It is the intention of the Blues Association of South East Queensland to send ONE (either a band or solo/duo act), blues ambassador to the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in Memphis, to be held in January 2026, exact dates yet to be announced by the Blues Foundation. 

This is a prestigious event with the winner gaining a wealth of experience and recognition.

To enable BASEQ to organise this event, we need to know how many Blues acts are interested, available and able to compete.

BASEQ has booked Lefty’s Music Hall at 15 Caxton St, Petrie Terrace on Sunday 24th August from 12pm to 6pm to hold the BASEQ Memphis Blues Challenge.

Our aim is to have a maximum of 8 acts perform on the day. If there are a greater number of acts applying, we will run heats at the Royal Mail Hotel on Sunday July 25th and August 3rd.

The BASEQ Blues Challenge is open to any Blues act meeting the criteria below:

  • All members of the act must be at least 18 years old or over
  • All members of the Blues Act must be or become financial members of BASEQ  with the completion of the Entry Form
  • All members of the Blues Act that wins the BASEQ Blues Challenge must remain financial members up to and after the IBC date (January 2026)
  • An Entry Fee of $50 per member will also apply for the Challenge (all monies go to raise funds for airfares and accommodation for the winner)
  • All members of the Blues Act must be permanent residents in SE Qld or Northern Rivers NSW
  • A musician cannot compete in the Band Division and the Solo/Duo Division in the same year.
  • A musician cannot compete in more than one band in the Band Division

Selection will be based on the International Blues Challenge criteria. Original work is considered essential.

The Heats and Final are scored by independent judges, using the international scoring system devised by the IBC.

BASEQ reserves the right to accept or refuse the Blues Act by review of their music. The Blues Act will be notified of their eligibility to compete in the Challenge after the application closing date.

All members of the Blues Act must stay at the BASEQ Blues Challenge for the entire time.

The members of the Blues Act who perform at the Challenge Final are the performers who will go to Memphis. You cannot substitute players or take different players to Memphis if you win. Disqualification will apply in these circumstances and the Blues Act awarded second place will be appointed as the BASEQ representative to Memphis.

In extreme circumstances of sickness or duress, the BASEQ committee will review changes of membership to the Blues Act going to Memphis. The decision of the committee on the matter will be final.

The performance time for each band will be determined by a draw made by the BASEQ committee prior to the Challenge, no performance times shall be changed after this draw.

BASEQ will provide substantial funding towards the cost of attending the competition. BASEQ will also assist the successful act to fundraise additional money towards the cost of attending the IBC.

BASEQ is very excited to sponsor a local Blues act to compete in this competition as it opens doors to huge opportunities and international recognition. 

To Enter

If you are interested and want to enter, please contact Robin Jones at president@baseq.org.au  by Sunday 30th March 2025.

At that point, you will be sent an Entry Form with all the International Blues Challenge criteria about requirements and scoring. All applications must be completed and forwarded to BASEQ by midnight Sunday 25th May 2025.

A Blast From the Past

Photographs from the 2011 Memphis Blues Challenge, photographer Rachel Clark, supplied by former BASEQ president and IBC organiser Paulette Steele.