Running the Numbers

Get a Clue: The tool who wrote "noon" in every category

Best Guitarist

Nominees: Anthony Cruz Jr., Metavenge; Kelly Doyle, Three Fantastic; Adam Martinez, Tontons; Michael Regino, Mechanical Boy; The Mighty Orq; Little Joe Washington

Get a Clue: "Neil Young"

Best Bassist

Nominees: Chris Applegate, Mechanical Boy; Beau Beasley, Homopolice; Nick Gaitan, The Octanes/Umbrella Man; Jack Schulz, Sean Reefer & the Resin Valley Boys; Westside Johnny, The Mighty Orq; Rozzano Zamorano, Fondue Monks/Yoko Mono/Rozz Zamorano Group

Get a Clue: "Bill Murray"

Best Drummer

Nominees: Nick Cooper, Free Radicals; Pat Kelly, Los Skarnales; Andy Moths, The Last Place You Look; Doug Payne, Plump; Kevin Tate, dUNETX

Get a Clue: "Toto"

Best Keyboards

Nominees: Gilbert Alfaro, Spain Colored Orange; Zahira Gutierrez, Wild Moccasins; Mlee Marie, Hearts of Animals; Ryan Scroggins, Ryan Scroggins & the Trenchtown Texans; Jade Simmons; Pamela York

Get a Clue: "Piano"

Best Miscellaneous Instrument

Nominees: B L A C K I E (PA); Chris Buckley, Blaggards (violin); Eric Jackson, Spain Colored Orange (trumpet); Jason Jackson, Plump (saxophone); Geoffrey Muller, Sideshow Tramps (saw); Robert Rodriguez, Umbrella Man/Los Pistoleros de Tejas (accordion)

Notes: We'd take out a second mortgage to see these six people, with those instruments, get onstage somewhere and jam.

Get a Clue: "Bob Dylan"

Best Male Vocals

Nominees: Tim Anderson, Mechanical Boy; Cornbreadd, Tha Fucking Transmissions; Anthony Cruz Jr., Metavenge; Sergio Trevino, Buxton; Justin Nava, The Last Place You Look; Cody Swann, Wild Moccasins

Get a Clue: "Kristine Mills"

Best Female Vocals

Nominees: Elaine Greer; Zahira ­Gutierrez,Wild Moccasins; Kam; Leela James; Kristine Mills; Asli Omar, Tontons

Notes: Do the ladies run this motherfucker? Damn right they do. Nearly impossible.

Get a Clue: "Adam Hill, Los Skarnales"

Rock

Nominees: Blaggards; The ­Favorites; Mechanical Boy; The Last Place You Look; Peekaboo Theory; Versecity

Notes: Eliminating Alt-Rock this year didn't eliminate the fact that Houston audiences like their rock heavy. And hard.

Get a Clue: "Ozzie Osbourne"

Blues

Nominees: Texas Johnny Brown; The Mighty Orq; The Snakecharmers; Runaway Sun; Little Joe Washington

Notes: Not nearly as heavily voted as Noise expected. Is Houston losing steam as a blues town?

Get a Clue: "dunno"

R&B/Funk/Soul

Nominees: Asida Soul; Caretta Bell; Dominique; Leela James; Kam; Neon Collars

Notes: On the other hand, Houston is enjoying a bumper crop of funky divas right now. Good stuff.

Get a Clue: "Mary J. Blidge"

Zydeco

Nominees: Brian Jack & the Zydeco Gamblers; J. Paul Jr. & the Zydeco Nubreeds; Step Rideau & the Zydeco Outlaws; Zydeco Dots

Notes: The least-voted category, by far. It pains Noise to think this venerable — and indigenous to Houston — genre may have to be retired next year, but maybe that's for the best. Clifton Chenier (who got one vote) is turning over in his grave.

Get a Clue: "any"

World

Nominees: D.R.U.M.; DubTex; Heptic Skeptic; Idiginis; Ryan Scroggins & the Trenchtown Texans; Space City Gamelan

Notes: One lone vote for Space City Gamelan's Indonesian exotica kept this from turning into "Best Reggae."

Get a Clue: "Stevie Nicks"

Jazz

Nominees: Drop Trio; Free Radicals; Kristine Mills; Pamela York; Rozz Zamorano Group

Notes: A healthy bunch. Jazz in all its many forms and flavors.

Get a Clue: "Kenny G," "Maroon 5"

DJ

Nominees: Ceeplus Bad Knives; DJ Sun; Grrrl Parts; Squincy Jones & Dayta; Dave Wrangler

Get a Clue: "Trance"

DJ Night

Nominees: Dirty Honey (Boondocks); Gritsy (various); Noise Thursday (Escobar); Speakerboxx (The Mink); Texas Dub (Avant Garden); Underworld (Numbers)

Notes: The very first ballot Noise looked at nominated "Friday." He's still laughing.

Get a Clue: "None"

Metal

Nominees: Golden Axe; Metavenge; Melovine; Pasadena Napalm Division; Whorehound; World's Most Dangerous

Notes: From Golden Axe's hammer-of-the-gods theatrics to Metavenge's Kill-'Em-All thrash and World's Most Dangerous's Southern roar, Houston's metal scene is thriving.

Get a Clue: "KISS"

Punk

Nominees: Born Liars; Dead Roses; Flamin' Hellcats; NO TALK; Skeleton Dick; Something Fierce

Notes: Great year for punk, and a tough category to narrow down. Keep it coming.

Get a Clue: "is cool"

Hardcore/Noise

Nominees: A Dream Asleep; Battle Rifle; Black Leather Jesus; Cop Warmth; Future Blondes; Homopolice

Notes: Fun fun fun till daddy takes the earplugs away.

Get a Clue: "KTRU"

Indie Rock

Nominees: Balaclavas; McKenzies; Spain Colored Orange; Tontons; Wild Moccasins; Young Mammals

Notes: Veterans Spain Colored Orange hold fast against a high tide of utterly charming, thoroughly unique young bands.

Get a Clue: "NONE"

Instrumental/Experimental

Nominees: Caddywhompus; Female Demand; Inner Lights; Motion Turns It On; Jade Simmons & Robert Reynolds (Room 101); Two Star Symphony

Get a Clue: "My dog Heiki plays squeaker toys"

Mainstream Hip-Hop

Nominees: Bun B/UGK; Devin the Dude; Scarface; Slim Thug; Paul Wall; Z-Ro

Notes: 'Nuff said.

Get a Clue: "EMIEMN"

Underground Hip-Hop

Nominees: B L A C K I E; Fat Tony; H.I.S.D.; Holly­wood FLOSS; Nosaprise; Ozeal & the Eulypians

Notes: See Metal. A pleasure — and nightmare — to curate.

Get a Clue: "noon" again

Latin Traditional

Nominees: Mango Punch; Moodafaruka; Los Pistoleros de Tejas; Norma Zenteno

Get a Clue: "Gloria Estephan"

Latin Contemporary

Nominees: Chango Man; Espantapajaros; Los Skarnales; Karina Nistal; Yoko Mono

Notes: Significantly better voted than its Traditional counterpart.