Competing Bands Announced for the Downtown Albany Blues Music Competition

ALBANY, NY (04/20/2012)(readMedia)-- The City of Albany and the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID) announce the 1st Annual Downtown Albany Blues Music Competition to be held in downtown Albany venues Friday, May 4, 2012 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The free musical contest is being held during 1st Friday, an art celebration slated for every first Friday of the month throughout Albany. The public is invited to come out and participate by voting for their favorite acts of the evening. The top three acts of the evening will play at the upcoming Blues Night at Alive @ 5 this summer. A free trolley will run between each musical venue dropping off and picking up the voting public.

"Coming off the excitement of the Jazz Fest Competition last fall, where we had 10 bands competing in 10 different venues in Downtown, the Blues Music Competition will open the doors to feature even more local musicians," said Georgette Steffens, Executive Director, Downtown Albany Business Improvement District.

The 13 selected blues acts that will be performing on May 4th include:

• Folding Sky performing at Taste
• Sly Fox & The Hustlers performing at The Bayou Cafe
• Nite Train performing at Legend's on Pearl
• JV & The Cutters performing at Wolf's 1-11
• Kylie & The Sympathetic Strangers performing at Franklin's Tower
• Joe Lowry & The Second Mile Blues Band performing at Blue 82
• The George Boone Blues Band performing at Pearl Street Pub
• Blues Sanctuary performing at McGeary's
• Bent Rail Blues Band performing at The Olde English Pub
• Blackboard Blues performing at Jillian's
• George Fletcher's Foldin' Money performing at 74 State
• Collette & The Mudcats performing at Figure 10
• Charlie Smith Blues Trio performing at The Merry Monk

"Along with the residents of Albany, I am excited for the 1st annual Blues Competition," said Mayor Gerald D. Jennings, "Promoting different genres of music is a great way to encourage new participants to share in the rich entertainment our Capital City offers. I wish the best of luck to all the competing bands and look forward to seeing the three winners on stage at Live @ 5 this summer."

Now in its 24th year, Alive @ 5 is a summer series concert slated for Thursday evenings, beginning June 7, 2012 and running through August 9, 2012. Put on by the Special Event Division of the City of Albany, the concerts take place at Corning Preserve at the Albany Riverfront Park from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. For more information on Alive @ 5 visit www.albanyevents.org or call 518.434.2032.

For the latest information and developments regarding the Blues Music Competition please visit www.downtownalbany.org.

The Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID) is an organization dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the character, vitality, and possibility of downtown Albany. Through its many programs and events, the Downtown Albany BID works to enhance the image of Albany and further its reputation as a prosperous and exciting city to live, work, and visit. For more information on the BID please visit www.downtownalbany.org or facebook/albanybid

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