Singing For Cake:
Singers, Musicians Dance Their Way
Into Waltz-Astoria’s Welcoming Arms
By Alessandra Malito
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| Finalist Meika Pauley performed two songs for a chance to win $500. |
Singers and songwriters were lining up through the Waltz-Astoria café on Thursday, Friday and Saturday last week to perform two of their songs to the talent-hungry judges and audience members.
It was not your typical contest. The rules included two songs, all original, only piano or guitar, and no electronic help. You could have one other person perform with you.
Sign-up was at 6 p.m. every day, but often times, Pedro Gonzalez, the co-owner and co-creator of this event, had to turn musicians away at the door.
"It was jam-packed every night," said Gonzalez, who owns the venue with his wife, Song. "We had to send people home."
The Acts
Some performers were not new to the environment, having played contests or performed during the café's weekly Tuesday- and Wednesday-night open mics. But others were new to Queens, let alone Waltz-Astoria.
"I played once before," said Meika Pauley, one of Sunday's 10 finalists. "I barely play in Queens. It's a nice community [Pedro has] been fostering. It's nice in the City to feel it's a community supporting each other."
Pauley, who has been performing live since 2002, played two songs on Saturday night, one a cappella with just the rhythm of her fist against her guitar, and another strumming its strings. While attending Harvard University, she realized that performing was something she wanted to do, after having made some money doing street performances.
All types of talents were seen throughout the three-day contest. Whether it was a musician strumming his guitar or banging the keys of a baby grand, audience members, as well as judges, were bobbing their heads back and forth and clapping at the end of each performance. Lyrics revolved around a medley of topics, like songs about picking the worst guy in the world or even being a bad Catholic school boy. Artists ranged from teenagers to seniors.
Some musicians even used both instruments.
Eric Contractor, a regular at the Waltz-Astoria, played "Visions of Aphrodite" on the piano and "Driving Down the Coast" on the guitar.
"I like the attention everyone will be paying to everyone's music," said Contractor, who hails from New Jersey, but now lives in Brooklyn.
He displayed the same mentality as so many other musicians from the contest - to play his music and show everyone else what he can do.
"I just want to play for a lot of people," he said. "That's what I like, regardless of the outcome. The more people I can play for, the better."
His album, "Night Escape," will be released in the spring.
And The Winners Are…
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| Singers and songwriters line up for sign-up at 6 p.m. on Saturday for Waltz Astoria’s Third Annual “Ultimate Singer-Songwriter Contest.” |
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| Eric Contractor, a Waltz-Astoria regular, performed “Visions of Aphrodite” on the piano.
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Gonzalez joked that some people seemed more interested in the trophy than the $500 cash award for taking first-place.
Eventually, after four nights of performances and 60 contestants, the finalists were chosen by an audience vote. The first-place winner was Catherine Lena Stephani. Second-place was Bryce Larsen and third place went to Robinson Treacher. The other seven finalists included Pauley, Erin Lindsay Dragan, the band August Glory, Justin Bohr, Elizabeth Devlin, Stephanie Nash and Jeff Jacobs. Larsen was the one wild card.
"People just want to get involved and get more exposure," Gonzalez said.
The contest brought out musicians from Connecticut, New Jersey, Staten Island and Long Island.
"I'm really glad they're out there in Astoria," said Valeria Mize, a guitarist from Washington Heights who performed on Friday.
Waltz-Astoria is constantly supporting live music and the musician's community, she said.
A Piece Of Cake
"My wife is a classical musician," said Pedro. "It's a struggle to put yourself out there. [The contest] actually helps them for their albums and EPs."
Musicians got all the help they could, while the audience watched from the intimate seating area, drinking lattes and eating sandwiches and cake.
In fact, that's how the contest came to be: with a piece of cake.
"It was an open mic, maybe six performers," said Gonzalez, reminiscing about that night, with its bad snowy weather and all. Because of the inclement weather, he and his wife decided the person who received most of the audience's votes would get a free piece of cake. "That's how the idea began."
Since then, of course, the contest has expanded and it's only continuing. Another contest will happen in about seven months. Until then, they plan on having a comedian's contest, as well as their regularly scheduled open mics and shows.
Overall, the contest was well-received. And like Gonzalez says at the end of every night, "The show is over, have a drink."
Waltz-Astoria is located at the corner of 24th Street and Ditmars Boulevard. To learn more call (718) 95-MUSIC (68742) or go to waltz-astoria.com.