Final 4 for Encore Superstar

Thursday, March 11, 2010

Staff Photo by Grant Morris Milford resident, Matt Kendall sings "Shop Around" by Smokey Robinson, Tuesday night at The Pasta Loft in Milford as part of the final edition of Encore Superstar before the Finals. Kendall has tried out eight times since the inception of Encore Superstar, but has never made it to the final cut.

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Staff Photo by Grant Morris Singing "Yellow" by Coldplay, with a dedication to his wife, Phil Prescott takes part in the final edition of Encore Superstar at The Pasta Loft in Milford Tuesday night.

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Staff Photo by Grant Morris From left, Jeanne Coleman, Wenday Baurer Schmidt and Sandra Richard high five Encore Superstar contestant Shane Hooker after he sang "All Summer Long" by Kid Rock at The Pasta Loft in Milford, Tuesday night. The finals of Encore Superstar will be held at Boston Billiards on Friday March 5th.

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Staff Photo by Grant Morris Milford resident, Matt Kendall sings "Shop Around" by Smokey Robinson, Tuesday night at The Pasta Loft in Milford as part of the final edition of Encore Superstar before the Finals. Kendall has tried out eight times since the inception of Encore Superstar, but has never made it to the final cut.

Enlarge Purchase Photo

IF YOU GO

Encore Superstar Finals

WHERE: Boston Billiards, 55 Northeastern Blvd., Nashua.

WHEN: 8 p.m., Friday, March 26. Ticket sales begin at 6 p.m.

COST: $5.

MORE INFORMATION: www.encorebuzz.com/superstar.

MILFORD – The word karaoke in Japanese means empty orchestra in English.

The words final round in competition mean this is it, and it’s time to bring all you have in any language.

On Tuesday night at the Pasta Loft, a course was given in language lessons during The Telegraph’s Encore Superstar karaoke competition. With the Loft’s famous brick oven emanating rich, delicious aromas and wood-burning heat, the temperature and atmosphere were perfect for school to be in.

Encore Superstar started with Matt Kendall, of Milford, belting out Smokey Robinson’s “Shop Around” and Shane Hooker, of Milford, doing Kid Rock’s “All Summer Long.”

Chrissy Nutton, of Andover, Mass., sang “If I Ain’t Got You” by Alicia Keys, followed by Lori Gilcreast, of Nashua, with Martina McBride’s “A Broken Wing.”

Joyce Raymond, of Milford, did Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man” and Craig Plummer, of Brookline, rocked out with Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing.”

To round off the first segment, Karen Ashman, of Nashua, did Nancy Sinatra’s “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ ” and Phil Prescott, of Hudson, closed with “Yellow” by Coldplay.

To start the second round, Jenny Coutermarsh, of Nashua, slowed things down with “(You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman” by Aretha Franklin and Brien Sweet, of Manchester, went interstellar with David Bowie’s “Space Oddity.”

Then Claire Gardner, of Nashua, brought the pop Owl City’s “Butterfly Wings.” Marc Brickely, of Nashua, went patriotic with Toby Keith’s “American Soldier.”

Shawn Ballou, of Milford, brought the funk with Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” and Michelle LeClair, of Farmington, followed with KT Tunstall’s “Black Horse & The Cherry Tree.”

To end the segment, Brian Fedion, of Nashua, sang Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock of the Bay.”

The final set started with Nicholas Cullinane, of Mont Vernon, singing Bryan Adams’ “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” and Holly King, of Milford, sang Fefe Dobson’s “Take Me Away.”

Jenna Donovan, of Nashua, brought the soul with “Black Velvet” by Alannah Myles. Christina Demmons, of Nashua, then brought the country with Carrie Underwood’s “Before He Cheats.”

Megan Reynolds, of Nashua, continued the ballads with Celine Dion’s version of Etta James’ “At Last.” Steve Roper, of Townsend, Mass., sang The Commodores’ “Three Times A Lady.”

He was followed by Dawn Behen, of Manchester, with The Troggs’ “Love is All Around,” remade for the British holiday film “Love Actually.”

With the grades closed for the semester, it was up to the judges to figure out how to choose only four contestants out of a whole night of tremendous talent. It was one of the hardest nights to select the remaining members for the finals coming up in a couple weeks.

LeClair, Sweet, Ballou and Reynolds were the four to graduates who’ll move on to the finals.

Reynolds said she was happy “to have the nice reaction I had,” while LeClair said she was excited to win after her 90-minute drive to Milford.