About us

The Story behind it all:

What is the story behind the Holy City Blues Exchange? Grab some popcorn cause I'm about to tell you...

Ready?

Okay, I'll give you a minute...

It all began with a gathering of friends, a fellowship if you will, banded together with a common passion: the blues. Some of us traveled to blues event after blues event while others were busy building the local scene at a local BBQ joint, and what we realized when we converged was that the best thing for our local scene would be to have a big party that would bring in all of our friends we had met in our travels.

So why the "Holy City Blues Exchange?" The first part is simple. Charleston is "The Holy City" named such for the number of historic churches whose steeples lend Charleston it's beautiful skyline. The second part is partly a misnomer because while we try to achieve all that encompasses the staples of a typical dance "exchange," we are first and foremost a party! We are organized as friends trying to throw a weekend long house party for all of our out of town friends and friends-to-be, so we can share in this thing called the Blues!

The blues is more than just something we plucked out of the music too slow to swing dance to. The blues is found in the soul of the music. It is the legacy of a uniquely african-american heritage that compliments the exuberance of swing and jazz through it's visceral expression of life's turbulence. It possesses it's own spirit and culture, and that is the essence we are trying to capture in our weekend.

We hope you visit and enjoy all the history, charm, and hospitality Charleston has to offer. But more importantly to us, we hope you enjoy meeting and spending time with friends old and new, sharing in our love for the blues.

Cheers!