Up-comers Bluegrass Band Competition Sign-up for 2023 – June 1, Thursday

Up-comers Bluegrass Band Competition
Sign-up for 2023
Graves Mountain Community Heritage Music Festival
The 29th Annual

Up-comers Bluegrass Band Competition Sign-up

Schedule for Up-comers Bluegrass Band Competition

Thursday, June 1

Campground Stage
2:00 pm – 5:00 pm   Bluegrass Up-comers Band Competition
5:00 pm -6:00 pm  Evening Break
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm  Young Musician Competition
Estimated – 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm  Up-comers competition continues
Estimated -10:00 pm   Judging and Awards for Youth and Up-comers

Saturday
Tentative Times

12:00 pm   Welcome & National Anthem
12:10 pm – 12:50 pm   Music of the Voice – Storytelling #4 of Series
1:00 pm – 1:50 pm    Virginia Rain – Luray, VA
1:30 pm – 3:30 pm   Workshop in Jam Tent with Valerie Smith
2:00 pm – 2:50 pm  Rose River Ramblers, Powhatan, VA
3:00 pm – 3:50 pm  The Virginia Ramblers, Charlottesville, VA
4:00 pm – 4:35 pm  Winner of Up-comer Band Competition (one set)
4:40pm – 4:50 pm   Winner of Youth Musician Competition
5:00 pm – 5:50 pm Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Somerset, Va
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm   Music of the Voice – Storytelling #5 of Series
7:00 pm – 7:50 pm Virginia Rain, Luray, VA
8:00 pm – 8:45 pm   Rose River Ramblers, Powhatan, VA
9:00 pm – 9:45 pm   The Virginia Ramblers, Charlottesville, VA
10:00 pm – 10:45 pm   Valerie Smith & Liberty Pike, Somerset, VA

Competition Information 

Thursday, June 1, 2023

Competition Information 
 

When: Thursday, June 1st, 2023

Afternoon start with completing following in the later evening.

Entry fee: $25 donation to Graves Mountain Charitable Fund – supporting youth mountain music and farming education and live music.

Each band member will receive a day pass wrist band for Thursday at the Festival.

A Camping Pass is extra and is for all three days 
$55 pass for all three days and nights per person

1st Place:

  • First place trophy
  • $1,000 and play the main Camper Stage on Saturday for one 50-minute set
  • Booking for the 2024 line up

2nd Place:

  • Second place trophy
  • $500 and play the main Camper Stage on Friday for one 50-minute set

3rd Place:

  • Third place trophy
  • Entry fee returned plus 3 Day Camping passes for the band members

Rules for Competition

1. All registration must be postmarked or received online by May 15, 2023.
2. Register online – Here

If not registered, you do not play in the competition.

Send donation of $25 via Tix.com

  • Or send paper registration to:
    Up and Comers Band Competition – Graves Mountain Music Festival
    Attention Brett Titman
    General Delivery
    Syria VA 22743
3. Band entry fee will include a day pass wrist band for each band participant. Band packets will be available at the main gate.
4. Only acoustical string instruments will be permitted and no direct amplification of instruments nor the use of
amplifiers other than the house system will be permitted. All participants will use the house system.
5. The only instruments that will be permitted are: 5 string banjo, flat-top guitar, mandolin, fiddle, dobro/resophonic guitar and bass fiddle.
6. Bands must have a minimum of 4 members and no more than 7 members.
7. No participant can be the member of more than one band entered in the competition.
8. Each band will play three selections and they will include a slow vocal song, a fast vocal song and an instrumental.
9. Talking is allowed and encouraged between songs as bands will be judged on their stage presence and rapport with the audience.
10. All songs, material and dress must be of an appropriate nature suitable for a family friendly experience.
11. Any contestant appearing to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs will not be allowed to participate in the competition.

12. Absolutely no playing backstage prior to stage appearance. Exception is re-tuning a broken string.

  • If a member breaks a string during the performance, they will be allowed to replace and retune the string. The song will be started from the beginning once the member returns to the stage.

13. Bands will be judged using the following:

  • Material Selection
  • Musicianship
  • Vocal/harmony
  • Authenticity/originality
  • Stage presence
  • Fan response

13. Judges’ decisions are final.

NOTE:
Any questions regarding the competition should be directed to hello@gravesmountainmusic.com

 

Up-comers Bluegrass Band Competition Sign-up