What is a “Songwriter Showdown?”

Background: 

• I love the songwriter showcase series that John Garbo organizes at The Focal Point as well as the Songbird series. 

• Having multiple musicians taking turns performing is a great format. I love hearing the original songs but I often feel like the songs would sound better if there was a drummer or a base player accompanying

• And, I don’t like that while one musicians plays, the other three musicians just sit and wait their turn.

So, I created a format where songwriters get to perform their original songs, but they are backed by a percussionist and structured the show to encourage musicians to interact with each other and the audience. The show format is a “contest” although this is intended to create energy and provide a shows structure that supports musicians as they put on a great show - It is NOT a serious competition. 

• The show does NOT seek to identify the “best” song or musician. 

• Instead, musicians compete in 4 different rounds to have a song that best fits the given theme for that round. 

• At the end of the show, all participants including judges and the MC (if they are a musician) perform a "Showdown Vote" by pointing at the musician they would most like to see perform the final song. 

I've done two shows in this format so far (as of summer 2026) and both went extremely well. 

Objectives:

• Songwriters share their original work

• Songwriters interact with each other

• The audience experiences something special

• I get to organize something cool and interact positively with the musicians, my friends and acquaintances - and meet some new people

• Songwriters get some $ for the show. 

  1. The money comes from audience donations. It is divided into 5 parts with 2/5 going to Drew Lance, a full-time percussionist and vocalist that will provide the sound system and accompany the songwriters. 

  2. For the first two shows, donations were about ~$1000 so Drew got ~$400 and each songwriter got ~$200

Format for the “Songwriter Showdown”:

Schedule:

The schedule is intended to fit within a 2-hour block.

Part I: 45 min

Opening song*

Round 1 (Theme 1, e.g., Protest)

Round 2 (Theme 2, e.g., Laugh so hard)

Songwriter Showdown vote and final song of first half (if time permits)

Intermission: 20 minutes

Part 2: 50 min

Opening song*

Round 3 (Well, that really makes you think!)

Round 4 (It’s time to celebrate!)

Songwriter Showdown vote and final song

*Opening songs: all musicians participate in the opening and closing songs

• Drew (the full time professional percussionist/vocalist that accompanies the songwriters) will choose a song and let the musicians know the song in advance.

  • The song should be well known to the musicians and have at least 3 versus (or a verse could be repeated)

  • Musician 1 sings 1st  verse with musician 2 playing lead. Musician 2 sings 2nd  verse with musician 3 playing lead. Musician 3 sings 3rd verse with musician 1 playing lead.

• If I have a MC for the event that is a musician, they may perform the opening song instead of a group song. 

Showdown Vote

At the end of the first half (if time permits) and at the end of the show, there is a "showdown vote" that involves all the songwriters that were part of the show. All the musicians that participate in the show stands in a circle with their guns (hands) in the air. On the count of 3, each musician points at the person that they want to perform the final song. The person with the most fingers pointed at them wraps up the show (or half) with a final performance. 

• The group of people that participate in the Showdown Vote may include the MC, commentator or other musical guests. 

Showdown rounds:

• Each round will have a theme.

  • Musicians will know the themes in advance.

• Musicians choose a song they’ve written or adapted for that theme and apply a style (see below).

  • The song should be provided to Drew Lance in advance so he is prepared to accompany

• They introduce and perform the song.   

• The order of musicians changes each round:

  • Round 1: 1, 2, 3

  • Round 2: 2, 3, 1

  • Round 3: 3, 1, 2

  • Round 4: 2, 1, 3

• The audience votes to determine which song wins each theme

  • Audience is instructed to award points for the song that feels most on point for that theme.

  • This might not be their favorite song of the round or what they consider the “best” song of that round

• Round 1 and 2 winners will be announced at intermission

• Round 3 and 4 winners will be announced at the end of the show (to great applause).

Accompaniment:

Interactions

Accompaniment 

• For most songs, Drew will provide accompanying percussion. 

  • You will be expected to send Drew a recording of the song in advance.

  • Drew will also sing backup vocals. You are welcome to provide lyrics and instructions for where to add harmony/backup vocals. 

• Additional guest performers

  • If I can arrange it, there may be a guest musician that the contestants would need to incorporate into 1 of their songs. For example, I have friend that plays trombone very well. So, each musician would choose 1 song where they must incorporate a trombone. 

  • You may wish to bring a musician friend to accompany you on a song (see "phone a friend" style card below). 

Songwriter interactions with other Songwriters

• Songwriters are encouraged to reach out to the other songwriters to discuss how they can participate in each others songs.

  • Songwriters will be on a group email thread that I'll start as part of organizing the show. And, there will probably be a group text message as well. 

  • Examples of things that songwriters have already done in shows: 

    • A musician prepared to play keyboard on one song to accompany a musician who played guitar. 

    • A musician who was already familiar with one of another songwriter's songs prepared to sing backup.  

• During the show, Songwriters may spontaneously ask one or both of the other songwriters to participate in a song

  • Examples of things musicians have done spontaneously during the first two shows: 

    • "Hey, could you add some harmonica to this song. Its in the key of C." 

