This Sunday, local musicians and the fans who love them will be getting gussied up for the 13th Cincinnati Entertainment Awards honoring local musicians. The CEAs will be presented at a 7 p.m. ceremony at Covington’s Madison Theater, a first for the event. Tickets are available here.
Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation, the organization dedicated to illuminating our area’s rich musical history and vital importance to popular music’s evolution. (Check out Rick Bird's feature story for the low-down on the group’s latest initiative — having a historical marker erected at Bucky Herzog’s old downtown studios, where Hank Williams and many other important musical figures laid down seminal tracks.)
Performers for the 2009 CEA ceremony are nominees this year for good reason. The eclectic lineup showcases some of the best of what our city has to offer to today’s musical landscape — addicting Garage grinders The Lions Rampant, original Americana juggernaut Magnolia Mountain, playful Electronica twosome You, You’re Awesome, Blues/R&B powerhouse II Juicy, Hip Hop/Pop squad Small Time Crooks and eclectic Soul rocker Brian Olive, with his band featuring members of local Indie champs The High and Low.
Even if you disdain the concept of award shows, if you’ve never gone, know that the CEAs are always one of the best parties of the year and totally down-to-earth. The afterparty ranks up there too — buy a ticket and get into the post-ceremony shindig at The Mad Hatter. Check cea.citybeat.com for everything you need to know.
More Local Notes
• Community radio station WAIF (88.3 FM) is in the midst its fall pledge drive, and Cincypunk.org is teaming up with some local musician pals to help in the fundraising. The show is this Saturday at Mayday (The Venue Formerly Known As The Gypsy Hut) and features Loudmouth (see Brian Baker's profile of them here), Punk crew Weakness, Indie rockers Army Coach (featuring former members of Team Stray) and Cincy native Billy Wallace and the Virginia Blues. Music starts at 9:30 p.m. The show is technically free … but if you don’t donate some cash to get into a free benefit show, you’re kind of a prick.
• Perennial CEA nominee Freekbass has a new band with some fellow esteemed groove scientists (fear not, Freekbass: The Band is alive and well) and he’s looking for a name. The Funk bass master has teamed with Jazz/Jam turntable whiz DJ Logic (who has worked with Medeski Martin & Wood and John Mayer) and Steve Molitz of Jazz/ Electronica Jam band favorites Particle. They have plans to tour next year — all they need now is something to put on the marquee. Find links to the Twitter pages of Freek and Logic at www.freekbass.com and send them your ideas. Whoever picks the trio’s moniker wins a lifetime spot on the band’s guest list. If you’d like some musical inspiration while you think up the perfect band name, Freekbass performs Thanksgiving Eve (Nov. 25) at Oakley’s 20th Century Theater. North Carolina’s Yo Mama’s Big Fat Booty Band (which could really benefit from its own “Name the Band” contest) opens the 9 p.m. all-ages show.
CONTACT MIKE BREEN: [email protected]
