Local talent scores big breaks

It's exciting when someone you know gets a "big break." I put the term in quotations because it can be subjective -- to the person, his field and his friends. The two big breaks that have excited me recently go from music to modeling.

A local face-rocking band got word earlier in the week that it will be performing Nov. 21 at a Pop's Local Music Showcase at Pop's nightclub in Sauget, Ill. Rockface Barband will be playing the concert, which is the first step on the road to PointFest, the annual summer music festival in St. Louis, put on by alternative radio station 105.7 The Point.

Rockface puts three local boys front and center: guitarist Jeff Bell, drummer Ben Grayson and bassist Matt Sanders, also known as the Southeast Missourian online products manager and former arts and entertainment editor. The guys have a gig at 9 p.m. today at Club Moxy, where they'll be selling tickets to the Pop's show.

I wrote a news story in Monday's paper about a local girl named Ali Turner who scored a spot in the Victoria's Secret Angel Boot Camp, where 10 girls were picked to live in a New York apartment and compete for a spot in the Angel fashion show Dec. 1.

Turner, who goes by Allison in the contest, modeled as a teen and has spent the past few years hanging with her horses in Cape Girardeau. She wanted to get back into modeling so she could buy a ranch.

The first round of voting dropped the angel count from 10 to five -- no official word about Ali's status.

The next round will start Monday and take the number to two. After a final voting round, the winning girl will get her wings and walk in the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.

To vote for Ali, visit vsallaccess.com during voting periods. Watch the Southeast Missourian and semissourian.com to know when to vote.