    • "Would you echo the end of my lines during the versus?" 

    • "Could you guys join me in the chorus? It goes like this. .. ."

  • More examples of things musicians could ask: 

    • "Can you play this kazoo during this song? I'll point to you when it is time."

    • "Would you strum along during the chorus? it is G, A, D. "

    • "Will you play this tambourine?" 

• Songwriters should not join in on songs uninvited. 

Songwriter interactions with the audience

• Songwriters should think about how to involve the audience. 

• If you think of a great way to include the audience on a song, you could use the "audience involvment" style card. 

• Examples of things musicians have done: 

  • Audience sings along during the chorus. In one case, another songwriter helped lead the audience so the response was stronger. 

  • Several audience members were given hand bells to play during a song

  • A musician asked the audience what style card to use (risky). 

• Although it isn't strictly speaking audience involvement, the "unplugged" style card provides a simple way to directly engage with the audience by coming off the stage and standing or sitting in the middle of the audience. 

• Telling stories about the origin of a song is also a way to interact with the audience. 

Style cards:

• Each musician will be given 7 style cards (see example style cards below)

• For each song, the musician must choose one of their style cards

  • The style cards may only be used 1 time each

• For some shows, there may be a mandatory style card that must be used at least once during the show. 

Some example "style cards"

• • All alone

    • Only the musician sings and plays.

    • No percussion or other accompaniment.

  • Audience involvement

    • The musician involves the audience in performing the song. For example, by singing along, playing simple instruments, suggesting something for a verse/chorus, etc.

    • A song with a simple repetitive chorus may be a good choice for this style.

    • Or, have a song where you can change a verse/chorus based on audience input.

    • Bring tambourines and have a few audience members join on stage

    • Be creative in other ways to involve the audience

  • Hands-free

    • The musician does not play their main instrument while they are signing - the other musicians must play for them.

    • The musician may play their instrument for parts of the song where they do not sing

    • The musician will provide key, chord progression, time signature, strum/rhythm pattern, etc.

    • The musician may demonstrate how the chorus/verse is played.

    • Clearly, it would not be a good idea to use this style on a song that is musically complex.

    • The musician may use a harmonica, shaker, etc.

  • More Cowbell

    • The musician must include at least one instrument type that is different than the main one they play for the other songs

      • This could be a kazoo, harmonica, cowbell, xylophone, recorder, violin, keyboard, base, etc.

    • The musician may bring up audience members to play these instruments (e.g., hand out kazoos or triangles)

    • The musician may ask other contestants to play instruments

  • Unplugged

    • No microphones, no plugged-in instruments

    • A space will be ready on the floor so you can perform in the middle of the audience (or you can stay on stage)

    • Drew has hand-drums that will be gentle enough to accompany you unplugged

  • Phone-a-friend

    • Bring a friend with you to the show and have them join you for your song.

      • The friend may sing with you, play an instrument, or both.  

      • Or, take your chances that someone in the audience can play an instrument or sing well enough to help you

  • Sing this for me, please

    • Instead of you singing your song, Drew and/or the other contestants will sing it.

    • You can still sing accompaniment

    • You should have the words written out for this style

Example themes for Songwriter Showdown:

Round 1: Protest

• This round should feature songs about things that you don’t like, don’t want, don’t need, want to see stopped, get angry about, that make you  frustrated or that you want to file a formal musical complaint about

• Irony is welcome

• It is extra awesome if the audience starts chanting your slogans

Round 2: Laugh so hard, you cry (or pee?)

• This round should feature songs that will make the audience laugh.

• It is extra awesome if it also get’s people into their feelings or laugh so hard they can’t contain their. . . emotions.

Round 3: Well, that really makes you think!

• Songs where listening carefully to the lyrics makes the song more meaningful

• Songs about ambiguity and complexity

• Songs about how to think (like, metacognition, logical fallacies, philosophy, etc)

Round 4: It’s time to celebrate!

• Songs of joy, or about joy.

• Songs that make people feel good.

• Songs about people doing good things

• Extra awesome if people get up and dance or sing along

 Money:

All audience donations will be collected by Drew.

• The pot will be split into 5 parts

  • 2 parts for Drew

  • 1 part for each of the three participants

• I will guarantee that each musician receives at least $130

• Musicians may sell merch. Merch money will be collected by individual musicians and not pooled. 

Promotion:

• Musicians are welcome to list this event on their social media and let people know that they can attend this private event.

  • Promotions for the show should indicates the concert is a private event

  • Do not share my address on social media

  • Musician may share my address direclty with friends and family that they have invited.

  • I’ll have an RSVP form and musicians may provide a link to that form to their friends and fans

    1. I’ll send out address information and parking instructions to people that RSVP

• IF the # of RSVPs exceeds 85, I’ll let the musicians know so they can update their social media that the show is full. And, I’ll modify the form so that it lets people know the event is full and allows them to request to be added to the standby list.

  • I’m choosing 85 as the cutoff # because I have a few friends that don’t usually RSVP (lazy jerks) but I want to hold a spot for them.