All,

If you haven't bought your ticket for the 2005 Mid-Atlantic
Regional, you'd better hurry, because they are going fast! I spoke
to The Birchmere on Thursday and we had already sold 330 tickets!
That leaves only 170 of the hottest tickets in town!

Here are the particulars:
What: Harmony Sweepstakes Mid-Atlantic Regional
When: Saturday, April 9th
7:30 p.m. (Doors open at 5)
Where: The Birchmere Music Hall
3701 Mt. Vernon Avenue
Alexandria, VA
How: Tickets $22 at www.birchmere.com or The Birchmere Box Office

Unfortunately, Mosaic decided they couldn't swing the trip up from
Orlando to host, but local favorites The Tone Rangers have agreed to
reprise their shenanigans as hosts again this year (thanks, guys!).
The Rangers will be previewing material from their forthcoming CD
and perpetrating their unique brand of lunacy on the proceedings!

We will also have showcase performances by co-producers dcVocals and
Out of the Blue, visiting from England's Oxford University!

Here is the roster of competitors:

Almost Recess is a five-man vocal band from the Washington, DC area
whose mission is to bring kickin' a cappella music to every
single person in the world. This is Almost Recess's second time
around at the Mid-Atlantic and we are happy to have them back, and
not just because they are going to videotape the performance!

Cartoon Johnny is an energetic vocal band that pushes the limits of
traditional a cappella. Drawing on influences from classic soul to
modern alternative, they've crafted a sound and a repertoire of sure-
fire favorites and original music that brings audiences to their
feet show after show. The group has performed up and down the East
Coast, and has been honored to share the stage with some of the best
in the business, including DC favorites DaVinci's Notebook and 2003
Harmony Sweepstakes Champions The Idea of North. This will be
CJ's third go, and they just get better every year!

Rare Blend: Hailing from central Florida, Rare Blend fuses gospel,
vocal Jazz, classical, swing and doo wop. This will be Rare
Blend's first appearance at the Mid-Atlantic Regional.

Regency: This outstanding five man vocal musical ensemble began
singing on the street corners of Baltimore nearly 20 years ago.
Since then, they have earned a reputation as one of the undisputed
finest performing vocal ensembles in America. Incorporating their
own stylistic interpretations of Swing, Motown, Rock 'n Roll,
Beatles, and even Country Western into their songs, Regency brings
alive the music that America has learned to love. Their repertoire
includes the hot sounds of today mixed with the Motown magic of
yesterday – including the music of Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, The
Righteous Brothers, Sam Cooke, and The Temptations. They also
perform soulful renditions of artists from Elvis Presley and James
Brown to Boyz II Men and Take 6. The group's dynamic stage
presence, original choreography, and unique ability to engage their
audiences produces an energetic and entertaining show with audiences
invariably clamoring for more after each finale. The ensemble has
appeared in concert with many national headline acts including
Sinbad, Patti LaBelle, The Temptations, Manhattan Transfer, Ramsey
Lewis, Spyrogyra, and The Four Tops. Regency came in second in the
2003 competition and were narrowly bested by Aussie sensations The
Idea of North who would go on to win the Nationals. Watch out for
these guys!

Staticflow is a band with a unique, vocally-generated sound. The
group focuses on creating original music filled with passion, drive,
and soul, but also performs a number of popular covers. Each singer
in the group brings their own influences to bear on the sound,
filling the music with rich vocal textures, soaring leads, and
thumping bass and vocal percussion. This will be Staticflow's
second appearance at the Mid-Atlantic Regional.

Tonic & Gin is a seven-member co-ed a cappella group dedicated to
sharing a wide variety of music with intriguing arrangements,
amazing soloists, and a lot of fun! This is T&G's first
appearance in the Mid-Atlantic Regional.

Vocal Obsession is made up of five friends who have sung in various
groups for the past twenty years and decided to band together in the
service of a cappella music. Individually, the members have
performed throughout the US and Europe. This is Vocal
Obsession's first appearance.

Don't miss it!

Best regards,
Ted Donat