Send your  Blues Society's BIG news or Press Release to:            Max of 125 words, Text or Word file  ONLY.            Illinois Central Blues Club -  Springfield,  IL       Downtown  Springfield, Inc. and the Illinois Central Blues Club have announced The 5th  Annual Old Capitol Blues & BBQs scheduled for Saturday, August 23, 2008. The  festival is held on Fifth and Washington Streets in downtown Springfield, IL.  Festivities get underway at noon with a baby-back rib cook-off and continue  through the evening until midnight. Admission is $5 with children 12 and under  free. The Blues lineup includes the gospel steel of Calvin Cooke, Howard and the  White Boys, the Tarbox Ramblers and Dave Herrero featuring Felix Reyes.       Also during  this event the Illinois Central Blues Club will be conducting their Second Blues  Challenge. Ten acts are competing for a chance to represent ICBC at the 2009  International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN. Lorrie Eden Blues Band, the Sofa  Kings, Nothin But Trouble, Frank's Creation (Innercity Blues Band), Cabin Fever,  Bobby Taylor, Nightlife, The Voodoo Blues Band, Pleasure Chest and Pike Station.      Blue  Mondays-   Held at the Alamo 115 N 5th St, Springfield, IL (217) 523-1455 every Monday  8:30pm $2 cover  - August 11 - Steve the Harp Blues Band, August 18 - Springfield Shaky,  August 25 - Peter Karp, Sept 1 - Scott Ellison, Sept 8 - Bill Lupkin & the  Chicago Blues Coalition, Sept 15 - Harmonica Wizards Dennis Gruenling & Steve  Guyger, Sept 22 - Lil Dave Thompson, Sept 29 - The Blues Deacons, Oct 13 - The  Rich Fabec Blues Band, Oct 20 - Too Slim & the Tail Draggers      The  Blues Blowtorch Society -  Bloomington,  IL      Blues Blowtorch Society presents The Blues  Blowtorch Society's Educational Fund Raiser, September 21, 2008 -1:00 PM to 6:00  PM at Tri Lakes Banquet Facilities, 2100 Bunn St., Bloomington, IL      Featuring Black Magic Johnson 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM  and Lil' Dave Thompson 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM. Food and Drink for sale by Tri-Lakes  Membership. Events for Everyone - How to Start a Band Workshop, Auctions, more!  For more Information - Deborah Mehlberg - Entertainment Director 309-662-0996 or  E-mail Deborah464@aol.com       Madison  Blues Society  - Madison, WI      Madison Blues Society Presents "South Madison  Blues Kids", a public performance by South Madison youths, ages 7-16, who have  been learning to play Blues harmonica and write kid-based blues songs and  lyrics. This performance is the culmination of a music education program taught  by Joe Nosek, whose band, local blues stars the Cash Box Kings, will accompany  and follow the “Blues Kids.” The performance will take place at Penn Park, 2101  Fisher Street, Madison, WI at  3:30 PM Saturday, August 16, 2008.  Organizers of this summer night out in Penn Park are encouraging audiences to  bring their lawn chairs to come and enjoy an afternoon of free blues music, with  some of Madison's newest Blues Artists.      The "Blues Kids" will perform the first set  with the band, followed by a full set of Chicago-style Blues by The Cash Box  Kings.      The West  Virginia Blues Society - Charleston, W.V.       The West Virginia Blues Society will hold  its Second Annual Blues Competition on October 4, 2008 at Christopher's Banquet  Center in Fairmont, WV.  Blues bands and solo/duo blues acts will compete for  cash prizes and WVBS sponsorship to the Blues Foundation's International Blues  Challenge held every year in Memphis, Tennessee.       The West Virginia Blues Society will have  18 competition slots filled by regional blues acts from all over West Virginia,  Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland and other states. The first-place winner  of Blues Competition will receive $750 dollars in cash and WVBS sponsorship to  the International Blues Challenge in Memphis in early 2009. The second place  winner will receive $200 in cash and third-place winner will receive $100 in  cash.       CONTACT PERSON FOR COMPETITION  PARTICIPANTS: Complete information, application & rules are available online at www.wvbluessociety.org .  Deadline  for application submission is September 1, 2008. For more information contact  Competition Director, Jack Rice at 304-389-1438 or e-mail: bkravenhawk@hotmail.com      |