Opening Act Rules

 Contest and Promotion Rules 

1. Opening Act is an individual vocalist competition for contestants age 13 and up. Contestants who meet eligibility requirements (see below) may enter the competition by any of the following three means:

A.  By registering and attending any of the following live a capella auditions:

 

DATE	EVENT
Sunday, January 10, 2010 @ 1pm (Check in begins at 12:40pm)	Opening Act Live Audition iWorship Center 3200 Shaler Road Springfield, IL
Sunday, January 17, 2010 @ 1pm (Check in begins at 12:40pm)	Opening Act Live Audition Central Christian Church 301 N. Tenth Street Mount Vernon, IL
Sunday, January 24, 2010 @ 1pm (Check in begins at 12:40pm)	Opening Act Live Audition Harvest Community Church 4598 Highway 162 Pontoon Beach, IL
Saturday, January 30, 2010 @ 9am (Check in begins at 8:40am)	Opening Act Live Audition First Baptist Church 213 W. Fayette Ave. Effingham, IL
Sunday, January 31, 2010 @ 1pm (Check in begins at 12:40pm)	Opening Act Live Audition First Baptist Church 608 N. Van Buren Litchfield, IL
Saturday, February 6, 2010 @ 9am (Check in begins at 8:40am)	Opening Act Live Audition Bethel Baptist Church Illinois Route 185 (north of town Vandalia, IL
Sunday, February 7, 2010 @ 1pm (Check in begins at 12:40pm)	Opening Act Live Audition Lincoln Avenue Baptist Church 951 Lincoln Avenue Jacksonville, IL

 

B. By registering and submitting an MP3 of an a capella solo performance which is no longer than three minutes in length.  This submission should be e-mailed to:   gw@wibi.org no later than 5:00 pm on Thursday, February 4th, 2010.        

 

 

C. By registering and posting a video of an a acapella solo performance, no longer than three minutes in length, to YouTube and sending the URL link to Family Friendly WIBI.  The URL link to the YouTube post should be e-mailed to: gw@wibi.org no later than 5:00 pm on Thursday, February 4th, 2010.

 

WIBI is not responsible for any internet, server, or other transmission error in sending an e-mail or posting to the internet.  Any MP3 submissions or YouTube posts not preceded by an Opening Act registration will not be considered for the competition.  Any MP3 submissions or YouTube posts longer than three minutes will also not be considered for the competition.

 

Unless otherwise decided by Family Friendly WIBI, there will be no other means of entry into WIBI’s Opening Act.

 

2. Individuals must pre register at www.wibi.org by 5:00 pm on the Thursday preceding the live audition event that they wish to attend. Family Friendly WIBI will confirm the registration by 5:00 pm on the Friday prior to the audition. The contestant must arrive at least 20 minutes prior to the beginning of the audition time for their specific location (Audition times are listed above.) All contestants must provide a government issued photo I.D. for verification.  All contestants will have their picture taken at the time of registration.  The auditions will be open to viewing of anyone present at the venue(s). No accompaniment will be allowed, and the contestant will be given no more than three minutes to share their vocal talent (however the length of the audition may be less than three minutes at the discretion of the judging panel). Individuals may only audition once for the competition. Once you have pre-registered for a location, you are only eligible to attend that specific audition.  An exception to the pre-registration rule will be those individuals attending the Session Conference on Jan 9, 16, and/or 23, 2010. 

 

 

Individuals sending an MP3 submission or posting an audition to YouTube must have registered and submitted their MP3 or YouTube link to gw@wibi.org no later than 5:00 pm on Thursday, February 4th, 2010.  Electronic submissions will be confirmed by 5:00 pm the day after submission.

  

The top 45 auditionists will be selected as the Quarter Finalists.  THese individuals will compete on Friday, February 19, 2010 at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, IL.  Those 45 contestants will be determined in the following manner:  The Opening Act panel of judges will select no more than 42 contestants from the seven live auditions.  The panel of judges will select at least 3 (three) contestants from the electronic entries (MP3 submissions and YouTube posts).  All individuals entering WIBI's Opening Act will be notified, by e-mail or phone, by 5:00 pm on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 and informed of their status in the competition.

