By Satina Tolman
For The New Era
The lights dimmed, the crowd hushed, and the seventh annual SHOCASE Showdown once again brought Sweet Home talent to center stage Saturday night, Oct. 18, at the Sweet Home High School Auditorium,
The event offered performers a chance to share their gifts, compete for cash prizes, and enjoy their moment in the spotlight.
This year’s Showdown marked another milestone for SHOCASE (Sweet Home Oregon Coalition for Artistic and Scholastic Enrichment), which has provided a wide variety of opportunities for celebration of local arts and culture in recent years. This year’s talent show was sponsored by Gary and Pam Rasmussen, the Wendi Melcher Team and Boulder Falls Inn,
Emcees Sean Morgan, representing SHOCASE, and local singer Melody Jordan kept the evening lively with humor and upbeat commentary as each act took the stage.
Performers were scored on six categories: appearance, creativity, polish, stage presence, technical skill, and entertainment value — criteria designed to recognize not only raw ability but also effort and showmanship.
Judges used a digital scoring system designed by Ward Christman of SHOCASE, making tabulation instantaneous.
Showdown organizer Shirley Austin, said she loved the variety and mix of talent and all the behind-the-scenes help that made the evening such a success.
Youthful Energy and Heart
The youth competition opened the night with performances that impressed both audience and judges. Rylee Carbon sang “Set It All Free” by Scarlett Johansson to earn third place and a $75 prize. Khloe Arce took second place and $100 with a stirring rendition of “Creep” by Radiohead.
First place went to Take His Crown, a newly formed band featuring Ivan Pelcher on guitar, Ezekiel (Zeke) Center on lead vocals, and Blake Deleon on drums. Their energetic performance of “Crazy Train” by Ozzy Osbourne won them the $250 top prize and enthusiastic applause from the crowd.
Carbon also claimed the People’s Choice Award, adding another $100 to her winnings. The audience voted by dropping donations into ballot boxes, with the performance that raised the most money earning the title.
Despite being a newly formed band, Take His Crown’s chemistry and musicianship stood out. The trio said they each had been practicing individually for years before finally joining forces just three days prior to this performance, and they plan to continue performing together.
Pelcher said he received his first drum kit at just 6 months old, inspired by his father, Tony, who has played music since the 1990s. Center said his musical inspiration comes from Kurt Cobain of Nirvana, while Pelcher recalled attending concerts with his dad, Jonathan, a musician who played in the 1990s band Green Jelly.
Fans won’t have to wait long to hear more from Take His Crown. The band plans to perform again at the Sweet Home High School Talent Show in January.
Judge Lori Currey, a member of the Willamette Valley Concert Band, said she especially enjoyed seeing young musicians take the stage.
“Seeing kids up here with their instruments, playing, and really getting the music, and showing their passion, I thought that was really great!” she said.
Currey said she works closely with fellow band member Charlie Eads to support school music programs and said she was delighted to see that same spirit in the SHOCASE Showdown.
Adults Shine on Stage
Fourteen acts competed in the adult category, each delivering memorable performances that showcased the depth of local talent.
Third place and a $100 prize went to vocalist Cathy Scheele, singing “Control” by Zoe Wees. Second place and $250 went to singer and guitarist Kourtney Hayes performing “Vice” by Miranda Lambert. The top honor and $500 grand prize went to vocalist Amanda Wilde and guitarist Buzzy Strings for their rendition of “My Jesus” by Anne Wilson.
The pair have been performing together for about five years, most often with the Holley Church worship team. They also perform as the duo Blue Collar Jesus, with original music including their song “My Shelter,” which is available on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music.
Strings encouraged listeners to check out their work: “It’s awesome, you gotta listen to it!”
Music has been a lifelong passion for both winners. Strings who grew up in Harrisburg and moved to Sweet Home about six years ago, said music has always been part of his life. Wilde grew up in Texas and moved to Sweet Home 13 years ago with her husband.
“My dad was a country music artist and I wanted to grow up to be just like him. I always loved my daddy, music, and Jesus,” Wilde said.
Strings said he didn’t expect to be a winner.
“I didn’t see it coming, but I’m glad for it for my friend here,” he said, motioning toward Wilde and shifting the spotlight back to her. Wilde laughed and said, “Color me surprised! I am over the moon! I’m probably not going to stop smiling for at least a month.”
He added: “We spend a lot of time playing together so it’s good to have a win. We’ve spent a lot of hours in a studio and a lot of hours in a church, and it’s nice to have this.”
Judge Paula Newman said she loved seeing that kind of passion shine through on stage. “I love the variety of talent! And I love that there were two female drummers! That was fun!” she said, referring to of the Paige Reynolds Skwirez band and Rosemary Johnson of the Scrap Rats band.
Judges Praise the Talent
Throughout the night, judges repeatedly remarked on the level of talent on display.
“I thought the show was great! It was a lot of fun and there are some very talented and energized people,” said Judge Milt Moran.
Returning judge Kadee Kall, who has taught ballet for about 20 years, said she was impressed by the performers’ dedication.
“Tonight was awesome! You have a lot of people here with a lot of talent and a lot of passion for sure,” she said. “You can tell they have put in a lot of work. I’d love to see them, especially the younger kids, come back and keep developing their skills.”
Judge Erah McMullen, president and creative director of Mid-Valley Productions, attended with her husband, Ander Sanchez, the company’s executive director of operations, who also judged.
“We’re huge lovers of the arts of all kinds. We live for this,” McMullen said. “We jumped at a chance to be a part of this and witness local talent, people out here doing what they love. This was a great show.”
