The 2013 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards ceremony/party late last month at Covington’s Madison Theater was filmed on high-quality video and this Saturday, for the first time in the 16-year history of the CEAs, fans who want to relive the performances and presentations (or those who missed it altogether) will have a chance to watch the show on television.

The show includes the short but very sweet live sets from Bad Veins’ Ben Davis, The Dopamines, Gold Shoes, Ricky Nye, Jess Lamb and Culture Queer, as well as an all-star presentation of songs from the Come Play the Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams at Herzog EP put together by the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation.

Saturday at 9 p.m., thanks to the Intercommunity Cable Regulatory Commission, the full show will be aired on ICRC TV, available in select communities in the Cincinnati area via Time Warner Cable channel 4. The show will be rebroadcast on the same channel Monday at 8:30 p.m., March 1 at 10 p.m. and March 2 at noon. (Check here — in the column on the left — to see if the broadcast is available in your area.)

For those in Cincinnati proper, you can watch the CEAs on Time Warner channel 24 on Feb. 27 and on March 6 at 9 a.m. A Northern Kentucky broadcast is also in the works, as is the ability to watch the program online. Stay tuned to this here music blog for the latest updates.

If those air times don’t work for you, you can also purchase a copy on DVD. Simply email melissa@icrctv.com to inquire about delivery and prices. (Program reference number is 16534.) To relive the ceremony in photos and words, click here.

On Sunday night, hundreds of local musicians — as well as the many of the fans who love them — had Covington's Madison Theater packed to capacity to celebrate the 16th annual Cincinnati Entertainment Awards.

It was another love fest, as the music, laughs, camaraderie and drinks flowed throughout the tight three-hour ceremony/party CityBeat founded over a decade and a half ago as a means of honoring Greater Cincinnati's music makers (and, originally, local theater artists and productions).

Though it has lessened over the years as more people have grown to understand the CEAs better, there is still plenty of griping about the awards every year. The vast majority of complaints are about who gets nominated. It's understandable in light of the talent that is overlooked annually. Having so many talented and deserving artists in our city making quality music is a good problem to have. But if every worthy musical act in the Tri-State area were to be nominated for a CEA each year, the categories would include dozens of nominees and the show itself would have to be a sleepover affair. You think the Oscars are too long? Sit through one 16-hour CEA show and you'll be begging for a witty Billy Crystal musical number.

Like every year, the sport of CEA bashing is quickly forgotten once inside the venue for the ceremony. The awards celebration is the one time of the year where fellow musicians from every genre — some friends already, some friends-to-be, others perhaps only known via social media messages — gather in one place. There doesn't seem to be a ton of competitive spite within our music scene and the musicians I've talked and worked with, for the most part, are always pretty down to earth. (As if on cue, the griping returned right after the show — a comment on Sunday night's blog post featuring the winners of this year's awards deemed the whole program an embarrassment. Sixteen years of my life, wasted! Oh, anonymous trolls, where would you be without the internet?)

The CEAs can't help but become a communal love fest. (Yes, the drinking probably helps this quite a bit, as well.) In general, there seems to be a lot of internal support amongst local musicians, and it feels like external support and appreciation (outside of jerky, anonymous comments) is on an upswing. The CEAs are always a great reflection of that community spirit.

Ben Davis of Indie Pop duo Bad Veins kicked off the CEAs with his trademark taped accompaniment, but without bandmate, drummer Sebastien Schultz. Davis' performance was still compelling, capped off by that timeless ode to magic and mystery, The Muppets' chestnut, "Rainbow Connection." The singer/multi-instrumentalist set the tone (and the bar) for the night's performances, which included plenty of revelations and some fun, novel surprises.

Those unexpected moments are always the performance highlights of any awards show and this year's CEA lineup and production provided loads of highlights. Local Boogie Woogie torchbearer Ricky Nye rumbled through a great set of rollicking Blues, building up to a cool collaborative climax as Blake Taylor and Jonathan Reynolds of fellow CEA "Blues" category nominees 46 Long joined the pianist/singer. Nye and 46 Long had been embroiled in a mock online feud leading up to the show. Music heals! (Nye ended up winning the category.)

International Punk sensations The Dopamines gave the show a jolt with their explosive performance, launching into Guided By Voices' "A Salty Salute," but only after bassist Jon Weiner managed to insult nerds and "old fucks" in his introduction (they're "Punk," he reminded everyone later). From there, the trio launched into a mini-set of their own adrenalized anthems with fiery swagger. Fans were made.

The same can be said for singer Jess Lamb, the soulful vocalist who wowed the crowd with a few hypnotic songs, joined by her guitarist and bassist (who doubled on throbbing kick-drum). The sparse set-up belied the soaring sounds conjured, guided by Lamb's remarkable voice. Lamb was nominated for a CEA in the R&B/Funk/Soul category, a testament to her unique sound, which comes closer to resembling Florence and the Machine than, say, Usher. We may need to create an "Alternative/Soul/Rock" category to accommodate Lamb next year.

The Hip Hop/Rock band Gold Shoes are also keen hybridizers, and their CEA performance was a great display of the group's unique spin on Hip Hop fusion. The band provides a dynamic backdrop that's spiced with elements of Funk, Rock, Pop, Jazz and beyond. But the group isn't just providing a playground for frontman Buggs Tha Rocka to unleash his tight, captivating flow. The group writes melodic songs with strong, unique chorus hooks. Their CEA performance was a clinic on how to combine Hip Hop with other types of music without sounding like a cheap Pop grab (" … featuring Adam Lavine!"), Gym Class Heroes or, God help us all, Limp Bizkit.

The Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation, which provided a great experience for VIP ticket buyers in the balcony, reminded everyone of the Queen City's place in shaping popular music with a segment presented by the group's president, musician Marvin Hawkins. After talking a bit about the organization's plans to continue honoring the area's rich musical past in 2013 (expect a lot of King Records-related events in honor of the locally-based groundbreaking label's 70th anniversary), Hawkins joined a host of local Roots musicians for a spin through a pair of songs from the recent collection, The Lost Notebooks of Hank Williams, a project spearhead by Bob Dylan that involved writing songs from a cache of unearthed lyrics written by the American music icon. The all-star band assembled — including Magnolia Mountain's Mark Utley and Renee Frye, David Rhodes Brown and Sylvia Mitchell — expertly played songs they had recorded at the Music Heritage Foundation's downtown headquarters, in the same space once occupied by Herzog studios, the site where Williams recorded "Lovesick Blues" and other classics.

The CEA show itself ran smoothly and first-time host Ted Clark proved to be a great fit for the show. Clark's deadpan, sardonic humor — familiar to those who flock to his "live talk shows" at MOTR Pub — was reminiscent of Zach Galifianakis and sometimes he had great lines that were maybe to subtle for the CEA's "party atmosphere." But from those of us paying attention — bravo, Mr. Clark.

There was an array of entertaining acceptance styles from the winners, ranging from choked-up and sincere to pumped-up and enthusiastic to more matter-of-fact. Wussy had a huge night, taking home the Album of the Year (for Strawberry) and Artist of the Year CEAs, capped by some funny lines while accepting. Drummer Joe Klug joked that, for anyone doubting they deserved the Artist award, Wussy "played Little Rock, Ark., four times in the past year."

