2025 Singer-Songwriter Competition Finals

Saturday, Jul. 19 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

Perennial Acorn fan favorite Singer-Songwriter Competition Finals returns for its 13th consecutive year to The Acorn. A panel of esteemed judges and our beloved Acorn audience will participate as six finalists take the stage for this thrilling performance, with the field narrowing to the 'top three' artists over the course of two rounds.

Acorn favorite Peter Carey will be our host and emcee for the evening.

The final vote and ultimate champion is audience choice, so be prepared to be dazzled, choose a favorite and cast your vote.

Meet Our 2025 Finalists!

Annie Bacon from Ann Arbor, Michigan

Annie Bacon
Annie Bacon is a writer and songwriter living in Ann Arbor, Michigan who merges a literary writing style and folk-rock Americana sound to create rich and emotionally complex music. Bacon emerges from a loss-filled five years with 2024's Storm, praised as "a landmark release" (Glide), "mature and sophisticated songwriting" (AmericanaUK), and "brilliant nostalgic elegance" (The Wild Is Calling). She also composed a folk opera, co-created a full-length musical, and is working on a novel on themes of motherhood & war.

Chris DuPont from Milan, Michigan

Chris DuPont
Chris DuPont is a Michigan native tunesmith, endlessly reimagining the indie/folk paradigm. With an unmistakable ethereal tenor, diverse fingerstyle guitar work, and a taste for the cinematic, DuPont steers the classic eloquence and lyricism of ‘70s Americana into the iridescent haze of indie pop. He has been recording and touring his original music since 2012, and has since built a loyal word of mouth reputation as a disarming entertainer, a prolific collaborator, and a "songwriter's songwriter." He is a regular staple at The Ark, one of the most celebrated listening rooms in the midwest. He has been a finalist at Rocky Mountain Folks Fest (2013), The Acorn Singer Songwriter Competition (2016), and Songwriter Serenade (2025). He has shared stages with Theo Katzman, May Erlewine, Brendan James, Edwin McCain, Needtobreathe, Peter Mulvey, and John Hiatt.

Christopher Gold from Appleton, Wisconsin

Christopher Gold
Christopher Gold is a Kentucky-born songwriter living in Wisconsin. He has written and recorded folk songs, country songs, rock & roll songs, and everything in between citing a love for songwriters like Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, John Prine, and anybody else whose work begins with paper and pen. He travels primarily as a solo act, carrying on the folk tradition of performances that blend music, storytelling, and humor. Recognized with a Wisconsin Area Music Industry Award for Singer/Songwriter of the Year, Christopher has built a compelling live presence, performing at venues like Codfish Hollow, The Majestic Theater, and The Barrymore Theater, and captivating audiences at festivals including ROMP and Mile Of Music. He's also had the privilege of sharing the stage with respected artists such as Robert Earl Keen, Rodney Crowell, Justin Townes Earle, and William Elliott Whitmore.

Ryan Kirkpatrick from Fort Collins, Colorado

Ryan Kirkpatrick
Fort Collins, Colorado based songwriter and outdoor travel guide Ryan Kirkpatrick leads the adventure-inspired music project known as The 14ers, celebrating the notion that “Life is a shared experience and music is the universal language that brings us all closer together.”Refining his own signature style of Mountaintop Folk-Pop (also the name of The 14ers’ 2019 album), Ryan draws songwriting inspiration from the places and the people surrounding him as he travels around the globe sharing his love for the outdoors leading skiing, photography, and hiking trips from Colorado to Mount Kilimanjaro. Over time, these special moments and experiences become the songs that document not only Ryan’s own journey in life and music, but of those around him. The 14ers are preparing to release a full-length album in 2025 stocked with radiant passion, endearing melodies, and refreshingly authentic songs.

