NEWS

AWARDS PARTNER REVERBNATION TEAMS UP WITH ERNIE BALL TO ANNOUNCE CMJ SHOWCASE

This is a great opportunity for OC artists to play and network at one the biggest annual music festival! Seven Artists Will be Chosen to Perform and Receive Travel Stipend of $500 Each.

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AVENGED SEVENFOLD RELEASES NEW ALBUM | NIGHTMARE

Orange County’s heavy hitting metal band Avenged Sevenfold is swinging for the fences yet again with their 5th studio album, Nightmare. After morning the loss of drummer James “the Rev” last year, then deciding to finish the album that was started with him, you can be sure Nightmare is a deeply personal record.

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NORTH BY NORTH PARK IS BACK
AUGUST 13-14

The NXNP Music Festival will showcase over 160 artists on 14 stages in the North Park, South Park, Normal Heights and in the Kensington area of San Diego. Artists have been selected thru a submission process and will come to San Diego from Boston, Las Vegas, Tucson, Sacramento, San Francisco, and of course, all over Southern California.

Click here for an up to date listing of NPMT Music Festival performers »

OC MUSIC AWARDS VIDEO SERIES:
ALBUM REVIEW | STACY CLARK

Here is the 2nd episode of the OC Music Awards video series. Host Piper Michelle tours us through a day in the life of local singer songwriter and 2010 Best Pop recipient Stacy Clark, from rehearsal studio to record label. Visit Vanguard Records who will be releasing Stacy’s 2nd full length “Connect the Dots”, in August and hear why she is so excited to have the support of a label on this release.

Click here to watch the video »

JULY SPOTLIGHT WRAP-UP VIDEO:
MUSIC FOR A CURE | SUGAR RAY

The OC Music Awards Video Crew was on site at the Music for a Cure benefit held at The District capturing all the fun and excitement. Watch as Piper guides us through the night and learn more about Music for a Cure from founders Murphy and July Karges.

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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT | THE DIRTY HEADS

Reggae-rock music doesn’t always get a lot of love on American radio. Besides Sublime, many artists in the genre don’t see the light of day on the airwaves. So good thing Huntington Beach reggae-rock group The Dirty Heads teamed up with the new lead singer of Sublime to create a hit song meant for mainstream stations.

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ALBUM REVIEW | CONNECT THE DOTS
Artist: Stacy Clark

Thus far in her career, Costa Mesa singer/songwriter Stacy Clark has achieved plenty, the kinds of things that many local acts are striving for - getting her music on TV shows like One Tree Hill, landing a song on a major commercial (”Touch and Go” was on a TV spot for the Canadian release of the Palm Pre last year), winning “best pop” at the OC Music Awards and signing to a national label, Vanguard Records, this past spring.

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SONG REVIEW | “MY BODY”
Artist: Young the Giant

Starting off like the soundtrack to an action movie during the opening credits, “My Body,” by Newport Beach natives Young the Giant, begins with pounding drum beats that back a rising synthesizer. The build creates a feeling deep within as if you’re preparing for the fight of your life.

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June Events Calender

WAHOO’S JOINS OC MUSIC AWARDS!

OC Music Awards is excited to welcome Orange County’s own Wahoo’s Fish Taco as a partner! Wahoo’s is famous for their amazing eats and exceptional service, but they are also and always have been huge supporters of local music.

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2010 KROQ WEENIE ROAST | BEST WORLD WINNER THE DIRTY HEADS PERFORMING

The persistently sold out KROQ Weenie Roast rolls into our back yard for the 18th year in a row this Saturday June 5. Bands you have heard on the radio will be performing on two stages with a good mix of up and comers alongside very established acts like, Devo, Hole, STP and Sublime With Rome.

Best World Winner The Dirty Heads will kick off the evening portion of the show on the Main stage at 5:15, picking up where the Temper Trap, Passion Pit and Deftones among others, left off on the Bud Light Side Stage.

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OC’S TAZY PHYLLIPZ BRINGS SKA TO THE 2010 VANS WARPED TOUR!

