Please note that although the deadline for entries is Monday, August 9,
it would greatly assist the Blues Society planning if you would submit
your entries as soon as possible.
Thank you.
Road
to Memphis
Ottawa
Blues Society Local Blues Challenge – 2010
The
Ottawa Blues Society will again participate in the Blues
Foundation’s International Blues Challenge in Memphis TN. The winner(s) of the OBS Blues Challenge will
compete as OBS representative(s) in the IBC to be held in Memphis, February
1-5, 2011.
Dates for the 2010 OBS Road to
Memphis local blues competition semi-final
rounds are Wednesdays, September 8, 15 and 22 (with Wednesday,
September 29 a
possibility, should the number of entries warrant four semi-final
rounds). Finals are scheduled for Friday,
September 24
(Friday, October 1, if a 4th round is necessary).
Deadline for entries is midnight Monday, August 9, 2010.
The OBS is exploring the feasibility
of
adding a Solo/Duo competition to this year’s Road to Memphis.
We invite anyone interested in competing as a Solo/Duo act to
complete
an application form. Based on the number
of acts entered in this category (at August 9 deadline), we will
determine
whether the Solo/Duo competition will go ahead.
Musicians must enter either the Band or the Solo/Duo category;
you
cannot enter both categories.
For
the purposes of the IBC, a ‘band’ is any act with three
or more musicians; vocalists are counted as musicians for the purpose
of this
competition; solo/duo is any act with one or two musicians; vocalists
are
counted as musicians for the purpose of this competition.
Both electric and acoustic instruments are
allowed. At this local competition,
entrants will be judged by the same criteria used for the International
competition. Each band or solo/duo entry
will have 25 minutes to perform and will be given points based on Blues
Content, Vocals, Talent, Originality and Stage Presence.
For full details on scoring criteria and
official rules, see the Blues Foundation website http://www.blues.org/ibc/scoring.php
Eligibility
Requirements:
¯
Band
members must be 2010 residents of the Ottawa/Gatineau area
(approximately 100
km radius of Ottawa).
¯
Entrants
must be available for all semi-final rounds and the final round and
must be
able to travel to Memphis
in February 2011.
¯
Entrants
will play one 25-minute set.
¯
All
songs presented MUST be Blues (electric or acoustic), Rock/ Blues,
Jazz/Blues,
Country Blues or Rhythm & Blues.
¯
Each
participating band will provide the OBS with one original recorded song
for
inclusion in a proposed ‘OBS
Road
to Memphis’
compilation. This compilation may be
produced in limited quantity and sold to raise funds for OBS expenses
incurred
in the annual local competition.
Entries should be made using the Contact
form on the OBS website and directed to all Board members.
http://www.ottawabluessociety.com/contact.php Application
information should include names and contact info
for all band or solo/duo members, a brief biography, a summary of the
entrant’s
experience and performance history and an audio sample of music (link
to
myspace, band website, MP3 or CD). You
will be contacted for further information following the submission
deadline. Please address any questions
to me at the email address above or at liz@ottawabluessociety.com