iron composer
IRON COMPOSER
A Live Real-Time 60 Minute Songwriting Competition, Drinking Game, and Aural Obstacle Course
hosted/performed/interloped by Seattle School (www.seattleschool.net)
Featuring 2 competing celebrity Seattle-area composers each night from the world of rock, pop and theater
and a celebrity panel of Judges
July 13, 20 and 27th (Tuesdays)
Doors open at 8pm - show starts at 8:30pm with a 2 song opening act each night
@ the Lower Level cabaret space at the Capital Hill Arts Center
1621 12th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
Admission: $5
Composers and Judges for the opening night on July 13th are:
COMPETITORS: Eddie Spaghetti of The Supersuckers VS. Joe Reineke of Alien Crime Syndicate
JUDGES:
The Stranger theater editor / playwright David Schmader
The Stranger music editor Jennifer Maerz
former Seattle City Council member Judy Nicastro
TWO SONG OPENING ACT: Subpoenaed Lemur
Live - from the CHAC Songwriting Stadium on Capital Hill - Seattle School hosts the first ever IRON COMPOSER competition!! Hosted by Chairman Min (Seattle School founder Mike Min), IRON COMPOSER is three public bouts (July 13th, 20th and 27th) of live-action composing, pitting local songwriting lumanaries against each other in a battle royale. The battle takes place in real-time, with the audience watching, while the composers must jump through aural obstacles laid in their songwriting path by Seattle School.
The "secret ingredient" used each night will be a person randomly chosen from the audience. Information culled from a 5 minute interview with that audience member about his or her present state of affairs or his or her past will be material from which the composers can draw musical and lyrical inspiration for their song submission. The final song will be performed by the composer and a house band provided by Seattle School.
Each IRON COMPOSER will have their musical kitchens equipped with 1) one guitar 2) one piano 3) paper and pencil and 4) one Sous Chef Line Musician. The Sous Chef will relay all information to the band on chords, melodies, back-up vocals, and horn lines, and will conduct rehearsals with the band live on stage. The Composers may only communicate with the band via the Sous Chef. Composers only get direct access to the band during their final performance.
HOWEVER: it's not that easy! the 45 competition is divided up into 5 nine-minute segments. Each segment will contain a Mystery Turmoil, performed by The Interlopers (Korby Sears and Ben Houge) to distract the composers from their work. As added molases, each composer must drink a shot of liquor at the beginning of the show and the beginning of each round, consuming 5 shots in the course of 45 minutes. THEN - they perform their composition.
SEE - the sausage making process in action!!
WITNESS - art crassly combined with cutthroat competition - where it belongs!!
THRILL - as one winner stands above the rest and takes home the Grand Prize!!
Line-ups for the 20th and 27th are the following:
JULY 20th - COMPETITORS: TBA VS. TBA
JUDGES: Three Imaginary Girls (www.threeimaginarygirls.com)
*Dana Weissman of Three Imaginary GIrls
*Liz Riley of Three Imaginary GIrls
*Char Davidson of Three Imaginary GIrls
OPENING TWO SONG ACT: The Von Trapp Family Singers
JULY 27th - COMPETITORS: Director / Composer John Kaufman (linger, Starball, Line One) VS. Paul Jensen of Dudley Manlove Quartet, Batum Schrag and Sexy American Girlfriend
JUDGES:
* Troy Mink as Carlotta Sue Phillpott
*Marcus Wolland as Orson Welles
* Cheryl Serio as Jennifer Tilly
OPENING TWO SONG ACT: The Big O Experience
For more information, go to: www.seattleschool.net or call Korby Sears at 206-335-3500.