Shelley Miller from Chicago, Illinois

Shelley Miller
Shelley Miller is a Chicago-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, circus artist and aerialist. Over the course of their 20+ year career, they have released 6 albums of original music (both solo and as a band front-person) and performed throughout the Midwest and East Coast. They are a past winner of the Sandy Lee Songfest songwriting contest, finalist in the Sisters Folk Festival Dave Carter Memorial Songwriting Contest and a finalist in the National Women's Music Festival Emerging Artist contest. They teach full-time at the Old Town School of Folk Music, where they were named a Distinguished Teaching Artist in 2014. They are also debuting their first musical circus show, The Amazing Adventures of 2NBs, this summer in Chicago.

Kylee Phillips from Milan, Michigan

Kylee Phillips
Kylee Phillips is a Michigan-native vocalist and songwriter of deeply self-exposing pop music. Armed with an arresting, emotive, laser-focused voice, and an unrivaled ear for hooks and melodic contour, Phillips has garnered cult-like acclaim in the midwest and beyond since her explosive debut EP Long Time Coming. The title is strangely apt, as Phillips was a beloved hidden gem in the Detroit scene for over a decade before materializing as a fresh face and urgent new presence in the indie/pop world.
Kylee’s anthemic, sonically dense songs alchemize the sincerity of a midwest heart with the prowess and unabashed indulgence usually reserved for coastal voices. Here listeners find the body-cleansing catharsis of femme-pop luminaries like Muna and Maggie Rogers, intertwined with the heartstring-pulling, hands-raised surrender of a worship conference. Every track makes equal space for the tears and the pulse-pounding we didn’t realize we needed so badly.
Recent highlights include an Official Showcase at Folk Alliance Regional Midwest, headlining The Ark in Ann Arbor and placing 3rd in the Songwriter Serenade songwriting competition in Austin, TX.
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Our 2025 Judges

Donnie Biggins
Donnie Biggins is a singer/songwriter from Oak Park, IL. He is a member of Chicago’s The Shams Band and owner/operator of Chicago music venue, Robert’s Westside. Donnie is also the Talent Buyer for The Acorn in Three Oaks, MI. This is his fourth year judging The Acorn’s Singer-Songwriter Competition. Donnie has been writing songs and performing live since 2005. He released his debut solo album, Profiles, in November 2016. The album received press and airplay from the Chicago Tribune/Chicago Now, Glide Magazine, WGN Radio, WXRT, CHIRP Radio and Radio One Chicago.

Karen Bridges
Cincinnati-based songwriter Karen Bridges is a classically-trained singer and multi-instrumentalist, and since 2012, she has performed extensively with Clint Thomson as Stone & Snow. Karen is an advocate for women in music, and she regularly writes and speaks about her experience as part of an underrepresented and underestimated demographic, particularly in the rural Midwest.

Andrew Delaney
Andrew Delaney of Arlington, TX is an unorthodox singer/songwriter and storyteller who steadfastly refuses to pretend he is not writing this bio himself in the third person. Born to a Chinese American family, Andrew grew up as a suburban goth kid and his songs are informed as much by the lyrics-as-literature styles of Tom Waits and James McMurtry as they are by the camp and audacity of The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Legendary folk DJ Rich Warren of WFMT Radio Chicago once called him “The Alfred Hitchcock of singer/songwriters.”Over the years Andrew has garnered numerous accolades for his writing, including grand prize wins at both the Songwriter Serenade competition in Moravia, TX and The Acorn Singer-Songwriter Competition in Three Oaks, MI. He was a three-time finalist in the prestigious Grassy Hills New Folk Competition at the Kerrville Folk Festival, a top three finisher in the Rocky Mountain Song Contest, an Emerging Artist at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival, and received Best Songwriter honors at the Dallas/Ft Worth “Ghosty” awards.

Please note Week of Show price increases by $5 per ticket.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

The Acorn Tree House presents Deep Fried Pickle Project

Saturday, Aug. 31 | 12:00pm ET (11:00am CT)

Our Acorn Tree House series of shows is fun for the entire family! The music and entertainment continues in August with the Deep Fried Pickle Project.

