why are the nerves

really bothering me about performing in birm ?
i have been singing on the circuit for over 15 years now but everytime i go to put my name on the list to perform i crap it .
it really is annoying , i know i would do ok , i won the novice comp in blackpool a couple of years ago and was adamant i was gonna enter the year after .

think i'll have to have a word with the scouser of the X factor lol

I think you have got to decide why you are entering the comp Ronnie.

To win, for fun, to see how good you are compared to others, etc, etc.

From my point of view, I look at the value of entering.

I do this job full time, if I was to go away for what is 4 days to a contest, the reality is it would cost me around £1,500 - £2,000, broken down into lost show revenue (average 2 shows a week), travel, expenses, hotels, etc, etc

Other things you can't put a cost to - if you did not do well, what would the effect be on your reputation?

There can only be one winner, so around 99 losers. The contest is down to the judges opinions and the audiences opinions - people will always be swayed by performers they know well and have supported - this could be the thing that makes some people winners and some people runners up.

So as a `value for money` exercise, I can't see any for me

None of what I have said above is based around "The Competitions are fixed" an ETA I like and think is fab could be totally different for another person - the judges have a tough decision.

I can, however, see the benefit for lots of people. Some guys can't get many shows, some do the Elvis show as a hobby and of course some of the guys want to be the Worlds Greatest Elvis - a great platform for all of these people.

So, in summary, I would like to go to a comp, but would much prefer to go as a spectator. I don't need the extra work this could bring and I'm not interested being the Worlds Greatest Elvis - I am happy being a hard working entertainer based in the North of England/ Scotland

Might be a long winded way of explaining Ronnie, but do you get my drift?

Take care and good luck

Anyone entering should take there tribute seriously but most important is enjoy yourself, its a right buzz singing to a captive audience, if your just going to get a result as long as your a good sport then that's fine also. If you don't get through or get placed in the final and this might put you off entering then just go to the weekender as a Elvis fan part of the audiance.

Believe from a judges point of view what we are looking for is someone who has studied there subject and got there performance as natural flow as possible, don't do a number bigger than you ie you could sing a smaller song and really do it justice to the point you actually score higher than what you would attempting a bigger song. Be like a peacock and show why your there and be proud of you.

thanks mike , yes mate i get where your coming from , i would definately be only doing it as a hobby ,

you know me Paul i am just a strutting peacock lol