2025 Iowa Blues Challenge

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SUNDAY – October 5 2025 @ 1PM

Lefty’s Live Music, 2307 University Ave, DM
2025 Iowa Blues Challenge

Join us for the 2025 Iowa Blues Challenge at Lefty’s Live Music in Des Moines, IA.
NO COVER – FREE EVENT!!! The performance schedule is as follows:

1:00- 1:20 – SOLO/DUO
Berdo & Jones

1:35-1:55 – BAND
The Chuggaluggers Band

2:10-2:30 – SOLO/DUO
Weary Ramblers

2:45-3:05 – BAND
The Other Brothers

3:05- 3:45 – INTERMISSION

3:45- 4:05 – SOLO/DUO
The Crawling Kingsnake

4:20-4:40 – BAND
Izzy Starchild and the Psychedelic Rose

4:55-5:15 – SOLO/DUO
Vorvick & James

5:30- 5:50 – BAND
HomeBrewed

Participating acts will be vying for a prize package that includes cash, opportunities for paid gigs (including but not limited to the Winter Blues Fest) and travel expense stipend for the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, presented by The Blues Foundation. The Central Iowa Blues Society is an Affiliate of the Blues Foundation, which produces the annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.

 

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2025 Iowa Blues Challenge Sponsors

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2025 Iowa Blues Challenge Participants

1:00- 1:20 – SOLO/DUO
Berdo & Jones

Berdo & Jones is a blues duo from eastern Iowa, featuring Shaneman Jones on guitar and vocals, and Tom Berdo on blues harp. With years of playing separately under their belts, the two crossed paths at open mics and blues jams — and quickly found a spark that resonated with crowds and existing local bands. Their chemistry on stage has led to regular invitations to sit in with regional acts in Dubuque, Waterloo, Cedar Rapids, and Riverside, and more. Rooted in the raw sounds of Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters, and Willie Dixon, their sets blend deep-cut blues covers with a few originals — all delivered with grit, groove, and feeling – getting people dancing. In 2024, they took their act south to Clarksdale, Mississippi, playing sets at a couple of the town’s legendary blues clubs. Back in Iowa, they’ve brought their down-to-earth duo style to community events like Chalk the Walk in Mount Vernon and local favorites like the Coralville American Legion. Whether its a stage or a modest brewpub bar, Berdo & Jones bring blues thats lived-in, soulful, and made to move — from the heart to the hips. More at: SoulboneShakers.com

1:35-1:55 – BAND
The Chuggaluggers Band

The Chuggaluggers are a five-piece energetic blues band from Des Moines. The Chuggaluggers came together in the Spring of 2023 from a collection of high-energy seasoned musicians who met at local area jams. Hailed as a premier party band by audiences, they light up any space playing a variety of upbeat songs including original hits.

2:10-2:30 – SOLO/DUO
Weary Ramblers

“Weary Ramblers are nothing short of an Iowa-based super duo.” – Iowa Public Radio

Award winning Iowa-based Americana duo, Weary Ramblers bring years of experience to the stage with award-winning songwriting and chemistry. Chad Elliott and Kathryn Fox showcase multi-instrumental performances with tight harmonies and great storytelling.

Winners of 21st annual International Acoustic Music Awards in “Best Group/Duo” category

Semi-finalists in the 2024 International Songwriting Competition

2025 Josie Music Awards nominees for “Duo of the Year – Americana,” “Song of the Year – Americana Duo/Group/Collab” & “Music Video of the Year (Performance Focused/Duo-Group)

2:45-3:05 – BAND
The Other Brothers

The Other Brothers make their second bid to be a part of the Iowa Blues Challenge this year. Since their 2018 second place finish, the band has released two albums, and are aiming to tour further from the region. Key elements and influences of blues, rockabilly, and rock & roll make for an unmistakably midwestern sound. Eli Clark smokes on guitar, vocals, and harmonica. The red hot rhythm is provided by Jason Kadiwhompus on drums and Johnny Parrish on bass.

“Fade Out Forever”, the sixth album from The Other Brothers, releases this fall.

3:45- 4:05 – SOLO/DUO
The Crawling Kingsnake

Eric Greving, aka The Crawling Kingsnake, fell in love with the blues after hearing Robert Johnson and has never looked back. He loves to play Delta, Chicago, and Hill Country Blues for a modern audience. His goal has always been to share this amazing music with a new generation and sing my heart out song after song, and night after night. By day, Greving is a history teacher from Southeast Polk, but on stage his heart and soul is bathed in Mississippi.

