Parkes Elvis Festival 2012 "Tribute to Elvis" Competition

Parkes Elvis Festival invites you to participate in the
2012 "Tribute to Elvis" Competition

 

Organisers are always refining ideas and innovations to the competition. Some of these innovations are based on feedback from the audience and ETA's.

Some features of our competition are:

• Reduction in the number of repeated songs
• A choice of one of four (4) different themes to choose from
• Early bird registrations by mail Better management for backing track replays

The "Reduced Repeated Song" Plan

As part of our feedback from audiences and ETA's over the years, we have introduced a plan to reduce the amount of repeated songs in the competition. To achieve this, we are using the "First In, First Choice" method. Many other ETA competitions draw your song from a hat. This method will still allow you to choose a song you wish to perform There has also been a lot of feedback regarding the repetitiveness 2 of Elvis's most brilliant songs, "American Trilogy" and "My Way".  

First in, First Choice Method

When you register you will be asked to provide a maximum of ten (10) songs and one (1) theme only. You will only sing one of those songs Once we receive you registration, we will allocate the songs starting at the top of your list on a "First in, First Choice" basis The "First in, First Choice" works by the order in which we receive your registration form in the mail. The forms will be registered on our database as they arrive and a "competitor" number will be assigned to you. The competitor number does not necessarily reflect the order in which you sing Registrations will be still accepted at the festival and you will still be required to list a maximum of 10 songs.

"American Trilogy" and "My Way"

These 2 songs in particular have been the scene of some controversy at the festival over the years, because of the number of times they have been performed. In 2006, 80% of the competitors performed "American Trilogy". One common question has been "Don't they know any other songs?"  

As a result, both of these songs will now be reserved exclusively for the overall winner of the 2012 "Tribute to Elvis" to perform at the Winners Performance on Sunday 15th January.

As much as we all enjoy listening to both of these songs, you cannot add either of these 2 songs to your song choice list.

Themes

These are the following themes. You may choose one theme only.  

1. The 50's - Elvis as a young performer

2. The 60's - Movies, GI Elvis, the 69 Special

3. The 70's - The Vegas Days

4. Freestyle - Costume, original song, humorous (Must be Elvis Themed)

 

You can choose to represent Elvis from one of three different phases in his career or you can choose the "Freestyle" theme.

If you choose the 50's, 60's or 70's themes, you must:

• Dress as Elvis in that particular era
• Sing an Elvis song from that period
• Dance, move, entertain and capture the audience in the same way Elvis did in that phase of his career

If you choose the "Freestyle" theme, you can:

• Perform a comedy version of a well known Elvis song
• Perform your own interpretation (we once had an ETA use a didgeridoo for his backing sound) - but it must be Elvis themed
• Perform an original song - but it must be styled as an Elvis song The Winner will be based on best overall performance- all themes will be considered in deciding the "Tribute to Elvis" Winner and Runner up  

Prizes

You will be competing for some great prizes as well. Apart from cash and trophies for the Winner and Runner Up, the Winner will receive a professionally made jump suit to the value of $1000 plus an exclusive Parkes Elvis Festival ring.The Runner Up will also receive an exclusive Parkes Elvis Festival ring.

Not only that, but we are offering a chance for 3 lucky ETA's to perform at the closing ceremony on Sunday the 15th January at 3.30pm. The judges will select at random, 3 ETA's to perform a special Tribute to Elvis song. Details of the song will be provided when the Winners are announced on Saturday after the competition. If you wish to participate in this, please indicate so on the entry form in the space provided.

Registrations

To register, you must complete the registration form available from the Registration booth in Cooke Park during the festival or you can take advantage of our new Early Bird Registration by downloading the Registration form from our website and mailing it to us. The registration fee is $20.00.

The form will be available for download from our web site until 30th December 2011. Mailed registrations will be accepted up until Friday 6th January 2012.

Download Tribute to the King Competition Rules

Download Tribute to the King Competition Entry Form

For "walk up" registrations, the registration booth in Cooke Park will be open from 9am - 6pm Friday 13th January 2012and Saturday 14th January 2012 from 9am until 12pm.

Entries close at 12.00pm, Saturday 14th January 2012.

In order for your registration to be complete, you must include:

• Registration fee of $20.00
• A maximum of ten (10) songs of your choice excluding "American Trilogy" and "My Way"
• Themes to match your song choices
• A CD if you have nominated to use backing tracks- If you are providing a CD as a backing track, also provide the track number on the CD
• If you are using the band, nominate the song from the preset list and the key you wish to sing it in
• If you do not provide your CD at the time of registration your entry will be pushed down the list until such time as you deliver the CD by mail or to the registration booth
• You cannot reserve your song choice. Consequently you may have to change your song choice if you deliver your CD at a later time after you have registered.
• If you fail to deliver your CD by the time the closing deadline, you may still enter if you use the band and choose a song from the preset list

For early bird registrations, complete the form and return to us by mail with your cheque, money order or credit card payment and song choices and CD if you are using backing tracks.

You may return your forms to:

Stage Manager

Parkes Elvis Festival

PO Box 611

Parkes NSW 2870

For "walk up" entries, cash, cheque or money order is accepted at the registration booth.

Listen to the music - umm - where's my music …

This festival we would like to provide a "seamless" passage for you onto the stage.

Remember those moments in previous competitions when you stood in the hot sun psyching yourself up, you get called to the stage, you're standing on the stage and your waiting for your backing track to start playing and…  ...Nothing…

You start to sweat a little bit more... your hands get clammy... and you start to lose your confidence...

Not any more!

This festival, when you provide us with your backing track, we will set up all the backing tracks on a laptop with a professional cueing program. (We will also remove that dreaded 20 second "karaoke" gap). You will get introduced to the stage, you sing straight away. No more embarrassments!!

Whew!

However, you can avoid all of this by using our secret weapon - "The Fourcasters"

Who are "The Fourcasters"?

"The Fourcasters" have been performing at the Cooke Park Stage for the last four years as well as the Elvis World Cup held in March. They are bunch of extremely talented musicians with a great line up of Elvis songs in their repertoire. The also back other ETA's regularly such as Silas Lulic and Royden Donohue.

Did you notice how much Elvis interacted with his backing band? This really added to his performance. Imagine yourself performing Polk Salad Annie and revving up the drummer. Perhaps you are singing Suspicious Minds and you make the band go really, really quiet... then really, really loud again - what a blast! Take advantage of these guys and use them as part of your act!

You can download the bands preset list here

Hope to see you in 2012

We look forward to seeing you at the 2012 Parkes Elvis Festival. This is a fun, exciting and very popular competition and the best thing is, the audience looks forward to watching you all perform every year Everyone likes the fact that it is an easy going, laid back affair and we aim to continue that tradition.We hope these innovations may inspire you. Please, if you have any questions, please email Nola the Stage Manager or ring 0409 043 582.

"And its a one for the money...."