ARBA Representatives at the International Blues Challenge (Memphis)
Between 2016-2020, ARBA sent bands and solo/duo acts to 5 consecutive International Blues Challenges. Covid caused the 2021 IBC to be cancelled and prevented ARBA acts participating in 2022. ARBA once again sent a band and solo/duo act to the 2023 IBC.
In addition to playing in the challenge, and making many friends and fans amongst the big crowds that attend, our acts have made the most of the many opportunities; networking, jamming, media interviews, exploring Memphis and other parts of the USA, two of our acts have also recorded albums whilst in the USA for the IBC.
Each year ARBA enters our "Blues Album of the Year" into the Blues Foundation's Best Self-Produced CD Competition.
All of the Memphis Blues Challenge winning acts, as listed on our Honour Board have gone on to represent ARBA and South Australia in the quarter-finals of the IBC and we are very proud of all of them. Some of our acts have gone further than the quarter-finals and 2 of our Blues Albums of the Year have been finalists (being amongst the final 5 Cd's).
Significant IBC Placings
2017: The Associates (Band Semi-Finalist)
2019: Ben Ford-Davies (Solo Semi-Finalist)
2019: "Tales of a Rich Girl" Kings & Associates (Finalist Best Self Produced CD Comp)
2020: "Kicking Back the Blues" The Streamliners (Finalist Best Self Produced CD Comp)
2023:The Honey Badgers (Band Finalist)*
2024: Paul n' Dave (Duo Semi-Finalist)
*2nd Australian band to make the Finals in 38 years of the IBC.
International Blues Challenge Information