4:20-4:40 – BAND
Izzy Starchild and the Psychedelic Rose

Des Moines’ own Izzy Starchild and the Psychedelic Rose deliver a genre-bending explosion of sound that fuses punk, funk, and blues into a raw, psychedelic storm. With gritty riffs, hypnotic grooves, and lyrics that swirl like cosmic incantations, they don’t just play music—they unleash it. Equal parts soul-shaking and mind-bending, their sound is a sonic spell that demands movement and defies categories. This is Psychedelic Punk Funk—wild, untamed, and unforgettable.

4:55-5:15 – SOLO/DUO
Vorvick & James

Joshua Vorvick is an award-winning singer/songwriter and dang decent house painter who’s been planted in NE IA for the past decade. His arbitrary style reflects the broad spectrum of influences that he continues to absorb. Within the mix, he does his best to tell a bit of truth about himself and the world he encounters. Joshua is currently in rotation for Writers Night at The Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, TN.

Mike James is a multi-instrumentalist who performs on guitar, steel guitar, dobro, and electric bass. He plays many styles of music, including jazz, blues, R&B, country, folk, bluegrass, and classic rock. Since 1994 Mike has been teaching guitar and bass privately, and at university. He’s currently adjunct faculty at Luther College in Decorah, IA.

5:30- 5:50 – BAND
HomeBrewed

HomeBrewed (homebrewedic.com) is “Music with a Mission”­–a fun filled, multi-generational group, based in Iowa City, playing a mix of originals and covers in a Bluesy Rock’n Roll style. Our primary “mission” is to play music in support of non-profit organizations who are helping those in need. So far, we have participated in over 60 benefit concerts for groups such as those assisting the homeless, victims of domestic violence, new immigrant communities, food banks and animal shelters. We released our first album in 2023 “Devil in My Soul” which is available on Spotify and Apple music. We try to respect the roots of the blues and the influence of blues on other types of music with the selection of our songs. Our original songs and covers are varied, including traditional blues, modern blues, Gospel, Rockabilly and Country. Our covers include classics by the likes of Jimmy Rogers, Johnny Cash, Stray Cats, and Eric Clapton, to current bands such as Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats, Kaleo, and JJ Grey and Mofro. We use our music to give back for all the blessings we have had in life.

 

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Call for Acts

UPDATE: The 2025 Iowa Blues Challenge is FULL and entries are now closed. 

The Central Iowa Blues Society is seeking acts for the 2025 Iowa Blues Challenge. This competition will decide who will represent Iowa in the 2026 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN where hundreds of acts from around the world converge on Beale Street to perform before music industry pros searching for new talent, with the chance to win prizes, notable gigs, and make career-changing contacts!

Iowa Blues Challenge applications are available now. We will begin accepting submissions on a first come first serve basis beginning July 7th. NOTE: We cannot accept applications prior to that date. 

• Application AVAILABLE NOW download above
  
• Application SUBMISSION begins July 7, 2025 (do not submit before July 7)
  
• Application DEADLINE is September 7, 2025  (or until four solo-duo and four band applications are submitted– whichever comes first)

NOTE: the application is a fillable PDF. You will need to save to your
device and then complete it and SAVE again to retain the information.
Once completed and saved, submit with your high resolution photo.

Please contact the Iowa Blues Challenge Chair with questions.
Julie Spong — 515-401-8495 or challenge@cibs.org

 

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How to Compete – Important Information

• Up to FOUR Bands will be chosen to participate
• Up to FOUR Solo/Duo acts will be chosen to participate
• There must be three entries in each category to hold the competition
• Only Acts with a COMPLETED application will be accepted; meaning all sections of the application must be completed and photo submitted
• Completed applications should be emailed to Julie Spong at challenge@cibs.org

Restrictions

• An act may enter the IBC a maximum of three times after which they are no longer eligible
• An act may not participate In the IBC three consecutive years
• Acts are limited to the state of Iowa

Performance Categories

• Band: any act with more than two members
• Solo/Duo: any act with only one or two members

Equipment Provided

• A PA system, mic, drum kits and throne
• Drummers may bring their own throne, cymbals, snare, and kick pedal

Time Limits

• Each act is allotted 20 minutes for their performance. Timing begins when the first note is played
• Please review all rules and scoring criteria at https://blues.org/official-ibc-rules/

Judging

Acts in the Central Iowa Blues Challenge perform for a panel of independent judges and are scored using the same criteria used by the Blues Foundation at the IBC. You can find the rules and criteria at: https://blues.org/official-ibc-rules/. The highest scoring act in each category will be our representatives.