Picture from UK Gameshows
Fresh from listening to a load of music last night as part of my Notts Factor duties, this evening was spent at Southbank in the city centre listening and watching the first of a handful of live auditions. It wasn't a massive turnout and I'm not entirely sure if this is the right venue for such an event. As nice as the place is, it's one of those places with screens all over the place and a pool table, it just doesn't scream out music venue to me. Last year the final was held at Rescue Rooms with no live audition stages, although as the judges were up on the balcony with no radio mics we had to run up and down the stairs a lot which was a pain in the arse, at least here we're near the action.
Notts Factor carries a pretty impressive prize package for one lucky winner including a £500 cash prize. In my opinion though it's the other prizes that are more useful to a musician or band on the way up; recording studio time, a radio session, a free backdrop and various other promotional leg ups, all combined to provide a useful start that very few musicians can afford to have done properly at this stage (or indeed any stage depending on their luck or judgement).
Part of my reasoning for choosing who to put through to the final was related to the prize package. The person who wins has to make the best possible use of what they will take away from it, which is what influenced my decision tonight. First up was a nervous youngster called Julia Worrall, who at 15 years old obviously has the confidence to get on stage and belt out a song but all she did (with no offence intended) was sing covers to a backing track. She has a good voice for musicals or cabaret but is not going through to the final with an act like this as it just wouldn't be fair on those people who play their own instruments or write their own songs. Through to the final based on tonight's performance is another youngster called Chloe Rogers, so let's wait and see.
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