By Sophia Varoumas

Preparations have begun for the 7th Annual PHL Live! talent show. Sponsored this year by Dunkin’, musical talent from across the city of brotherly and sisterly love, are encouraged to take a chance and showcase their talent in one of 10 musical categories. PHL Live! is looking for musicians to showcase their original music, for a chance to take their musical career to the next level, and it all starts at home in Philly. 

This year, for the first time there will be a People’s Choice category. The other categories include: Country/Folk, DJ,/EDM, Hip Hop, Jazz, Pop, Rock, World, and R&B. There is also a Gospel and Classical category where you do not have to perform original music. 

Registration closes this week on September 30, and it’s free to register. All you have to do is upload a 3-5 minute performance of you and your original work to Phllive.org That means, bands, solo artists, DJs, all of you! There are 11 chances to win a thousand bucks and recording studio time to bring your music to a bigger audience. 

Among the talent judges this year, is our very own That Mag publisher, Brian Cronin, who looks forward to, “seeing all the new talent of music this great city has to offer!” As well as, Philadelphia Councilman-At-Large, David Oh, who does fundraising and hosts PHL Live! “Only 300 applicants have uploaded their videos thus far, so [Philadelphians] really have a great chance to actually go home with a grand prize.” With so much untapped talent, PHL Live! is a platform to help musical citizens get bigger opportunities to accomplish their dreams. 

When Councilman David Oh ran for office, one of the platforms he ran on was the economy. Through the economic development side Councilman Oh was able to create a platform where the Creative Arts economy can thrive while proving talent if given the chance to be discovered.  Thereafter maintaining a career and life in Philadelphia. 

Councilman Oh researched lifting Philadelphia’s music platform. What inspires him year to year is the city of Philadelphia. “My job is related to the city of Philadelphia, not New York, not LA, so as a councilman, my mission is to our city and make the city of Philadelphia a place where [we] can become who [we] want to be.” He explains “You can do it through education, through a job, through a great neighborhood, but for people to want to be somebody, [some feel they have] to leave and we want to make Philadelphia a place where it’s citizen’s stay and maintain success.”

Click here to register

By Hannah Zaic

As fans, judges, and musicians, anxiously await the start of the show in the Hard Rock Cafe’s dimly lit dining room, the mood is excited, perhaps even optimistic. Patrons, expecting just dinner with a side of rock & roll relic, are pleasantly surprised by a bonus concert by some of Philly’s best country and folk artists.

Tonight’s leg of the city-wide battle of  PHL LIVE Center Stage will be judged by three of the most influential figures in the Philadelphia music scene: That Mag publisher, Brian Cronin; Executive Director of the Philadelphia Folksong Society, Justin Nordell; and WXTU Music Director and Radio Personality, Mark Razz.

Before shifting their full attention on the PHL LIVE country and folk finalists, the judges could be found socializing at the marble slab bar, catching up with fans, friends, and other individuals, sipping drinks, and trading war stories from the grueling music industry. The finalists performing this night were Man About a Horse, Ami Yares, Alex Mery & the Townsmen, Jessica Graae and Black Horse Motel.

You can log onto iRadioPhilly to see the highlights and to listen to the performances.

Our master of ceremonies is the illustrious Jennifer Logue of Rock On Philly. Logue is the first talent to take the stage before our finalists join her one-by-one for a discreet and organized mic check.  

It was a great night to be in Center City and regardless of the competitive nature of the event, everyone in the room was eager to show why our arts community is unlike any other in the world. Simply put, fans, judges, and musicians came for a friendly competition, but also stuck around to cheer each other on.

This display of mutual respect between artists, to and from the fans, is right in line with what PHL LIVE’s creator, Philadelphia Councilman-at-Large, David Oh, first imagined for the contest. During its second run, the multi-venue, genre-crossing event series is bigger and better than ever and shows no sign of slowing down.  

That Mag was lucky enough to sit down and talk with the councilman between acts. Otherwise, for most of the evening, he could be found at one of the tables near the stage, enjoying great music, as well as a few jokes told by our finalists and MC.

You wouldn’t think that a Republican Councilman would be inspired to create a music events series as successful as PHL LIVE. However, after attending a film festival, Councilman Oh was inspired and wondered if his music series should be structured similarly to the film festival.

Unlike most inaugural music festivals, adding a competitive spin would attract a fair amount of local, independent artists who are actually paid for their work. Since 2011, Councilman Oh has been bringing his notoriety (and cash) to local artists, while also serving as our city’s first Asian-American elected official! How cool is that?!

The culmination of 2017’s contest is going to be the PHL LIVE Awards Show held at the Trocadero, tonight, December 15th. For those of you looking to get involved next year, there are ten genres you could compete in for the grand prizes, which are as follows:

ANNOUNCING PHL LIVE CENTER STAGE

Coor’s Light Presents PHL LIVE Center Stage: 2017 Prizes

Grand Prizes for each of the 10 music category winners and the People’s Choice winner:

1. $1,000.00 for each of th 11 winners (total of $11,000.00 in prize money)
2. City Council Citation awarded to each of the 11 winners at the Awards Show in December at the Trocadero Theater
3. Resolution presented to the group of 11 winners in City Council

(You can find more information about PHL LIVE’s 2017 finalists, terms, conditions and prizes at www.phllive.org.)

Since the finalists are beating out so many other acts to play for a judge’s panel of industry heavyweights, the concerts held around the city at stellar venues like Milkboy #1 & #2, The World Cafe Live and The Hard Rock Cafe are guaranteed to be Philly local talent at its best. Better get out there and see them play before they aren’t so local anymore!

Here is to another epic year with PHL LIVE and to many, many more to come. Onwards, to the Trocadero!