In 2002 a mysterious green iceberg was discovered by a band of pirates in Lake Michigan . Frozen inside were the Pickles, cold solid in a chunk of sour brine. The DFPP were hoisted aboard, chiseled free and re-animated by the ship's crude pirate scientist chef using a combination of spirits and pickle juice. As the DFPP awoke from their icy slumber they started singing and have never stopped. Where the Pickles came from and where they are going remains a mystery!

From outhouse to henhouse to waffle house to public house both hither and yon the Pickles have caused a rafter-shaking ruckus wherever they roll, dreaming a hobo's knapsack of stories and songs along the way.

These Pickle people have wobbled their magical musical gypsy medicine wagon from one end of this here country to t'other, with stops including Lollapalooza, Delfest and Telluride Bluegrass Festival along the way.

Armed with a frankenstonian array of homemade monster instruments, the Deep Fried Pickle Project's recipe is flavored with jug band, hokum and honkytonk spices. What fanciful fuel powers this bubbling band of minstrels you ask? Why, it is Pickle Power- the power to create mutant musical instruments and sea shanties. The power to shatter a bar full of whisky glasses with sonic ferocity one night, then serenade a giggling group of kids the next morning. From the Great Depression to the Great Recession, the band runs the gamut of old timey styles while grabbing an occasional 80's pop tune and turning it into a flap happy chicken scratchy 78 RPM tune.

The Acorn Tree House presents Sean Masterson Magic

Saturday, Jul. 27 | 12:00pm ET (11:00am CT)

Sean Masterson Magic is a one-of-a-kind thrill featuring sleight-of-hand, audience participation, and highly deceptive but rarely seen 19th century magic effects that are sure to delight young and old.

Sean became interested in magic when he received a deck of magic cards for his 7th birthday. Five years later, at the age of 12, he won Chicago’s Junior Magician Award. He went on to study theater and French in college which explains his interest in combining magic with storytelling and his appearances in France. Sean’s passion for performing is equal to his fascination with magic history and its larger than life characters.

“Sean Masterson’s Timeless Magic, an homage to 19th Century magic and prestidigitation that features the personable Masterson taking us on a journey through classic illusions from magicians such as Harry Blackstone and Chung Ling Soo.” - Chicago On Stage

Sean has been entertaining Chicago audiences with his close-up and stage magic for 25 plus years. He performed at Governor Pritzker’s inaugural ball and recently the Chicago Tourism Bureau flew Sean to Paris to perform for French journalists. Sean has produced dozens of shows in Chicago Theaters to rave reviews:

“Masterson has performing chops for sure, but he also has a sly sense of humor, and some riveting non-illusory theater storytelling techniques that focus our attention on his most beloved magical objects.” - Third Coast Review

“Highly Recommended **** If you love magic and watching magicians, Sean Masterson is a wonderful magician to watch. If you love great story-telling, Sean Masterson is a perfect one to watch.” - Around The Town Chicago

"Masterson's sleight-of-hand tricks, with tales to boot, are spellbinding." - The Chicago Tribune

“Very skilled and highly entertaining.” - Chris Jones, The Chicago Tribune

"Prestidigitation for the Harry Potter generation, with a minimum of flash and a maximum of understated showmanship." - Kerry Reid, The Chicago Tribune

“In a world of serial stings and contagious fraud it's a joy to see deception you can believe in.” - Lawrence Bommer, The Chicago Reader

The Acorn Tree House presents Mr. Dave

Saturday, May. 25 | 12:00pm ET (11:00am CT)

Our Acorn Tree House series of shows is fun for the entire family! Music and entertainment for all ages! Bring the family to the kickoff of our 2024 Family Fun Summer Series with Mr. Dave!

Little rock stars are immersed in the magic of Mr. Dave's captivating musical performances! Infusing original and classic tunes, storytelling, and interactive activities, your child will be gleefully engaged in his live show. With hands-on instrument exploration and seamless transitions, the energetic atmosphere is tailored for children yet enjoyable for adults ears.

