We are pleased to announce the open convocatory and the new rules in the selection process for the groups who want to take part in the European Blues Challenge.
Until the last edition of the European Blues Challenge, the selection of the band that represented Spain in the European Blues Challenge was done completely online and the winning group had to cover all the expenses to participate in the contest, without receiving any remuneration. They had to apply for funds through institutions or other ways.
This problem was of great concern to the Barcelona Blues Society, especially when most of the European countries participating in the Challenge already organize a live selection in their respective countries and sponsor the band that represents their country in the Challenge.
Fortunately, in 2024, the Bilbao Blues Festival has offered to organize the final selection of the group that will represent Spain in the European Blues Challenge. This has forced us to advance the selection dates.
Basically, the process will be the following:
The SBB will carry out with the online selection call for groups that wish to participate in the EBC 2025 between May 13, 2024 and June 9, 2024 and which will appear on the following blog: https://sites.google.com/view/ebu-spain/home
Of all the registered groups, the Council of Advisors made up of about 65 people from all over Spain and with relevant importance and knowledge in the world of the Blues, will carry out the vote, electronically, as it has been done until now. This process will be supervised by the Barcelona Blues Society.
The four most voted groups by the Council of Advisors will go to the grand finale, to be held in Bilbao on July 25, 2024 in which each of the bands will offer a 30′ show. A jury will decide which band is the one to represent Spain in the 2025 European Blues Challenge. This performance will include backline, PA and compensation for each of the four groups.
The members of the musical group chosen to represent Spain must commit to attend in the European Blues Challenge and will have the expenses covered.
This new format maintains the level of national involvement in the pre-selection of the bands and, at the same time, is qualitative leap in the selection process. It also means a substantial improvement in the conditions for the selected groups, something that we highly value.
We also wish to thank the Bilbao Blues Festival for hosting the final of the Blues Challenge with live bands.
In the blog https://sites.google.com/view/ebu-spain/home you all can consult the new rules
for the process. We encourage you to accept the challenge!
