Winners of the 2024 Sydney Blues Challenge, Nathan Beretta and Kiama local Dan Sullivan, are raising money to compete in the 2025 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, USA.

The Duo, Beretta & Sullivan, are holding a fundraiser at Kiama Bowling Club on Friday 6 December at 7:30pm with live music, raffles, and prizes, before they travel to the International Blues Challenge (IBC). 

The IBC is being held from January 7 to 11 2025, and is run every year in Memphis, it’s a showcase of blues music and talent, and a great opportunity for musicians. 

“We went in the Sydney Blues Challenge and the winners get sponsored and sent over there as a representative of the Sydney Blues Society,” says Dan. 

“We got talked into going into this challenge and we went up and won it luckily enough, and it all just sort of developed from there.” 

The last time Dan competed in the Sydney Blues Challenge was at least ten years ago, next year will be his third time at the IBC. 

“It’s gonna be great, but we’ll just be taking it as it comes, we won’t be getting too wound up about it, because you’re sort of playing against the whole world,” says Dan. 

Dan is no stranger to getting involved in the community, previously he was heavily involved in the Kiama Jazz Club and Kiama Jazz Festival. 

“Some of the people I met through the Kiama Jazz Club were huge influences,” he says. 

Dan has been working with the Kiama Bowling club for over ten years and says they’ve always helped him, with hosting the fundraiser being a great support.  

“A big thanks to Kiama Bowling Club for taking it on … they just dropped everything to help me out and put this night on,” he says. 

Some of Australia’s biggest blues acts will be at the fundraiser, including Ray Beadle and Frank Sultana. 

Tickets for the fundraiser can be found at South Coast Tickets.