"Last year's competition was AMAZING!" says Jason Blaske, studio manager of Bristol Recording Studios, "We're really excited to see some new groups and hopefully some of the awesome groups that competed last year too. The competition is really growing and I can't wait to enjoy the festivities again this year."

If you think your group has what it takes to battle with the best and want a shot at some amazing prizes, read on and find out more below.

We look forward to seeing you in the A Cappella Armageddon arena!

A Cappella Armageddon Competition Details:

Registration is open to any college a cappella groups. The fee is $20 per group. Registration is online at BristolStudios.com/armageddon.htm. Registration deadline is MIDNIGHT(EST) Friday October 11th, 2013. Groups will be contacted after they register about scheduling a live performance in the Preliminary Round at Bristol Recording Studios, 169 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, on October 18, 19 OR 20th, 2013. You may also submit an audition video via YouTube. See below for details.

Audition Live At Bristol Recording Studios On October 18, 19, or 20th, 2013 or submit video via YouTube.

Every group can perform live at Bristol Recording Studios to compete in the Audition. Groups are scheduled in 15 minute increments. Group members are welcome to invite fans to view their performance as well as come early and stay late to watch other groups perform.

Each group will have 10 minutes to perform for the judges. Judging criteria is listed below. Groups will perform without the use of microphones, a sound system, or effects.

Online fan voting will count as 10% of your final score in the preliminary round.

Fans can vote in the ONLINE VOTING FORM found on this page BristolStudios.com/armageddon/vote.php

Fans can vote one time only. A valid email address is required. Fan voting will increase your chances of moving into the Final Showdown.

ONLINE VIDEO SUBMISSION OPTION:

If you really want to enter the competition, but there's no way your group can make it in for a live audition you can submit live video of your group.

General Video Guidelines
Video auditions follow the same criteria as in-person auditions:
• You have 10 minutes (2 video submissions MAX). Videos need to be of current group members, but do not need to be filmed specifically for this.
• PLEASE NOTE: All video auditions must be clear to view and easy to hear. Please choose a place to film where there is good lighting and little ambient noise. Also, please choose a location where the background is not distracting.
• Before submitting video you must register for the competition with the paypal form on the A Cappella Armageddon webpage.
• All videos must be live, unedited performances. You will be judged by the same judges at the same time as the live auditions.
• Please introduce your group and each song and talk to the camera as you would the judges/audience if it were a live performance.

Please use this online form when submitting your audition. Video Submission Deadline is Thursday October 17th at Midnight.


YouTube Auditions

YouTube is the method for submission. Include the link to your audition video on YouTube in your online form. The audition can be all in one video, or 2 separate videos if the length is too long for YouTube. If you'd like to make the video private so the entire YouTube community is not able to see your audition, please see below.

How to create and share an unlisted (private) video audition on YouTube:
• Sign into your YouTube Account.
• Click on your account name located in the top right of any page.
• Click on My Videos from the expanded menu.
• Choose the video you want to edit and click the Edit button below the video thumbnail.
• Scroll down to the Broadcasting and Sharing Options and find the Privacy section.You'll see the option to make the video Public, Unlisted, or Private. Select Unlisted.
• Make sure to click the Save Changes button at the bottom of the page.
• Once you've set your video as unlisted in your Account settings, you're ready to share your video. In order to share your video, just send the video's URL to the people with whom you'd like to have access to the video. They'll then be able to view the video.

The top ten groups will be announced Friday, October 25, 2013

Ten groups will be chosen as winners of the Preliminary Round and will progress into the Final Showdown.

Each group will be contacted and invited to perform at the Final Showdown on November 10, 2013. The location will be announced.

If your group is selected as one of the finalists, this is your time to gather your fans and prepare for the Final Showdown, as crowd response counts for 25% of the judging!

Tickets to the Final Showdown are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. The show is all ages. All performers will have free entry to the show.

Final Showdown is on November 17, 2013 1:00pm - 4:00pm
The eight winning groups from the preliminary round will have 15 minutes of performance time to wow the judges and the crowd. First, second, and third place winners will be chosen and announced on the spot. The competition will take place at The Tower Auditorium at Mass College of Art, 621 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA. The Final Showdown will feature industry judges.

NEW FOR 2013!
We are going to be incorporating either a Riff-Off (A la Pitch Perfect) or a Beat Box competition while the judges deliberate. This competition will be for an additional 5 hours of studio time and will be decided by the crowd and the MC! We will be posting the rules for both competitions on this page and let our competitors decide which competition they would prefer at the final showdown. Each group will get one vote for either Riff-Off or Beat Box and majority decides it.

RULES FOR RIFF-OFF/BEAT BOX COMPETITIONS:

Rules for A Cappella Armageddon Riff-Off:
Adapted from Marc Silverberg's listing on casa.org
He also has some guidelines on preparing for a Riff-Off: https://www.casa.org/node/15941

Rule 1: The riff-off will be moderated by the MC, but the audience will decide the winner, by applause. The moderator will be in charge of organization, calling disqualifications, and judging difficult rulings. All of the groups will gather on stage for the competition. Participation is voluntary, groups are not required to compete and are also allowed to send up partial groups, but a minimum of 4 members are required to compete.

Rule 2: The moderator will have a list of musical categories, but will choose them at random. These categories can be freely interpreted and are listed here: Ladies of the 80's, Songs about Sex, Michael Jackson, Christian Rock, Hair Bands, TV Theme Songs, Famous Duets, Overplayed Black Eyed Peas, Songs Ruined by Glee, Party Rock Anthems and Justin/Selena/Beyonce.

