Y
ou know how they say
third times a charm? Well, it looks like the third round was a
charm for a pair of bands that performed during Saturday’s final
semifinal round.
Great Waves, from Sammamish, Wash. won Saturday’s Sound Off! competition and automatically earned a slot in the finals round this weekend. Runners-up from last weekend’s Sound Off!, SEACATS, from Kelso, Wash., won the wildcard bid to the finals round. SEACATS was chosen by EMP’s Youth Advisory board as the wild card winner. The band, which has a poppy, Weezer-meets-Tea Cozies sound, beat out melodic indie rockers Sea Fever from Seattle and Bellingham instrumental jazz group Pan Pan for the wildcard spot.
The band will compete against the charming indie rock of Bellingham duo Candysound, the beautiful harp and vocals of Hooves and Beak and the folk/rock hybrid of Great Waves The winner of Sound Off! gets studio time, a slot at this year’s Bumbershoot and many other great prizes.
I’m not going to write much about the bands that performed during the final semifinal round of Sound Off ! last weekend because I was a judge of the competition that week. However, expect to read some words here soon about my experience as a judge in the coming days. In short, it was a fun and challenging experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat if asked.
Tickets for the Sound Off! finals can be purchased at the EMP|SFM box office or by calling 206-770-2702. Tickets cost $10 for the general public, $7 for students or EMPSFM members. Doors are 7:00 pm, shows start at 8:00 pm.
