Monterey Bay Blues Festival Presents - Battle of the Blues Bands

The Monterey Bay Blues Festival (MBBF) is considered one of the premier Blues festivals in the country, continuing to attract and feature world-renowned blues artists as well as young budding artists. The Festival has and continues to feature the likes of Billy Preston, B. B. King, The Neville Brothers, James Brown, Ruth Brown, Shemekia Copeland, Charlie Musselwhite, Al Green and Buddy Guy, while simultaneously offering teens an opportunity to thrill their audiences at the same Festival.



The 23-year old Monterey Bay Blues Festival sponsors a Battle of the Blues Bands competition every November. The competition features blues musicians only, who have at least two original songs for submission.



A panel of five judges will evaluate each artist based on the criteria outlined by the Blues Foundation to narrow entries down to eight final contestants. Those eight are asked to perform publicly on November 18, 2007 at the International Ballroom on California State University Monterey Bay’s campus in Seaside, California. The event is attended by anywhere from 250-500 blues fans. The judges will select a 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize winner. The 1st prize winner receives $2000 used for assistance in attending the 2008 International Blues Competition in Memphis, as well as an opening slot on the main stage at the 2008 Monterey Bay Blues Festival. The second and third place winners receive a slot to play at the 2008 MBBF on the second and third stages respectively.



Past winners include Shane Dwight, Gregg Wright, Theresa Lynne, Sonata Pi, Ike & Val and many others over the past 5 years. There are an unlimited number of slots available to Sonicbids artists.