Province bringing U.K. blues band to Harvest through Battle of the Blues competition
January 13, 2012
For the second year running, an emerging blues band from the United Kingdom will get a big break at this year’s Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival, thanks to an innovative partnership between the Festival, NB Tourism and Parks, and Fredericton Tourism.
The Province’s Tourism and Parks Department is partnering with the Festival and Fredericton Tourism to host the 2012 UK-NB Blues battle of the bands. The winner will play on Harvest stages this September.
“It’s an innovative promotion the Province has developed. It’s a chance for build awareness about New Brunswick in the UK market, and for the Festival to gain profile among not only blues fans, but also agents and artists in Britain,” says David Seabrook, festival communications director.
Last year more than 100 British bands competed in the very first New Brunswick Battle of the Blues, where London’s 24 Pesos were the class of the field and one of the highlights of the 2011 Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival.
Says lead singer of 24 Pesos, Julian Burdock, “The competition is a fantastic opportunity for emerging or established British blues artists to raise their profile, play on a world stage – and experience the wonders of the Canadian maritime province that is New Brunswick!”
“The UK-NB Battle of the Blues was an overwhelming success last year, both in terms of promoting Harvest as a destination festival on the international stage, and in finding a great unknown blues band to introduce to Harvest audiences,” says David Searbook, Director of Communications for the Festival. “24 Pesos were a huge hit at the 2011 Festival and we are eager to find another act of such a high calibre to bring to Fredericton again this year.”
A total of 75 unsigned blues acts from across the UK entered into the competition. The list of hopefuls was whittled down to 20 semi-finalists, who will compete in four regional heats Bristol, Newcastle, Newton-le-Willows and Billericay at the end of January.
The winner of each heat – plus one overall runner-up chosen by the public – will perform at the final in London on March 27, with the winner getting an all expenses- paid trip to New Brunswick to play on one of the main stages at the Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival in Fredericton in September.
Promotion of the contest in the United Kingdom has already started, and a Facebook page and Twitter account are being used to generate awareness.
For more information on the evnt, visit www.tourismnewbrunswick.co.uk or www.facebook.com/NewBrunswickBattleoftheBlues
