 15 to 25 who do not currently have a recording or publishing contract. The artists have to perform with a band or solo with an acoustic guitar or sing to a backing music track. There is no fee to submit.

Finals of the fifth annual Gold Coast Acoustic Café Your Big Break talent competition participants, organizers and judges at the Gold Coast Arts Center, Great Neck, Long Island © 2017 Karen Rubin/ goingplacesfarandnear.com

The six finalists came out of two semi-final competitions of performers and were paired with mentors to guide them in performing a song by George Michael, assigned to them, in tribute to the music icon who died last December: American Idol’s Robbie Rosen, Dream Recording Studio’s Jason Melker, Sojourn Record’s Mark Ambosino, arranger/producer/songwriter/remixer and former VP of A&R at Atlantic Records Jimmy Bralower, singer/songwriter John Hampson of Nine Days, and songwriter/producer Donnie Klang of MTV’s “Making the Band”.

Your Big Break talent competition is hosted by the Gold Coast Arts Center’s Acoustic Café and LoveRevolution.Org. Conceived by Rick Eberle and the Gold Coast Arts Center, the talent competition carries on the tradition of Long Island musical talent, including

Ashanti, Mariah Carey and LL Cool J (born on Long Island), Billy Joel, Lou Reed and Harry Chapin and going back to John Philip Sousa and Guy Lombardo.

The Como Brothers, the headliners of the evening, brought harmonies and flashback rock n’roll vibe that reminded you of the Everly Brothers © 2017 Karen Rubin/goingplacesfarandnear.com

The Arts Center is transformed into the Gold Coast Acoustic Café once a month, a music venue that showcases local up-and-coming talent as well as established music acts. With its black box theater performance space and a lounge in the art gallery, the Gold Coast Acoustic Café is one of the few small music venues around which makes for a special and intimate atmosphere for artists and audience alike, especially during Your Big Break.

Gold Coast Arts Center, 113 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck NY. Call 516-829-2570, www.goldcoastarts.org.

See also:

Lambert, Manfredi Advance in Gold Coast Arts Center’s ‘Your Big Break’ Talent Competition 

Hayden, Ray, Van Hoff Advance in Gold Coast Arts Center’s ‘Your Big Break’ Talent Competition Finals, April 1

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© 2017 Travel Features Syndicate, a division of Workstyles, Inc. All rights reserved. Visit goingplacesfarandnear.com www.huffingtonpost.com/author/karen-rubin , and travelwritersmagazine.com/TravelFeaturesSyndicate/. Blogging at goingplacesnearandfar.wordpress.com and moralcompasstravel.info. Send comments or questions to [email protected]. Tweet @TravelFeatures. ‘Like’ us at facebook.com/NewsPhotoFeatures