Experience Music Project and KEXP 90.3's Shake the Shack Host: 9th Annual Elvis Invitationals and Night of the Living Elvis Pro Review

Business Wire, Dec 27, 2004

SEATTLE -- One day before the renowned King's 70th birthday, Experience Music Project (EMP) and KEXP 90.3's Shake the Shack will host the highly-anticipated 9th annual Elvis Invitationals in EMP's Sky Church on Friday, January 7, 2005.

Each year Seattle's longest-running amateur Elvis contest attracts impersonators of all ages -- past contestants have ranged from 11 to 80-years-old. They can choose their own costumes, which are sure to run the gamut from rhinestone-studded Vegas jumpsuits to golden blazers worn by young Elvis and black leather outfits from the King's '68 Comeback Special.

Each amateur Elvis will get the chance to swivel their hips and perform one song, in full costume, backed by the Memphis Mafia all-star band -- a Northwest group that includes a former backup musician for Screamin' Jay Hawkins and a member of the Cherry Poppin' Daddies.

Performers will compete for more than $1,000 worth of sponsored prizes, including the coveted leather Elvis Invitationals jacket. Winners will be determined by a combination of an audience clap-o-meter and panel of judges, which will include local radio and press personalities.

Plus, Night of the Living Elvis! Four top professional Elvis impersonators will warm up the crowd (and show the contestants how it's done!) in the Night of The Living Elvis Pro Review. Art Kistler, nationally acclaimed professional "Elvis Tribute Artist," will headline the performances with his signature patriotic tribute, An American Trilogy. Other pro appearances, sure to get the crowd all shook up, will include a Young Elvis, Hawaiian Elvis and Vegas Elvis.

Experience Music Project, the perfect venue to complement the King's unmatched style, will offer Elvis enthusiasts the opportunity to get the party started early at Turntable Restaurant where Elvis-themed food and drink specials will be featured.

--What: EMP's 8th Annual Elvis Invitationals

--When: Friday, January 7, 2005, at 8 p.m.

--Where: Sky Church, Experience Music Project, 325 5th Avenue North, Seattle, WA

--Sign up: To enter the contest, call 206-517-4826 or e-mail peter@pepproductions.net before January 6, 2005 at noon.

--Tickets: $13 for EMP members, $15 for the public. All ages; Bar with ID. Advance tickets are available at EMP, by calling 206-770-2702 or 877-I-LISTEN, or by fax at 206-770-2742.

--For more information: Please call Hally Wax at 206-505.8350 or email hwax@mww.com.

About Experience Music Project

Dedicated to exploring creativity and innovation in American popular music, EMP is a new kind of museum that strives to capture and reflect the essence of rock 'n' roll, its roots in jazz, soul, gospel, country and the blues, as well as rock music's influence on hip-hop, punk and other recent genres. A total sensory experience awaits visitors inside EMP's dynamic structure. Patrons can make their own music, see and learn about rare artifacts and memorabilia from EMP's collection of more than 80,000 items, and explore various musical milestones within unique interpretive exhibits. Founded by investor and philanthropist Paul G. Allen, under the direction of co-founder Jody Patton and designed by architect Frank O. Gehry, the 140,000-square-foot, multi-colored, and "swoopy" museum rises up in the heart of the city at Seattle Center and provides visitors a musical experience unparalleled anywhere in the world. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, EMP opened on June 23, 2000, and is online at www.emplive.com.