Saturday, September 8 @4:30PM
Des Moines Social Club
900 Mulberry, Des Moines, IA
For the 25th year the Central Iowa Blues Society, in cooperation with the Mississippi Valley Blues Society in Davenport and the Southeast Iowa Blues Society in Fairfield, presents the Iowa Blues Challenge (IABC), a live music competition open to all Iowa-based blues acts and conducted in two categories: Solo/Duo and Band. Acts will be competing for cash prizes for the top three in each category, and additionally the two winners will receive recording time, opportunities for paid gigs and entry into and travel expense stipend for the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, TN in January, presented by the Blues Foundation.
The 2018 Iowa Blues Challenge event will take place on Saturday, September 8th at the Des Moines Social Club, 900 Mulberry St. Weather permitting, the challenge will take place in the Prairie Meadows Courtyard between the Main DMSC building and the Kum & Go Theater. (Lawn chairs recommended – outdoor seating is limited.) In the event that Mother Nature gives us the blues, the rain location is inside the Kum & Go Theater. Doors open at 3:30 pm with the competition starting at 4:30. Admission: $15 at the door, $10 for current Blues Society members, children 12 & under free with a paid adult.
The participating acts and competition schedule follows.
4:30-4:55 AVEY GROUWS DUO (solo/duo)
5:05-5:30 FREIGHT TRAIN FRANK (solo/duo)
5:40-6:05 SCOTTY & THE WINGTIPS (band)
6:15-6:40 ROB & TINA (solo/duo)
6:50-7:15 CONCRETESLIM (solo/duo)
7:25-7:50 OTHER BROTHERS (band)
8:00-8:25 TOM BUCKMILLER & BRIAN SCHWAGER (solo/duo)
8:35-9:00 WHO’S BEEN TALKIN’ (solo/duo)
9:10-9:35 JOHN-PAUL JONES GROUP (band)
Get more information about each participating act here http://cibs.org/2018/08/2018-iowa-blues-challenge/
2018 IOWA BLUES CHALLENGE SPONSORS
Budweiser, Exile Brewing, Iowa Public Radio,
Junior’s Motel, Rieman Music, Des Moines Social Club,
VividPix & Design, Mississippi Valley Blues Society,
Southeast Iowa Blues Society and Central Iowa Blues Society
A COUPLE IOWA BLUES CHALLENGE NUGGETS…
- The following cities are represented at the 2018 IABC: Albia, Bettendorf, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Decorah, Des Moines, Fairfield, Ottumwa, Rock Island IL, Ryan, Waukee & West Des Moines, demonstrating the truly statewide reach of the program.
- The 2017 Iowa Blues Challenge Solo/Duo champion, Kevin B.F. Burt of Coralville, went on to win the Solo/Duo category at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in January, as well as winning the Cigar Box Guitar award and the Lee Oskar Harmonica award – the first-ever clean sweep. Kevin’s well-earned victory demonstrates two things that CIBS was already well aware of – that we have some pretty great blues talent right here in Iowa and that participation in the Iowa Blues Challenge has the ability to provide life-changing opportunities to our up-and-coming Iowa musicians.
For more information please contact:
Jeff Duskin, Iowa Blues Challenge Chair
(515) 494-6033