Auditions diaries from the acts #3

Audition diaries from the acts themselves from this year’s Live and Unsigned competition are going online in a bid to be in The List Magazine. A week ago we put a call out on our Facebook page for Scottish acts to tell us their stories from the Live and Unsigned auditions for the chance to be in the popular magazine. We’ve had an incredible response from bands and acts and the diaries of their experiences were just so good, we simply couldn’t choose which act to put forward to The List.

That’s where you - the Live and Unsigned fans and supporters come in, the bands and acts’ stories were so brilliant that we wanted to share them with you. Each day we’re going to put up an act’s diary for you to join in the fun and read, if you like their tale, vote for them on our Facebook page by pressing the Like button or commenting positively on their work. The act with the most support for their diary by the publishing deadline will appear in The List magazine and be followed through the competition.

The Best of luck to all of our Scottish bands and acts who have shared their stories - get voting for your favourite!

Audition Diary of Kate Dunn and the Redundants – Glasgow Auditions 5th February 2011

Walking up the steps at the front of the concert hall, knowing that this time you are the performer and not the audience, is quite a daunting experience. I walk through the doors and Charlotte is there. We plonk ourselves down on one of the sofas and I change into my ridiculously high heels as we wait for the rest of the band. It quickly becomes apparent that our dresses and heels are a minority as the droves of men pass through the doors. Fortunately the rest of the band turn up, glammed up to the nines (including Alan and Ewan) and my fuchsia platforms feel less out of place. 

As we meet the line to register, it’s noticeable that at least looks-wise we are different from the other competitors. I take this as a good sign, as “original” is what Live and Unsigned have emphasisedthroughout the application process. I mark a big tick off my mental checklist. As Jen and Rachel pull out their horns, it becomes evident that we’re going to sound different too. Tick.

Walking into a panel of judges is not a new phenomenon for us. As musicians, a performance exam has been an annual event since beginning the BA Applied Music course at Strathclyde University. However, that was more of a personal contest rather than a competition with most of the live music circuit of Glasgow. The panel asks us a few questions to ease us in, and then we show them what we’ve got to offer.

It turns out that what we’ve got to offer is exactly what they’re looking for. “original fresh sound, very current. Brass section especially good.” We do a round of high fives and other clichéd celebrations, very rock and roll. Now to rehearse for the regional finals…

If you like Kate Dunn and the Redundants's tale, you have one week to vote for them on our Facebook page  by pressing the Like button! Watch out in the few days for some more diary entrants from Glasgow & Edinburgh.