Six blues acts went head to head at the North East heat of New Brunswick Battle of the Blues at St Peter’s Social Club, Walker Rd, Newcastle on 27 January - part of a UK-wide search to find Britain’s best Blues talent. The judging panel voted The Groove-A-Matics from Gateshead as the winners and they’ll now prepare for the London final, where they will compete against acts from the other 3 regional heats. Runners up from the North East heat were How Askew from Newcastle and Lee Bates & Billy Newton, from Gateshead. They also have a chance of going through to the London final due to a public vote for the favourite runner up. So with the heat in Newcastle and winners and runners up coming from the area it was a great night for Newcastle and Gateshead musical talent!
The Canadian Province of New Brunswick has been looking to the UK to provide new performers for its world-renowned Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival, which celebrates its 21st Anniversary in 2012. Says competition organiser, Lee George; “The competition at this heat was fierce. Six excellent acts provided a great evening of live entertainment. But there had to be just one overall winner and The Groove-A-Matics was chosen.
After winning The Groove-A-Matics said; "It was a brilliant experience to perform live with 5 other really talented blues acts. We’re really excited and can’t wait to play in the final in London. I’d like to thank Tourism New Brunswick for providing this great opportunity and for taking us one step closer towards Canada…..’
But the story doesn’t end there. There is also going to be a public vote so from 1st February you can go to the website (www.tourismnewbrunswick.co.uk) to hear 2 runners-up acts from each of the 4 heats – and choose your favourite. The 'winning' runner up will then join the finalists from the heats at the final in London. The final is taking place at The Garage, Highbury in London, on 27 March. The winner will get an all-expenses paid trip to the beautiful maritime province of New Brunswick to perform on one of the main stages at the Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival in the provinces’ capital Fredericton in September. They will also be given the chance to look around – last year’s winners went whale watching and sampled the very best of the province’s hospitality!
Lee George again; “New Brunswick is not only a wonderful part of Canada, but it has a musical heartbeat like nowhere else in the world. Travelling to the Harvest Jazz & Blues Festival could be a life-changing opportunity to perform amongst the very best and to sample ‘the jewel of Atlantic Canada’ and all that the Province has to offer.”
The line-up at the North East heat was: Half Deaf Clatch from Hull, Greg Wilson and the Big Caffeine Fix from Carlisle, Stephen Murphy from Washington, Sunderland, Groove-A-Matics from Gateshead,
Lee Bates and Billy Newton from Gateshead, and How Askew from Newcastle. For more information about the competition and the province of New Brunswick, visit www.tourismnewbrunswick.co.uk.
Six blues acts went head to head at the North East heat of New Brunswick Battle of the Blues at St Peter’s Social Club, 
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