The award presenters — a collection of local music supporters and personalities, mostly from radio and press outlets, as well as sponsor reps — did a great job hammering home the "support local music" message of the CEAs' mission. But presenter and CityBeat Arts and Culture Editor Jac Kern provided one of the funniest bits in CEA history with her tribute to Beyonce — via a soon-cut-off lip-synced performance of the National Anthem.

Culture Queer capped off the show (or warmed up the after party?) with a set that captured the fun of the night, rocking out a trio of quirky, animated Electro Indie Art Pop gems with their trademark film backdrop. The sprightly CEA trophy hostesses came out for some dancing on finale "Born Again," their funky get-ups matching CQ's twitchy, offbeat anthem — and the jubilant, colorful energy of the entire night — perfectly.

Click here to see who won what and here for some photos from the event. The CEAs were filmed this year and will be airing on local cable soon. Keep an eye on this blog for dates and times. 

Last Friday at Bogart's, CityBeat and the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards presented a showcase featuring some of the best new local bands of 2012. (Check out some pics from the event here.) This coming week, four brand-new acts (featuring musicians from other established groups) will be playing their first shows ever. Here's a round-up of the new bands (possible nominees for next year's CEAs?) debuting.  

• Joey Cook of Indie Pop greats Pomegranates has a new solo project called Danny and His Fantasy. Cook — who also headed up the side project Firs and has done a few solo shows with friends and bandmates — leaked the great track below via YouTube a couple of weeks ago. The piano-laden track "Too Out of Touch" is a great slice of dancey and wonderfully melodic Pop, highlighted by Cook's soulful falsetto, that wouldn't be out of place on an of Montreal record.



Danny and His Fantasy's debut show is this Friday at Mayday in Northside. Cook will be joined at the free show by Phil Cogley, the Indie Pop maestro from Columbus who performs under the name The Saturday Giant. Cogley's been making waves from our state's capitol, recently earning a slot on Columbus Alive's annual list of "Bands to Watch" for 2013. Locals Speaking Suns also perform.

• Also Friday, Pop Goes the Evil plays its first live show. The new crew debuts at MOTR Pub, playing a free show with Indiana rockers Left Lane Cruiser. Pop Goes the Evil is fronted by singer/guitarist Lucas Frazier, formerly of the popular, kick-ass local Rock outfit The Dukes Are Dead. The new group — rounded out by drummer Jordin Goff (also of The Yugos) and bassist Evan Roberts (organist for heavy local band Grey Host) — has issued a couple of great music videos, showcasing a swaggering, energized Pop/Rock sound that's not chasing any trends, opting instead for a more timeless appeal.

Here's the second single from Pop Goes the Evil, "Golden Apple."

Pop Goes the Evil "Golden Apple" Official Music Video from POP GOES THE EVIL on Vimeo.

The polls have closed on voting for the 16th annual Cincinnati Entertainment Awards, the ceremony/party for which returns to Covington's Madison Theater on Jan. 27. Indie Pop greats Culture Queer were added to the CEA performance lineup today, joining Bad Veins, Ricky Nye, Gold Shoes, The Dopamines, Jess Lamb and a special collaboration put together by the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation.

While you can no longer vote online for your favorite local musicians, you can still have a say in one last category. The CEA New Music Showcase takes place Friday at Bogart's and, if you attend, you'll be able to vote for the "New Artist of the Year" CEA. The show will feature sets by New Artist nominees Jeremy Pinnell and the 55’s, DAAP Girls, Ohio Knife, The Natives, Public and Heavy Hinges (nominee R. Ring was unable to perform). Audience members will be asked to vote for who they thought did best and those total tallies will be weighted by votes from the CEA nominating committee to determine the ultimate winner.

You can do some pre-show prep and pick up this week's CityBeat to read our special cover story package about this year's "New Artist of the Year" CEA nominees, with profiles on each artist. Click here to read the intro and you can click on the band names below to check out each artists' feature article. 

Below are a few audio tracks and videos from each nominee, so you can be even further prepared to vote wisely Friday night.

• Heavy Hinges is one of several New Artist of the Year nominees that contains several familiar faces. The Rock/Soul/Funk/Jazz/Gospel/Roots hybrid the band pimps was crafted after popular band Buckra called it quits following a dozen years of  local music service. Buckra's guitarist/singer Dylan Speeg and bassist Andrew Laudeman formed Heavy Hinges in early 2012 with guitarist Jeremy Singer (also currently in Jimmelegs) and drummer Brian Williamson, both also experienced local players. Rounding the band out is relative newcomer, singer/ukulele player Maya Banatwala.

As expected in a field of New Artists, there isn't a ton of recorded material available from most of the groups. Heavy Hinges may have the least amount, but here's a cool promo video for an October show that includes a lo-fi Heavy Hinges recording as its soundtrack.



• Ohio Knife is the Indie Rock duo featuring drummer Joe Suer and singer/guitarist Jason Snell, who first teamed up in the late ’90s in the six-piece band Readymaid. After that group split up, Snell launched The Chocolate Horse, a project intended to be more compact, with fewer members in order to keep things more manageable creatively and logistically. The Horse eventually became complicated, as well, so Snell and Suer (along with mostly studio-only keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist Andrew Higley, another former Readymaid and Chocolate Horse member who now works recording sessions in Nashville) stripped down even more and formed Ohio Knife. The size of the project wasn't the only thing that was different for Snell this time around; he and Suer (who's played in Cincy bands like Caterpillar Tracks and others since the Readymaid split) play a hard-charging brand of melodic Rock, partially inspired by the Grunge bands Snell grew up listening to. The EP Ohio Knife is OK! was released by Detroit's Fountain Records right as the duo launched and Ohio Knife's second show ever was on the streets of Austin, Tex., where they were participating in a art/branding project with local company Landor at SXSW (footage from the trip formed the basis for an expansive, artsy window display in the downtown Shillito's building). Ohio Knife is looking to put out a full-length in the new year.

Here's the Ohio Knife video for the song "Going Down."



• Jeremy Pinnell and the 55s bring a Honky Tonk flavor to the CEA's New Artist category this year. Singer/acoustic guitarist Pinnell proved himself to be one of the area's best songwriters in previous projects like The Light Wires and The Brothers and The Sisters, roots-tinged outfits that suited Pinnell's penetratingly melancholic tunes perfectly. For the 55s, Pinnell reteamed with old high school pal Cameron Cochran, who also plays in Pop Empire and previously was in the excellent Folk duo The Sheds, to form a group that performed in the style of raw, vintage Country, like George Jones or Waylon Jennings. Rounded out by drummer Chris Alley and bassist Ben Franks, the 55s were a steady presence in the clubs in 2012, growing a loyal following in a relatively short period of time.

The 55s have no releases out (there are plans for an LP soon, though), but there is some great live footage of the band shot for the one-shot video project, The Emery Sessions (which Cochran helped organize and record). Here is Jeremy Pinnell and the 55s performing "Back Home" at Over-the-Rhine's historic Emery Theatre.



