To blues performers, blues enthusiasts, and music fans who love and revere the rich tapestry of the genre, the city of Memphis, Tennessee holds legendary status.
Most of the greats of blues from the past walked and played Beale Street Memphis at seminal points in their careers. The street has dozens of iconic clubs, and the blues literally seeps through the architecture and landscape. It was with this background and legacy in mind that I approached the 2025 International Blues Challenge.
Winning the Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society challenge enabled me to compete with nearly four hundred artists from blues societies from around the world – a great honour. That competition is a great preparation for Memphis.
The heats
As the competition unfolded on the first night, every competitor solo, duo or band, had to play a twenty-five-minute set in one of the many small venues, to a packed crowd and a judging panel of three. The second night was a repeat process for all the acts, in the same venue but a different judging panel. We all had to arrive at 5pm for the contest to begin at 5.30pm and subsequently watch as our venue’s fourteen contestants performed. It was intense and nerve-racking. A very, very quick sound check, a time exacting performance and a departure from the stage as quickly as possible. If your performance went overtime, you would lose points and too far under time the same, so a tight rehearsed set, including concise and considered chat with the audience was paramount.
Once the heats were completed there was a long and nervous wait to see who would proceed to the semi-final stage. They chose a couple from each venue and informed us all in the early hours of the morning. It was a long night! Thankfully, I went through to the semis, and I can tell you that was the greatest sense of relief I felt that week. Just getting through round one to me, was an achievement. It was also very pleasing to hear that my fellow Melbourne act, Nardia Rose Brancatisano and her band, progressed to the semi-finals. Getting to round two was something of a vindication for the journey and great support of the people back home.
My semi-final was in a larger bar, with a bigger and louder but equally appreciative audience. Once again, a minimal sound check, three judges and a vigorous time checker. As your set winds down you a two minute, a one minute and a thirty second warning sign. It is a challenging proposition for musicians, as nearly all of us regularly play long shows of multiple sets. We are so used to taking our time, considering the next song, and engaging through a show- a totally different mind-set. The pressure was right on for all the semi-finalists, as only one or two from each of the multiple semis were to go through. Those demanding time restraints really take you out of your comfort zone! From all the semis, in about half a dozen venues, they had to choose five acts for the grand final.
Off to the Grand Final!
There was again a profound sense of relief that I had made it through to the finals. Nardia and her band, I am delighted to report, also made it. They performed brilliantly, finishing in the top 5.
For the final, all acts had to perform an even shorter set. Now just twenty minutes! What to leave out? Just time for four songs and some brief story telling. After much deliberation, (and still I’m unsure if I chose the right combination), I went on around mid-way through the afternoon. My set list having become Three Lines Deep (a shuffle), The Photo (my award- winning song back home about Robert Johnson), my slow blues called My Father’s Books and finally my biographic shuffle called Sonny and Brownie. It was over in a flash, and I amazingly finished with about 5 seconds to spare!
Interestingly my slowest number, My Father’s Books garnered the most applause and the crowd response to it was quite wonderful.
What followed was yet another anxious wait, this time ending with me being awarded the Solo/Duo Guitarist of the Year.
There you have the saga of the 2025 International Blues Challenge. I have a lovely plaque, a cigar-box guitar trophy and a deep sense of satisfaction! I would have to say that the feeling that lingers mostly is the satisfaction of having performed under the unbelievable intensity of the event.
I’m deeply indebted to The Melbourne Blues Appreciation Society and all the fans and friends who helped me along this great journey.
Time to sit back and reflect…hang on, I’ve got two gigs on the weekend…..