In celebration of the history and impact ska has had on music culture since its humble beginnings in Jamaica - Tazy Phyllipz, along with his brother Albino Brown, have organized an all star ska reunion tour. Partnering with the Vans Warped Tour they will host 6 hours of ska on the Kia Kevin Says’ Stage at four of the CA. Warped Tour dates!

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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT | MISSISSIPPI MAN

In April 2009, Mississippi Man released their debut EP, Snake Oil Salesman, with a show at the much-missed eVocal venue in Costa Mesa. It’s been an eventful sixteen months since-the band’s gone on tour, steadily increased their profile throughout Southern California, seen publicity in places like LA Record and surprised a lot of onlookers with a nomination for Best Blues at this year’s OC Music Awards.

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ALBUM REVIEW | DUSTY RHODES AND THE RIVER BAND
Artist: Dusty Rhodes and the River Band
2010 Best Live Band Winner

What was supposed to be the soundtrack to a film the band were putting together has now become a collection of old and new songs, raw and revitalized. Once the movie reached a sudden roadblock, Dusty Rhodes and the River Band knew they couldn’t stop the music.

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SONG REVIEW | “(THEY STOLE TODAY BUT THEY WON’T TAKE AWAY) TOMORROW”
Artist: Venus Infers

If you follow local music closely, you’ve probably already formed an opinion on Huntington Beach’s Venus Infers. Their music-bombastic and intentionally epic-stands in contrast to the contemplative, coffee house rock prominent in much of Southern California. Their style-leather jackets and rock star posturing-is a far cry from the unassuming, humble stage presence you’ll see at most local venues. And guess what? It’s working, as seen by the three OC Music Awards Venus Infers scored in 2009, high-profile opening gigs for Chris Cornell and Peter Murphy and song placement on shows like The Real World.

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NEXT YEAR’S BEST LIVE BAND WINNER WILL PLAY THE 2011 VANS WARPED TOUR!

Vans Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman presented Best Album at the 2010 OC Music Awards and was so impressed with the performers and award winners he graciously offered a performance slot on all four of the 2011 So Cal Vans Warped Tour dates. The 2011 Best Live Band winner will now have the opportunity to play alongside major headliners to crowds of thousands just waiting to find their new favorite band! Click here for 2010 Vans Warped Tour lineup and to learn more.

2011 SHOWCASE SERIES SUBMISSIONS AND PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD VOTING ARE NOW OPEN!

Click on the links to the left under the Participate section to sign yourself or your band up for the 2011 Best Live Band or Best Live Acoustic Showcase Series and vote for your favorite OC artist to win the 2011 People’s choice Award!

2010 OC MUSIC AWARDS “BEST OF ORANGE COUNTY” COMPILATION

The 2010 OC Music Awards have each been awarded and now a compilation CD “Best of Orange County” will be available at local Best Buys stores featuring songs from the winners. The majority of the proceeds will be donated to Music for a Cure to further their music therapy program at CHOC, Children’s Hospital of Orange County.

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SAN DIEGO’S NORTH PARK MUSIC THING NOW ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS

The North Park Music Thing - San Diego Music & Media Conference and Festival is a two day music event, which will take place August 13-14, 2010 at the historic Lafayette Hotel in San Diego.

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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT | PACIFIC HURT

Picking out the right band name can be a challenge. Can people easily spell it? Will they say it properly? Will it be a constant annoyance to correct people? After a few years of getting their name out into the music world, Santa Ana’s Aushua thought long and hard about whether or not they should make a huge decision-find a new band name.

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ALBUM REVIEW | “A LITTLE BITTER”
Artist: Semi Sweet

With their self-titled debut EP last year, Costa Mesa’s Semi Sweet established themselves as Orange County’s premier purveyors of female-fronted, lo-fi, moody indie rock. (Not that there’s many contenders to that title right now, but it’s an accomplishment nonetheless.)

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SONG REVIEW | “HOLES IN THE SKY”
Artist: Canvas

Opening for venerable OC-born ’80s synthpop act Berlin on May 28 at the House of Blues in Anaheim, Canvas are starting off the year with quite a few surprises. In addition to that high-profile show, the female-led Santa Ana band known for their soft harmonies changed their name and lineup just a few months ago.

