A metaphor for the epic blues battles that are about to ensue? Say, for example, Tripwire v. Underground Blues Division? Why, no. What would make you think that?!
It has been well known in local blues circles that in recent years if you won the Blues Society of the Ozarks’s Memphis Bound competition one of the additional perks received was an opening slot on that year’s Greater Ozarks Blues Festival. The local blues institution routinely packs blues fans in every year, so a local opener can gain some good cred for the event and it’s a sliver less hassle on the shoulders of those booking the event to know at least a couple of spots (there’s one group winner and one solo winner in Memphis Bound) are covered.
That’s about to end change. As a bit of additional promotion ahead of the event, the BSO is opening up a handful of opening slots on its side stage (in addition to Memphis Bound’s spots on the main stage) to all blues acts in Springfield and surrounding cities with a battle of the bands to decide the winner. The Blues Bash, as it’s titled, begins with preliminary rounds April 30 and May 1 at Nathan P. Murphy’s with as many as 16 registered local acts taking part and two winners moving on from each night’s contest. Additionally, a fifth band will advance to the finals based on listener votes sent by email during the April 18 episode of Dr. Bob’s Blues Show on US97. Those five acts will then compete in the final round June 26, and the top three will get to play the second stage at the Greater Ozarks Blues Festival on September 10 and 11, along with cash prizes that will be announced later.
Band sign-up for the competition begins this Thursday, April 1 at 7 p.m. with bands appearing in person at Nathan P. Murphy’s to register–not a bad way to go, since entrance to see The Kris Lager Band that night comes free with doing so. If they can’t make it, online registration begins the next day; bands can send registration info with an .mp3 song demo to bsofestivalbattle@gmail.com between then and Saturday, April 10 at 5 p.m.
Winners are determined by a combination of two things: Scores from a panel of three judges, made up of music experts and Blues Society members, and an additional “Voice of the Fan” vote where the public casts the ballot given to each person with his or her ticket. The final round will consist only of the judges panel. If you want to have your say in how it all goes down the cost of admission will be $5 or $9 for those younger than 21. For more information you can contact the Nathan P. Murphy’s staff at npmadvertising@gmail.com or keep an eye on the club’s MySpace page for more details when they’re ready. That shouldn’t be but a couple of days away at the most; the battle for the Greater Ozarks Blues Festival is ready to begin.
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