Winners Announced For Downtown Albany Blues Music Competition

Top Three Acts to Play At Alive @ 5 This Summer

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The George Boone Blues Band © 2012 Julia Zave

ALBANY, NY (05/07/2012)(readMedia)-- The City of Albany and the Downtown Albany Business Improvement District (BID) announce the three winners of the Downtown Albany Blues Music Competition held on Friday, May 4, 2012 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. The Blues Music Competition consisted of thirteen acts playing in thirteen different venues throughout downtown Albany. Those in attendance were free to tour the venues and vote for their favorite acts. The three acts with the most votes at the end of the competition won an opportunity to play at Alive @ 5 during the Local Blues Night. The George Boone Blues Band, who performed at Pearl Street Pub, Joe Lowry & The Second Miles Blues Band, who performed at Blue 82, and Blackboard Blues, who performed at Jillian's are the three winning blues acts who will be performing at Alive @ 5 on July 5, 2012.

"Over one thousand people came Downtown to see the acts on Friday night," explained Georgette Steffens, Executive Director at the Downtown Albany BID, "We were flooded with comments during the evening about how Downtown felt like Bourbon Street and how much fun people were having enjoying the music at all the different venues. There may have even been a little dancing going on."

The thirteen blues music acts included:

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

Put on by the Special Event division of the City of Albany, Alive @ 5 occurs each Thursday from early June to late August at the Albany Riverfront Park at the Corning Preserve, offering free entertainment and recreation during the hours of 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM. For more information about Alive @ 5 visit www.albanyevents.org or call 518.434.2032.

All photography credits: Julia Zave

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.

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