Live updates from the Local Music Awards

Welcome to live coverage of the 2008 Local Music Awards! I’m absolutely heartbroken you can’t be with us flesh and blood and assume the only reason you would miss out on a party as rockin’ as this probably involves your foot and an unlucky banana peel. Dangerous fruit aside, you can count on me, Matt Fender, to make your long distance experience feel as though you are sitting right next to me (hands off my Jack and Coke, seriously). Prepare for a night of unmatched local music performances, live pictures, interviews and of course, the award winners!

Updates:

Good night from the LMA’s! I’m signing off and will most likely be staying here to enjoy the Highdive’s nice digs. Hurrah local music!

11:32: Performance by Scurvine! Intense guys.

11:27: BEST ROCK BAND! “The winner is, Headlights!” Headlights are touring and cannot be with us tonight. Woo Appleton, Wisconsin!

11:25: ALBUM OF THE YEAR. “The winner is, Delta Kings for ‘Thirteen Years of Friday Nights’!”

11:23: BEST SINGER SONGWRITER. “The winner is, Kayla Brown!”

11:22: After a desperate search for an outlet [surprisingly hard in a bar] Live Blog reconnects to the 2008 LMA’s!

11:00: Snowsera puts on an exposition of their best Live Performance award! “Clap and help us get through this.” Does anyone else get some Until Sundown out of this? Maybe that’s a little old.

10:55: Moni’s mic freaks and utters high pitched words! Ouch! ; )

10:51: LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD. “The winner is, Poster Children – Rick Valentin & Rose Marshack!” Congratulations to two people who have given so much to the CU are through their hard work as musicians and especially as role models to aspiring artists. Acceptance: “When we first came here we did not know what local music was. We realized local bands could be as good as bands you here on record. You’ve all been an inspiration to us in a continuum. FUCK YEA CHAMPAIGN! I have one thing to say, the first time I was on this stage there was only one guy out there, and that’s when I learned about supporting the scene. Get out there and do that!”

10:47: Mat Brown presents BEST FOLK/AMERICANA BAND. “The winner is, Angie Heaton and the Tamers!”

10:42: Matt Klomparens and Jonathan Childers [both having a good time *wink*] present the BEST HEAVY/PUNK ARTIST. “The winner is Alleyway Sex!” Acceptance: “Thanks for coming out tonight!”

10:39: [Fender back] Prather photogs and says “I will be a movie star someday!” Keep dreamin’ kid.

10:32: [Condensed Carlye] “Blog blog blog blah blah blah.”

10:31: I, Carlye Wisel, have officially taken over for as long as I can before designer Maria punches me in the face or editor in chief Prather rocks the stage again. I’ve been jumping between the two events — you know, that non-LMA show that’s conveniently right next door? — and Zmick was crazy good. I always enjoyed them, but they’ve got their shit together. I’m hungry (shocking) and going to go wander around downtown Champaign to find myself a treatza pizza, but enjoy Fender’s rants and raves. If you wanna see photos with better, more enjoyable commentary (i.e. not by Matt Fender, instead by me), check out my blog “Awkward City, Population 1” on The217 and look for LMA and Memphis on Main charity show photos. Well, I cant let Fender have too much fun. He might stick me with this MacBook Pro for the rest of the night. I bid you adieu with these words: photographing concerts is hard when you don’t realy know how to photograph concerts. Movie editor Michael Yohanan just stuck his finger in my armpit. A buzz brawl is. about. to. go. down. Adios, kidlets!

10:29: Carl Hauck singerites the Highdive audience with some moody tunes.

10:22: Santa presents BEST NEW ARTIST. “Jon Hansen is not mentioned… The winner is, Snowsera!” This is Snowsera’s second win tonight

10:19: BEST JAZZ AWARD – “The winner is, Jazz Sandwich!”

10:15: BEST HIP HOP ARTIST – “The winner is, Krukid!” Krukid is performing in Connecticut at the moment and cannot be with us. [A brief phone acceptance was attempted but technical problems ensued]

10:11: Elle presents the BEST COVER BAND! “They all have one thing in common: “Dont Stop Believin'”. The winner is, Vvvvv!”

10:09: Yoho just gave me a Taurine-infused Lolli-pop! Updates are about to show up 5 times faster… I think my heart might explode (for Yoho, not the Taurine).

9:53: The Corn Desert Ramblers are singin’ about “2 dollar beer” while I drink my $1.50 beer. Not bad, Highdive, not bad. This bluegrass band brings the strings for sure. With six guys crowding the stage there is no lack of presence, especially when you add a bass into the mix!

9:47: Phil Strang presenting Best Blues: “The winner is, Kilborn Alley!” Acceptance: “Thank you! 3 in a row! We’d like to thank all of the other nominees and everyone who voted for us! We appreciate it.”

9:46: BEST Live/Performer – “The winner is, Snowsera!”

9:43: BEST DJ! “The winner is, DJ Bozak!” Unfortunately DJ Bozak could not be at the LMA’s tonight.

9:37: BEST STUDENT BAND! “The winner is, Underpaid Packy!” Congratulations to the winners of the first LMA award of 2008!
Acceptance: “This is the first official award we have received! Be sure to stop by Canopy Club tomorrow for the release of our first full-length album. Thank you.”

9:29: Agent Mos flows with the crowd: “Kill Yo Television!”

9:24: “My NAME is AMS: King of the Nerds! This is called “dissent”!” Agent Mos takes the highdive by storm with a wave of rapid flow. “This is your chance to come down.” The chorus line ignites the crowd.

9:22: Moni (in the midday) and Michael Coulter introduce AGENT MOS to the stage!

9:09: Jon Hansen (Of Fishing with Dynamite if you don’t know) kicks off this year’s LMA’s with a hilarious video detailing the LMA process over the last year! A few memorable quotes:
“Have you ever had a dream about Hannah Montana?”
“You and your instrument should become close. Like good acquaintances or friends with benefits.”
“Whatever can’t be done in India can be done by the fine indentured ser- umm interns of WPGU.”
“And hopefully those five to seven people listening to you on WPGU will create word of mouth and recognize you in the music community.”
“If you can’t beat em’, cheat em’!” [Shovels ballots into trash]
All jokes aside, Jon has done a great job with this year’s LMA’s and this show is sure to be a romp!

8:30: Rain, rain, go away! If a little drizzle doesn’t scare you there is still time to get over to the Highdive in downtown Champaign. Come in, dry off, and chill out with some of the best local music CU has to offer. After a brief introduction at 9 pm, Agent Mos will light up the stage with his incendiary lyrics. The first awards will be presented around an hour from now! Stay tuned to the217 for photos, video, and interviews.

It’s 8 pm and the show doors are open to the public! I just had a chat with Foellinger Manager Phil Strang. He will be presenting the award for this year’s Best Blue’s Artist. Phil has been a part of the CU music scene for double my lifetime. His experience and knowledge of our community’s music is a an important contribution to the 2008 LMA’s. Phil was part of the nomination committee that chose who would be honored this year.

7:15: 45 minutes until doors open! Sound check is in progress and the bar is starting to light up with drinks. The Highdive is really decked out tonight folks, make sure you stop by for this FREE show!

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