International Blues Challenge (IBC)
2010/2011 BSCP IBC Competition Schedule
When: Sunday, September 19th – 12 Noon to 6 pm
Where: VFW Hall - 747 North Front Street, Steelton, PA
Blues Society of Central Pennsylvania (BSCP)
International Blues Challenge (IBC)
Regional Competition Official Info & Rules
WHAT IS THIS?
This competition is a ‘battle of the bands’ to determine who our regional entrants will be for the 27th International Blues Challenge world finals February 1-5, 2011 in Memphis, TN, hosted by The Blues Foundation (http://www.blues.org/ibc/). The Memphis event is the world’s largest gathering of Blues acts, and represents an international search by The Blues Foundation and its Affiliated Organizations for the best ‘undiscovered’ Blues Band and Solo/Duo Blues Act ready to take their act to the international stage. Typically, 100 bands and 60 solo/duo acts who have won affiliates’ regional contests are entered for the finals in Memphis, filling the clubs up and down Beale Street for the semi-finals on Thursday and Friday and the finals at the Orpheum Theater on Saturday.
The event in Memphis is HUGE, in fact rated by many as better than most blues festivals. The prizes are huge also -the winners typically receive cash and prizes such as professional consultations and assistance, gigs at some of the country’s best festivals, interviews in the world’s leading blues publications, free website design and hosting, and a gig on the “Legendary Blues Cruise.” See http://www.blues.org/ibc/prizes.php. Winning this is a launch pad to ‘making it’ as a full-time blues musician.
But –to get there, you can’t enter directly. Competitors have to go through IBC affiliates like us, your local Blues Society of Central Pennsylvania. The band that wins our regional competition will be given a cash prize award of $1,000 and the solo/duo act given $300 to be used for traveling expenses to the Memphis IBC (we may raise these amounts and/or host fund-raising events for winners, at our discretion). The cash prizes will be presented right before leaving for Memphis/IBC. We will also pay for the winning band to play at a BSCP sponsored show -our Christmas party. An outside panel of judges will judge the contest. The scoring criteria recommended by the Blues Foundation and used in Memphis will be utilized. There will be no “popularity” vote. The BSCP contest will follow the recommendations regarding format, etc. of the Blues Foundation, since that is what has to be followed when we are represented in Memphis. See the official rules at http://www.blues.org/ibc/rules.php.
YOUTH SHOWCASE
As in recent years, the IBC will hold a “Youth Showcase” for which several affiliates sent younger (under 21) bands to “strut their stuff.” They are given a prime venue on Beale Street to play on Friday, and several ended up booking paid gigs or extended opportunities while they were there, playing in front of the blues elite. The BSCP sent the Little Ivory Blues Band, who represented us fantastically in the showcase and by holding court by playing virtually all day and night to large crowds, accompanied by a cast of blues pros at Club Superior on Beale! The BSCP will accept applications for the Youth Showcase, and will make a determination based on the response whether to simply screen the bands and choose a representative, to have a competition, or to simply forego sending a youth entrant. If the BSCP elects to send a youth band, a fundraiser event will be held to aid with travel expenses. See the criteria for the Youth Showcase at http://www.blues.org/ibc/who.php. All members must be under 21 on 1/23/2010.
BEST SELF-PRODUCED CD CONTEST
The BSCP will also consider applications for the IBC’s Best Self Produced CD contest. See rules and details at http://www.blues.org/ibc/selfcdrules.php and the prizes for this are listed on the previous link regarding prizes above. To enter, fill out the application form and return with four copies of the CD. The winner will be announced at the regional competition. BSCP reserves the right to not send an entry to the IBC. Acts submitting CDs must be based in Pennsylvania. Entries will be screened and evaluated by the BSCP IBC committee and any others they feel are qualified and unbiased to participate in the judging.
WHEN AND WHERE?
Our regional competition will be held on Sunday September 19th solo/duo and band) 2010 from 12-6pm at the Steelton, PA VFW hall. There are slots for four entrants for solo/duo and six for the band competition. Should the BSCP receive more applications for either, the BSCP IBC committee will put in place a screening process to decide which entrants will participate. Every application will be screened to determine if the band or solo/duo act is right for this competition, and the BSCP reserves the right to decline any act’s application regardless of the number of acts who apply.
HOW DO WE SIGN UP?
