Following 10 acts as they compete in the International Blues Challenge, all with hopes of finally catching their big break.
Some people say blues music was born in the great city of Memphis, well if that is the case, then Beale Street might just be the Mecca for all blues musicians. The intriguing thing about blues is that it is more than a genre of music, it is seen as a way of life by artists and all those passionate aficionados, and each and every one of them has great energy and bubbling charisma. Blues on Beale, which is directed by Larry Lancit, is centred around the International Blues Challenge in January 2020 (the last international music event before Covid put the world on hold) and follows 10 of 232 performers over a 5-day period, with every act hailing from a different part of the globe (all representing their local blues societies). Let’s find out who is the king or queen of Beale Street.
The idea to focus on a variety of artists and establish the competition as the primary narrative tool is the defining factor for the film’s presentation – the competition is fierce and could potentially be an artists “big break” into the professional world of blues music. This focus is a breath of fresh air, it isn’t just about the history of blues music or about one particular artist, something that has been represented in films like Clint Eastwood’s Piano Blues or 2016’s I Am the Blues, and is seen as the contemporary style choice for music docs. Don’t get me wrong, Blues on Beale is that as well, but it is also given a platform to be so much more.
When delving into that rich history of blues though, the film’s use of pictures to show important moments in black history are woven into sections of its narrative; images of marches, infamous moments of abuse and great civil rights figures linger over interviews of present and former musicians who talk about the impact of blues music. It is something that works due to it not being the focal point of the film, used as a tool of reference instead of the primary factor on which the film is based.
Blues on Beale begins with a breakdown of the event; the very specific rules and regulations that every artist must abide by, which is followed by a little introduction to the 10 selected artists from every corner of the globe. I love how the film highlights the importance of blues music (which is usually synonymous with a specific type of person) and how it has integrated into so many different cultures and people around the world – it really does demonstrate the enormous power of music. It explains that blues music is for those “misfits” of society, an art form where people can come together and share their pain and joy with other like-minded people, and the film is illuminated because of this.
The film lets us experience many exciting and impressive performances from all these wonderful artists, but instead of a handful of small snippets, they are allowed to play out so we can experience the full emotion of the performances, which are so varied and unique – it really blows the theory out of the water that blues is just one style of music. And as you would expect, not all these 10 featured artists are successful (there can only be 8 winners of the 232 performers you know), and their reactions, well, they are a mixed bag of emotions.
And not to be left out (I couldn’t have that now) but Blues on Beale has great filmmaking technique – none more so than Nick Romary’s editing – and it incorporated many different aspects of documentary filmmaking. Its success hinges on the fact that it wasn’t just another blues documentary, but something that explored several aspects of this subculture that includes the many inner genres of blues that may have once been unknown.
This is an incredibly upbeat film; it is invigorating seeing this huge mix of people enjoying the music, enjoying the party atmosphere (it’s like a Mardi Gras for blues), and witnessing the wide variety of incredible artists that are on show. It really is a stark contrast to what blues music was originally seen as (centred around pain and emotional hurt), and yet this film blasts down those old-fashioned doors and showcases just how enjoyable and fun blues music can be. That was the clear message, to show blues music in this positive light because if there was a stigma attached to blues, it has surely been eradicated after this film.
