Music Competitions in Bedfordshire blogged by Pandorica

Live and Unsigned Music Competitions in Bedfordshire, have uncovered the best original, unsigned talent in the region, such as Live and Unsigned Area Finalists Pandorica, who have created a blog about their competition experiences for the chance to win a great prize.

Live and Unsigned Area Finalists have been asked to write about their progression through the music competition to be in with a chance of winning a prize of £500 worth of recording studio time. The best blogs from the acts involved in this year’s Live and Unsigned music competition are going online for a chance to win. The best blog will be decided by which act receives the most likes for their blog on the Live and Unsigned Facebook wall.

We’ve had a great response from bands and acts wanting to share their experiences of Live and Unsigned, and now they will be shared with you for the chance for acts to win time in a recording studio.

Throughout the week we’re going to put up an act’s blog entry for you to join in the fun and read, if you like their blog, 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 blog within one week of it being posted will be the winner of the recording studio time prize.

The best of luck to all of our bands and acts who have shared their stories of the Live and Unsigned music competition - get voting for your favourite!

Blog 3: Pandorica

Pandorica Live and Unsigned Blog

The day of our first audition, Jimmy (16) and I (Deanna, 17) who make up our acoustic duo 'Pandorica' woke up relatively early in my grandma's house about ten minutes away from the Bedford corn Exchange.

We were staying with my Gran because Jimmy lives in Feltham, London and whilst I was born in Bedford I actually live abroad in Cyprus, which is where we met whilst he was on holiday with his family. We got on like a house on fire and due to our love for the same bands and performing, Pandorica was formed.

When we heard about Live and Unsigned I flew over to England and we started hunting down the perfect song for us, it didn't take us long to decide on 'Stay With Me' by YouMeAtSix a song we both love, and begin practising and performing to our families and friends to get ready for our audition.

We practised our song for my family a few times before heading for the Corn Exchange, we signed in really easily before finding a seat in the waiting room and chatting with surrounding acts while we waited. After about twenty minutes we were called into the audition with three other bands, we would be the last of the four to perform so we stood at the back to listen. All three bands were really talented and the judges and sound crew were all really friendly, trying their best to make everyone feel comfortable instead of intimidated.

When it was our turn to play, I literally skipped to the mic, Jimmy was slightly more reserved, and we set up quickly and efficiently thanks to the sound technicians.

The judges asked us a few questions like they had with everyone else; how long we'd been playing, our influences etc, before letting us know we could start.

We played our song through, Jimmy's guitar and my voice bouncing around the high walls, both of us just enjoying the feeling of performing no matter how small the audience. Once we'd finished there was a smattering of applause just like everyone had received from the fellow contestants and as we left the room neither of us could stop smiling.

Waiting for our results seemed to drag on forever but we got talking to the band next to us and a solo artist named Paris, which made the time pass quicker, when we finally were called for our results we were both anxious which instantly transformed into excitement when we were told we had gotten through!

Pandorica as well as our families and friends were all ecstatic and we instantly began selling our tickets for the live show.

Unfortunately I had to fly back to Cyprus before returning to England to begin practising for the next round, cutting our time short. We stayed with Jimmy's family in London, practising between school and me losing my voice, until we had the perfect song; a mash up of the Red Jump-Suit Apparatus song 'Facedown' and Rhianna's 'Umbrella'. We practised until we had it perfect, playing it for our families to gauge their reactions as well.

We drove back down to Bedford the night before the Regional Final in good spirits both feeling confident for the following day.

We arrived at the Corn Exchange early, signed in and found a good spot in the centre of the theatre to sit and watch the sound check. The stage looked brilliant even with the lights on and we couldn't wait to get up there and play.

All the sound technicians were once again friendly and funny trying to make us all feel comfortable and not panicked. We were called up in the opposite order as to how we would perform putting Jimmy and me as one of the first to sound check meaning one of the last to perform later in the day.

Our sound check went great and made us even more excited to play. Watching everyone else sound check was awesome and a little bit daunting as everyone was great, I loved the fact that there were no bad vibes from anyone, everyone was just supporting each other and having a good time.

We were split into two groups and taking backstage to the 'waiting rooms', everyone sprawled out across the floor instantly striking up conversation with each other, or practising their songs.

One by one everyone got called up onstage until there was just us, Powersurge and Undone left in the dressing room, just joking and messing around. Bands starting coming back in, all hyped up and reciting how everything went and such until we were finally called.

The moment of truth! Waiting side of stage the compare asked us a couple of questions so he could introduce us and then went on stage to introduce the act before us. We stood in the wings dancing along to The Vibe before it was finally our turn.

We bounced out onto the stage to the screams of my brother, who is the loudest person known to man, and the audience clapping. Adrenalin pounding we chatted with the compare before starting our song.

Neither of us was nervous, just devastatingly happy to be on stage. We gave it everything we had and just had an awesome time before finishing our song and leaving the stage to applause and our family’s cheers.

We were so excited and pumped up after we'd performed, there's really no other feeling like being on stage, it always leaves me bouncing off of the walls and grinning like a fool.

Jimmy and I stayed just a little a way down the stairs at the side of the stage to listen to Powersurge and Undone, both of whom were brilliant, before heading back down the stairs to the 'waiting room'.

We had about ten minutes to kill before the results so we sat and jammed Paramore and YouMeAtSix with Paris Monroe and Sarah Louise, who had performed before us.

When we we're finally called for the results everyone seemed to be bursting with energy as we made our way back to side of stage. Everyone was chatting with each other and wishing each other good luck whilst listening to the compare through the theatre walls.

When it became time for the results a hush fell on the bundle of bands and artists and I think for the first time all day 'the nerves' kicked in for me and Jimmy, not just for ourselves but for the people we'd befriended during the day and on our first audition. One by one acts were being called and congratulated by everyone and as the number of people going through got higher the tension backstage got heavier.

"Next through is the duo..."

Jimmy and I both tensed looking around at the other acts, both pretty sure that we were the only duo in the group.

"From Cyprus..."

Not going to lie, we both may have squealed like little girls.

"Pandorica!"

Everyone clapped again, which really shows the sportsmanship of everyone present, as we ran up the steps and onto the stage, our families going crazy in the crowd. Then onwards was a blur of congratulations, celebrations, (excuse the bad rhyme), and a lot of grinning!

Now we're working hard on our next song and performance and everyone we know has been so excited for us, all rooting for us to get through this next round and on to the finals!

We can't wait to get back up on stage and see all the other contestants again!

Best of luck to everyone!!

Pandorica 

If you like Pandorica’s blog, you have a week to vote for them on our Facebook page  by pressing the Like button! Watch out throughout the week ahead for more blog entries from bands and acts sharing their experiences from Live and Unsigned 2011.