Vertigo
Vertigo Blues Band is celebrating its sixth year in BluesEd, a music education and performance program
with the Blues Society of Omaha. A blues-rock crossover band, Vertigo has six accomplished high school
aged musicians with experience in solo performances, marching band and show choirs across the
Omaha region. Our musicians are multi-instrumentalists and cover legends like Led Zeppelin, Freddy
King and modern blues artists like Larkin Poe and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. In 2023, Vertigo performed
over 30 gigs in Omaha and Western Iowa and is proud to keep the blues alive for younger generations.
2023 band members: Vocals: Val P, & Sammy E. Guitars: Jackson F, & Johan W., Bass Guitar: Izzy D., Drums: Colin M
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The International Blues Challenge Youth Showcase Winners
BluesEd band, Vertigo, has been chosen to represent the Blues Society of Omaha in Memphis, Tennessee during the 2024 International Blues Challenge (IBC) this January where the band will perform a 30 minute set in a Beale Street venue as a part of the IBC Youth Showcase.
Vertigo band members are thrilled at the opportunity. Guitar player Jackson Fuller, a recent BluesEd graduate, said, “I’m really excited to see some cool venues and meet new people!” Jackson explained that he was shocked when he learned the band had been selected, and he’s thrilled to have a chance to play a high profile gig in a different state.
Vocalist Sammy Eckstrom is also looking forward to the unique experience. “I’m excited to see other bands play and have the chance to work with other musicians,” Sammy said. He’s also looking forward to seeing the various venues on and around Beale street that are rich with history.
IBC is hosted by The Blues Foundation in Memphis in January. It is a competition for adult blues bands and solo/duo blues performers. As part of the festivities, there is also a Youth Showcase (IBCYS) in which several BluesEd Bands have previously participated. In addition to participating in the showcase, the BluesEd students will have an opportunity to take part in seminars, master classes, film screenings, networking events, book signings, and receptions which will provide experiential learning and networking opportunities for these young musicians.
The members of the band credit the Blues Society of Omaha and the BluesEd program for the skills needed to represent Nebraska at IBC for this prestigious event. It was the diverse opportunities to play throughout the season that Bass player Izzy DeStefano says helped Vertigo become ready for IBC. “Because Vertigo was able to play all over the place, we were able to build a reputation and gain fans. In addition to gaining exposure from the gigs, Vertigo grew closer and our skill set for gigs increased.”
Over the 2023 season, Vertigo played at a variety of venues across Omaha and parts of Iowa performing sets that were up to three hours long. The band performed at fundraising events or festivals in addition to opening for blues headliners.
All of the members of Vertigo were pleasantly surprised to learn that they had been selected during the season finale at the Waiting Room in July since the selection process for IBC was different this year compared to years prior to COVID. Rather than select one of the four BluesEd bands based upon one competitive performance, each band was observed throughout the entire 2023 season.
The objective experts chosen as judges were professional musician and songwriter Dave Steen, professional singer-songwriter Sarah Benck, and Grammy-nominated keyboardist Mitch Towne. These three preselected judges were given gig dates and times for all four BluesEd bands with the instruction to attend at least two separate gigs covertly and evaluate performances using a uniform scorecard. In addition to evaluating instrumentals, judges also measured the quality of stage presence, preparedness, and energy as well as the incorporation of blues.
As a final send off before heading to Memphis in January, Vertigo will have the honor of opening for Mike Zito at the Waiting Room in Benson on December 7th.