You have just about two weeks left to vote for your favorite local musical acts nominated for Cincinnati Entertainment Awards
. Voting (including in the late-addition write-in category, “Best Band/Musician That Wasn’t Nominated”) for the 17th annual awards closes at midnight on Jan. 14. Visit citybeat.com/cincinnati/cea-voting to make your selections now.
After voting, you’ll want to start getting ready for a pair of CEA events this month. The Cincinnati Entertainment Awards ceremony/party, featuring the doling out of awards, several live performances and other assorted merriment, is set for Sunday, Jan. 26 at Covington’s Madison Theater (madisontheateronline.com). Tickets are $20 ($25 if you wait to buy them at the door day of show) and available now at cincyticket.com. The show starts at 7 p.m. and is open to music lovers of all ages. Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation, the local nonprofit organization that works to bring attention to Greater Cincinnati’s rich musical history.
Nominees scheduled to perform at the CEAs ceremony on Jan. 26 include DAAP Girls
(2013’s “New Artist of the Year” winners, who are nominated in five categories this year, a CEA record), The Upset Victory (nominated for the “Rock” CEA), The Yugos (up for “Indie/Alternative” honors), Honey & Houston (“Country” nominees), Moonbow (nominated for “Metal/Hard Rock,” “Best Music Video” and “Album of the Year”), Valley High (up for “Hip Hop” and “Best Music Video” CEAs) and The Almighty Get Down (first-time nominees in the “R&B/Funk/Soul” category). Local Indie/Electronic group Dark Colour (nominated for the “Electronic” CEA again this year) will perform at the legendary CEA after-party, taking place at Covington gallery BLDG ( bldgrefuge.com ).
CityBeat has long hosted a showcase of some of the area’s up-and-coming new artists in conjunction with the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. This year, the showcase returns to Corryville club Bogart’s (bogarts.com) as the Best New Bands
concert, featuring the six acts CEA-nominated for “New Artist of the Year”: Electric Citizen , Archer’s Paradox , Pop Goes the Evil , Mardou , Austin Livingood and the most recently confirmed performers, Tweens , as well as fellow newcomers Injecting Strangers , ADM , Molly Sullivan and Little Lights .
The Best New Bands showcase is Jan. 18. Tickets are $5.
For more on the CEAs, including a rundown of nominees and winners from the past 17 years, click here.
Tweens Gear Up for Even Busier New Year
Cincinnati “Trash Pop” trio Tweens
had a very busy 2013 and their hard work paid off with shows around the country with bands like Black Lips and the Breeders, not to mention a record deal with esteemed indie label Frenchkiss Records . In December, the trio was named one ofCMJ’s “Artists to Watch in 2014”
(CMJ also put one of the group’s demo recordings on its free “Best of 2013” mixtape) and February tour dates with The Murder City Devils were announced. Tweens’ debut album is set for release this March.
Though the trio has spent a lot of time touring, it hasn’t skimped on the local shows. Hometown fans can catch the group live again on Saturday, Jan. 11, when Tweens headline a free show at Northside Tavern with guests Idiot Glee (from Lexington, Ky.) and fellow Cincinnati band Mardou (which also joins Tweens at the aforementioned Best New Bands showcase at Bogart’s on Jan. 18).
Visit facebook.com/tweencity for the latest updates on the band.
Bring in ’da Jazz, Bring in ’da Funk
Cincinnati Jazz pianist Chris Comer
spent 2013 performing with his trio at venues from Chez Nora to Fountain Square. To kick off 2014, Comer is funking things up a little bit to expand into venues more traditionally known for Rock acts. The Chris Comer Jazz Explosion (which Comer describes as “funkier and less ‘Jazz’ … whatever that means”) debuts Monday at MOTR Pub (1345 Main St., Over-the-Rhine, 513-381-6687, motrpub.com ). The show is free. Comer’s new band features saxophonist Dan Barger (Los Honchos, iolite, Sidewalk Soundtrack Project); bassist Bryan Berwanger and drummer Brendan Blumer, who also plays with Baoku & The Image Afro-beat Band.
The Chris Comer Trio will continue to play more straight-up Jazz gigs. Beginning Feb. 5, Comer and the trio will play at 8 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month at beer and wine shop The Listing Loon (4124 Hamilton Ave., Northside, 513-542-5666). The group warms up for the monthly residency on Wednesday, Jan. 22.
CONTACT MIKE BREEN
: [email protected] , @CityBeatMusic and here on Facebook .