Romantic Journeys: Dunes Broadway Cabaret

Sunday, Aug. 18 | 1:00pm ET (12:00pm CT)

Presented in partnership with Dunes Theatre, join us as we travel through the great musicals of the past and present, exploring the often-fraught, sometimes hilarious and beautifully satisfying road to romance.

About the Cast:

Max DeTogne appeared in the Dunes’ productions of Working, Next to Normal (Dan), A Grand  Night for Singing, tick...Tick...Boom! (Jon) and two previous editions of the Broadway Cabaret.  A three-time Jeff Award nominee, his notable Chicago/regional credits include the title role in  Jesus Christ Superstar and a member of the company in the Sondheim Tribute Revue (Theo  Ubique), Rob in High Fidelity (Refuge Theatre Project) and Clyde in Bonnie and Clyde (Kokandy Productions), and just finished playing Oscar Jaffee in the Blank Theatre production of On the Twentieth Century. 

Lili Galluzzo appeared in the Dunes 2023 productions of Boeing Boeing (Gloria), tick...Tick...BOOM!! (Susan) and the Broadway Cabaret. Chicagoland credits include Theo/Ensemble in Pippin (The Towle Theatre), Ensemble in On the 20th Century (Blank Theatre) and Hermia in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Big Noise Theatre). 

Sheree Gudeman appeared in Dames at Sea (Ruby), Guys and Dolls (Adelaide, NIETF Award), Jekyll and Hyde (Lucy), Sideshow (Daisy), Evita (Eva Peron), Pump Boys and Dinettes (Prudie Cupp; also co-director), Company (Jenny) and Man of La Mancha (Aldonza). Other favorite roles include Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors, Maria in West Side Story, Sarah Jane Moore in Assassins and Belle in Beauty and the Beast. Sheree is the recipient of five NIETF awards for her work in the Great Lakes region, most recently for her portrayal of Francesca in The Bridges of Madison County. 

Emma Radtke is no stranger to the stage, and has been performing for many years. Notable roles include Natalie in Next to Normal (Chicago Street Theatre), Annabeth in The Lighting Thief (Art 4), Anna in Spring Awakening (Art 4) and many other shows in Northwest Indiana. 

Gabriel Reitemeier is a recent transplant to Chicago. He received his B.A. from Grand Valley State University and his M.M. from Michigan State (both in Voice) and his M.F.A. in Acting from the University of South Carolina. Professional credits include Miranda: A War-Torn Fable and Footholds: Volume 5  (Imposters Theatre Company, Chicago) and Montgomery (Trustus Theatre, Columbia, SC); other credits include Don Pasquale, La Traviata, La Cenerentola, Amadeus,  Urinetown, Company and his original one-man show 5 Dollar Ticket, among many others. 

Khyel Roberson’s previous  productions include Little Shop of Horrors, Hair, Rent and Dreamgirls and Boeing Boeing, tick,  tick…BOOM! at the Dunes 2023 season. An MFA graduate of Western Illinois University, he is also a playwright and web series creator through his own production company, Blous’e Entertainment. His latest musical, The Artist Musical, just completed a successful run at the Holdcraft Center in Michigan City. 

Peter Stielstra appeared in 2022 in Next to Normal and two editions of the Broadway Cabaret. A Chicago-based actor and singer, he has most recently appeared in The Threepenny Opera at Theo Ubique and Girlfriend with Pride Arts (Jefferson nomination for Performer in a Leading Role). A graduate of the University of California/Berkeley, he has also worked with the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival and the Oakland Theater Project. 

Kate Turner appeared in the 2022 and 2023 editions of the Broadway Cabaret. She is a senior at the University of Notre Dame studying Theatre and Voice. Favorite roles include Sandy in Grease, Ella in Cinderella, Marian in The Music Man, Cinderella in Into the Woods, Nora in A Doll’s  House, and Shelby in Steel Magnolias. 