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Saturday, March 6 the Grove of Anaheim welcomed back the ninth annual OC Music Awards, the only all local annual music event in the county that brings together over 100 local bands and the entire OC music scene for one night of honors and performances.

The air was thick with anticipation and celebration immediately as the venue doors opened at 7pm. Nominees, fans and attendees all took a walk down the red carpet despite the occasional drizzle of rain. Inside the venue lobby the OC Music Awards’ 2010 partners were providing a variety of interactive musical entertainment. Fender set up a plush lounge with select guitars displayed for all to pick up and play. Best Buy erected a living room setting equipped with full backline for attendees to jam on. Once inside the theater, the full jam began.

The show kicked off with Awards host, Psycho Mike of KROQ introducing the evening followed by a melodic first performance by Best Album and Rock nominee Melanoid. Radio personality, Surf Junkie Jeff introduced the first Award of Best Surf to The Growlers. Josh Glazer, Editor in Chief of URB Magazine presented Best Electronic to Huntington Beach based Electric Valentine. The Adolescents, unfortunately unable to attend, won Best Punk presented by Eric Blair of The Blairing Out Show. A high-energy performance by Best Latin nominee Soul Hustlers followed. KSBR OC Rock Radio presented Best Jazz to Translucent Ham Sandwich band. Yellow Red Sparks gained title of Best Folk presented by Mike Concepcion, Talent Buyer of Gypsy Lounge. OC Weekly Music Editor, Wade Tatangelo introduced the Best Live Acoustic showcase series winner Billy Kernkamp who took the stage for an enigmatic performance. DeeJay Cocoe of Ubiquity Records presented Best Hip Hop to BLOK who delivered a stand out performance later in the evening. House of Blues Anaheim presented Best Blues to Roman Alexander and the Robbery. Mr. Dave Mau of Dinner with Dave handed Dusty Rhodes and The River Band the first of multiple wins for Best Country/Americana. The group later won Best Rock and performed. Long time talent buyer Ken Phebus delivered a comedic and heartfelt honor to Jim Washburn for his lifetime of achievement in the music industry as acclaimed critic and historian. The Steelwells performed as an eleven piece and later celebrated wins for Best Song and Best New Artist, which resulted in a subsequent complimentary music video produced by Awards video production company, Akorn Entertainment. The band was also nominated in Best Indie, but The New Limb claimed the title presented by indie filmmaker Drake Doremus. Showcase Judge Joyce Mealy of Fearless Records presented Stereofix with Best Alternative.

Club DJ went to Chris Alfaro of Free the Robots presented by Acropolis RPM. Ben Wener and Kelli Fadroski of Orange County Register presented Best Pop to Stacy Clark who just last week signed to Vanguard Records. Danny Mihai, Promoter for Continental Room awarded Atreyu with the well-deserved Best Metal title. Three-time Grammy winner Louie Perez of Los Lobos presented Boogaloo Assassins the award for Best Latin. Jon Reiser of Detroit Bar presented the Best World title to The Dirty Heads who delivered the evening’s final performance joined by Rome of Sublime with Rome for their current KROQ hit “Lay Me Down”. Lit performed a touching acoustic commemorative piece written for their dear friend and drummer that past in 2009, Allen Shellenberger. Tazy Phyllipz announced Durress as the People’s Choice, proving their second consecutive year category win. David McKenna, screenwriter and producer credited for American History X and Blow introduced the honor of Orange County Impact Award to high school friends Sugar Ray. Kevin Lyman, Creator of Warped Tour, Taste of Chaos and Mayhem tours presented the final Award of 2010 for Best Album to Thrice, Ed and Riley Breckenridge taking the stage to accept. Psycho Mike thanked the crowd, closed the show, and ushered the celebration into the Grove’s Terra Rosa Room where DJ Velvet Touch spun the night away.

Another year of OC Music Awards has come and gone. But the Awards will continue to provide opportunities and exposure for local music throughout the year until the 2011 Showcase Series launches in January.

For the complete list of 2010 winners visit OC Music Awards online. Stay in touch by becoming a Fan, Friend, Follower, and Subscriber. Congratulations to the 2010 OC Music Awards participants, nominees and winners!

