River
City Ohio Blues Competition
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| If you can play or sing the blues you can win $1000 - Winner will receive $1000 and be entered into the International Blues Challenge in Memphis early in 2012. They will also perform at 1 PM at the Saturday Matinee of the River City Blues Festival in March, presented by The Blues, Jazz & Folk Music Society of Marietta Ohio. Second Place will receive $200 and Third Place $100. |
| We're looking for serious blues performers. Original
material is encouraged but blues covers will work as long as they are arranged
in your own style. Choose your material carefully. Our judges are likely
to be unimpressed with song selections that are uninspired. Blues Content
is the most important category in which you will be judged. Can be a group,
or duo/solo performance and both will receive an equal chance of winning
the competition.
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Judging: will be according to rules from The National Blues Foundation, and as such will be the average of raw scores weighted as follows:
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Eligibility: Participants will no longer be denied eligibility due to national distribution, whether current or in the past. In its place, the defining line for who is and is not eligible to enter the River City Ohio Blues Competition is based on Blues Music Awards nominations. If an individual, in their capacity, has been included on the Blues Music Awards ballot, that person is not eligible. This rule will not bar sidemen or songwriters. An individual may not compete in more than one act. |
| Check In At Competition: Competing bands need
to check in at pre-function tables with Competition Director, John Gifford
or his staff prior to load in and 1 hour prior to your time slot, in case
of any changes. You need to be ready to play when you are slotted; we need
to run a tight clock with so many acts and so little time. There will be
18 slots available for competitors. By the way, if you are confirmed as
one of our acts, we expect you to show up; we take a very dim view of no-shows
(except with a legit excuse). Just as in Memphis at the IBC, you will need
to take the time slot you are allotted.
PARTICIPATING BAND MEMBERS will be admitted FREE for the weekend.
Special guest ticket or weekend pass badge at member price (limit one per
band member) At check in each act must present 8 copies of a typewritten
set list which must be followed on stage. Note
which songs are originals and which songs are covers. Preliminary
and Final sets may be the same or different. This is entirely up to the
bands.
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| Time slots: The BJFM committee has decided, due
to the increase of competitors over the past few years, their desired time
slots cannot be guaranteed. If you are serious about the BJFM Competition,
then you know realize that this is a stepping stone to the International
Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN. When you are assigned a timeslot, it is
the competitor's obligation to make themselves available for the day of
the competition to fulfill their allotted slot. You need to factor in your
travel time and arrive 1hour prior to your slot and if need be take a vacation
or personal day from work. As much as we understand that everyone would
like the 'desired' evening or later spots, we follow the same guidelines
of the Blues Foundation's International Blues Challenge. When slot is given
to you, you are expected to perform at that allotted time. |
| Time Limitation: We limit each band to a performance
of 20 minutes. This performance is timed from when the act strikes its first
note. An amber light is flashed at the act when there are 2 minutes left
to play and a red light is flashed when time is up. Acts are penalized one
point from the combined judges' scores for each ten seconds that they run
overtime. There is no penalty for using less than the allotted time. This year’s “River City Ohio Blues Competition” will be a TWO DAY event. Competition will begin on Friday night (February 18, 2011) with the 1st Preliminary. Saturday afternoon will be the 2nd Preliminary; and Saturday night will hold THE FINALS, with winners from the 1st and 2nd Preliminaries. This format will accommodate more Blues fans and makes the competition a “weekend” event. THE FORMAT. “The River City Ohio Blues Competition” will take place as follows:
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Demo Tape: A demo tape or CD of the band must be submitted with entry form. It is a requirement. |
| Booking Information: Please provide promo information about your group and business cards if you have any for our tables in the prefunction area for inquiries. |
| Time Slots: Any special requests for a time slot should be noted on your application, but not guaranteed. |
Application must be received by Friday January 8, 2011. Bands will be notified of acceptance or rejection two weeks after that date after a review of the demo tapes by the Board of BJFM. Print and mail this application together with your $25 entry fee (check or money order made payable to BJFM) to Competition Director, John Gifford, PO Box 2122, Marietta OH 45750. Any questions, just contact Competition Director, John Gifford at 740-432-8827 after 3 PM (e-mail jgifford17799@roadrunner.com); or contact Assistant Competition Director, Steve Wells at 304-295-4323 (e-mail bluesphotog@yahoo.com); or e-mail bolen@bjfm.org. Page last updated March 2010 |