Contest Update: Coastal Exchange

Well, I've finally gotten around to picking winners in a couple of recent contests and just want to share the results. Both the East and West Coasts represent.

First, in the contest to win the New York-based Deedle Deedle Dees' excellent new album, Freedom in a Box (review) for a local school or library, I randomly selected longtime reader and West Coast resident Katy, who offered four historical personages her family would love a Deedle Deedle Dees song about: Amelia Earhart, Abigail Adams, Benny Benson, and Eleanor Roosevelt. Lloyd Miller (Ulysses Dee) will actually record a song for Katy and her family using those people. No word yet on whether Lloyd will choose one or create his own historical mash-up of multiple characters. Anyway, thanks very much to Lloyd on that item.

Second, in our contest related to the KidVid Tournament 2007 final, the randomly-selected voter was East Coast resident Christine, a big fan of the Portland (Oregon)-based Captain Bogg & Salty and voted for "Pieces of 8ight." Because she already has all three of the band's albums (including Pegleg Tango), she asked for a copy of San Francisco-based Frances England's Fascinating Creatures CD. Thanks both to Captain Bogg and his crew and to Frances for offering their CDs as prizes. (I'm sure I will have another opportunity to give the Bogg CD away.)

KidVid Tournament 2007 Champion: "Pieces of 8ight" - Captain Bogg & Salty

After a furious day and a half of voting from more than 100 readers, we have a winner in our first (and probably not last) KidVid Tournament:

PIECES OF 8IGHT! from Captain Bogg & Salty

Frances England's "Tricycle" put up a good fight, but when you've got one of that video's stars, England's son Liam, voting for the competition, well, you know you're facing an unstoppable force.

So the heartiest of congratulations from this landlubber to Captain Bogg's crew and to all the artists whose videos have amused us here the past few weeks. You have acquitted yourself admirably. I cannot offer you pieces of 8ight, but I can offer you my admiration.

I will be randomly selecting a winner from the voters in the final and asking which CD they'd like to receive.

Now, for one last time, your KidVid Tournament 2007 champion, "Pieces of 8ight," from Captain Bogg & Salty:

(And because what tournament would be complete without "One Shining Moment"?)

KidVid Tournament 2007 Reminder: VOTE!

If you haven't voted yet (and, frankly, with the number of times I've posted this, how could you not), go here and do so.

Lots of pirate talk, lots of tricycles, and a relative minimum of trash talk. (Heck, Frances and Captain Bogg voted for each other's videos, so, really, no put-downs needed.) Plus, you could win a free copy of one of the finalists' CDs.

Avoid scurvy, win the Tour de France in your underpants, and vote now.

KidVid Tournament 2007 Final: "Pieces of 8ight" vs. "Tricycle"

Well, we're down to the final contest of KidVid Tournament 2007: "Pieces of 8ight" from Captain Bogg & Salty up against "Tricycle" from Frances England.

I'm really looking forward how these two fun (but completely different) videos do when pitted against one another.

Now, I'm expecting more than 100 comments below based on the response these videos generated previously. One of those lucky voters will get their choice of the CD from which these songs are drawn, courtesy of the artists themselves. (Thanks, artists themselves!) The randomly-selected voter will get to choose, and you're not restricted to the band you voted for -- perhaps you're a huge Captain Bogg & Salty fan and want to see what all the Frances England fuss is about.

Vote in the comments below. Rules: Video with most votes wins. One vote per e-mail address, please. Votes due by Tuesday 11 PM-ish East Coast time.

And remember, this contest is for entertainment purposes only. Please -- no wagering.

"Pieces of 8ight" - Captain Bogg & Salty

This video, directed by Vince Malone, is from the band's fund second album, Pegleg Tango. It's got a sly sense of humor ("Go Bobcats.") and captures the band's energy and sense of play.

"Tricycle" - Frances England

This video is for a song off of England's fabulous debut CD, Fascinating Creatures. The video's director, Jane Holland, says that they "shot and produced the simple little video from a child's eye view." It's simple, but the approach fits the song quite well.

KidVid Tournament 2007 Semifinals: "Willy Was A Whale" (1) vs. "Pieces of 8ight" (1)

Well, we're down to the final four, and the first semifinal pits a couple of #1 seeds, both of whom cruised through their first two rounds, against each other. This matchup sees "Willy Was A Whale" from Justin Roberts competing against "Pieces of 8ight" from Captain Bogg & Salty. I'm really looking forward how these two fun (but completely different) videos do when pitted against one another.

Vote in the comments below. Rules: Video with most votes wins. One vote per e-mail address, please. Votes due by Thursday 11 PM-ish East Coast time.

"Willy Was A Whale" - Justin Roberts

"Pieces of 8ight" - Captain Bogg & Salty