• If The Natives — a gifted local Hip Hop "band," that performs with live instrumentation — would have come out in the early ’90s, it would have taken them five years to accumulate the amount of music videos and audio releases they managed to released in 2012. Ah, technology. Even better, The Natives are creative and adventurous, so all of the work released is of extremely high quality. Oh and it's all available online for free. The band released two LPs in 2012 — the mixtape-styled Coup d'etat and the more artist- and song-oriented Native America. The Natives also collaborated on numerous pro videos for tracks from the albums, kicking off 2013 with the below clip for "So Much." The Natives will be working on members' solo projects to start 2013, so catch the group in action Friday, while you still can.



• DAAP Girls played it coy when first hitting the local club circuit, leaving an air of mystery surrounding just who was in the band before they played their first show. Fans would soon discover that DAAP Girls were really dudes! And familiar ones to local music followers. Featuring members of The Lions Rampant and Newport Secret Six, DAAP Girls play a groovy, dance-friendly brand of Indie Rock that manages to sound both contemporary and vintage. The lack of much information about the DAAP Girls online has fed the mystery, but it's also partially because the perfectionist members wanted to take their time releasing recorded material. There's a light on the horizon, though, for those who've been craving a take-home version of DAAP Girls — the band's Tape Songs will be released a little later this year. Below is the public's first taste of the album in a great music video for "Kate."



• The trio Public is the newest of the "New Artist of the Year" nominees. Though not far removed from high school graduation, the band already has a tight, masterful AltRock sound that should take them far. The three high school pals are talented musicians inspired by the likes of Muse, Led Zeppelin and The Killers. Public has released just one EP, Red, but it's a wildly impressive start. The songwriting and performance skills exhibited on Red (on which you can also hear touches of The Strokes and Modest Mouse) give one an indication that Public's just getting started and future work might be scarily good. Just last month, Public debuted the music video for the EP's "Castle in the Sky."



• Though not eligible for your vote Friday because they had to decline the invitation to play the New Music Showcase due to scheduling conflicts, be sure to read up on R. Ring. The duo teams local guitarist/singer/songwriter/engineer Mike Montgomery with Dayton, Ohio music hero Kelley Deal. After meeting during a recording session, R. Ring was formed to help Montgomery get over some stage fright about playing a solo show. Though they didn't do the usual "let's get signed!" hustle and bustle, intending to keep the project casual, their unique style quickly began to gain attention. R. Ring played South By Southwest last year and have a European tour on the schedule for this March, though activity will largely have to be routed around Deal's other big 2013 adventure — a world tour with sister Kim to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their band The Breeders' seminal Last Splash album. There isn't a lot of recorded material available yet, since R. Ring has officially only released one 7-inch single, but you can check out their Daytrotter session here. Below is the A-side of R. Ring's  single, "Fallout & Fire," which showcases the twosome's sparse, hypnotic approach.



Friday's New Music Showcase at Bogart's starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are $7.

• Combining some of the idiosyncrasies of modern Indie Folk with uplifting Pop melodies, Chamber music arrangements and an Americana grab-bag of various other influences, the trio Plume Giant makes a glorious noise that is buoyed by the clever, collaborative songwriting, as well as the trio’s vocal chops, which add a slanted, colorful layer to the group’s sound via frequent and flawless harmonies. The threesome — which formed after meeting each other while attending Yale —  makes this glorious noise with fairly spare acoustic instrumentation (Oliver Hill plays guitar guitar and viola, Nolan Green plays guitar and harmonium and Eliza Bagg plays violin, harmonium and various other instruments). But the sound of the group’s recent debut full-length, Callithump, is full-bodied and far from minimalistic. On the dynamic 2012 release, the trio explores traditional Appalachian music, swingin’ Jazz, Tin Pan Alley pomp and breezy Folk Pop, but all of it is filtered through Plume Giant’s distinctive vision, with hints of the avant-garde beneath the inescapable harmonies and lovely aura.

The now Brooklyn-based trio performs a free show tonight in Over-the-Rhine at MOTR Pub with like-minded Cincinnati-based Chamber Folk ensemble The Happy Maladies. Showtime is 9 p.m.

Here is Plume Giant's smile-inducing "We Got It Made" video from their debut LP, followed by The Happy Maladies' "New Again," taken from The Emery Sessions live music video series. The Maladies' song is the title track off their 2012 release, which was nominated for "Album of the Year" at the upcoming Cincinnati Entertainment Awards.





• At the Southgate House Revival in Newport tonight, Indianapolis progressive Bluegrass group Flatland Harmony Experiment performs a free, 10 p.m. show in the venue's "Lounge." Formed just a couple of summers ago, FHE has toured the region regularly, found success on radio outlets and through online Bluegrass/Americana/Folk music channels and are seemingly on their way to becoming an even bigger presence on the national festival circuit (in June, the trio will compete at the 40th Annual Telluride Bluegrass Band Competition). The trio (Scott Nelson on upright bass, Kris Potts on Mandolin and Johnny Plott on banjo) uses the tools of traditional Bluegrass and the members clearly have a firm grasp on the music's rich history (not to mention some delicious chops and textured harmonies that'll send a shiver), but they let the songwriting go wherever their contemporary minds might take it. Fans of groups like Yonder Mountain String Band, Leftover Salmon and The Infamous Stringdusters will love this Experiment.

Last year, the string band released its debut full-length, On Our Way. Here's the album's "Secret in the Seams":

This Friday at Bogart's, the nominees in the "New Artist of the Year" category in this year's Cincinnati Entertainment Awards will perform at Bogart's for CityBeat's first New Music Showcase. Showtime is 8 p.m. and you can get tickets for $7 at the Bogart's box office (or here if you'd like to pay the ticketing fees). Proceeds from the show benefit the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation.

All seven 'New Artist' nominees will be featured in a special music edition of CityBeat out this Wednesday, with profiles of each nominee, including R. Ring, who are unable to perform Friday's showcase.

The show will feature sets from Jeremy Pinnell and the 55s, DAAP Girls, Ohio Knife, The Natives, Public and Heavy Hinges. The audience will cast ballots for their favorites; that cumulative score will be weighted by the votes of the CEA committee members.

By coincidence, two of the artists performing at Bogart's on Friday — groovy Indie rockers DAAP Girls and tight Hip Hop band The Natives — have brand new music videos out.

DAAP Girls — featuring members of The Lions Rampant and Newport Secret Six — are set to release their new album, Tape Songs, on Feb. 23 with a release party scheduled for Over-the-Rhine's The Drinkery. Each song on the album has a woman's name for the title. The band's first music video is for "Kate," which debuted this morning. Check it below.



Cincinnati Hip Hop band The Natives' new video is for the track "So Much," off of Coup D'etat, one of two releases (and numerous videos) from the group last year. The Natives had a very active 2012 as a group; in 2013, they'll stay just as busy, though they'll be focusing on completing some of the members' solo projects. Here's the clip for "So Much."



Public voting for the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards ends tomorrow at midnight, so have your voice heard and vote right now if you haven't yet. Click here to cast your ballot.

