Life seems to be getting back to normal somewhat after being shut down for what seemed like eternity. Last month, Paradise Valley Community College hosted the Alice Cooper’s Proof of the Pudding Music Competition, being the first of many in-person events the school plans on promoting this academic year.
“This was definitely a group effort,” said Dr. Chris Scinto, PVCC’s Division Chair of Fine and Performing Arts. “Students, faculty, and tech crew members worked incredibly hard to pull off our most complex and challenging event to date. Our students were integral to the success of the event and learned about Dante audio networking, mixing live audio, running a live stream, stage management, load-in/tear down, and communication skills to a variety of artists and professionals in the field.”
Over two nights, 40 acts performed original songs which included three acts comprised of PVCC students.
- Pushing Pluto, PVCC music alumni
- Crack Rabbit, current PVCC Music Industry Studies (MIS) student.
- Sydney Swanson, current PVCC music student
Pushing Pluto and Crack Rabbit advance to the semi-finals, with the latter advancing to the finals to be held 5 p.m., November 10 at the Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main Street. The winning band receives a $1,000 cash prize and $500 for the winning soloist.
“Everything Alice Cooper and his team do for our kids in the Valley is truly outstanding,” said Riley Macluskie, drummer for Crack Rabbit and current PVCC student. Macluskie and his band competed in the 2019 competition, but he became sick and couldn’t perform in one of the rounds.
“It’s always been an extremely positive experience competing at Proof,” he said, noting he hopes to come away a winner this time around. Macluskie is studying sound engineering and plans to work in studio recording full time.
To watch the recordings of the performances, click here. For more information about PVCC’s music and performing arts programs, visit https://www.paradisevalley.edu/degrees-certificates/visual-and-performing-arts.