Thirty singers took to the stage last night, competing for 20 spots in the semifinals of the third annual Creston’s Best Singer, which will run Feb. 9 at Prince Charles Theatre.
With songs ranging from classic rock to standards to showtunes to country — with a slam poetry piece thrown in for good measure — the performances demonstrated a wide range of Creston Valley talent.
“I’m just amazed by some of those voices,” said producer Vern Gorham. “With each contest, the singers keep raising the bar for the next one. I think the calibre of singing last night was definitely the highest so far.”
As with the 2011 “audition” show, the audience was given scorecards to rate the singers. Their votes will be tallied, and the top 20 will be announced at I Love Creston’s website on Feb. 1.
“Everyone has a really good chance of making it,” said Gorham. “I’m glad I’m not the one making the decision.”
The concession proceeds went to the family of one of the contestants, who recently discovered that provincial medical didn’t cover the cost of a back brace.
“That was a wonderful testament to the generosity of Creston,” said Gorham.
The winner of Creston’s Best Singer on Feb. 9 will compete in the regional Kootenays’ Best Singer contest, to be held in late spring. To view or buy official contest photos, visit Jeff’s Photos ’n Motion.