The Cincinnati Entertainment Awards ceremony is Sunday, Jan. 27, at Madison Theater in Covington. The full lineup of performers will be announced soon. Click here to get your CEA show tickets.

Voting for Greater Cincinnati's annual celebration of our amazing local music scene, the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards, is now open. Vote for your faves or, even better, do some research online, check out all of the nominees and THEN pick who you think is most deserving.

Click here to get started on your ballot.

The 16th annual CEA ceremony will be held at Covington’s Madison Theater on Jan. 27, featuring more live performances than ever and first-time host Ted Clark, known for his monthly “live chat show” Ted Clark After Dark. Ted will present a special edition of Ted Clark After Dark at the after-party, this year held at The Loft, just around the corner from the Madison and above Tickets (the former home to the Rock club Radio Down). The after-party will also include the annual “Fashion Trashies,” presented by members of local Indie Pop legends The Fairmount Girls and honoring the best/worst/weirdest-dressed CEA attendees.

Tickets to the Jan. 27 ceremony/party will go on sale this coming Wednesday through CincyTicket.com. Proceeds from ticket sales are being donated the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation.

Another new aspect of this year’s CEAs involves the “New Artist of the Year” nominees. The acts nominated in that category will perform at the first-ever CEA new music showcase at Bogart’s on Jan. 18 (confirmations pending). Audience votes at the event will help determine the winner of the category, along with votes from the nominating committee (who also choose the Album and Artist of the Year winners).

Tickets for the new music showcase will go sale soon through Ticketmaster.

Now, a few words on "the process." Since the nominees were announced on Wednesday, I've received several queries asking "How do I get nominated for a CEA?" from various artists and/or their representatives.

It's the same answer found in the old joke, "How do you get to Carnegie Hall?"

Practice. And also work hard and keep spreading the word about your awesome music.

As has been the case in the entire the 16-year existence of the CEAs (and as has been noted every year in our coverage of the event, including this year), a nominating committee is assembled each year to determine the CEA nominees. These include writers, promoters, club owners, local-music radio hosts and others whose opinion on local music-makers we trust. This year's committee included approximately 40 such people. We try our best to include those whose expertise is either wide-ranging or specific to a particular genre represented in the CEA categories. (Judges do not have votes counted if they're cast for an artist with whom the judge directly works.)

This year, invitations to participate in the nominating process were sent out to nearly 70 people, so obviously certain experts declined to participate, missed the deadline for nominees or just ignored our request.

The committee is asked to nominate up to three artists per category who caught their eyes and ears this past year. The only guidelines are that the artists should have been active in the past 365 days, the nominees should be largely original (though certainly talented, straight-up "cover bands" are generally not eligible) and the judges are also instructed to give special consideration to any act that has released new recorded material in that same time-frame.

The CEA nominating judges are listed in the CEA "program" annually. I will not release their names here because I've personally received many rude or stupid emails telling me what an idiot I am for not nominating "fill in the blank." The nominating committee was kind enough to participate; I don't want to open any of them up to such haranguing and harassment.

Finally, I'd just like to say that every year there are TONS of really great acts that deserve a nomination but don't get one. It's not personal. It's not "political." It's not "who you know." It's simply a matter of time and space. If every artist who deserved a nomination got one, the CEA show itself would run 16 hours — and that's just to read the nominations for each category.

I agree to some extent that award shows like these are a little frivolous and that the process for nominations isn't perfect. It never is, for any awards show. We have thought about letting the public nominate the artists (a la the long-gone "CAMMY" awards presented by The Enquirer), but ultimately feel that the way the CEA process is set up works best. Because, ultimately, whoever wins their category is going to deserve it.

Though we take the process seriously, we've always thought of the CEAs as more of a celebration than a contest. I invite you to think of it the same way and join us for the show, whether you were nominated or not. The CEAs are for the ENTIRE Greater Cincinnati music scene. The awards are just a good excuse to get everyone together. Instead of being a sore sport about your lack of attention, come out and congratulate and party with your fellow nominees.

Right around Thanksgiving time, CityBeat began to receive several queries via email, Twitter and Facebook, all essentially asking, "What the hell happened to the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards?"

CityBeat's annual celebration of Greater Cincinnati's best original music had been held for 15 years on the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The reasoning was that musicians who tour a lot would hopefully be home for the ceremony and regular weekly giggers might be less likely to have an every-Sunday residency. Also, we thought, perhaps the holiday timing would allow us to nab a few of the city's favorite sons and daughters (Jerry Springer? SJP? Any Lachey we could get our hands on?) as presenters.

In the end, the timing of the ceremony never really had much effect. We did have Jerry Springer — via video tape from Chicago — at the very first CEAs (held at the old Sycamore Gardens in Over-the-Rhine), but the video malfunctioned. Maybe it was an omen. We also spent many years attempting to lure the Isley Brothers to perform and be inducted into the CEA Hall of Fame, but the Isleys haven't been "local" in almost half a century, so the Thanksgiving timing was irrelevant (and the Isleys would have cost a fortune to bring to town).

We also discovered those hard-touring musicians tour so hard, having an off day the Sunday before Thanksgiving is hardly a given. Last year, for example, Artist of the Year winners Walk the Moon were on the road and unable to attend (though they still created one of the show's better moments by having their mothers accept on their behalf).

Having the ceremony in November was also a hassle once CityBeat acquired the MidPoint Music Festival, which occurs annually in late September. The CEAs bumped up a little too close to MPMF, making the organization of the awards a hectic endeavor.

So, starting with the 2012 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards, the ceremony will now be held in January. This change allows our staff to fully focus on the CEAs without battling MPMF fatigue. And it creates an easier-to-track window for nomination consideration. In the future, the Album of the Year category's eligibility timeframe will be anything released that year. Previously, the timeframe was approximately October of the previous year to October of the current year. (This year, eligibility will be extended to anything released in 2012, but also includes releases that came out October-December 2011.)

The 16th annual Cincinnati Entertainment Awards ceremony will be held at Covington's Madison Theater on Jan. 27. This year's host will be the very funny Ted Clark, who is also making plans to do his popular "live talk show" at the after-party (read more about Ted here). And there will be more live performances at the CEA ceremony than ever before. Ticket info, the lineup of performers and more details will be released soon.

(Let's get this out of the way right up front, since the Northern Ky. locale always gets mocked every year — yes, the "2012" "Cincinnati" Entertainment Awards will be held in Covington in 2013. How odd!)

Another new wrinkle for the CEAs this year will be a live showcase of the "New Artist of the Year" nominees; the winner of the category (normally decided by the nominating committee) will be largely determined by audience vote at the showcase, which is scheduled for Friday, Jan. 18 at Bogart's. More details to come.

The 2012 CEA nominees — determined by a large pool of local music experts, including writers, bloggers, club owners, radio show hosts and others (this year's committee is the largest yet) — will be announced Dec. 12. The ballot will go live at citybeat.com and then it's up to you. Fan voting determines all categories except for the "Critical Achievement" ones — Artist of the Year, Album of the Year — which are voted on by the committee.