Rule 3: All groups will have 20-30 seconds to deliberate and decide on 2 appropriate songs that will both fit the category, and wow the audience.

Rule 4: Whichever group is ready "jumps in" and starts singing. The group is not expected to sing the entire song, just a portion of it. It is the soloist's responsibility to indicate, either visually or aurally, the "end" of the performance. If the group's director wants to indicate this, that's okay too.

Rule 5: Any group that is not singing may "jump in" before the first group is finished. They need to "jump in" on a specific word matching whatever word is being sung by the other group. The other group immediately stops singing that song to allow the new group to progress. Then the cycle starts again and any group may jump in.

If the first group finishes, the next group will have 5 seconds to "jump in" or they are disqualified. This will proceed around the stage clockwise. The moderator will keep track of this time.

Rule 6: A disqualified group is "out" of that category and cannot compete again until the next category is chosen.

Rule 7: Each category lasts as long as the groups can keep it alive, but no more than 2 songs by each group. If no group has earned a disqualification after singing 2 songs, the next category is selected and the riff-off continues.

Rule 8: During a song, one soloist may jump in or substitute for another if the performing soloist does not know the melody. Duets, trios, and smaller solo ensembles are allowed and encouraged, but the group does need to have at least 4 members on stage to compete.

Rule 9: A disqualification occurs when one or more of the following happens:
-A group sings a song that the moderator feels does not fit the appropriate category
-A group fails to think of a song within the allotted time
-A group does not come to a solid, concrete ending (e.g. The soloist keeps going, but the group stops, or vice versa)
-A group's performance falls apart mid-song for any reason
-The moderator feels that the group is cheating somehow (looking at lyrics, looking at a chord sheet, etc.)

Rule 10: A disqualification shall NOT occur if:
-The appropriate song is already in the group's rehearsed repertoire and they can perform it
-The soloist makes up lyrics to the song if he/she does not know them, as long as the song keeps going, or lyrics are repeated
-The group substitutes soloists at a rapid rate, as long as the song continues

The contest ends when the Judges are finished deliberating or all of the categories have been gone through.

Then the MC will poll the audience and see who is the crowd favorite and announce the winner of the Riff-Off.

Rules for A Cappella Armageddon Beat Box Competition:
Each group can have more than 1 beat box competitor. This competition is moderated by the MC and the winners are decided by the audience by applause. Participation is voluntary and groups are not required to send a competitor. Beatboxers only. No instruments are permitted; only sounds made using the human anatomy.

Competitors should not perform beatbox routines as already performed in public by other beatboxers, to the best of their knowledge. We should respect the intellectual property rights.

In the preliminary round, one beat boxer from each group will be given 1 minute to showcase. There is then a second round of 1 minute each for each group. The MC will then poll the audience and half of the competitors will be eliminated, in case of an odd number of competitors the larger half shall stay.

You can use a different beat boxer for each round or whatever combination, but only 1 person in each round. Whenever someone from your group is eliminated, your group is out of the beat box competition.

We will then pair off the remaining competitors to face off. The first pair are brought up and each competitor has up to 2 minutes to wow the audience. Then the MC will poll the audience and one of the competitors are eliminated. Repeat with next pair. In case of an odd number the last beat boxer without a partner will compete against the winner of the first pairing.

Once that round of elimination is done then the finalists get another 2 minutes each and the crowd decides the winner!

Prizes
Grand Prize Package:
• 25 Hours Studio Time at Bristol Recording Studios,169 Massachusetts Ave, Boston (Includes engineer/producer)
• Spotlight article in the Bristol Recording Studios' newsletter
• A opening slot at an upcoming Bristol Entertainment event
• More prizes TBA!

2nd Place Prize Package:
• 10 Hours Studio Time at Bristol Recording Studios, 169 Massachusetts Ave, Boston (Includes engineer/producer)
• More Prizes TBA!

3rd Place Prize Package:
• 5 Hours Studio Time at Bristol Recording Studios, 169 Massachusetts Ave, Boston (Includes engineer/producer)
• More Prizes TBA!

Judging Criteria

Cohesiveness of group
Song Interpretation
Rhythm
Music arrangement
Intonation
Interpretation of Solo
Tone
Dynamics
Coordination of Movement
Stage Presence
Inventiveness of Movement
Communication Effectiveness
Complexity of Movement
Overall Entertainment Value

Rules & Regulations

1. Entrance Fee is Non-Refundable.

2. Employees of A Cappella Armageddon & Bristol Recording Studios, their families, subsidiaries, and affiliates are not eligible.

3. Prizes will be awarded jointly to all members of any winning group; division of prizes is responsibility of winners. Void where prohibited. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. A Cappella Armageddon reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value.

4. Entry constitutes permission to use winner's names, likenesses, and voices for future advertising and publicity purposes without additional compensation.

5. All entering groups must be affiliated with a College or University.

6. Winner Announcements: Preliminary Round winners announced on or prior to November 10, 2013 . Final showdown winners announced on October 25, 2013. A Cappella Armageddon reserves the right to extend these deadlines for any reason. Announcements will be sent to the email address provided by each entrant and will also be posted on www.bristolstudios.com.

For more information contact: Jason at 617.247.8689 or email: info@bristolstudios.com.

REGISTER YOUR GROUP FOR A CAPPELLA ARMAGEDDON

$20 Registration fee/group (non-refundable)

GROUP NAME & CONTACT PERSON

EMAIL ADDRESS

BRISTOL RECORDING & PRODUCTION STUDIOS | WWW.BRISTOLSTUDIOS.COM | 617.247.8689 | 169 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, MA