South Hazleton trio The Racket are among the top three finalists in BC’s Best Teen Band Contest 2013 hosted by YouThink magazine.
The Racket, Elijah Larsen, singer/guitarist, Stephen DeWit, bassist and Simon Stockner, percussion, are up against The Flying Fishmongers, a rock metal band from North Vancouver and DaniElle, a country solo artist from Pitt Meadows.
“It was a happy day,” Larsen said of the day he heard the band had made the top three.
Larsen wasn’t surprised the band made it into the top three.
“I have a lot of confidence in us,” Larsen said.
“I figured if we really tried we would make it.”
Last weekend The Racket headed to Vancouver for a professional photo shoot with photographer Adam Blasber and art director Ben Oliver.
The bands hit the stage at the Electric Owl in Vancouver, April 27, to determine the winner of the contest.
At the final, each band plays four songs.
The Racket have wittled their song selection down to six, but aren’t saying which songs will make the cut.
“We’re choosing not to,” DeWit said.
With much on the line, the band is taking several elements into consideration in choosing the songs for the final concert.
“Variation in the songs, the songwriting, the emotions and dynamics of the song and the confidence we have in playing the song,” Stockner said were some of the considerations in choosing their list of four songs.
DeWit added the band is also considering what their fans are saying about the songs they enjoy and why they like the songs.
“At the same time we want to show our energy and creativeness,” DeWitt added.
The top three bands were selected by fan voting.
In all, 28,000 fans voted from January 14 to February 18.
A panel of industry judges will determine the ultimate winner.
With the final concert almost two months away, the band is focused on practicing, making sure every little detail of each song is just right.
Although, they typically hit the stage without a planned set list, the trio said they are going to hit the stage in Vancouver with a set list.
“This is a performance to remember,” Stockner said.
“This is really important.”
“This is bigger than Trooper,” DeWit said, referring to last year’s Telkwa BBQ where they opened the show for Trooper.