About the Directors:  

Steve Scott (Broadway Cabaret Director) has directed several past Dunes productions  including The Spitfire Grill, Working, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Next to Normal, Vanya and  Sonia and Masha and Spike and three Broadway Cabarets. A Producer of Chicago’s Goodman  Theatre for over thirty years, he is now a Goodman Artistic Associate and a member of the  board. He has directed over 300 productions in his fifty-year career (most recently The  Outgoing Tide at Buffalo Theatre Ensemble and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time at MadKap Productions at Skokie Theatre), receiving six Jefferson Award nominations, an  After Dark Award, and numerous Broadway World nominations; he is also a faculty member of  the College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and has taught at Loyola University of  Chicago, Columbia College Chicago, Northwestern and the Theatre School at DePaul  University. Honors include the Illinois Theatre Association’s Award of Honor, the Lifetime  Achievement Award from the League of Chicago Theatres, and a special Jefferson Award for  his contributions to the Chicago Theatre Community. 

Andrew Flasch (Music Director) is a theatre music and vocal director, keyboardist, composer,  arranger and music educator; he returns to the Dunes for his fifth season, where his work  includes Working, Next to Normal, A Grand Night for Singing, Forever Plaid, tick…TICK… BOOM! and three previous Broadway Cabarets. Since his introduction to the theater a decade  ago, Andrew has worked on over 30 productions in schools, universities and community and  professional theaters. For his work he has received a Northwest Indiana Excellence in Theatre  Foundation (NIETF) award for Vocal Direction. His work at the Dunes was the subject of a 2023  feature article in Michigan City’s Beacher, “The Man Behind the Music.” Andrew is currently  the staff Music Director for the Department of Theatre, Dance, and Arts Administration at  Southern Utah University; before joining SUU he worked by day as an actuary specializing in  pensions. He holds a B.S. degree in Actuarial Science from Valparaiso University.

About Dunes Theatre:

The Dunes Arts Foundation, which operates Dunes Summer Theatre and Education Programs, was incorporated in the State of Indiana in 1951. The theatre is located in Michiana Shores, nestled on a scenic wooded site, about a half mile from the Indiana Dunes and the Lake Michigan shore. The theatre campus has 8 cabins for summer actors and interns. Dunes Summer Theatre has been revitalized with much needed structural and grounds improvements in an effort to bring patrons a quality and comfortable experience.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

The Chicago Experience

Saturday, Aug. 03 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

The Chicago Experience is just as it sounds – a group of musicians who call Chicago home, and who share a love for the music of one of the greatest rock n’ roll bands of all time... Chicago. Together, the band recreates the sound and feel of Chicago’s music, whose hit songs have touched generations of fans spanning several decades.

The Chicago Experience invites you to relive memories of the music that captured everyone’s hearts – from the early hits off Chicago Transit Authority’s 1968 self-titled album, such as “Beginnings” and “Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?” through the 1980s, with Chicago’s hits “Hard To Say I’m Sorry” and “You’re The Inspiration,” you will share in the joy these songs bring.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Second Hand News – A Tribute To Fleetwood Mac

Friday, Jul. 26 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

Second Hand News returns to The Acorn. Second Hand News recreates the music of Fleetwood Mac with spot-on vocal harmonies, careful attention to detail, and an electric live show.

About the Artists:

Second Hand News recreates the experience of seeing Fleetwood Mac in their heyday. Made up of veteran Chicago musicians, the band features spot-on vocal harmonies, careful attention to detail, and electric live shows. Through the talents of these seasoned performers, the spirit and musicianship of Mick Fleetwood, John and Christine McVie, Stevie Nicks, and Lindsey Buckingham come to life on stage. Audiences are energized by dynamic deliveries of favorites from the band’s extensive catalog of hits as well as deep cuts beloved by superfans. The fun these musicians have recreating these classic songs together is infectious, and will bring you to your feet in shared appreciation for one of the greatest bands of all time.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

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Swearingen & Kelli w/ The Music of Simon & Garfunkel

Saturday, Jul. 20 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

With their siren harmonies and prolific songwriting, Swearingen & Kelli's body of work has cemented them into the Americana scene, being hailed by Red Line Roots as artists “others would do well to emulate down the road."

