Seabrook’s Red’s Kitchen Tavern to stage ‘American Idol’-style contest

Portsmouth Herald
·2 min read

SEABROOK — Red’s Kitchen Tavern in Seabrook will ring in 2022 with a month-long search for its inaugural winner of “Seabrook Idol,” a singing competition spread across four weeknight dates in January.

Created to showcase regional solo or duo talent and to bring live-performance heat to the coming winter, Seabrook Idol will feature celebrity judges and award prizes for the top three acts, with a grand prize of $1,000 and a studio-produced recorded music video.

Red’s Director of Entertainment Francoix Simard, a Canadian singer-songwriter and Ray Bourque’s son-in-law, has assembled an impressive collection of celebrity judges for the restaurant/tavern’s “Seabrook Idol” contest in January, 2022. Demo submissions are being accepted from would-be contestants until December 17.
Red’s Director of Entertainment Francoix Simard, a Canadian singer-songwriter and Ray Bourque’s son-in-law, has assembled an impressive collection of celebrity judges for the restaurant/tavern’s “Seabrook Idol” contest in January, 2022. Demo submissions are being accepted from would-be contestants until December 17.

Red’s Director of Entertainment Francoix Simard will accept videotaped demos of one or two songs from would-be contestants through Dec. 17.

The contest will consider demos from residents of New Hampshire and any bordering state. The competition will play out over four weeknights in January, beginning on Tuesday, January 4, and continuing on January 11, 18, and 25. The second-place act will earn a $500 prize, while third place comes with a $250 prize and a Red’s gift certificate.

More: With Bruins legend Ray Bourque’s backing, Seabrook’s Red’s Tavern dives into live music

“It’s a creative way to spotlight local amateur and semi-professional artists,” says Simard. “We’re looking to get these acts seen, have live audiences vote on them and factor that score in with the celebrity judges’ scores. After four weeks of competition, we’ll select our top three.”

Red’s Kitchen Tavern in Seabrook will ring in 2022 with a month-long search for its inaugural winner of “Seabrook Idol,” a singing competition spread across four weeknight dates in January. Demo submissions are being accepted from would-be contestants until December 17.
Red’s Kitchen Tavern in Seabrook will ring in 2022 with a month-long search for its inaugural winner of “Seabrook Idol,” a singing competition spread across four weeknight dates in January. Demo submissions are being accepted from would-be contestants until December 17.

Celebrity judges throughout the contest will include, among others, Emmy award-winning radio host Billy Costa of KISS 108-FM in Boston, musician Pat Badger, the original bassist for the rock band Extreme, and WBZ NewsRadio 1030 reporter Drew Mulholland. Weymouth-born singer-songwriter Jay Psaros, who has shared the stage with the likes of Boz Scaggs, Daughtry, Third Eye Blind, and Ziggy Marley, will be the multi-night event’s emcee.

Previous story: Red's Kitchen and Tavern opens in Seabrook

Artists submitting demo videos as well as those chosen to participate are permitted to perform original or cover material, either with a backing track or a cappella. Only soloists, duos, or soloists with single-instrument accompaniment are eligible.

Located just nine minutes from Seabrook Beach and a half-mile off Route 95, Red’s Kitchen Tavern is open 7 a.m. to 1 a.m., seven days a week.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Seabrook NH Red’s Kitchen Tavern to stage ‘American Idol’-style contest