BELLOWS FALLS — It's not often that a small nonprofit operating out of an old mill in Bellows Falls can give away $500.
But the folks at WOOL-LP 100.1 FM, Black Sheep Radio, did just that on Dec. 18 after the finals of their five-round “Radioke” series, which was a karaoke competition broadcast live on the community radio station.
First place went to Karen Bays of Alstead, N.H. Second and third place ended in a tie between Megan Avila of Saxtons River and Angus Gunn of Westminster. First place was awarded $350. Second and third place split the combined awards of $150.
Although two attempts were made to resolve the judge's tie between Avila and Gunn using the crowd's noise level to measure the public support for each, in the end it was determined that this was indeed a tie and the two runners up shared the prizes.
WOOL Radio invited area talent onstage at their Bridge Street headquarters and brought in a rabid audience of karaoke fans to participate. At the Dec. 18 finale, attendance reached nearly 200 with fans from as far south as Lowell, Mass., and as far north as White River Junction.
Ten contestants, culled from nearly 50 competitors over the five rounds, competed in the finals. Three judges officiated. They were Dickie Colo, a WOOL DJ and stone mason from Saxtons River; Sharon Boccelli, owner of Boccelli's Restaurant in Bellows Falls; and Jayson Munn, a designer and associate at Harlow's Farm Stand in Westminster. Hosted by John Michael “The Juice” Maciejewski, a karaoke aficionado and manager of the Walpole Grocery, the contest will begin another series in March.
WOOL Radio also plans a Feb. 10 concert with Creole music legend and Grammy winner Buckwheat Zydeco at the Bellows Falls Opera House. Tickets are available at Village Square Books in Bellows Falls; Brattleboro Books; Turn It Up Records in Brattleboro and Keene, N.H.; and online at www.bfoperahouse.com. Information and tickets can also be found at www.wool.fm.