May 19, 2018 – Finals of our
Performing Songwriter Competition

Dave Falk – website

Kim Moberg – website

D.B. Rielly – website

ABOUT THE CONTEST

Dave, Kim and D.B. will each perform their two songs in advance of the feature performance at the Rose Garden on Saturday, May 19 (Ellis Paul!). Our judges will evaluate their performances and their songs and choose one winner. Tickets are now available online for this season finale show. The winner receives a $100 cash prize and a featured performance slot during the Rose Garden’s next season. Congratulations to our three finalists!

Tickets purchased here include the competition & the Ellis Paul show!

If you don’t see the box above to purchase $20 advance tickets, click here to buy on EventBrite.
Tickets at door: $25

About our contestants

Dave Falk

Dave Falk is a rising songwriter on the roots scene with his own unique brand of “Falk” music. Half of critically acclaimed duo Sweet Wednesday, his songs garner comparisons to Neil Young, Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and John Hiatt. Dave has toured the US and Europe, and has performed as a headliner at the Ozark Folk Festival, Club Passim, The Bull Run, The Blue Door, and the Middle East. His band plays regularly at the legendary Plough and Stars in Cambridge, Mass. Dave brings an exciting live show, playing mandolin, fiddle or banjo, blowing on his harp, or soft picking on acoustic guitar to howling solos on electric.

Kim Moberg

Kim Moberg is an Alaskan native, born in to a U.S. Coast Guard family. At age 14, her mother (a classical pianist) introduced her to the guitar and Kim taught herself to finger pick. Stage fright kept her from performing until 2014. In 2017, Kim released her debut “Above Ground” which celebrates her overcoming stagefright. Her recent recognitions include: The Spire Open Mic Challenge Finalist; NERFA 2017 Suzi Wollenberg DJ Showcase performer; Linden Tree Coffee House Winter Potpourri finalist (earning a co-bill with artist Bill Staines). Kim’s musical stories tug at feelings of melancholy, heartbreak, reunion and social consciousness. www.kimmobergmusic.com

D.B. Rielly

D.B. Rielly is a critically acclaimed, award-winning singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who can be heard on over 40 independent recordings and films. He revels in the powerful music that built this country and takes his listeners on a journey, conjuring up the various textures of the American sonic landscape. D.B. has played live at such prestigious venues as Lincoln Center, The Montreux Jazz Festival, Staples Center, and The Apollo Theater. He has performed with B.B. King, The Boston Pops, Chubby Checker, and Paul Schaffer, among others. He’s been heard on all major TV networks and many cable networks, as well. These are funny, open-hearted, and touching songs from a real American songwriter.

OUR JUDGES

Mary Ellen Cusack

A longtime Rose Garden volunteer and our emcee, Mary Ellen is active in recruiting talent to our stage.Working in the fields of visual art and marketing by day, Mary Ellen brings a unique perspective to our judging this year. It’s the first time in many years that we have included one of our volunteers in the judging. But Mary Ellen knows what Rose Garden audiences like and she isn’t shy about letting us know about it.

Robert Haigh

Robert has been an open mic host for more than 20 years at both the Olde Vienna Kaffeehaus and Tupelo Music Hall. He hosted folk radio shows in the ’80s-’90s on WERS, WUMB and WADN. He produced a long-running cable TV series called “The Acoustic Cafe,” and was involved in the early careers of Shawn Colvin, Lori McKenna, Greg Greenway, Dee Carstensen and Liz Longley.

Andy Smith

Andy is the arts writer for The Providence Journal, covering entertainment, pop culture and more. He knows performers and good performances. He has covered the Newport Folk Festival for decades and interviewed just about every musician who’s performed in the Ocean State and beyond. He says he tries to play guitar, and is even worse at golf.