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Posted on 11/18/2011 6:12:32 PM PST by machman
Singer Marc Martel of Christian band Downhere is a sure fire candidate to make the semi-finals for "The Queen Extravaganza" tour.
Queen drummer, Roger Taylor, will announce those who made the semi-finals Nov. 9 after almost six weeks of open auditions. Public voting will take place Nov. 14.
The remaining members of Queen – Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon – who wish to retire from performing, are holding the contest. They are looking for the best replacement singers and musicians to create a Queen tribute group that can keep playing their music in future years.
All submissions are to be submitted via video on Youtube.
“The Queen Extravaganza will not be a traditional tribute show,” said Queen drummer Taylor on the band's website. “It’s a brand-new show specially designed to enable fans to celebrate the music of Queen in a heart-stopping event.”
The contestants had four classic Queen songs to choose from, "Killer Queen," "Somebody To Love," "Seven Seas of Rhye" and "I Want To Break Free."
standard is mind blowingly high, it's really a thrill getting to discover some of them, keep them coming!"
Round two will show each member of the competition playing a song assigned to them.
The press release states, vocalists must submit a video of themselves performing "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." Drummers must perform "One Vision," while guitarists must play "Keep Yourself Alive." Bassists will play "Another One Bites The Dust," and keyboardists must perform "Bohemian Rhapsody."
The semi-finalists will have between Nov. 9 and Nov. 13 to submit their videos, and will be judged by the public.
The videos have accumulated 6.4 million views. Martel had a chance to be on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" Oct. 3 where he sang a picture perfect version of "Somebody to Love."
The fans showed their support for Martel, and voted him winner of the MTV O Award last night for Best Fan Cover.
The press release said, "'The Queen Extravaganza; tour will feature three vocalists and a five-piece band and will be booked by powerhouse agency CAA. Taylor is fully hands-on, taking the role of producer and music director."
Martel is relatively new to many American and secular listeners, but in Canada and on the Christian circuit he's quite well-known.
He's one of the lead singers in Christian rock band Downhere, formed in 1999, which only became a band because of a school project. Jason Germain is the other lead singer, while Glenn Lavender plays bass and Jeremy Thiessen is the drummer.
The band was signed to Word Records after the label contacted the members through email. At first, the band members thought it was a joke, but after persistence from the company, they realized their dream.
Downhere has won several awards including the Juno Awards, Covenant Awards, Vibe Awards, Prairie Music Awards and Dove Awards.
Martel and Downhere are currently on "The Called Love" tour with Aaron Shust and Jason Gray, in promotion of their album “On the Altar of Love.”
The Queen contest ends in December 2011.
I encourage everyone who has an interest to go vote for Marc Martel, he truly has a great talent, and I would love to see him win this...
I am a big Queen fan from back in the day, but am really impressed with Marc's singing and his own band, downhere, both musically and their message..
Here is the link to the Queen site where you can vote:
www.queenextravaganza.com/auditions
He does a great version of Crazy Little Thing Called Love for round two...
Marc's first entry, "Somebody to Love", just jaw dropping
Doing STL on the Ellen show:
His own band, downhere doing STL
Downhere live, Sombody to Love
Marc singing with Renaissance Church in Summit, NJ. doing
Downhere song Surrender, vocal very much in the Freddie Mercury style..
Downhere's lastest video,
he’s a fantastic singer! I never get tired of watching his rendition of “someone to love”, i guess filmed in his bedroom
Yea, The first time I heard him do Sombody to Love, I swear he was lip syncing, until he got to the ad lib part...
Do you mind if we share on facebook?
These guys are good! Thanks for the links ......................... FRegards
Here is his facebook page... Marc Martel Music
and his band's Downhere
But make sure you go to the official Queen Extravaganza site and vote...
I think these guys are great too. And its sort of uncanny how much he sounds and even looks like Freddie...
I had the pleasure of seeing Marc Martel perform “Somebody to Love” at the Called to Love Concert last Sunday night. He sounds like, looks like and moves like Freddie Mercury. Truly amazing talent. Downhere performs some of the best Christian music around. I predict we’ll see more of Marc Martel in the days ahead.
we saw him live a few weeks back. His voice is remarkable.
Somehow, though, I think winning this contest will be his downfall.
we saw him live a few weeks back. His voice is remarkable.
Somehow, though, I think winning this contest will be his downfall.
we saw him live a few weeks back. His voice is remarkable.
Somehow, though, I think winning this contest will be his downfall.
we saw him live a few weeks back. His voice is remarkable.
Somehow, though, I think winning this contest will be his downfall.
we saw him live a few weeks back. His voice is remarkable.
Somehow, though, I think winning this contest will be his downfall.
Sorry about the multiple posts, I’m using a touch screen and there is no feedback when you touch the post button.
You saw them in Wilmington? I was going to go that night, take the whole family, but my Son was really sick, so we didn’t drive down...... ;^( I saw a clip of STL from that night on the youtubes somewhere. They filmed their auditions for round two I think the day or two before that show....
I hope winning it would not be a negative for him and his band.....
I also listened to interview they did a week or so ago about it, he did seem to be starting to have reservations about the whole circus that has sprung up around it...and basically said he would have a real problem singing certain Queen songs, which I can understand.....
Yea, that’s a decision that will need to be covered in a lot of prayer.
As easy a vote as I’ve ever cast. Simply amazing. Also “shared” on Facebook.
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