It was a record turnout of hopefuls at last Saturday’s final audition in the 2011 Tastee Talent Trail series in Cross Roads, Kingston.

Over 400 aspiring acts turned out at the car park at the Tastee Head Office. Well in excess of 250 persons fell at the first hurdle, the Pre- Judging tent, while just short of 200 faced the judges in the final judging tent.

In a departure from the usual five selectees per audition, eight persons were given lifeline cards and a chance to move on to the $1 million cash prize at the December finals.

Registration began before the advertised 8:00 am start in order to ease the huge build up of persons who had gathered from early in the morning.

Kingston known as dance country, dancers turned out in droves last Saturday, however, not one was able to secure a coveted lifeline card. At the end of the long day which ended after 6:15 pm a magician, a group of dub poets, a singer born in Brooklyn, New York of Jamaican parents, a deejay who scored big with judge Audrey Reid and a singing group were among those who made it through.

For Saturday’s final audition the judges chose the Jamaican motto, Out of Many One People. To this end, Amelia ‘Milk’ Sewell came as an oriental beauty, Audrey Reid as an Indian princess while Oral Tracey depicted an African prince.

The day was not without its share of bloopers and blunders. One contestant asked if he could give a shout to his friends on Facebook and My Space but was told by one of the judges, “this is not greetings from the UK”.

There was the older dancer who has auditioned many times before and once again fell flat on his face. When told not to turn up again he said he was “sent by God to teach the people to dance”.

The auditions over, the Talent Trail moves on to the next phase where finalists will be engaged in a reality segment scheduled for Breezes Hotel Runaway Bay.

Those earning lifeline cards from Cross Roads are the quartet Voice of the Ghetto, singer John E. Rhea, Magician Sean Bailey, singers Kaydene Anderson and Ann Marie Morris, deejay Jerdain Tibby and dub poets RQ- Real Quality.

These persons as well as those selected from Portmore, May Pen, Ocho Rios, Montego Bay and Savanna La Mar will now head into the next round hoping to go all the way in taking home the $1 million cash prize or a second prize $250,000 or the$100,000 third prize. LIME will provide mobile phones to all the finalists at the December 15 finals.