Lakeside Looks for its Next Boardwalk Busker
Lakeside Shopping Centre has taken up the task of finding a new live musician, turning it into an American Idol-style competition. Lakeside’s Boardwalk Busker 2011 gave amateur musicians the chance to try out for the role, and the competitors were selected from a group of online applicants. Last weekend was the playoff between the final four.
In full busking tradition, the competitors put down their hats or opened up their guitar cases for shoppers’ spare change. Shoppers could vote with a ballot, but they could also vote with their dollars: the musician who brought in the most money and the most votes will win the job. The money will be donated to St. Luke’s Hospice.
The winner will be announced later this week, and he’s in for a hefty prize. It includes a recording studio session for a full day at a top studio. The musician will be able to record anything they want, with a demo CD to do with what they will. They’ll also get a full styling session with Lakeside’s personal shopper, a £500 Lakeside gift card, and a Gold Disc trophy to remember the beginning of what will hopefully be a fruitful career. Their performance will also be downloadable on the Lakeside website to get a little of that viral buzz building.