Stay tuned for many more CEA announcements to come. And visit citybeat.com's CEA page here for a look at past nominees, winners and more.

Last night at Covington's Madison Theater, the 15th annual Cincinnati Entertainment Awards ceremony once again brought together people from all facets of the Greater Cincinnati music scene and gave them one hell of a party. Along with offering one of the best people-watching experiences of the year, the packed crowd in attendance was treated to great "mini-sets" (usualy about three tunes) from local bands Pomegranates (who also played the event's after-party at the nearby Mad Hatter), Young Heirlooms, Los Honchos, Two Headed Dog and Wussy, who closed the night out with songs from their recently released fourth album, Strawberry.

"Thanks for voting for us," Wussy's guitarist/vocalist Chuck Cleaver deadpanned as they began.

While Strawberry is among the (if not the) best albums released in 2011 so far, it missed the cut-off to be nominated for a 2011 CEA. (To be in the running, albums had to have been released between early Oct. 2010 and Oct. 2011.) Maybe (probably) next year, Wussy!---

Twenty different acts took home a groovy CEA plaque last night — 2011 was a rare year without any multiple award winners.

Another unique thing about this year's ceremony — it was the first time there were so many CEA winners unable to attend and accept their awards because they were busy touring (resulting in the now-familiar routine of waiting patiently, asking "Are they here?" and then waiting a little more until someone — anyone —  finally comes up and accepts the award on the performer's behalf). Bluegrass winners Rumpke Mountain Boys were in Colorado to do several show dates. Best Live Act victors Foxy Shazam practically live on the road these days, touring internationally well over half the year — last night they were rocking in the U.K. on a tour with The Darkness. And DJ Clockwork, the Hip Hop trophy winner, was out traveling as the tour DJ for superstar-in-waiting Mac Miller.

The 2011 CEA winner for Artist of the Year, Walk the Moon, actually perform a big homecoming show at the Madison Theater this Friday, but last night they were in Chicago to perform at the venue Metro with buzz band Fitz and the Tantrums. In one of those moments that'll likely end up a defining memory of the 15th CEA show, the new RCA recording artists;' mothers took to the stage when WtM's name was called for the final award of the night. With huge, proud grins, the moms happily accepted on the band's behalf.

Here's the full list of winners:

Bluegrass: Rumpke Mountain Boys
Country: Tex Schramm and the Radio King Cowboys
Folk/Americana:David Rhodes Brown
World/Reggae: The Cliftones
Rock: The Kickaways
Hard Rock: Banderas
Metal/Hardcore: Mala In Se
Singer/songwriter: Josh Eagle
Alternative/Indie: The Seedy Seeds
Punk/Post Punk: The Dopamines
Blues: Voodoo Puppet
R&B/Funk/Soul: The Cincy Brass
Jazz: The Faux Frenchmen
Hip Hop: DJ Clockwork
Electronic: Pop Empire
Best Musical Ambassador: Foxy Shazam
Best Live Act: 500 Miles to Memphis
New Artist of the Year: SHADOWRAPTR
Album of the Year: Brian Olive - Two of Everything
Artist of the Year: Walk the Moon

Find a ton of CEA photos here.

The proceeds from the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards (coming up this Sunday at Covington's Madison Theater) have been donated to various music-affiliated charities over the years. For the 2011 edition, money from the show will again be given to the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation. The non-profit organization has spent the past few years shining the spotlight on Cincinnati’s rich, often-overlooked musical past, reiterating the Queen City’s vital role in the development of so much popular music. CUSAMHF launches its inaugural membership drive with this year’s CEAs. VIP tickets for the CEA ceremony this year are $50 (click here to purchase) and include membership in the CUSAMHF’s Funky Drummer Society, named for the beat of James Brown’s “The Funky Drummer,” one of the most used drum samples in music history. ---

VIP ticket-holders gets some cool perks Sunday, including admission to the pre-party, where locals DJs Pillo and Apryl Reign will riff on the "Funky Drummer" beat, free food and drinks, an advance copy of The Dallas Moore Band's Hank to Thank tribute album with Jody Payne (recorded at the site of Herzog studio, where Hank Williams recorded "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" and other classics) and a card honoring the 60th anniversary of Tiny Bradshaw's historic song "Train Kept a-Rollin,'" autographed by King session drummer Philip Paul.

VIPers also receive a one-year membership to The Funky Drummer Society, which includes access to special, free music downloads and streams, invites and discounts for CUSAMHF (and other) events and much more. (If you can't make the CEAs but would still look to join, click here for details).

CUSAMHF’s latest activities offer a great example of the organization’s mission of bridging local music’s past, present and future, a goal shared by the CEAs and CityBeat. In a collaborative effort with the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, a special interactive educational program was developed, aiming to teach young students just how important Cincinnati’s musical history is in relation to the music they know and love today. The unique class (the first such program from the curators of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, who'll participate remotely) will be presented for the first time this Friday at the WCET studios for an invite-only audience, including students from SCPA and Cincinnati State. 

If you purchase a CEA VIP ticket by this Wednesday, you'll be entered into a raffle for a seat at the Rock Hall's King Records presentation.

More and more locals (and non-locals) are becoming aware of the city's rich heritage thanks to CUSAMHF’s work to honor such iconic musical institutions as King Records (the local facility that released seminal recordings by many R&B and Country/Roots legends) and Herzog recording studios. CUSAMHF (which counts the legendary Bootsy Collins among its board members) is now headquartered downtown at the site of the former Herzog facilities and the group was instrumental in having an historical marker placed in front of the building where Hank Williams and countless others recorded some of the music world’s most important tracks.

CEA 2011

A good party needs good music and the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards ceremony has annually featured some of the best music being made in Greater Cincinnati. This year's show at the Madison Theater on Nov. 20 will be no exception. Performers for this year's CEAs will include Wussy, Pomegranates and New Artist of the Year nominees Two Headed Dog (pictured), with more to be added (we'll keep you posted). Click below for more details on the show. And if you haven't voted for your favorite local musical acts yet, what are you waiting for? Deadline for votes is this Friday at noon. Click here to cast your ballot. And go here to get your tickets to the show. ---

(From the CEA.11 ceremony press release:)

Sunday November 20, The Madison Theater will host the 15th annual Cincinnati Entertainment Awards. Doors and Red Carpet festivities will open at 6pm with a 7pm showtime. Tickets are $17 advance, $20 day of show. Proceeds benefit the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation.

The CEAs are happy to announce the return of the Trashie Fashion Awards presented by Fairmount Girls. Starting at 6pm on the Red Carpet, the Fairmount Girls eyes for fashion, sex appeal and drama will be accessing. The Red Carpet proceedings will again be shown live on the Madison Theater stage video screen. Come ready to either strut your stuff or duck the camera! The Trashie Fashion Award winners will be announced at the CEA Afterparty. 

The CEAs are very excited to have The Mad Hatter as host to the CEA Afterparty. The Mad Hatter has long served as a venue dedicated to supporting local music. Special beer pricing and a warm reception will be waiting for you only a few blocks east of the Madison Theater. The CEA Afterparty is open exclusively to nominees and CEA ticket holders. Live performances TBA!

