After a quiet year, the Southwest Florida Blues Society and Cape Cabaret will be partnering on Sunday, Oct. 3 to present the Annual Southwest Florida Regional I.B.C.
The doors open at noon, and the music starts at 1 p.m. Admission is $10.
For the winners, it will manifest into a bucket-list opportunity, a historic engagement setting them squarely on the road to Memphis and the International Blues Challenge.
This competition is for area bands or solo/duo musicians who are interested in a higher level of regional, national and international recognition. This event can create a scenario where the winners will be in a better position to negotiate new gigs regionally by adding to their marketability. This opportunity could even lead to signing with a major record label or gaining the recognition needed to work with some of the industry’s leading agents, promoters and producers.
Winning the (Southwest Florida Blues Society) Regional I.B.C. and then later competing at the “I.B.C.” in Memphis could provide you with some if not all of the options we just described above. There are hundreds of bands that compete worldwide every year for this opportunity and you can only get there when you’ve been selected by a Blues Foundation Affiliate Member to compete. The local S.W.F.B.S. is a Blues Foundation affiliate member. In the past, Memphis competitors have included as many as 255 acts from 40 states, and 16 countries (and four continents). One of which was our Southwest Florida regional winner, Josh Rowand and The Pitbull of Blues Band. Josh and the band finished third overall in Memphis, playing at the iconic Orpheum Theater.
“Right now is truly a great time to be a blues band and a blues fan here in Southwest Florida. New bands and venues are becoming more prevalent every day. Opportunities like this only come by once a year and only in specific locations. This will undoubtedly be a day to remember with all of our best entertainers in one location competing for a chance to go to the I.B.C. in Memphis and represent Southwest Florida Blues fans,” says Jerry Tolliver, Blues Society Board member.
Cash prizes will be awarded to the regional winners to help offset their travel expenses to Memphis. Fans are encouraged to come and vote, for a “people’s choice winner” which garners a trophy and bragging rights for the next year. So please come out and vote for your favorite band. There will be event shirts, raffles and giveaways, including some tickets for the Forgotten Music Festival and the Bradenton Blues Festival.
Blues musicians have already started to register for this amazing competition and attendees can be assured to get a fantastic day of music.
The previous competitions have included memorable performances by Josh Rowand and the Pitbull of Blues Band, The Marty Stokes Band, RJ Howson, The Mark Telesca Band and CC Bronson just to name a few. This can quickly become a standing room only event, so attendees are encouraged to come early as seating is on a first-come basis.
Complete details and registration forms for musicians are online at www.SWFBS.org just follow the “Regional IBC” navigation link.