About the Artists

Nashville duo Swearingen & Kelli recreates the sound of legendary Simon & Garfunkel with two voices and one guitar, in impeccable harmony. Delivering an evening of nostalgic hits from the 1960s and Simon & Garfunkel's biggest album of 1970, Swearingen & Kelli channel these works in the true form of the Greenwich Village, NY coffeehouse performances, along with a set of all original music from the husband-and-wife duo.

Bethlehem born AJ Swearingen and Lapeer, Michigan's Jayne Kelli are on a mission to share this iconic music with new audiences around the country, along with stories and insight that will make you laugh.

With their siren harmonies and prolific songwriting, Swearingen & Kelli's own body of work has cemented them into the Americana scene, being hailed by Red Line Roots as artists “others would do well to emulate down the road." The duo achieved critical success with their independently released albums, The Marrying Kind and Cold-Hearted Truth, earning features on Gretsch Guitar, Americana Highways, Cowboys & Indians Magazine, and NY Country Swag. With songs heavily nodding to the folk and country of the '60s and '70s, they've shared the stage with legends ranging from Crystal Gayle and Kenny Rogers to folk icons Tom Rush and David Bromberg.

"Jayne Kelli finds her way to the heavenly highs of Art Garfunkel with a soaring and effortless soprano delivery, while AJ Swearingen displays his dexterity with Simon's well-ensconced guitar riffs." -The Capital Gazette

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

The Brit Pack

Thursday, Jul. 18 | 7:00pm ET (6:00pm CT)

We are sorry to share that tonight's show with The Brit Pack is being rescheduled. Due to circumstances beyond everyone's control, the show will be postponed to a later date. All ticket holders will be contacted today with options concerning their purchase. Thank you for your support and understanding.

British born but American made, The Brit Pack was founded by two Brits in New York and have established a reputation as the most authentic British Invasion band in the US, covering the full timeline of the UK’s best music!

About the Artist:

The Brit Pack – the most authentic British Invasion experience this side of the Atlantic. Formed in 2011 by British session musicians based in NYC, The Brit Pack take their audience on a journey through a dynamic blend of British classics known and loved by all, including The Beatles, Rolling Stones, Queen, David Bowie, Elton John, The Who, Oasis, Radiohead, The Police, Amy Winehouse and many more.

The Brit Pack is a supergroup of sorts, featuring the amazing talents of Matt Nakoa (vocals, guitar, keys), Mark Johnson (guitar, vocals), Bryan Percivall (bass), and Will Haywood Smith (drums). The accomplished band members of The Brit Pack have performed with artists such as Paul McCartney, Elton John, Britney Spears, Chet Faker, Tom Rush and Mark Hudson among many others. They have performed for company events at Google and YouTube and even arranged music for major television events like The Oscars. The Brit Pack delivers a show full of music from major names across the pond that’s at the same time familiar enough to make audiences feel right at home and high-energy enough to get the crowd on their feet.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $25 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $25 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

Heartache Tonight - A Tribute to The Eagles

Saturday, Jun. 29 | 8:00pm ET (7:00pm CT)

From the powerful guitar duel in “Hotel California” to the shimmering harmonies of “Peaceful Easy Feeling” a Heartache Tonight show is a true Eagles concert experience featuring all the timeless classic songs from one of the greatest rock bands of all time. With meticulous attention to every detail, Heartache Tonight brings together music from all eras and incarnations of this huge American rock powerhouse that produced hits over four decades.

A Heartache Tonight concert is filled with moments designed to thrill classic rock fans: the soaring a cappella harmonies of “Seven Bridges Road,” the snarling guitars of “Life In The Fast Lane,” the anthemic country rock of “Take It Easy,” and Don Henley’s beautifully evocative “Heart Of The Matter.” Close your eyes and you’ll swear you’re hearing the real thing.

RESERVED SEATING DONATION option includes a $30 tax-deductible donation to The Acorn and guarantees you a seat with optimal sightlines. $30 Donation per ticket holder in your group.

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