Experience Cincinnati’s annual local music celebration in VIP style and become an inaugural member of the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation – The Funky Drummer Society.  The Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation (CUSAMHF) is a young non-profit 501c3 group dedicated to celebrating and preserving the region’s rich and diverse music, while nurturing and showcasing emerging talents. In honor of the 42nd anniversary of “The Funky Drummer” CUSAMHF will open its doors to members and declare Cincinnati not only where rock-n-roll was conceived, but the most-sampled city in the world. The CEAs are the primary fundraising event for the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation.

Find full VIP details here.

CEA 2011

The nominees for the 15th annual Cincinnati Entertainment Awards music program have been announced and you can vote for your favorites right now. Just click here, make your selection and then make plans to join us on Nov. 20 at the Madison Theater in Covington, where the CEAs will be doled out during what is sure to be another spectacular awards ceremony. Good luck to all the nominees! The full list of this year's nominations is below.---

Tickets for the CEAs are now on sale here.

Bluegrass
Ma Crow and the Lady Slippers
Hickory Robot
Rumpke Mountain Boys
Comet Bluegrass Allstars
The Tadcasters

Country
The Tammy WhyNots
Dallas Moore Band
Kelly Thomas and the Fabulous Pickups
Mack West
Tex Schramm and the Radio King Cowboys

Folk/Americana
Shiny and the Spoon
Magnolia Mountain
Sassy Molasses
The Tillers
Josh Eagle and the Harvest City
David Rhodes Brown

World Music/Reggae
The Pinstripes
Baoku Moses
Newport Secret Six
Tropicoso
Ron Esposito
The Cliftones

Rock
The Guitars
Buffalo Killers
Brian Olive
The Kickaways
The Prohibitionists
The Greenhornes

Hard Rock
Valley of the Sun
Banderas
Two Headed Dog
Atlantis Becoming
Chakras

Metal/Hardcore
Pain Link
Black Tractor
Winterhymn
Mala In Se
Livid
Beneath Oblivion

Singer/Songwriter
Daniel Martin Moore
Kim Taylor
Dusty Bryant
Jason Ludwig
Josh Eagle
Joe Hedges

Alternative/Indie
The Seedy Seeds
Pomegranates
Walk the Moon
The Harlequins
Sacred Spirits
The Chocolate Horse

Punk/Post Punk
Vacation
The Dopamines
The Strongest Proof
SS-20
Situation Red
Weakness

Blues
Leo Clarke
Voodoo Puppet
Them Bones
Zachary Burns Band
The Blue Shivers 

R&B/Funk/Soul
Freekbass
The Cincy Brass
Ricky Nye and the Paris Blues Band
Erica P.
Iolite
Los Honchos

Jazz
The Faux Frenchmen
The Qtet
Art Gore and the Jazz Knights
Mike Wade and the Ambassadors
Brent Gallaher
Phil DeGreg

Hip Hop
D-Maub
Puck
Vincent Vega
DJ Clockwork
Crack Sauce
Trademark Aaron

Electronic
You, You’re Awesome
Dark Colour
Skeetones
Kry Kids
Pop Empire
Eat Sugar

Best Musical Ambassador to the City
Foxy Shazam
Walk the Moon
The Greenhornes
Brian Olive
Buffalo Killers
Pomegranates

Best Live Act
The Dukes Are Dead
Walk the Moon
500 Miles to Memphis
The Seedy Seeds
The Dopamines
The Cincy Brass
Banderas

Critical Achievement Awards
Not open for public vote

New Artist Of the Year
Belle Histoire
Vaudeville Freud
Young Heirlooms
The Tammy WhyNots
The Kickaways
Freekbot
SHADOWRAPTR
The Ready Stance

Album Of The Year
The Seedy Seeds — Verb Noun
Brian Olive — Two of Everything
You You’re Awesome — Good Point, Whoever Said That
Skeetones – Retrospektive
Walk the Moon — i want! i want!
Josh Eagle and the Harvest City — A Good One is Hard to Find
The Guitars — High Action
Shiny and the Spoon — Ferris Wheel 

Artist Of The Year
The Chocolate Horse
Skeetones
Buffalo Killers
The Seedy Seeds
Walk the Moon
Brian Olive
Pomegranates
The Greenhornes

Something (or a few things) unanticipated usually happens at the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards show every year. After all, it's a night where hundreds of local musicians are put together in a room with loud music and multiple cash bars.

But the biggest unexpected element of last night’s CEAs at the Madison Theater in Covington was its runtime. Not only a first for the CEAs but perhaps a first in the history of all awards show, the briskly paced show was over early — in about 2 and a half hours, 30 minutes sooner than expected. Efficient stage management and a more streamlined run of show that kept the focus on live performances and the 19 award presentations (winners listed below) helped the event wrap up in record time.---

Though short on any major production curveballs, there were plenty of revelations, most of them related to the remarkable live sets turned in by each of the night’s performers. The CEA show has a history of highly memorable performances, so the strong showing by the 2010 participants was foreseeable. Masterful showman and Outlaw Country marvel Dallas Moore and his band gave the CEAs a gritty, electric kick in the ass, while Kim Taylor’s always gorgeous and mysterious songs hung in the air elegantly dancing with the smoke.

(Speaking of which, I’m a courteous smoker who does appreciate not having to dash outside for a few puffs and missing parts of the show, but in the spirit of the caring, supportive community unity the CEAs always brings out of local artists on awards night, having the show go non-smoking would be a cordial gesture.)

Two of the nominees for “New Artist of the Year” provided tight, compelling introductions to the many potential new fans that filled the fairly large concert venue. Its second year hosting the event, the Madison (which was pretty packed but refreshingly not sardine-can crowded) again proved to be a great fit for the CEAs’ vibe and set-up. The stage and sound are excellent, showing the performers in their best light — attendees had a vivid view and were able to clearly hear every note being played. It was a great way to experience No No Knots’ layered, spellbinding Art Rock live for the first time; the setting wonderfully illuminated the group’s progressive, multi-hued backdrop of edgy, creative guitar, buoyant beats, electronic undertows and engrossing, radiant melodies from charismatic vocalist Molly Sullivan.

Fellow “New Artist” runners-up (Pop Empire won the category) The Guitars showcased their crisp, classics-informed Pop songs, superbly written nuggets that live up to the members’ avowed inspiration from classic Soul Pop from the ’60s (noticeable in both the arrangements and instrumentation) and also possess some of the vintage hookiness of the better ’60s Brit Invasion popsters (who were largely learning it from those American Soul machines — it’s a musical circle of life).

Foxy Shazam’s Molotov cocktail of a performance was one that would be on the 50th anniversary DVD of Cincinnati Entertainment Awards’ most memorable moments (if we had filmed all 14 years of CEA shows and if we didn’t think we’ll all be watching movies on microchip implants inside of our eyelids by then). Foxy’s animated, high-drama mash-up of Punk force, proud Prog audacity, surrealistic Pop and twisted Broadway musical pomp might not be for everyone, but it’s hard to imagine someone not finding the band’s live show highly entertaining. With perfectly placed horns from funky ensemble The Cincy Brass, the Foxy fellas whirled perpetually in frenzied motion as soon as they hit the first note, their live act being a natural reflection of the cheeky absurdity, maniacal intensity, barely controlled chaos and fearless abandon inherent in their imaginative songwriting (pictured above).