4. 45 contestants will compete in a Musical Elimination Showcase on Friday, February 19, 2010 at the Prairie Capital Convention center.  The musical artists scheduled to appear this evening are Jeremy Camp and Natalie Grant.

  

5.  The 45 individuals competing at the Musical Elimination Showcase will perform group numbers, individual break-out solos, and other performance aspects.  At the end of the evening, the field will be narrowed down to the eight semi-finalists.  The audience in attendance will cast votes to determine the eight contestants to advance to the Semi-Final  round.  Each audience member will cast three (edited 02/10/10) four votes.

 

6. Those eight will compete at the semi-final competition at First Christian Church of Florissant in Florissant, MO on Saturday, March 6, 2010. These semi-finalists will each perform a song that evening, accompanied by Mark Roach and his band. The song will be a praise & worship cover tune that each contestant will choose from a list provided by Mark and his band. The audience in attendance that evening will vote for their favorite vocalists. The four contestants with the most votes will move on to our final round. The other four contestants will be eliminated.  Each audience member will cast two votes.

 

7. The four finalists will record a professionally-produced demo of their competition song which will be posted at WIBI's website (www.wibi.org) for on-line voting, as well as being played in rotation on Family Friendly WIBI during the remainder of the Opening Act promotional period.

 

8. Starting March 22, 2010 and following for a two week period, listeners will be able to visit www.wibi.org to hear the demos and vote for their favorite Opening Act contestant. Each Friday, starting March 26, the contestant receiving the lowest number of votes will be eliminated. Voting totals will be reset each week.

 

9. Online voting will run each week from Monday 8am to Friday 8am with the elimination being announced on air during the final hour of the Friday edition of “A Positive Start to your Day.” The winner of WIBI’s Opening Act will be announced live just prior to their performance on Saturday, April 10, 2010 at the Finale concert help at New Testament Fellowship, Alton, IL

 

10. That finalist will be our winner and receive the following:

 

(a) The opportunity to perform with Mark Roach for the finale of WIBI’s Opening Act as the opener for Rush of Fools at New Testament Fellowship, Alton, IL on Saturday, April 10, 2010.

(b) The opportuinty to travel as part of Rush of Fools spring 2010 tour and perform as their Opening Act for April 16, 17, and 18th  April 23, 24, and 25th performance dates.(revised 2/1/10 due to Rush of Fools schedule change.) (c) The opportunity to have his or her demo played on WIBI;

(d) The opportunity to receive a talent evaluation from Centricity Records.

_____________________________________________________________________________

RULES & REGULATIONS – continued

 

-       Contestants may only enter the competition through the three means described above: 1.  A scheduled live audition event, 2.  MP3 Submission,  or 3.  The posting of an audition to YouTube.

 

-       By entering WIBI’s Opening Act, the contestant grants permission for Family Friendly WIBI, New Life Media, and any promotional partners to use audio/video/photographic likeness and/or content for promotional means.

 

-       Contestants must meet all eligibility requirements and sign an eligibility confirmation waiver.

 

-       Contestants age 13, 14, 15, 16, or 17 must have a parent or guardian complete an “Acknowledgement and Acceptance of Opening Act Rules on Behalf of a Minor” form, and the parent/guardian must be present at the audition.  This form will be provided at the Live audition, or made available once the MP3 or YouTube post has been submitted.

 

-       Family Friendly WIBI retains the full right and ability to refuse or eliminate any contestant for any reason without explanation or possibility of legal ramification. Contest judging will be done entirely by WIBI's predetermined panel of judges, unless otherwise noted (such as in the case of live audience voting during the Musical elimination event and semi-final phase of the contest).

