Yuma Star live blog!

Reporter Mara Knaub blogged live during the first round of the Yuma Star competition at the Historic Yuma Theater tonight. If you can't make the show, join us online for the latest on the talented singers and don't forget to vote online for your favorites starting noon Friday!

9:30 p.m. The Top 10 who will advance to Round 2 online voting are ...

Tatianna Mosqueda, Antonio Cendejas, Sawyer Siblings, Shawnee Marie, Obed Salgado, Alien vs. Predator, Jessica Lisk, Mackenzie Lewis, Nate Williams and Magdalena Palafox!

Now it's up to you, Yuma residents, to chose the Top 6 to advance to the finals. Online voting for Group 1 will be open from noon Sept. 21 to noon Sept. 27.

Vote online at YumaSun.com/YumaStar.

The 12 finalists, and perhaps a couple of wild cards, will perform at the Oct. 10 finals show.

The second group will perform Sept. 26. Online voting for Group 2 will take place from noon Sept. 28 to noon Oct. 4. The Top 6 will advance to the finals.

The 12 finalists, and perhaps a couple of wild cards, will perform at the Oct. 10 finals show. You will not want to miss the finals since the audience as a whole will be the sixth judge. Their votes will count toward 40 percent of the final scores

All shows will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now for all three events. They are available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Yuma Sun offices, 2055 S. Arizona Ave.

9:09 p.m. Now that the performances are over, we'll wait a few minutes while the scores are tallied and the results are announced.

In the meantime, John Courtis thanked the sponsors and judges again: vocal coach Ruben Dominguez, 2006 Yuma Star winner Adriana Tansey, Monster Media rep Jeff Harris, BigJowWow lead singer Gina Flores and Yuma Sun rep Bob Roeser.

And while we're at it, let's also thank our sponsors once more: Aiello Eye Institute, Monster Media, Sun Graphics/Desert Document Shredders and Chretins. They really do make this show possible.

9:02 p.m. And now for the popular Alien Vs. Pedator singing "Crazy." Lead singer is joking about his wife having a baby last night. Aw. Stayed up all night. Baby girl born this morning. Congrats!

Oh wow! I'm already a fan. I love that song, and I love how they sing it. And I like how he used the "craziness" of his night to lead into the song. Nice!

Awesome. The crowd went "Crazy" after the song.

8:56 p.m. And now Ammar Vermont! Oops! John Courtis made a mistake calling "him" a "her." He joked about it.

I love Ammar's low tones when he sings "I heard it through the grape vine." Ocasionally he goes off key, but he's got good stage presence. He's not afraid to move and dance and move! Woo-hoo!

8:51 p.m. Up next: 13-year-old Tatiana Mosqueda in a colorful happy frock. It seems she has a nice voice but the music is overpowering it. Maybe nerves aren't letting her project.

She did a fine job singing the Little Mermaid song, "Part of Your World."

8:48 p.m. Jessica Lisk singing "I Am Bound to You." She's also a Yuma Star veteran. I like that she put the mic stand aside so she has the freedom to walk around the stage.

8:44 p.m. Shawnee Marie with her guitar singing "Brighter than the Sun." She has an awesome voice, another of my favorites!

She knows how to engage the audience, making small talk and joking with them.

8:37 p.m. Trevar Howell is adorable. The boy -- I didn't quite catch his age, 12? -- is singing a Christian song, "Lifesong." He's got the audience going along on the ride. He has everyone clapping and smiling. He's up there dancing. He's a dynamo!

8:32 p.m. Carla "Lala" Camarillo is up next. The 12-year-old is singing "King of Anything." She's got a strong voice for a 12-year-old. She's also making an attempt to use the stage, moving from one side to another. I like that. Use the space you have!

8:27 p.m. What I have been waiting for ... a performance by an group! For the first time, acts (vs. solo performers) are participatiing in Yuma Star. The Sawyer Siblings are singing "Where is the Love." I have to confess I'm not much of a rap fan, but he seems to be doing well. But I love when his sisters harmonize.

8:18 p.m. Nathan Williams is on the piano. Wow. Plays beautiful, but this isn't a piano competition. The voice? Wow again. Awesome. He's got some pipes, as they say.

Another chill inducing performance. He's one of my favorites, I have to admit. He's a natural.

You know you have a good singer when the theater is eerily quiet. And then suddenly everyone erupts into a thunderous applause after the last note.

8;16 p.m. John Courtis is thanking our celebrity judges: Ruben Dominguez, Adriana Tansey, Jeff Harris, Gina Flores and Bob Roeser.

8:14 p.m. Lights are blinking! Show will start again in a couple of minutes. 

7:57 - Intermission time. 15 minute break. So far it's been a great show. Awesome performances. More to come!

7:52 p.m. Antonio Cendejas up next. He's also a Yuma Star favorite. He's known for singing La Bamba, or as he calls it, "a little blast from the past." Already the audience is clapping along. He knows this is what they want!

And he knows how to give a show! He's up there dancing!

7:47 p.m. Obed Salgado and his guitar on stage. He's singing "Wonderwall" by Oasis. I always admire the performers who can also play an instrument. I like his confidence.

7:43 p.m. Veteran Yuma Star performer Mackenzie Lewis is taking the ballot "Every time we touch," by Cascada. Not surprising, she's good. Although it's a slow song, she sings it with conviction. The audience liked it.

7:41 p.m. Delsie Jim is tackling the gospel favorite "Hallelujah." She has a sweet voice.

7:34 p.m. Ooh! A favorite year to year, Frank Chaira is now on stage, singing Amy Winehouse's "You Sent Me Flying." Well, his energy seems a little low. Nerves again? He's still pretty good.

7:31 p.m. Strumming her guitar, 17-year-old Taylor Biggs is performing "Wide Awake." She's a good singer, but the song is a little slow so the audience isn't as loud.

7:24 p.m. Up next, 12-year-old Maribel Alexia Camarillo singing "If I Die Young." She's pretty good for her age. And she's trying to work the stage.

She sounds a little nervous. Understandly. The audience loved her though. Loud applause and cheers.

7:19 p.m. First up, Magdalena Palafox singing "Rolling in the Deep." From the first note, you can tell this girl has talent. And she's showing confidence. I like that.

She has the audience clapping. That's good! I would say she did the song justice.

7:06 p.m. 2011 Yuma Star third place winner Elias Wiley is now opening the show! Oh, no wonder the stage was dark. I thought it was a malfunction but it turns out Elias is walking in from behind. Pretty cool. Would have been better with a spotlight though. He's killing (that's a good thing) "Paparazzi."

This kid is talented! He's now covering Bruno Mars' "It Will Rain." He gives me chills.

He switched gears and he's now singing the classic "At Last."

Now that he's set the theater on fire, the contestants are next!

7:00 p.m. MC Nick Canon ... ah ... John Courtis has taken the stage. He's thanking the sponsors,Aiello Eye Institute, Monster Media, Sun Graphics/Desert Document Shredders and Chretins for making this show possible.

6:59 p.m. The lights are blinking! Time to take our seats.

6:58 p.m. The countdown begins. Two minutes until the show starts. Theater is filling up. I'm watching the contestants and they look excited and nervous at the same time. I can't wait to see/hear their talent!