Brien Thomas, senior social science major, is able to write a song after imagining only one initial line.

“I will hear a line of a song in my head and am able to build a song from that,” Thomas said.

Thomas’s band, Hero Complex, won first place in the Open Mic Competition Finals that took place Wednesday night in the Grand Ballroom of the Martin Luther King Jr. University Union.

The Open Mic Finals comprised open mic performers who placed during the regular open mic nights throughout the semester.

The Hero Complex members also include Sean Walker, senior art education major; Justin Yuroff, sophomore physical education major; and EJ Singson, sophomore history and English major.

Hero Complex sang two original songs: “Prairie Fire,” and “Kitty Pryde.”

Thomas writes the lyrics to the songs for Hero Complex, and the other members write their own musical parts.

“Prairie Fire” was influenced by a time Thomas spent in Nebraska.

“‘Kitty Pryde’ references comic book heroes,” Thomas said.

Lunchbox Voodoo hosted the event and also performed its sketch comedy routine between acts.

Matt Brunner, sophomore history major, was the first to sing. He sang one original song and also covers.

He said he could not come up with a name for his song because nothing seemed to fit.

“It was just a fun summer song that I wrote the summer before I came to Eastern,” Brunner said.

Nicole Sangpeal, freshman secondary education major, sang four original songs.

“Sincerely, Nicole,” one of her songs, was the end of a letter she wrote. She said songs she has written were parts of this letter.

“Dear Cody” is the beginning of this letter and was written this year, Sangpeal said.

She said a relationship was the inspiration behind these original songs.

Tom Bickham, sophomore communications major, sang two original songs: “Coincide” and “Let’s Not Talk About It.”

“Let’s Not Talk About It” was written while Bickham was in high school. He wrote it with a friend: Bickhman wrote the chorus, and his friend wrote the verses.

The Open Mic Finals were the end of open mic competitions that took place throughout the semester.

Matt Caponera, sophomore communication studies major, is the mainstage coordinator for events such as Open Mic night. He served as the emcee for the Open Mic finals.

Brunner won third place and Bickham won second.

This was the last Open Mic event until Jan. 30, when the regular Open Mic season begins for the spring semester.

Brien Thomas, senior social science major, provides lead vocals for the band Hero Complex during open mic night finals on Wednesday November 28 2007. Hero Complex was voted the winner by the audience.

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