The Blues, Jazz and Folk Music Society will host its 19th annual River City Ohio Blues Competition Friday and Saturday, with local and regional blues acts competing for the chance to perform in an international blues competition.
"We can send up to two acts to the (2012) International Blues Challenge in Memphis, including a solo or duo act and a band, depending on how they place in the competition," said "Cobbler" John Bolen, president of the local Blues, Jazz and Folk Music Society.
He said the competition is a crowd-pleaser and each year draws audiences from several states.
Article Photos
Times file photo
Magic Mama Latte performs during a previous blues competition in Marietta. The River City Ohio Blues Competition is Friday and Saturday.
"The acts are limited to a 20-minute performance each, so if you don't like one, just wait 20 minutes and a different act will take the stage," Bolen said.
A total of 18 blues bands and performers from Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Arkansas will compete in the two-day competition at the Lafayette Hotel in downtown Marietta.
The winner will compete for cash prizes and society sponsorship to the International Blues Challenge. The cash prizes are higher this year and include $1,200 for first place, $600 for second and $300 for third.
Fact Box
If you go
* What: 19th annual River City Ohio Blues Competition.
* When: 8 p.m. Friday (first preliminary), noon Saturday (second preliminary), 8 p.m. Saturday (finals).
* Where: Lafayette Hotel, 101 Front St., Marietta.
* Tickets: First preliminary, $5 for Blues, Jazz and Folk Music Society members, $10 for non-members; second preliminary, $10, $15; finals, $15, $20. Weekend passes are $25 for members and $40 for non-members.
* Tickets are available by contacting (304) 295-4323, bluesphotog@gmail.com, 376-0222 (evenings) or bolen@bjfm.org.
The competition begins Friday night with the first preliminary, followed by the second preliminary on Saturday afternoon. The finals on Saturday night will feature winners from the two preliminaries.
Tickets are $5 for society members and $10 for non-members for the Friday night show, $10 for members and $15 for non-members for Saturday afternoon and $15 for members and $20 for non-members for the Saturday night performances.
Weekend passes are $25 for members and $40 for non-members.
The schedule of performers for the weekend includes:
Friday (First Preliminary Round)
* 8 p.m. - Billy Reiter and Dodge Park (Thornville).
* 8:30 - The Shane Gang (St. Clairsville).
* 9 - Bourbon Dan and The Chasers (Columbus).
* 9:30 - The Noah Wotherspoon Band (Cincinnati).
* 10 - The Elm Street Blues Band (Cleveland).
* 10:30 - The Sufferin' Moses Blues Band (Athens).
Saturday (Second Preliminary Round)
* Noon - The Ray Cheney Trio (Lima).
* 12:30 p.m. - Motu (Long Island, N.Y.).
* 1 - Vinnie Mele and The Lubricators (Marietta).
* 1:30 - Blues Crossing (Ona, W.Va.).
* 2 - The Coyotes (Richlands, Va.).
* 2:30 - Mack Jump (Indianapolis).
* 3 - The Ray Fuller Band (Columbus).
* 3:30 - C&S Railroad (Lesage, W.Va.).
* 4 - Angel Blue and The Prophets (Pittsburgh).
* 4:30 - Jason Greenlaw and The Groove (McCrory, Ark.).
* 5 - The Code Blue Band (Columbus).
* 5:30 - Big Mike and the Mon Delta Allstars (Carmichaels, Pa.).
* 6:15 - Dinner break.
* 8 - Final competition between winners of first and second preliminary rounds.
