Acts show star power to Suburban Chicago's Got Talent judges
Sunday was the last day of the Lollapalooza music festival in Chicago, and it was also the last time the two-man rock band Aviation and the War would perform before Saturday's finale of the Suburban Chicago's Got Talent contest.
Some of the judges of the summerlong talent competition wondered Sunday night at the Top 10 performance round whether bandmates Matt Buenger of Addison and Joe Christopoulos of Wood Dale were on the right stage.
“I think Lollapalooza was missing an act,” said Barbara Vitello, a judge and Daily Herald theater critic, after the duo's performance at the Prairie Center for the Arts in Schaumburg.
Buenger, on the guitar, and Christopoulos, on the keyboard and drums, performed an original song, “Familiar Dark.” They say they didn't expect to make it this far in the competition.
“You definitely have it,” said Ron Onesti, a judge and president and CEO of Onesti Entertainment Corp., which operates the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles. “I've seen a million acts, and you're definitely with it. If you had a big recording contract, you could totally handle it.”
The competition that began with 20 contestants comes down to the final set of performances at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Taste of Arlington Heights, where the winner will be determined by the four judges.
Beth Waller, a judge and cultural arts supervisor for the Schaumburg Park District, said last year's final round performances “blew people away,” making the judge's decisions that much tougher.
Judges on Sunday night were also impressed by Amanya Amariel, a Chicago singer performing for the first time with a band she put together in the last week. With a three-piece horn section, a drummer, a keyboardist and a backup singer, the band rehearsed only once before playing a rendition of Whitney Houston's “I'm Your Baby Tonight."
“What a smoking band,” Vitello said. “I can't imagine what you'll sound like with two days of rehearsal.”
Laura Kuper, 15, of Wheeling got behind the piano for a solo performance of Aerosmith's “Dream On.”
“We're looking for someone who could go professional and sell records and tickets,” Onesti said. “I can see it. You're a rock star. Dream on, girl.”
The 10 finalists are vying for the STARter Kit grand prize, a promotional package to help further a budding artist's performing career. It includes a performance as an opening act to a headliner at the Arcada Theatre, plus promotional photos and videos.
Readers can also vote for their favorite performers online; the contestant with the most cumulative votes from the three rounds wins the Fan Favorite prize of a Funjet Vacation for two.
Videos of each of Sunday night's 10 performances will be posted online Tuesday at dailyherald.com/entertainment/talent, and readers have until midnight Thursday to vote.