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Round One Contest Submissions

1/12/07, 5:49 pm EST

Meet Our Round One Contest Finalists!

We were floored by the number of submissions for the first installment of our ongoing “I’m From Rolling Stone” writing contest, where we asked you to submit 300 words or less describing your local music scene. We received more than 500 entries in five days. Needless to say, there was a lot to sift through. After painstakingly reviewing the entries based on eligibility, grammar and punctuation, style, tone and creativity, we’ve narrowed down the pool to twenty finalists. Read their entries and tell us (and them!) what you think. Then come back Wednesday to find out who among these twenty got top honors. And if you missed the deadline for the first assignment, fear not! A brand new contest will be announced on Monday at noon EST, so check back here for details on how you can enter!

-- Rolling Stone

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1/12/07, 5:45 pm EST

Assignment One Finalist: Betty Wilkins on Blacksburg, Virginia

Think you can do better? Prove it, by entering our our contest. Win prizes and get your work published. We’ll announce week two’s assignment Monday, 12:00 p.m. EST.

Note: This is not an official Rolling Stone article. What follows is a submission to the “I’m From Rolling Stone” writing competition.


WELCOME TO BOOGIEBURG: POPULATION MAY VARY

by Betty Wilkins
Age: 26

Downtown merchants sell shirts proclaiming that Blacksburg, Virginia is a “drinking town with a football problem”. But look closer, and you will discover that the entertainment options afforded to you in this sleepy college town reach far beyond Beamerball. There’s a sound for every season in the ‘burg.

On those sticky, summer nights, head down to the Rivermill or the She-Sha, and groove to a rotating cast of local DJs battling to see who can mix the sickest rhythms in town. Or if it’s an all-girl punk show that you’re looking for, check out The Two Funerals playing after hours at Oasis World Market. For townies looking for one last hoorah before the students return, walk down to the Steppin’ Out festival. Held the first weekend in August, it blends crafts, food, and melodies suitable for all ages and tastes. The main stage at College Avenue and Draper Road plays host to a goulash of bluegrass, funk, jazz, and rock that changes every hour during the two-day event.

When the weather turns brisk and you realize why this place is nicknamed “Bleaksburg”, grab a white chocolate mocha and a couch at the Easy Chair, and soak up the brilliant songwriting of two neo-folksters with guitars. Afterwards, walk over to Attitudes to catch True Sound, a hip-hop/funk/reggae ensemble and a staple in the Blacksburg music scene.

Whether you are jamming along with The Kind at Champ’s Sports Bar on any given Tuesday, or throwing back a few shooters at TOTS’ annual Battle of the Bands competition, music is as much a timeless tradition in Blacksburg as doing the Hokie Pokie.

-- Rolling Stone

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1/12/07, 5:45 pm EST

Assignment One Finalist: Ann Marie Trietley on Fredonia, New York

Think you can do better? Prove it, by entering our our contest. Win prizes and get your work published. We’ll announce week two’s assignment Monday, 12:00 p.m. EST.

Note: This is not an official Rolling Stone article. What follows is a submission to the “I’m From Rolling Stone” writing competition.


by Ann Marie Trietley
Age: 19

Sun-speckled vineyards and produce stands sweeten the air of Fredonia, New York. An hour outside of Buffalo, this college town is bubbling over with local musical talent. As the sun sets, youthful villagers descend upon the town in a cacophony of nighttime rambling. The weekends are always anticipated, since they are filled with a cornucopia of shows and gigs.

The Fredonia music scene is a bastion of experimentation. S.U.N.Y Fredonia college students provide a dynamic blend of local talent. The university is renowned for its music program, and the student talent is vast and dynamic. Bands composed of Fredonia students range from hardcore troubadours Hello, Star Vega to the eccentric prog-rock quintet Gonculator.

Fredonia’s Tarbox Road Studios have become a favorite of The Flaming Lips, who recorded “The Soft Bulletin” here. Wayne Coyne, Flaming Lips’ vocalist/guitarist, was spotted jogging around town in red shorty shorts, and the band was photographed for Maxim magazine in downtown bar B.J’s. Thursday also recorded an album in Fredonia last year. Frontman Geoff Rickley was spotted browsing the florescent aisles of the local Wal-Mart.

