An exciting and talented slate of aspiring musical artists will take the stage at the Gold Coast Arts Center in Great Neck on Saturday, March 23 at 8 p.m. for Knockout Round 2 of the “Your Big Break” talent competition, presented by the Gold Coast Arts Center, Love Revolution Org, and the Rick Eberle Agency.
Contestants perform before judges and audience members who ultimately select who will advance to the next round to win prizes and recognition that can help take their music careers to the next level. Performing in Knockout Round 2 are:
Carol Beyda, a talented 15-year-old Great Neck resident possessing a natural ability to move an audience with her passion for singing, who has recorded and written her original music.
She approaches every song she sings as a unique project; consistently and meticulously crafting it into her style. Just hearing her passionate vocal artistry, conveys the belief that she will no doubt enjoy a career successful career as a recording artist.
Glorious is a multi-talented powerhouse of a pop singer, livetronica drummer, producer and songwriter. Named after her grandmother Glorious Cooper and graduate of Berklee College of Music, she has been making music since she started playing drums at the age of three. Her alluring, entrancing style combined with a captivating, playful and complex vocal melody lands her in a unique category. Her sound easily fits into a lineup of today’s top hits and remains unique and creative in the same breath.
A Band Called Sad is an alternative rock band that performs with an undercurrent of sadness that captures a certain nostalgia for events of what could have been.
The band consists of front men Marlon Marcy and Taylor Crawford and some alternating performers, all of whom have been influenced by Radiohead, The Smiths, The Talking Heads, and others. And, while the band might be called “sad,” after giving them a good listen, you might find yourself with a smile on your face.
Over the Garden Wall was recently formed by Westbury resident Jonathan Gardyn, along with Ryan Wall of Valley Stream, and Garden City’s Aidan Larenas, previous performers who play classic rock and are currently experimenting with original music.
Actively searching for members of the new band, Wall was put into contact with Grey Wilson and elementary school classmate Sarah Hock, both of Valley Stream. Wall and Gardyn attended the School of Rock in Rockville Centre with Grey.
After the first rehearsal, it was clear that the band had something going, and they are looking to advance in the “Your Big Break” competition.
Lydia von Hof is a singer, piano player, and songwriter from Commack, who has performed as a soloist at Madison Square Garden at a New York Knicks half-time show, The Bitter End in NYC, the Hard Rock Café in Boston, and was a finalist in last year’s “Your Big Break.”
She is a past winner of Long Island’s Got Talent and recently won best solo artist at a performer’s showcase in Boston. She has performed as a singer/pianist at New York City venues such as the Broadway Comedy Club and The Duplex cabaret club, and performed with the New York Opera Exchange.
Her songwriting has won acclaim, as she was recently awarded best singer/songwriter from Boston’s Young Performer’s Club.
Doubble Troubble features identical twins Melanie and Marissa from Staten Island, who have been playing music and singing together for as long as they can remember. They both play acoustic guitar and are heavily influenced by ‘90s rock and credit bands like Mazzy Star and The Jesus and Mary Chain as their biggest influences.
Anthony de Ross is an artist based in New York City who strives to develop a career within the music industry through his love for writing music and collaborating with positive people. He plays guitar and sings as a solo act with most of his material emotionally driven with a pop song format to it. de Ross’s first single, “Wrong Reasons,” is out now on multiple music platforms such as iTunes, Spotify, Amazon music and Soundcloud.
Headlining Knockout Round 2 will be Katie Zimmer & Devinare, college sophomores at LIU Post. Katie and Devinare are an acoustic duo playing across Long Island and in Manhattan. They have performed at the Jones Beach Bandshell, the Space at Westbury, the iconic Bitter End in Manhattan and many other impressive venues.
Katie and Devinare share a love of music and play eclectic sets spanning different genres and decades, which keep their fan base happy and diverse. Zimmer is a previous Your Big Break winner when she was just 15 years old and credited her win to opening new doors for opportunity and exposure.
Doors open for Knockout Round 2 at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are on sale online for $15, $10 for students, by visiting https://bit.ly/2GHnZRz. Tickets purchased at the door are $20 (subject to availability).
Contestants in the “Your Big Break” talent competition vie for the chance to open for national acts at Revolution Bar & Music Hall in Amityville; recording time at The Loft Sound Studio in Syosset; public relations and social media campaign consultation with the Rick Eberle Agency; musical equipment from All Music Inc. and ZOOM North America; a feature on ReverbNation.com; and a feature article in Good Times Magazine.
