'American Idol' Auditions Coming to Austin

It's that time of year again: Time to get down to the Frank Erwin Center to audition for the next season of American Idol.

Now 13 seasons deep, the original sing-your-heart-out elimination show still draws thousands of competitors every season, from the laughably bad to the surprisingly impressive. We like to think a town full of musicians can produce at least a few contestants from the latter category, though, so don't be that guy.

Whether you make it or not, though, you could be the next YouTube star. Last year's tryouts for America's Got Talent went viral after Andrew De Leon defied all expectations by belting out an operatic solo dressed in full black metal garb. Apparently, it was his first time singing in public.

So you have no excuses. We know you've been practicing, whether in the shower or down at the karaoke bars; just brush up on your scales, practice smizing in the mirror, and get down to the Erwin Center by 5am on Aug. 7.

There's plenty of fine print to the application process – you must be a U.S. citizen between the ages of 15 and 28, need two forms of ID, and can't sport any recognizable logos or images on your clothes, for example – so head over to www.americanidol.com/auditions to make sure you're eligible.

And don't forget to start recording your journey now. When you're rich and famous, you'll want the full arc – or at least, your record label will.