I have been meaning to touch on this for a while now... How does everyone feel about the Best Male and Best Female soloist awards given out at FAME Chicago?
I personally would have had Best Male going to the North Central soloist in "Flying Home" instead of the "Fake Your Way To The Top" soloist. The boy in the ballad was technically worlds apart from the soloist who received it.
Now... for Best Female Soloist; I will admit the contest is much closer. The two that I thought deserved it was the "Flying Home" soloist from North Central (she did end up getting it) and the fantastic soloist from Waubonsie Valley's ballad, "Listen". What makes me think that the "Listen" soloist should have received it over "Flying Home" girl was the scripted "diva" act that the "Flying Home" soloist did. The entire ballad was beautiful... sitting there live, you could really feel the entire group was connected in one unified message. This was shattered at the very end by the girl soloist making the song out to be something that it hadn't been... about ONE person. This was very scripted, because she did the same exact thing both prelims AND finals (although she was vocally much better in the prelims). It wasn't spontaneous emotion on stage; it was very phony. She even went beyond her inaccurate runs with the lifting of her hands at the end to bring even more of the focus on her. The wonderful feeling that the entire choir had built was suddenly thrown out the window by one person's actions. The Waubonsie Valley girl would have received my vote. Her vocals were superb, she complimented what the choir had created already, and she was very authentic.
So yeah... I know I will upset people by this post (Bo? lol)... but like we've been discussing... we all have different opinions. This one was just pretty apparent to me. I'll also get the "You're beating a dead horse" argument. Whatevs... at least I am getting us back to something FAME Chicago related.
QUOTE(lalalaicanthearyou @ May 1 2008, 10:00 PM) [snapback]435188[/snapback]
I have to say, Branson becomes MUCH more fun if you include an outing to Silver Dollar City. We did that in 2001, but not in 2005 (it wasn't open or something lame), and if I were in charge of deciding when or whether to go to Branson, one of my first questions would be "is that place going to be fully open?" Great roller coasters and other rides, excellent food, and much more. I didn't even explore the caves that are part of the whole thing. Anyway, my 1.5 cents.
Dan
I love it!... I also agree, except we went to Celebration City, and that was where all the choirs went after the competition. It was soo much fun.... WOODEN ROLLAR COASTERS RULE!!!!
I have to say, Branson becomes MUCH more fun if you include an outing to Silver Dollar City. We did that in 2001, but not in 2005 (it wasn't open or something lame), and if I were in charge of deciding when or whether to go to Branson, one of my first questions would be "is that place going to be fully open?" Great roller coasters and other rides, excellent food, and much more. I didn't even explore the caves that are part of the whole thing. Anyway, my 1.5 cents.
ohhh yesss! i'll start saving now since i'll be a poor college student next year... haha
but i am soooo excited.
i love you two, when's our sleepover?
and i can understand if the competition might be more fun...but...misery, i mean missouri, was not the most exciting place to be, ;) I'm sorry if anyone takes offense, it's a beautiful state, but i have more fun visting new york. and as haakon said, it doesn't matter if the cup was in ny every year, i know powerhouse still wouldn't go every year because it's fun to travel to different locations
oh and my time might have been even less fun because basketball nationals were based in springfield, branson was like the one night out, haha
As I stated earlier, I am only a sophmore, and other people have more experience in these matters than I do.
Last year, CenterStage! went to FAME New York. I had fun, but, as a personal opinion (mine ;) , I enjoyed Branson more. But, I will admit, when we first arrived in New York City, I was a bit "starstruck", if you might call it that. The entire 3 days we were there, I just could not get it into my head that I was in the "Big Apple". I was amazed.
This year, when we went to Branson, I think one of the reasons I had more fun than in New York was that all of the choirs were in the same hotel. I made friends from just about every choir. I still talk to them, be it texting, facebook, myspace, or calling. When we got to Branson, I was not as "starstruck" as I was in New York. But, the hills and mountains of Missouri were BEAUTIFUL!!!
As I stated earlier, I am only a sophmore, and other people have more experience in these matters than I do.
Last year, CenterStage! went to FAME New York. I had fun, but, as a personal opinion (mine ;) , I enjoyed Branson more. But, I will admit, when we first arrived in New York City, I was a bit "starstruck", if you might call it that. The entire 3 days we were there, I just could not get it into my head that I was in the "Big Apple". I was amazed.
This year, when we went to Branson, I think one of the reasons I had more fun than in New York was that all of the choirs were in the same hotel. I made friends from just about every choir. I still talk to them, be it texting, facebook, myspace, or calling. When we got to Branson, I was not as "starstruck" as I was in New York. But, the hills and mountains of Missouri were BEAUTIFUL!!!
I have nothing against Missouri at all and certainly was not meaning to "diss" the state. I think that most people would agree that as a tourist destination, there are other, more high-profile cities on FAME's list. That doesn't mean that Missouri is any "worse" or even less-deserving of a choir's attention - it's just the reality of the situation.
For what it's worth, I went to the Branson cup in 2005 and had a fantastic time. I would even recommend it to groups looking for something new and different to do. The point of my post, however, was that I don't believe FAME is ever going to make the Show Choir Cup the national competition I'm sure they would love it to be if they keep it in the same place year after year (Missouri or not).
Understandable. and thank you. i just thought jorwhateverhisnameis post was unnecessary.
anyways...... the Cup 2005 was a fantastic competition! i know Pleasant Hill had an AWESOME time! ........ we/they go just about every year.
and i agree.....i think FAME would profit from moving their "national" competition every year.
I have nothing against Missouri at all and certainly was not meaning to "diss" the state. I think that most people would agree that as a tourist destination, there are other, more high-profile cities on FAME's list. That doesn't mean that Missouri is any "worse" or even less-deserving of a choir's attention - it's just the reality of the situation.
For what it's worth, I went to the Branson cup in 2005 and had a fantastic time. I would even recommend it to groups looking for something new and different to do. The point of my post, however, was that I don't believe FAME is ever going to make the Show Choir Cup the national competition I'm sure they would love it to be if they keep it in the same place year after year (Missouri or not).
^^^
this is making me very nostalgic and sad to be graduating... =/
oh well, guess i'll just have to be like eddie and woody and fly out to ny next year to see all the excitement! it won't be the same...but it's okay =)
ohh annd...about placing the judges, really i think being in the balcony can be better, if you've ever watched a group from the balcony you know that you can actually see how clean and sharp choreography is much better, and you can see the whole group, so it has its advantages.
but i don't think it's that big a deal either way.
^^^
this is making me very nostalgic and sad to be graduating... =/
oh well, guess i'll just have to be like eddie and woody and fly out to ny next year to see all the excitement! it won't be the same...but it's okay =)
ohh annd...about placing the judges, really i think being in the balcony can be better, if you've ever watched a group from the balcony you know that you can actually see how clean and sharp choreography is much better, and you can see the whole group, so it has its advantages.
but i don't think it's that big a deal either way.
Haakon, either you already know something you're not supposed to - OR - great minds think alike!! I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume it's the latter. ;)
Definitely haven't been talking to anyone behind the scenes. It just seems like with the "success" of the FAME Chicago event this year, it only makes sense to move the cup around and get as many people involved as possible. I'm glad that FAME is taking the initiative on this one... I look forward to hearing what your plans are for the future!