Hello Friend,

2010 OC MUSIC AWARDS SHOWCASE SERIES FINALS THIS WEEKEND

The Final Showcases for Best Live Acoustic and Best Live Band are here. Early arrival is strongly suggested on Friday, February 26 at Yost Theater for the Best Live Acoustic Finals and Saturday, February 27 at Samueli Theater, part of Orange County Performing Arts Center, for Best Live Band Finals.

If you have been attending the weekly Showcase Series you have experienced the capacity crowds and amazing performances that invaded a new OC venue each Tuesday night for the last seven weeks. The Showcase Series included 35 artists, now narrowed down to the five Finalists for Best Live Acoustic and Best Live Band. The lineups on both Final’s nights feature local artists at the top of their game and will be two nights of music you do not want to miss.

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OC MUSIC AWARDS LISTENING WALL IN LAGUNA ART MUSEUM’S OSCENE EXHIBIT IS A HIT

Laguna Art Museum’s OsCene 2010 exhibit opened on February 21. OC Music Awards curated the music portion of the exhibition which showcases the latest art and culture of Orange County. An OC Music Awards wall was installed in the museum with 11 iPod Nano listening stations representing 22 Awards categories with a song from each nominated artist.

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BEST BUY JOINS OC MUSIC AWARDS AS A PARTNER

OC Music Awards is pleased to welcome Best Buy as a new sponsor of the 2010 Awards event. Best Buy will have presence at the Best Live Acoustic and Best Live Band Final Showcases and the Awards night on March 6 at Grove of Anaheim in support of their Musical Instrument Stores. Four of the nine Orange County Best Buy locations and 18 Southern California Best Buys are outfitted with their well-stocked Musical Instrument Stores. Best Buy also offers a program enabling local artists to distribute their music in local Best Buy stores with the potential to expand store distribution based on favorable sales.

(ORANGE COUNTY, CA) - The seventh Showcase of the 2010 Series packed out the Gypsy Lounge in Lake Forest last night. Powerful and diverse performances by Entice, The New Limb, Dusty Rhodes and the River Band, Stereofix, and The Color Turning raised the Best Live Band competition stakes that much more. The night marked the last of the preliminary Showcases and the Series now moves onto the Best Live Acoustic and Best Live Band Showcase Finals.

We are pleased to announce the five finalists in both Best Live Acoustic and Best Live Band Showcase categories. These ten bands will move on to the Showcase Finals where the category winners will be announced on stage at the end of each night. The winner of each category will gain category title recognition, perform at the Awards on March 6 at Grove of Anaheim, receive a $2,500 voucher from Fender®*, and a four-day recording session at Red Bull Studios**.

Presenting the 2010 OC Music Awards Showcase Finalists (listed in order of Final Showcase performances):

Best Live Acoustic
I Hate You Just Kidding
Billy Kernkamp
Stacy Clark
Marc B
Mike Vitale

Best Live Band
Blok
The Steelwells
The Colourist
Dusty Rhodes and the River Band
The Union Line

See you at the show!

Rain or shine, north or south Orange County, the OC Music Awards 2010 Showcases prevail. The sixth of the seven-part Showcase series migrated to south Orange County last night. Despite the difficult weather five participants in the Best Live Acoustic category filled the OC Tavern in San Clemente with fans, energy and outstanding performances.

The venue’s live music room was bustling right at 8pm for the first solo acoustic performance by Skee. Carly Layne and her acoustic quartet followed. Next Parker Macy Blues performed solo followed by Christina Dietz also as a solo outfit. Jamie Allensworth and his soulful acoustic quintet closed out the show. The third and last acoustic Showcase proved a strong addition to the category’s competition.

Next Tuesday, February 16 presents the final showcase of the Best Live Band category and 2010 Showcase series. Performances by Duress, The New Limb, Dusty Rhodes and the River Band, Stereofix, and The Color Turning visit The Gypsy Lounge in Lake Forest. The five finalists from both Best Live Acoustic and Best Live Band categories will be announced February 17.

Click here for full schedule »