 

-       Only those contestants who meet all requirements will be selected to continue onward throughout the Opening Act Competition and promotion.  The 45 contestants for the first round Musical Elimination event will be selected by our panel of judges by the following criteria:  1.  No more than 42 contestants from the live auditions.  2.  At least three contestants from the electronic submissions (MP3 and YouTube combines).  All Opening Act participants will be notified (by e-mail or phone) of their status in the contest by 5:00 pm on Tuesday, February 9, 2010.

 

-       Eligibility Requirements:

*Contestants must be at least 13 years of age as of December 1, 2009.

*Contestants under age 18 must have a parent or guardian complete an “Acknowledgement and Acceptance of Opening Act Rules on Behalf of a Minor” form. (This form will be provided at the live audition, or made available following the submission of the MP3/YouTube entry)

*The following are ineligible from participation:

-                      Employees (or immediate family) of The New Life Radio Network, its stations, entities, and parent organizations.

-                      Any one to reach the following levels in past WIBI Opening Act Events: 

2008 - Winner - Andy Whitten

2009 - Finalists - Jermaine Bollinger, Gessica Handegan, Kelsey Sowards, and 2009 Winner, Katie Brown

-                      Any individual who currently has, or has had, a signed contract with a record label.

-                      Any individual younger than 13 years of age as of December 1, 2009.

  

*Contestants must be available on the following dates:

-          One of 1/10/10, 1/17/10, 1/24/10, 1/30/10, 1/31/10, 2/6/10, or 2/7/10 for a live audition event, unless the submitted an electronic submission to enter the competition.

-     2/19/10 - All day for rehearsal/sound check, etc for the Quarter Finals, Prairie Capital Convention Center, Springfield, IL.

-     3/06/10 - All day for rehearsal/sound check, etc for Semi Finals, First Christian Church of Florissant, Florissant, MO.

-     3/07/10 to 3/19/10 - Available for demo recording - Saint Louis, MO - As scheduled by Mark Roach, Contest Musical Director.

-     3/26/10, 4/02/10, & 4/09/10 - Available for in-person appearance at the WIBI studios in Carlinville, IL for appearance on "A Positive Start To Your Day" morning show.

-     4/05/10 to 4/09/10 - Finale rehearsal as scheduled by Mark Roach, Contest Musical Director.

-     4/10/10 - All day for rehearsal/sound check, etc for Finale, New Testament Fellowship, Alton, IL.

-     16, 17, 18th, & 19th  April 23, 24, 25, and 26th performance dates.(revised 2/1/10 due to Rush of Fools schedule change.)  - Travel/participation as Opener for Rush of Fools Spring Concert Tour.

 

-      Contestants may be asked to participate, either in-person, via telephone, or through electronic means (such as e-mail), with on-air talent in promotional segments (with such segments being either live or pre-recorded). 

 

-       In the event of a tie between any of the said contestants during any voting event, a panel of station representatives will then determine the tie-breaker. Should a contestant become unable to perform, Family Friendly WIBI will determine if a replacement is suitable. If a replacement is required, WIBI will have sole control of selecting the replacement.

 

-       Contestants in the March 6, 2010 semi-finalist competition will each perform one song from a list of songs provided by Mark Roach and his band. While the band will attempt to provide accompaniment in a key fitting to each contestant, the band will in no way be liable or held responsible for any results or perceived damages on the part of any contestant. Should a contestant become unable to perform, Family Friendly WIBI will determine if a replacement is suitable. If a replacement is required, WIBI will have sole control of selecting the replacement.

 

-       Family Friendly WIBI will provide production of a demo for each of the final four contestants. This demo remains the property of Family Friendly WIBI. Song choice and selection for these demos will be up to the discretion of WIBI. WIBI will then post each contestant's demo on their website (www.wibi.org) for a three-week listener voting process. This process will be used to eliminate three of the four finalists until one finalist is left as the contest's ultimate winner.