Mustachioed singer Eric Nally — who spoke only in left-field non sequiturs all night — had a bottomless bag of stage move tricks and didn’t hesitate to use all of them (and then some), from being a cymbal stand while the drummer bashed away and riding around on the guitarist’s shoulders to his non-stop dancing and multiple stunts involving the mic and mic stand (James Brown and Lux Interior would have been proud). All of the Foxy members were furry bundles of energy, but keyboardist Sky White came closest to keeping up with Nally’s peacock strutting. While Nally’s mic stand flips and twirls nod to James Brown, White (whose keys are an essential part of Foxy’s unique sound) is like an exaggerated version of another musical performance pioneer: Jerry Lee Lewis. White abused his keyboard (brutally bashing, stomping and standing on the keys) like it was made out of rubber.

It was fitting that Foxy Shazam won their first CEA after they performed and that it was for “Best Live Act.” The group’s live show is undeniable, as everyone in attendance had just seen. The band won a 2010 CEA-high three awards in all, also scoring “Artist of the Year” and “Best Musical Ambassador For the City.”

The show featured a few short segments with updates on some ongoing projects related to Cincinnati’s important musical past, including a presentation about the in-the-works King Records-inspired King Studios, a planned community arts center, education facility, museum and working recording studio in the legendary label’s original Evanston neighborhood. Veteran King session drummer Phillip Paul was part of the presentation and seemed genuinely moved when talking about the “new” King at Xavier University, which he said he was happy to live long enough to see. (Check here for more on King Studios.)

Members of the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation, who helped get historic markers placed at the original King facilities and at the former Herzog studio where Hank Williams (and many other icons) recorded key tracks, took the opportunity to announce their involvement in getting a memorial marker placed on the plaza of the old Riverfront Coliseum in honor of the 11 people who lost their lives in 1979 after being crushed by fans pushing to enter the venue to see The Who. While it might seem to be a different direction for the Heritage group, the tragic incident was a significant event in music history, forever changing security and the way crowds are managed at concerts.

As winners collected their plaques and presenters tore open envelopes with their names on them, there was a common thread in most of what was said on stage. No, not that “George Bush doesn’t care about white people,” as a member of Small Time Crooks said in his acceptance remarks. Repeatedly, artists and presenters talked about what an unusually supportive music community we have in Cincinnati and how lucky we all are to live in a city filled with such consistently strong and uniquely creative musicians. The CEA celebration is the community’s annual reminder to not forget those very things.

Check out the photo gallery from last night for 186 slices of CEA heaven.

Here’s who won what at the 2010 Cincinnati Entertainment Awards:

Alternative/Indie: The Seedy Seeds

Americana/Folk/Roots: The Tillers

Bluegrass: Rumpke Mountain Boys

Blues: Ricky Nye

Country: Dallas Moore Band

Electronic: You, You're Awesome

Hip Hop: Small Time Crooks

Jazz: The Faux Frenchmen

Best Live Act: Foxy Shazam

Metal/Hardcore: I Am the Messenger

Best Musical Ambassador for the City: Foxy Shazam

Punk: Mad Anthony Rock: Banderas

R&B/Funk: Freekbass

Singer/Songwriter: Kim Taylor

World Music: The Pinstripes

New Artist of the Year: Pop Empire

Album of the Year: The Lions Rampant: It's Fun to Do Bad Things

Artist of the Year: Foxy Shazam

(Performance photo of Foxy Shazam by Danny Nader.)

The votes have been cast and counted, the winners’ plaques are being etched as you read this, and now we can all focus on this Sunday’s Cincinnati Entertainment Awards ceremony/concert/party at the Madison Theater in Covington. The CEA program — entering its 14th year of local music exaltation with Sunday’s show — is certainly about who wins what (“Awards” is in the name of the program, after all). But let’s face it — the actual CEA event is what most people are excited about and, barring an alcoholic blackout, what most people will remember most. Of course, a huge part of that is all of the socializing and boozing that goes on. But every year the CEA ceremony has featured some stellar nominee performances and Sunday’s shindig is no different. Below are the artists confirmed to play this year’s event.---

• The eccentric rockers of Foxy Shazam make their CEA performance debut Sunday. The band’s first release for Warner Bros. Records has kept them touring practically non-stop this year, nothing new for the offbeat band, which booked extensive road treks seemingly from its inception. By taking their show to the people, Foxy is selling its strongest asset, a performance style that’s like a Salvador Dali painting of James Brown, Queen and Iggy Pop juggling fire at a carnival run by Rob Zombie and Willy Wonka. Foxy will perform with The Cincy Brass, a funky, New Orleans-style horn ensemble known for its jubilant live show and unexpected cover selections. (Check out CityBeat’s cover story on Foxy here.) Foxy Shazam is nominated this year for three CEAs — “Best Musical Ambassador for the City,” “Best Live Act” and “Artist of the Year” — and The Cincy Brass scored its first nomination this year in the “R&B/Funk” category.

• Musically airtight and a highly entertaining live band, The Pinstripes (nominated in the “World” and “Best Live Act” categories) bring their vintage Ska and Reggae stylings and energetic live show to the CEAs after regrouping with a new guitarist earlier this year. The Pinstripes are currently finishing up a new album (release date TBA).

• Singer/songwriter Kim Taylor’s mesmerizing songwriting and grippingly haunting voice have helped her folksy Pop become a favorite of NPR, Paste magazine and the people who pick songs for placement in TV shows. Though a Florida native, Taylor has been a favorite in the Cincinnati music scene since emerging in the early 2000s. Taylor — whose most recent release is this year’s mesmerizing Little Miracle — won the CEA for “Singer/Songwriter” at last year’s ceremonies and is up for the same award again this year.

• Dallas Moore and his band are the kings of gritty Outlaw Country, with a rocking live set that's slayed audiences regionally and down South, as well as a strong, versatile songwriting prowess that has earned Moore’s releases widespread praise. Moore has an armful of CEA trophies already, including from his win last year in the “Country” category. He’s nominated in the same category this year.

• Nominated for two CEAs (“Rock” and “New Artist of the Year”) in their first year of eligibility, The Guitars contain former members of explosive, abrasive bands like No Arms, No Legs and Death in Graceland. But in this latest guise, the musicians’ passion and musicianship shine as they opt for a finessed brand of Rock steeped in classic ’60s Pop.

• No No Knots have been building a local following with a crafty blend of Electronica, Post Punk, Indie and Dance Rock, powered by singer Molly Sullivan’s exquisitely captivating vocals. The Knots are duking it out for “New Artist of the Year” honors at this year’s CEAs.

Here are a few more of the latest updates related to Sunday’s CEA event:

• The doors at the Madison Theater open at 6 p.m. Sunday and the show kicks off at 7 p.m.

