So this was my second year in a row to be a competitor in the IBC. I've now done it once under the old format and once under the new format. Here's some thoughts/impressions from my experience:
1. I don't like the new format. Yes some of that may be because we didn't make the semis this year but really I think there are other reasons. First, I dont' think playing on Wed and Thursday nights vs Thurs/Fri gives the bands as much exposure. I mean Wed night doesn't draw a lot of people as a night to go out drinking and listening to music. Last year we played next to last on Friday night at the New Daisy and had a HUGE crowd. We played next to last in the New Daisy on Wed night and had a MUCH smaller crowd that was mainly performers and their supporters and some fans. Second, I don't like the format because I think it arbitrarily creates a second tier of performer. "Oh you only made it to the quarters, not the semis" well you must not be very good. The whole thing is so heavily dependent upon the judges who could really tell. We need a B3 so we are either going to end up in BB's or New Daisy. Who knows how we may have fared if we'd been in another venue?
2. I didn't think it was as well organized as last year. We went down to drop off CDs on Wed and the place was supposed to be open from 10am to 10pm and no one was there until someone came by at 10:45 to tell us it wouldn't open until noon (and it was FREEZING standing out in the cold). Come on, if the bands have to stick to a schedule in performances, then the printed schedules for other items (CD drop off, etc) should be adhered to also. At a minimum send someone down AT THE APPOINTED TIME and let people know that the times have changed and post a sign for others. We did not make the semis so we decided to cut our losses and leave on Friday. Went down to see if we needed to restock our CDs before leaving. As I said, the CD sales place (Handy Bar) was supposed to be open from 10-10. Sign on the door said they'd open at noon (again). So we split.
Registration at Alfred's was a zoo - one table to check in over 300 solo/duo, band and kid competitors. Two people working the table. Then the mics didn't work at Alfred's during the band orientation so they had to yell the instructions to everyone.
3. Maybe it was just my venue, but it seemed like the backline support wasn't as good. At my venue, the first night there were three amps, Fender Twin reissue, and two Blues Devilles. One of the Blues Devilles stopped working the first night. I played through the Twin. The next night the venue coordinator told me that the first channel in the Twin was out so I played through a Blues Deville which worked flawlessly while I was warming up and setting the knobs and then totally crapped on me for the first song. Finally got up and playing through another BD and finished our set.
4. Better communication about jams, etc. to the venue coordinators and contestants. The second night (Thursday) there was a jam at the New Daisy. I had been told by the venue coordinator that at least at his venue the jams were "pro only" and only a few contestants would be selected by the pros to play. Imagine my surprise when Zac Harmon started getting EVERYONE who wanted to play up on stage. Of course I had already taken my gear back to the hotel room and come back to hear who made the semis so I didn't have my guitar with me and didn't get to jam.
DO NOT take this as implying that I didn't have fun - I certainly did. I got to jam at other places and met some great people. Ate way too many ribs. And finally got to meet blueguitar.
1. I don't like the new format. Yes some of that may be because we didn't make the semis this year but really I think there are other reasons. First, I dont' think playing on Wed and Thursday nights vs Thurs/Fri gives the bands as much exposure. I mean Wed night doesn't draw a lot of people as a night to go out drinking and listening to music. Last year we played next to last on Friday night at the New Daisy and had a HUGE crowd. We played next to last in the New Daisy on Wed night and had a MUCH smaller crowd that was mainly performers and their supporters and some fans. Second, I don't like the format because I think it arbitrarily creates a second tier of performer. "Oh you only made it to the quarters, not the semis" well you must not be very good. The whole thing is so heavily dependent upon the judges who could really tell. We need a B3 so we are either going to end up in BB's or New Daisy. Who knows how we may have fared if we'd been in another venue?
2. I didn't think it was as well organized as last year. We went down to drop off CDs on Wed and the place was supposed to be open from 10am to 10pm and no one was there until someone came by at 10:45 to tell us it wouldn't open until noon (and it was FREEZING standing out in the cold). Come on, if the bands have to stick to a schedule in performances, then the printed schedules for other items (CD drop off, etc) should be adhered to also. At a minimum send someone down AT THE APPOINTED TIME and let people know that the times have changed and post a sign for others. We did not make the semis so we decided to cut our losses and leave on Friday. Went down to see if we needed to restock our CDs before leaving. As I said, the CD sales place (Handy Bar) was supposed to be open from 10-10. Sign on the door said they'd open at noon (again). So we split.
Registration at Alfred's was a zoo - one table to check in over 300 solo/duo, band and kid competitors. Two people working the table. Then the mics didn't work at Alfred's during the band orientation so they had to yell the instructions to everyone.
3. Maybe it was just my venue, but it seemed like the backline support wasn't as good. At my venue, the first night there were three amps, Fender Twin reissue, and two Blues Devilles. One of the Blues Devilles stopped working the first night. I played through the Twin. The next night the venue coordinator told me that the first channel in the Twin was out so I played through a Blues Deville which worked flawlessly while I was warming up and setting the knobs and then totally crapped on me for the first song. Finally got up and playing through another BD and finished our set.
4. Better communication about jams, etc. to the venue coordinators and contestants. The second night (Thursday) there was a jam at the New Daisy. I had been told by the venue coordinator that at least at his venue the jams were "pro only" and only a few contestants would be selected by the pros to play. Imagine my surprise when Zac Harmon started getting EVERYONE who wanted to play up on stage. Of course I had already taken my gear back to the hotel room and come back to hear who made the semis so I didn't have my guitar with me and didn't get to jam.
DO NOT take this as implying that I didn't have fun - I certainly did. I got to jam at other places and met some great people. Ate way too many ribs. And finally got to meet blueguitar.
