Oh MAN! i need some advise please!!

Maybe a different song, that seems to be what every guitarist does for talent shows.....

oh...

I've only heard one guitarist at any talent show in my school , and he did stairway to heaven...

I'd say go with the star spangled banner, but if you do it like hendrix, don't. Most people don't appreciate wailing feedback as music these days.

Play Frankenstein by The Edgar Winter Group. Thats a cool one.

Or maybe some sabbath, they are easy to play.

Play the anthem if you're comfortable with it. It's a try out, right? It's probably better to play something that the judges will be familiar with at the audition. If you want to try something different for the show, that's fine. But for the try out, stick with your plan.

If its just a tryout I'd say go with the star spangled banner, but for the real show, do somethin more flashy that takes all your skill.

I played O Canada (since i'm from canada and all) and people were really impressed and were very vocal about it, so now it's become a staple in all my shows that i play at school. I agree that it might be easy and you could probably play something more difficult than the national anthem but i don't think you should just play something flashy... I would worry about getting comfortably with whatever you play, i think once you're able to do that, no matter what u play it'll sound great, especially if it's honest and from your heart, rather than something that's all flash.

World music?: How about a medley of interesting national anthems from various countries.

A compilation of TV show themes?

LOL ROFL LMAO!!!!!!
You wanna play the star spangled Banner?
LOL ROFL LMAO!!!!!!
Dude you just made my day............
The very first public performance I ever done was for benefit for the
Volunteer Firemen in our city...
Well we were the last act (technically the HEADLINERS YAAAYYY0
Anyways, we were recommended to play for this benefit by the Police.
It seems the numerous times they came to bust us for playing too loud
that most really enjoyed our act :)

Ok back to the point.....
Part of our Set for this "performance" was for me (the dumb lefty) to play
a hendrixy version of Star Spangled Banner. I must admit, I didn't do too bad using a flipped over SG copy with a Bigsby.
well one of the firemen was ...was... hmmm...... he was........
let's say he suffered from delayed stress syndrome :)
He went completly bonkers when I did the bombs he ran off and found the
breaker box and managed to shut everything down - except the lighting under the pavilion. The lighting in the park we played in and our powere was cut off.

he then ran up to the stage, which was a flatbed trailer under the
pavilion, started threatening to kill me and called me Un American
and a lot worse.
the power got turned back on during this and there was this loud "POP!"
from all the amps and mixer board being cranked back on and I dunno
I pretty muched spiked my SG (wow no damage from this either!)
leaped off the trailer and got into a shoving match with the poor
deranged guy.
It all got broke up and we finished our set to a standing ovation
I dunno if it was cause we played that good or a "sympathy clap"
I was FUMING mad and adding obscene lyrics to all our songs
in that set.....

My advice to you is believe it or not the Hendrix version is politically charged for some at different levels - If you're principal caught my "act"
then don't be surprised if he disqualifies it.
In this day and time, it might be considered patriotic as it is in the
television commercials - just don't be surprised if the Gym Coach starts wanting air support for the Charlies in the trees or whatever.

I'm confused, how exactly is hendrix's star spangled banner un patriotic/un american?

i see what your saying..i do not add in all the stuff hendrix did...no bombs and what not...its straight through..though it is very loud..alot of gain a pinch of rotary effect some spring reverb and a nice delay...its very cool..(to me)..the audition went great..there were a few old people so it wasnt very loud..i got in the show...when i finished every ones mouth was open a little bit and they started clapping eventually..i threw in alot of things..i am not very confident or conceded with my playing like some people i know...but i was kinda pround..as to what racer Y was saying..in the beginning of the DVD Blue Wild Angel...on an interview on the Dick Cavet show or something...they said many people didnt like the way Hendrix played it because it was un-orthadox...Hendrix said..i just played it man..i used to sing it in school...they made me sing it in school..so i just played it i didnt think it was un-orthadox..i thought it was beautiful...but isnt there a certain mad beauty in un-orthadoxy?? its cool stuff man....but i am going to play it..as best as i can...its October 29..friday. hope all goes well...by the way..thatnks for the advise Steve-o..that was real cool to me man..thanks

1. A talent show is about your talent, not what people want to hear.

2. Dont go into a talent show and play something you have a hard time with just for the sake of proving technical ability, (stick with the banner if its what you know).

3. If a fireman disturbs your performance, sue him for the talent show prize or whatever, just because some ventriliquist is a little less flashy doesnt mean that he deserves uninterrupted stage time and you dont.

4. I played "Little Wing" for a talent show sophomore year and got second, just because the girl who won did a cheerleader baton flinging deal and had a short skirt. So basically, short skirts will beat you no matter what, so have fun with it. Baton or no baton you are a guitar playing force to be wreckoned with.

Kido

I'm glad everything went well for you!

Now all that's needed is a cute baton twirler in a short skirt.
No.. wait... that's what I need :twisted:

Hendrix's SSB wasn't intended as a patriotic gesture. It was a parody done as a protest. Some folks still remember that. I know older vets who get really bent out of shape if they think somebody's playing or singing the SSB in a disrespectful manner.

In the day it was considered extremely uncool to do the song in an unconventional manner (although no official version was ever designated by Congress), and I remember folks getting arrested and serving jail time for hanging US flags in windows like curtains, or wearing flags as clothing. Or even flag patches on their clothing, like on their hip pocket. Rather popular and accepted things to do now, but not during the Vietnam war era.

I've got my own 3 part slide version of the SSB that I do on a tricone resonator. First comes a pretty standard sounding version, but as it ends there's a big bang from popping the sixth string, a short explosive minor key riff and another loud bang, then I go into a slow, mournful minor key version. As that ends, it morphs into a "flat tire" blues boogie and an upbeat, joyful verse ending in a traditionally pompous sort of finish. I played that as the opener for our church choir's patriotic musical program for the Fourth of July this year. Worried a little about some of the outspoken folks who despise nontraditional artistic interpretations of the SSB, but it was well received.

Do what you feel you do well. If you do a good job with the SSB, go in and tear it up! Don't worry about what folks on this board think. Some may be jaded because they've heard certain things done repeatedly, but they're not the typical talent show audience, either. And a heartfelt SSB will come across a lot better than something you try to do just to be different, or more showy, that you don't really feel and aren't comfortable with.