Annual MBAS Blues Challenge
"Blues Performer of The Year" Solo/Duo & Band Categories
 TWO CATEGORY WINNERS IN 2023 TO GO TO MEMPHIS IN 2024!
The MBAS Blues Challenge is BACK for 2023! The Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society will be hosting its "MBAS Blues Challenge" in Melbourne in July, August and September, to find the best possible Victorian Blues BAND and Blues SOLO/DUO artists to represent the MBAS and Melbourne at the annual International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis TN, USA. Two MBAS Blues Challenge winners (SOLO/DUO and BAND categories) will be sent to represent Melbourne and the MBAS at the next IBC in Memphis from 16th - 20th January 2024.
The prize for the Melbourne Blues Challenge winners includes MBAS-funded ACCOMMODATION and RETURN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS for the two top-scoring acts to travel and represent each competition category at the IBC in Memphis. The IBC draws representative entries from Blues Societies all over the world and throughout the USA.
MBAS Blues Challenge is open to any SOLO/DUO or BAND Blues act meeting the eligibility criteria below:
- All members of the Blues act must be 18 years old or over.
- All members of the Blues act must be a permanent resident of Victoria.
- All members of the Blues act must be or become financial members of the MBAS with the completion of the Entry Form.
- If the Blues act wins the MBAS Blues Challenge, all the members of the act must all remain financial members up to and after the IBC date (January 2024).
- A previous winning Blues act of the MBAS Blues Challenge is able to re-enter.
To determine who goes to Memphis to compete at the IBC, Victorian Blues entrants for both SOLO/DUO and BAND categories at the MBAS Blues Challenge compete live in Melbourne in separate Heats to determine a Final lineup. The Heats and Final are scored by independent judges, using the international scoring system devised by the IBC. The highest scoring Blues artist in each SOLO/DUO and BAND category Final are referred to as the "MBAS SOLO/DUO Blues Performer of the Year" and the "MBAS BAND Blues Performer of the Year". Both those top-scoring winning acts from the Final are sent to Memphis by the MBAS to represent and compete at the IBC.
Both winning acts are guaranteed to receive return international airfares, accommodation and an extra $1,000 spending money (for the BAND winner, courtesy of PBS FM) to travel to Memphis USA and compete at the IBC, held in January 2024.
The MBAS also assists both the SOLO/DUO and BAND winning acts by hosting separate major fundraisers to help cover extra travel costs.
Entry for the 2023 MBAS Blues Challenge is now open for both SOLO/DUO and BAND categories.
NOTE the following MBAS BLUES CHALLENGE performance dates for each category:
• SOLO/DUO HEATS: Tuesday 11th & Wed 12th JULY 7pm
• BAND HEATS: Tuesday 8th & Wed 9th AUGUST 7pm
• FINAL (combined Solo/Duo & Band): Sunday 10th SEPTEMBER 4pm
Performances for each act are strictly a 20 minute set for the Heats, and a 25 minute set for the Final.
Entries for both SOLO/DUO and BAND applicants must be received by 9pm Tuesday 27th June 2023.
The '2023 MBAS Blues Challenge' eligibility, Rules/Conditions and Entry Forms can be viewed and printed from the PDF downloads below:
2023 MBAS BLUES CHALLENGE ENTRY RULES & CONDITIONS
2023 SOLO/DUO ENTRY FORM
2023 BAND ENTRY FORM
The MBAS is proud to be recognised as the most successful international Blues Society represented at the prestigious IBC event in Memphis, having produced several winners and runners-up at this international Blues competition over the years:
2020 - IBC GRAND FINALIST (Solo/Duo Division): AARON POLLOCK
2005 - IBC AWARD WINNER (Best Album): COLLARD GREENS & GRAVY
2005 - IBC GRAND FINAL WINNER (Solo/Duo Division: JIMI HOCKING
2003 - IBC GRAND FINAL WINNER (Solo/Duo Division): FIONA BOYES
2002 - IBC GRAND FINAL Runner-Up (Solo/Duo Division): ANDY COWAN
2001 - IBC GRAND FINAL Runner-Up: COLLARD GREENS & GRAVY
1995 - IBC AWARD WINNER (Albert King Guitarist Award): GEOFF ACHISON
|
Blues Challenge proudly presented by
 MBAS also acknowledges all its other sponsors for their support of this contest
|
MBAS Blues Challenge Winners representing at the IBC in Memphis:
2019 Contest Results
Congratulations to all 2019 entrants in the MBAS Blues Challenge BAND and SOLO/DUO categories.
The WINNERS of the finals are the '2019 MBAS Blues Performer of the Year' in their respective categories.
- SOLO/DUO Category: AARON POLLOCK
- BAND Category: CHECKERBOARD LOUNGE
MBAS Blues Challenge FINAL Winners, September 2019 L-R: Checkerboard Band: Carl Pannuzzo, Tim Neal, Shannon Bourne & Amos Sheenan with Aaron Pollock.
These two talented acts will travel to Memphis USA in January 2020 to represent the MBAS and Melbourne at the International Blues Challenge (IBC).
** IBC UPDATE:
AARON POLLOCK beat the odds at the IBC, performing his way through as a top-scorer in all his HEATS and the SEMI-FINAL to reach the GRAND FINAL at the IBC!! Huge congratulations for this massive achievement and once again, representing at the highest level at the IBC, shining a bright light on Melbourne Blues in front of an International audience at the historic Orpheum Theater. Superb performance, well done. See Aaron's fantastic IBC Grand Final performance at the Orpheum in Memphis here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2gFYEDjXzU
Huge props too, to CHECKERBOARD LOUNGE who spectacularly made their way to the SEMI-FINALS at the IBC to huge acclaim. They also took the opportunity while in Memphis to book in a recording session at the famed SUN Studio. Their subsequent Memphis album "Sun Sessions" was later launched late in 2021 and won many Blues accolades, including Best Blues Work at the 2022 Music Victoria Awards, and 2022 Album of The Year at the MBAS Vic Blues Awards.
CONGRATULATIONS TO TWO OF OUR BEST FOR THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS IN MEMPHIS!
|
|
|
- BAND Category: Rhythm X Revival
continuing the MBAS's great reputation for sending world-class Australian Blues talent to represent!