We must receive the application information (download application here) by August 16, 2010. It can be emailed to bluesmembership@comcast.net or print, fill out and snail mail in the application to: Blues Society of Central Pennsylvania PO Box 453 Steelton, PA 17113. We also require that each act submit a demo CD (can be burned, does not have to be production quality) with at least four songs, at least one of them an original. Alternatively, we will accept full song downloads from an Internet site.
WHO CAN ENTER?
See the criteria for band, solo/duo, and youth at http://www.blues.org/ibc/who.php. In addition, for our regional competition:
–All competitors must be members of the BSCP. If you are unsure of your membership status, contact
bluesmembership@comcast.net
–Competitors should be established acts – no pick-up bands. Winners are required to compete in Memphis with the band members who are present for our competition. Any substitutions must be under unusual or extreme circumstances and must be approved by the BSCP or the band will be disqualified. Please do not enter your act in the competition unless all members have every intention of representing us in Memphis for the finals.
Scoring Criteria
See the scoring criteria at http://www.blues.org/ibc/scoring.php. Exceptions for our regional competition are below:
Penalty Points
Penalty points will be deducted at the discretion of the BSCP and judges should a band run over their time or take too much time setting up, tearing down, tuning, etc.
*** In the event that a band scheduled to play in a specific slot is not able to perform for whatever reason, the BSCP will have the authority to deduct points from the band’s overall weighted score. The next band scheduled to play will be asked to step into that slot. Should that band, for whatever reason, not be able to perform when asked, the BSCP has the authority to deduct points from that band, and so on. With that in mind, the BSCP strongly suggests that after a band has met at the venue for their required check-in, that they stay in the venue and are available to perform at the BSCP ’s direction, regardless of which slot they are scheduled to play. Bands that have missed their designated slot will be allowed to perform later in the night but will still suffer the loss of a point on the weighted score.
Notes for Competitors
Check-in time will be 12:00 pm at the date of the competition, at the designated venue for the competition. All competitors are expected to check in at this time.
Solo/Duo and Band competition format
The competition will be a one-day event for both categories. Winners will be announced at the end of each competition, as soon as the judge’s scores have been tabulated.
Sets will be 20 minutes long, with ten minutes to set up/tear down. The BSCP reserves the right to change this format depending on the number of bands and number of venues participating. This is similar to the time allocated for the finals in Memphis. Each act is assigned to a timeslot by a scientific process known as “drawing slips of paper with band names on them out of a hat.”
Staging and Equipment
The BSCP will provide backline and sound. The setup on stage will include a drum kit with snare drum, amps, and mics. Drummers may bring their own cymbals and kick pedals and harmonica players may bring their own harp amp. Keyboard players may bring their own keyboards and keyboard amps, and stands will be provided. Effects racks and other auxiliary equipment are permitted. Musicians must include on the application any additional or special equipment needed.
Competitors are prohibited from bringing their own amplifiers (harp amps and keyboard amps being the only exceptions) Please bring a DI (if you use one). Every effort will be made to provide suitable equipment. Exceptions to this prohibition may only be granted pursuant to a formal request to the BSCP Rules Committee no less than two weeks prior to the competition. Include a request in the act’s registration. With the number of bands participating, it is impossible for us to allow every player to bring an amp – space considerations prohibit it. Thus, any petition for an equipment waiver must include a compelling reason for exclusion.
The BSCP reserves the right to approve or restrict any and all equipment an entrant wishes to bring on stage.
Hospitality: Refreshments will be sold at the event.
Other Points Of Consideration
The BSCP reserves the right to use any contestant’s name, voices, pictures, visages and other likeness for the purpose of advertising, publishing and promoting the BSCP.
The BSCP reserves the right to videotape or otherwise record all performances.
Blues Society of Central Pennsylvania International Blues Competition Regional Application
Application Deadline: Must be received by August 16, 2010.
Click HERE to download a copy of the event announcement, competition rules, and application.
We also require that each band submit a demo CD (does not have to be production quality) with at least four songs, at least one of them an original. This may be mailed to the address below. Applications will not be considered until we have received the CD. Alternatively, we will accept full song downloads from an Internet site.
Please mail or email completed application, along with the group bio, photo, and CD to:
Blues Society of Central PA c/o IBC Committee PO Box 453 Steelton, PA 17113
(888) 771-2727