 

-       Starting 3/22/10, listeners will be able to listen to the demos of the four finalists and vote for their favorite vocalist. At the conclusion of that first week, on 3/26/2010, votes will be tallied, and the contestant receiving the lowest number of votes will be eliminated from the contest. In the event of a tie, our panel of judges will vote in order to break such a tie.

 

-       Each respective week thereafter, voting totals will be reset to zero, and the same process will be used to further reduce the number of contestants down to one finalist. The second week of voting will take place from 3/29/2010 to 4/02/2010 (when the total number of contestants will be reduced from three down to two), and the third week will take place from 4/05/2010 to 4/09/2010 (when the total number of contestants will be reduced from two down to one). The announcement of the winner will occur on stage at the finale event.

 

-       The winner of WIBI's Opening Act will be announced on stage during the Finale.  The finale will occur on Saturday, April 10, 2010.  The winner will be the Opening Act for Rush of Fools. This concert is sponsored by Family Friendly WIBI and will feature artist Mark Roach and his band as the opening act. The winning vocalist of the aforementioned contest will be afforded a predetermined number of songs to performed with the accompaniment of Mark and his band (the songs and song amount will be determined by Mark Roach and WIBI, and while the contestant's input on such matters may be received by Mark Roach and WIBI such decisions will ultimately be left to the sole discretion of Mark Roach and WIBI). If the winner of Opening Act is unable to perform for any reason, the runner-up will assume the performance role. Beyond that, should a contestant become unable to perform, Family Friendly WIBI will determine if a replacement is suitable. If a replacement is required, WIBI will have sole control of selecting the replacement.

 

-       The winner will also be joining Rush of Fools on tour on April 16, 17, and 18th  April 23, 24, and 25th performance dates.(revised 2/1/10 due to Rush of Fools schedule change.)   These concerts may, or may not, be within the listening area of WIBI radio.  The contestant will be provided transportation to connect with Rush of Fools.  They will open (to tracked accompaniment) for three shows and travel as part of the tour.  They will then be provided transportation back to the WIBI studios.  The winner will be accompanied by a memebr of the WIBI staff.  Any winner under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian who may or may not be responsible for the expense of thier travel.

 

-       None of the said prizes are in any way to be construed as a guarantee of future success, agreements, or arrangements with the contestant. All contestants assume total and complete personal liability and responsibility for contest involvement, with absolutely no liability or responsibility on the part of any entity involved in the promotion of any part of this total event.

 

-       All prizes in this contest, advertised or implied, are not guaranteed. Whether by decision, or circumstances beyond control, Family Friendly WIBI is in no way legally bound to deliver or make good on any prize (or portion of the grand prize).

 

-       Family Friendly WIBI can, in no way, be legally held for any perceived damages to contestants and contest participants, or anyone related in anyway to such persons (regardless of the nature of such damages). WIBI is in no way legally liable or responsible to any contestant or participant, as all such persons are considered voluntary participants without right to any form of compensation. WIBI is in no way required to give intellectual domain to any contestant for any product or by-product of this promotion, even if such product is found existent prior to the said promotion.

 

-       Any applicable taxes as a result of any and all prizes awarded in this competition are the sole responsibility of the contestant.

 

-       All of Family Friendly WIBI’s regular contest rules also apply. These rules may be accessed at www.wibi.org or may be obtained by written request to Family Friendly WIBI, P.O. Box 140, Carlinville, IL 62626 Attn: Contest Rules.

 

-       Any pre-knowledge of Opening Act events, processes, personalities, and/or results in considered confidential until such time as broadcast on WIBI or posted at www.wibi.org. Revealing such information prior to its announcement is grounds for disqualification and removal from the competition. 

 

-       Family Friendly WIBI reserves the right to edit, delete, or otherwise amend these rules at any time, or for any reason, with or without notice, and without consequence.  Also, WIBI is not responsible for errors, misinformation, or omissions in these rules.

 

-       Opening Act is made possible by a generous gift from Compassion International. Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults. Find out more on how to sponsor a child at www.compassion.com.