Check out our slideshow of this year’s Houston Press Music Awards winners.
It was a dandy of an evening last night at Warehouse Live as we handed out those silver records to some of Houston’s best musicians and luminaries at the 22nd Annual Houston Press Music Awards Ceremony. If you were there you were treated to sounds from Delicious Milk, thelastplaceyoulook, Sideshow Tramps, Otenki, Uzoy, and Fat Tony.
If you were also there you remember the lusty and hearty crowd, who unleashed a round of boos any time that 94.5 The Buzz was mentioned, which made everything a bit more fun and exciting for those of us steering the show. Overall the event was a blast, the music was great, the acceptance speeches didn’t disappoint, the presenters were lovely, and only a few cubes of ice were thrown at the stage.
Even though Music Editor Chris Gray wasn’t there to help give out the awards, we did get to show a special video message from him and his brother John Seaborn Gray, in which the Gray boys thanked Houston for all the support that has been showered on them these past few challenging weeks.
Sideshow Tramps, winners for Best Americana, turned in a blistering, sexy performance of their “John The Revelator” halfway through the show, fogging up the bottles at the bar with a grime-laden skronk and stomp, aided by guest vocalist Kam Franklin. It was easily one of the best sets of any HPMA ceremony we have been a part of.
Lead singer Nava of thelastplaceyoulook, who won Best Male Vocals and Best Rock, tried to make sense of the Buzz booing, reminding the crowd that the radio station has been giving his local band a chance, playing their single with great regularity.
Best Scenester winner Roach, a metal show mainstay, reminded everyone not to go to shows to be seen, but becuase you love the music. His appearance onstage was met with a thunderous cheer. We were sad to see B L A C K I E not on hand to accept his Best Experimental/Noise trophy, missing the chance to have the first full-contact acceptance speech in HPMA history.
Local Musician Of The Year winner Robert Ellis, whose stint presenting awards was one of the most fun and chaotic periods of the evening, made sure to thank Houston, his wife, the Lord, and Gray – in that order – for all the love and support he’s had the past year. At the end of the evening, he donned quasi-corpse paint to play guitar in closers Delicious Milk, who had about ten HPMA nominees total in their all-star band.
Here are the winners of the 22nd Annual Houston Press Music Awards….
Best Miscellaneous Instrument – Geoffrey Mueller
Best Keyboards – Colton Majors, Otenki
Best Bassist – Nick Gaitan, Umbrella Man
Best Guitarist – Kelly Doyle, Robert Ellis & The Boys
Best Drummer – Chris Kelly, Otenki
Best Instrument/Equipment Store – Guitar Center
Best Scenester – Roach
Best Folk – Harts Of Oak
Best Jazz – Free Radicals
Best Female Vocals – Monica Matocha
Best Cover/Tribute Act – The Fab 5
Best Zydeco – Zydeco Dots
Best Producer – Beans & Kornbread
Best Country – Robert Ellis & The Boys
Best Radio Personality – Rod Ryan, 94.5 The Buzz
Best Blues – Little Joe Washington
Best Pop Artist – Monica Matocha
Best Rap DJ – DJ Mr. Rogers
Best Electronic Act – Glasnost
Best Experimental/Noise – B L A C K I E
Best Male Vocals – Nava, thelastplaceyoulook
Best Punk/Garage – Skeleton Dick
Best Latin – CHangoMan
Best Radio Program – The Rod Ryan Show, 94.5 The Buzz
Best Soul/Funk/R&B – Electric Attitude
Best Reggae/Ska/Dub – Los Skarnales
Best Club DJ/DJ Night – GRRRL Parts
Best Indie/Alternative – Screwtape
Best Radio Station – 94.5 The Buzz
Best Solo Rapper – Bun B
Best Americana – Sideshow Tramps
Best Metal – Venomous Maximus
Best Rock – thelastplaceyoulook
Best Songwriter – Robert Ellis
Best Local Label – Space City Records
Best Record Store – Cactus Music
Best Rap Group – The Niceguys
Best Live Music Venue – House Of Blues
Best New Act – The Handshake
Best LP/CD/EP – Trae Tha Truth, Street King
Best Mixtape – Killa Kyleon, Candy Paint & Texas Plates 2
Best Song – “Drank In My Song”, Kirko Bangz
Local Musician Of The Year – Robert Ellis
This article appears in Nov 10-16, 2011.