Auditions held for Open Air musicians

Amanda Gray and John Bianchi perform at auditions held March 29 at Musicland.

Visitors to Amherstburg’s Open Air Weekends will be pleased to know that the musical talent this year will once again be exceptional.

Musicland hosted auditions last Sunday afternoon and a steady stream of talent made its way through the doors.

Among the hopefuls looking for a spot on the outdoor stage were a couple of familiar faces - Jenna Ward and Liam Pangilinan.

In front of the judges who will make the final selections to this year’s lineup, Ward and Pagilinan opened up with “Friday I am in Love.”

“We were a little nervous but the more we sing together we become more relaxed. This is a good opportunity,” said Ward, 18.

They may have only been preparing for the audition for a couple of months but they are well known locally for their performances in St. Thomas of Villanova High School’s production of “Mamma Mia.”

“I think this will be a good opportunity. We both love music and we like performing in front of crowds,” said Pangilinan, 15, who plays the guitar and sings along with Ward.

The judges had a lot of comments and praise for all the talent on Sunday and for the local high schoolers, it could be the beginning of bigger things to come.

“When I first met Liam, we clicked and talked about singing together,” said Ward.

Auditioning can be a bit of a nervous experience, especially in close quarters like the Musicland studio but the two handled it like seasoned performers.

“We are two peas in a pod. We thought let’s go try this. We did the musical together and did really good. We love singing together,” said Pagilinan.

Up on the stage Sunday right after them was the duo of singer Amanda Gray and John Bianchi. They have only been performing together for a couple of months and had the judges wanting more. Bianchi even borrowed a guitar for the tryout and was outstanding. Their rendition of Michael Jackson’s ‘Billy Jean’, no doubt could be an Open Air favourite.

“I’ve known about this (Open Air) for years and thought, let’s do it,” Bianchi told the judges.

Amherstburg Open Air Weekends kick off June 6 and run for 14 weekends up until Sept. 6. Streets are blocked off beginning Friday at 3 p.m. until Sundays at 8 p.m.

Organizers plan more themed weekends for the event that was awarded the Best Street Festival in 2025 by Best of Windsor-Essex Awards.

Auditions held for Open Air musicians

By Fred Groves