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It's Hall in the beat
This 19-year-old performer from Preston doesn't need musical instruments to get the crowds going.
Beatboxer Sam Hall, from Cottam – also known as Equ – flexed only his vocal chords to storm his way through to the final of a national competition.
The former Broughton Business and Enterprise College pupil realised he had the unusual skill aged 16, after listening to a beatboxer called Rahzel.
Sam, who studies ICT at a college in Blackpool, said: "He did a routine called If Your Mother Only Knew. The fascination of him beatboxing and singing at the same time inspired me and got me into beatboxing. I can make sounds from air horns, sirens to complex drum patterns and very bassy sounds."
Sam wowed the judges in the regional heat of the Vauxhall UK Beatboxing Championships and will have to rev up a 2,000-strong audience at London's O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire on June 20 for the chance to win a Vauxhall Corsa.
He said: "At first, my parents didn't think much of it, but when I started getting more gigs and getting paid they saw it more seriously.
"Quite a lot of people come up to me after gigs asking how I do it and they can't understand how I do things. I can't really explain to someone on the spot.
"I'm quite excited about going to London as I'm only one of seven others in the UK and all my friends are excited to get to go there."
The finalists will be judged by beatboxing royalty TyTe, Faith SFX and Indra for originality, technical ability, crowd reaction and showmanship.
Sam, who looks up to Faith SFX and other beatboxers Reeps1 and Ballzee, said: "At the start I practised all the time but lately it normally just comes out.
"I don't really practise hours on end, but certain sounds do require some patience and effort.
"I think that, and originality, make me good at it. I beatbox a genre of music called dubstep and drum and bass and the bassy sounds go down well with the crowd."
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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