Jam packed: Hooked on Talent annual contest packs Backus Friday, By FAYE WHITBECK, Staff Writer

Master of Ceremonies Paul Nevanen said he was running out of adjectives to describe the talent as one performance after another elicited roaring applause and whistles from a capacity-filled Backus Auditorium Friday evening at United Way’s annual “Hooked on Talent” local singing competition.
With smooth introductions and not one technical interruption, 24 acts entertained a crowd of at least 900. They contributed over $14,000 to local charities supported by United Way in Koochiching County.
“The judges are going to have a hard time with this line up,” Nevanen predicted. And with talent scouts watching, the competition was tough.
Taking first place was first-time competitor 17-year-old Melissa Friesen from Fort Frances. She wowed the audience and the judges with her vocal dynamics in an animated “The Girl in 14G” by Kristin Chenoweth.
A young rock band named ForthAngel of the Falls reverberated the dust from the more-than-70-year-old rafters at Backus, taking second place for their rousing and high-decibeled original “Signs of Struggle.” Third place went to Brittany Hayes of Fort Frances, who delivered the powerful “Only One” by Melissa Etheridge.
The Most Original Award went to Dean Piekarski and Mark Gierszewski of the Falls who rode onto the stage on stick ponies and in custom cowboy costumes to perform “Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy)” which brought down the house.
Those who ran the meter reported that Doug Piekarski of the Falls received the loudest audience response sending him home with $400 for that award. Doug Piekarski’s machismo performance of “Pretty Vegas” by INXS involved a bull horn at one point. Competition for that award was close with more than a few performances drawing powerful reactions from the crowd — such as Rylan Street’s “Friends in Low Places,” Courtney McKee’s “Sin Wagon,” Suspicious Entertainment’s original rap “The Day Everything Changed,” as well as a “Blues Brothers” performance of “Soul Man,” “Elvis” singing “Suspicious Minds” and the four-part male harmony of “Give It Away” by The Master’s Men.
While the judges tabulated, up and coming Minnesota artist Brittany Lee Aultman performed for the audience.
Discussing the success of the event, Lori Lyman, local United Way representative remarked that once again, organizers wonder how they’ll top this event. But now established to a point of self publicizing, it may well be the “show not to miss” in the future.