Ellicotville Brewing Company and B.J’s are perhaps the two most popular venues in downtown Fredonia. Vera Lena, Besnyo, and Sleeping Kings of Iona, three popular indie bands from Buffalo, maintain a strong fan base in Fredonia. Bands from all over, both signed and unsigned, frequent these local venues for the receptive, open-minded audience.

Every time the sun goes down, music enthusiants meet to absorb with passion the songs of their generation.

-- Rolling Stone

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1/12/07, 5:45 pm EST

Assignment One Finalist: Jake Brooks on Greenwood, Arkansas

Think you can do better? Prove it, by entering our our contest. Win prizes and get your work published. We’ll announce week two’s assignment Monday, 12:00 p.m. EST.

Note: This is not an official Rolling Stone article. What follows is a submission to the “I’m From Rolling Stone” writing competition.


by Jake Brooks
Age: 18

Arkansas isn’t the most inviting state for major acts to visit. Somehow the cows and camo jackets just don’t seem to attract the big name performers to our humble slice of the country. I cannot tell you the number of times I have checked the tour dates of my favorite band only to find the nearest concert is six hours away. So with taped up guitars and a glitter of defiance in their eye, a new generation of Arkansans have kept a steady supply of southern rock coming to a hungry audience.

But this most certainly isn’t Lynyrd Skynyrd. Like a bastard child, this new form of southern rock has mutated into something that has just as much in common with metal as it does with country. Vocals have morphed into a guttural scream that could put any emo band to shame, and earth-shattering guitar breakdowns sound heavier than any hardcore band could ever hope to achieve. Southern rock has become that scrappy kid on the playground that will fight anyone; the one with no respect and everything to prove and nothing to lose. But through all of the toughening the music has received over the years, it’s lost none of that signature southern swagger and attitude. The sound strikes you full in the gut, and you aren’t likely to forget it soon.

The actual music scene is unlike anywhere else; mostly because the scene can be anywhere. I’ve been to concerts in rundown stone buildings no larger than the average living room located behind Chinese food joints, to makeshift stages in pastures accessible only by dirt road. This is the true testament to the musicians; they are as much fans as they are rock stars, and no matter who you are, you’re guaranteed to have a good time.

-- Rolling Stone

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1/12/07, 5:45 pm EST

Assignment One Finalist: Chris Senn on Seattle

Think you can do better? Prove it, by entering our our contest. Win prizes and get your work published. We’ll announce week two’s assignment Monday, 12:00 p.m. EST.

Note: This is not an official Rolling Stone article. What follows is a submission to the “I’m From Rolling Stone” writing competition.


by Chris Senn
Age: 23

It has been over a decade now since the fall of the grunge scene in Seattle. While the music scene in the city by the Sound may never fully emerge from under that shadow, it is definitely on the right track.

Bands like Modest Mouse and Death Cab For Cutie have recently brought the Seattle scene back to the national forefront. While many may know these bands by now, many more have earned their due. Between sets, in the back halls and dressing rooms of the Showbox, Chop Suey, Nuemo’s and various other rock, blues and jazz clubs, they await their big break.

Band of Horses and The Long Winters had a particularly good year thanks in part to KEXP, the best radio station in the country. Their programming concept, to play the music that deserves to be played, is a breath of fresh air in the unfortunately corporate arena that radio has become. KEXP continues to discover great Northwest artists that otherwise go unrecognized.

Along with KEXP, independent record stores such as Easy Street and Sonic Boom help the local scene survive. Many independently released albums find these stores as the only outlet to sell their creations. These stores also host many in store performances and appearances by local musicians.

Yes, the Seattle music scene is once again thriving, from the ground up, but will the Seattle music scene die with this generation? Most likely not, but a proposal is on the table to ban all ages shows at venues that serve liquor. No matter what the politicians do, they will never silence the Seattle Sound. Ever present yet ever changing, in bars, coffeehouses, theaters, cafes and house parties the music will play on and the kids will be alright.

-- Rolling Stone

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