Starry starry night
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It started on an ominous note with the rain pouring down and the wind howling wildly. Everyone had to think twice before making it to the Grand Finals of TNL Onstage. But think twice they did, making the right decision by turning up in masses despite the rain. It was only fair by the persistent crowd that the competition didn’t fail to impress. Soon, the dark clouds cleared and paved the way for some home-grown stars.
Held at the Viharamahadevi Open Air Amphitheatre, TNL Onstage is in its 13th consecutive year, proving to be the premier English language music competition in the country. Five bands and five solo acts made up the competition, while two DJs were pitted against each other in the newly introduced spin-off round. Making headway into the night, Magician’s Toolbox (2012 Winners) performed the theme song, bringing back memories of last year’s competition.
The solo acts comprised of Viroshan Tissera, Rochelle, Gyles, Chithru De Silva and Nathan Eardly. Viroshan stayed true to the rock/alternative rock heritage of his brother, Shavindra Tissera, from Magician’s Toolbox, while the rest of the competitors relied on pop music. The bands included Symphony Experiment Xrays, Thoughtless, Mash, Audacity and Area 51.
The competition in its entirety switched gears from indifferent performances to absolutely brilliant moments. Much of the inspiration however came from the two standout acts of the night, both solos. Chithru De Silva and Nathan Eardly gave the audiences heart-rendering performances. Nathan stuck to Michael Buble’s ‘Feeling Good’, and almost outdid the original. While Chithru, gave probably the most powerful performance of the night by signing Whitney Houston’s immortal classic, “I Will Always Love You”. It was one of the rare moments where a contestant received a standing ovation from an audience that was already standing.
However, Nathan edged ahead to clinch the title, while Audacity -the all girl band- took home the award in the bands category. With Symphony Experiment Xrays coming in second. The latter provided the more professional performance of the night, but Audacity had better appeal among the crowd.
The spin-off round was a new experience for the crowd. DJ Rami emerged the victor, while DJ Electro Mechanic came in second. Mike De Zilwa of Symphony Experiment Xrays won the best musician award, while Area 51 clinched the best original song, as well as the Dialog Voice Your Choice Award.
This year, it seemed that Onstage was trying to break free from the stereotype of dishing out purely rock bands each time around. It was a refreshing change to see much more variety, but the hardcore fans would argue that professionalism is what matters in the industry.
At the end of the day, it was an amazing spectacle of home-grown talent, which gave us a hint of what the local music industry is in store for in the future.
Next week: Audacity, the all girl appeal.
Runner-up Best Band: Symphony Experiment Xrays
Winner Best Band: Audacity
Pix: M.A. Pushpakumara
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