MILFORD, NH – Bees Deluxe, Boston’s British/American blues band play a special show with their friends the One Dime Band at Riley’s Place in Milford, New Hampshire on Friday September the 5, from 8 to 11 p.m. to raise funds for their trip to compete at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis Tennessee, January 2026.
Every year, New England’s best blues bands battle on a New Hampshire stage for a coveted honor– to win the Blues Challenge. This year, Bees Deluxe, the acid blues band with roots in Britain, has won the Granite State Blues Challenge. Now, they are headed to Memphis Tennessee to compete in the International Blues Challenge in January 2026.
The Granite State Blues Challenge featured six bands battling for the right to represent New Hampshire on the international stage in Memphis. Bees Deluxe impressed the judges winning with high scores for Originality, Musicality, Stage Presence, Vocals and Blues Content.
Hell-bent on their mission to bring the blues into the 21st century, Bees Deluxe pushes the limits, colors outside the lines of convention and bends the genre to create a sound that is distinct, highly musical and yet deeply respectful of the blues tradition. Unlike many blues bands that stick to well-worn standards, Bees Deluxe deliberately seeks out lesser-known tunes and reimagines classics by artists such as Etta James, Billie Holiday, Joe Zawinul, and J.B. Lenoir. Their setlists are a mix of inventive originals and “off-the-beaten-path” covers, often featuring new arrangements that highlight the band’s creativity. This commitment to exploring uncharted musical territory ensures that every performance is distinctive and unpredictable.
Bees Deluxe have shared the stage with Mike Zito, Joanna Connor, Ronnie Earl, Walter Trout, Matt Schofield, Monster Mike Welch, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Kofi Baker and Roomful of Blues and tour from Maine to Miami. For more information about the band and their discography please visit: www.beesdeluxe.com
Opening the evening, special musical guests and friends, The One Dime Band, previous Boston Blues Society Challenge Winners, will deliver a soul-stirring set of original songs from their album “Side Hustle.”
The Details:
WHO: Bees Deluxe – the Road to Memphis
WHAT: Monday Night Blues
WHERE: Riley’s Place, 29 Mont Vernon St, Milford, NH 03055 (603) 325-2177
WHEN: Friday September 5, 8 – 11 p.m.