• Tickets can be purchased in advanced at cincyticket.com (here’s a direct link to buy CEA tickets) for $17; they’ll cost you $20 if you wait until the night of the show and buy them at the door. Proceeds go to the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation, an organization that strives to make Cincinnati’s vital contributions to popular music more widely known. The members have been involved in several events promoting the legacy of King Records and Herzog Studios, and this year the group hosted an open-to-the-public recording session (featuring the Dallas Moore Band) in Herzog's former downtown space where Hank Williams recorded some of his early breakthrough hits (and eventual classics).

• Local TV personality Jen Dalton from Local 12 returns as the host of the CEAs. The show is more focused on the performances and award presentations this year, but there will be a few special segments, including an update from the folks working on a new King Records recording studio/educational center at Xavier University and a few words from the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation about the Herzog revival. Also, the winner of the Red MacCormack Recording Grant — which annually provides funds to a local musical act for recording projects — will be announced by local musician and creator of the grant program, Kelly Thomas.

• Also returning is one of the CEA show’s grooviest traditions, the Fashion Trashies. The Trashies were concocted by members of longtime local Indie Pop faves The Fairmount Girls as a campy spoof of those ridiculous “red-carpet” TV specials that mock celebrities attending big-time award shows. The Girls will return to their perch near the Madison Theater’s front door to observe and report on CEA attendees’ fashion hits and misses. The handmade trophies — presented in such categories as “Dapper Dandy,” “Hot Mess,” “Tits Out” and “Should Have Stayed Home” — will be doled out at the after-party. Dress to impress — you never know when a Fairmount Girl might call you out. Check out their Trashies blog (with lots of pics from previous years) here.

• The official after-party — perhaps as anticipated as the actual main event — starts immediately after the show at The Mad Hatter (located just around the corner from the Madison Theater). Though legendary for its debauchery, even sober people usually have a blast at the CEA post-show blowouts. Along with the always-entertaining presentation of the Fashion Trashies (where the lubricated acceptance speeches are usually a bit more colorful … and slurred), the after-party will have live music from The Cincy Brass, followed by what could be another legendary live performance from rockers The Lions Rampant (who are up for four CEAs this year, including “Album of the Year” and “Artist of the Year”). Music at the after-party is scheduled to begin at approximately 10:30 p.m.

• Be sure to check citybeat.com Monday for a list of winners, tons of photos and lots more post-show coverage.

There are plenty of easy ways to explore what Cincinnati's local music scene has to offer. The best ways, of course, involve hitting the clubs and actually purchasing releases put out by local artists. Then there's the new-fangled modern route — thanks to the Net, you can find free streams and downloads of music by practically every artist in the world. But there's another way to discover your potential next favorite local musical act on the cheap, and all you need is a library card.---

Thanks in large part to the efforts of the Cincinnati Public Library's Brian Powers, a reference librarian, the main branch downtown has become a superb resource for local music history — various displays in the past few years have drawn attention to Cincy music's past, from a King Records overview and panel discussion to a photo exhibit of work by local photographers who specialize in shooting musicians. The library has also become an occasional venue for local musicians; during this year's MidPoint Music Festival, it hosted bands in the afternoon and it also has the "Jazz of the Month" club, a monthly showcase featuring live, afternoon performances by local Jazz groups (the series picks up again in February).

But you can also do some exploring of local music's past, present and future between the stacks; the downtown library (and some of the other branches) is stocked with lots of CD releases by local artists. Search the extensive music department catalog and you can find a wide array of local music — everything from classic R&B and Blues (H-Bomb Ferguson, Albert Washington, The Charms, Bootsy Collins) and today's Jazz faves (Steve Schmidt, Phil DeGreg) to pioneering Indie/Alt (The Tigerlilies, The Wolverton Brothers) and current Cincy-affiliated acts doing big things on a national level (The Greenhornes, Heartless Bastards, The National). The library's online catalog allows you to check availability and place holds, so you can find your favorite discs here and have them ready for you when you arrive.

Most recently, Powers coordinated a special display spotlighting this year's Cincinnati Entertainment Awards' "Album of the Year" nominees. That means you can take home nominated albums by The Tillers, 500 Miles to Memphis, Magnolia Mountain, State Song, The Lions Rampant and Kim Taylor (the nominated releases by Eat Sugar and Enlou are digital-only, so you'll still have to buy 'em on iTunes or elsewhere), host a little pre-CEA listening party with your friends and place your bets on which record will take home the trophy when they're doled out Nov. 21 at Covington's Madison Theater. (You can grab your CEA tickets now at this link.)

While a public library isn't often described as "hip" or "cool," Cincinnati's main branch has to be one of the hippest, coolest in the country. Kudos to them for making sure that good local music is accessible to everyone.

Voting in the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards' 16 public categories ends at 5 p.m. today, so if you haven't chimed in yet you're running out of time. Find all the nominees here, including the three critical achievement categories of Artist of the Year, Album of the Year and New Artist of the Year. There's a link to the ballot.---

Tickets are on sale now for Sunday night's 14th annual CEA show at the Madison Theater, featuring live performances by nominees Foxy Shazam, The Cincy Brass, Kim Taylor, The Guitars and Dallas Moore. Check here for further show details and to see previous years' nominees and winners.

It’s hard to believe that the BRINK New Music Showcase will celebrate a decade of spotlighting up-and-coming local music with this Saturday’s event. This year, BRINK becomes a free event and, for the first time, moves from the three stages of the Southgate House to five stages at four venues in Northside (Mayday, Shake It Records, The Comet and Northside Tavern, where both the front-room and back-room stages will be used).---

It may seem self-congratulatory (CityBeat operates BRINK as a cousin-event to the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards), but if you take a look at past BRINK participants, it’s hard to deny that it has been a crystal-ball-ish indicator of future big shots on the local scene. BRINK alumni include The Sundresses, Bad Veins, Kim Taylor, Buffalo Killers, The Lions Rampant, The Tillers, Wussy, The Seedy Seeds, Pomegranates, Daniel Martin Moore and Eat Sugar — all artists that have not only grown large local fanbases but have received national (and sometimes international) attention.

So who from the BRINK Class of 2010 will emerge as Cincinnati’s next great musical export? As George W. Bush likes to say, history will be the judge. But all of them appear to have the potential. Below is the full lineup with Web links (click the artist's name to get there) so you can check ‘em out now before you check ‘em all out Saturday.

NORTHSIDE TAVERN (BACK ROOM)

12 a.m. Pop Empire
Up for the “New Artist” trophy at this year’s Cincinnati Entertainment Awards, Pop Empire is the duo of Cameron Cochran (of The Sheds and Lions Rampant fame) and Henry Wilson. The twosome’s Electro-fied Art Rock/Pop (showcased on the Rainy Child EP, available for free download at the band’s site) was immediately embraced when they debuted at the start of 2010. A full-length is currently in the works.

11 p.m. Soapland
Also battling for the “New Artist” CEA, Soapland features a lineup of local Indie music veterans, including past/present members of Roundhead, The Wolverton Brothers, (in)camera and Viva La Foxx. Our own Brian Baker describes the Electronica-tinged rockers (currently working on an EP release) as “Cindy Wilson of The B-52s fronting the resurrected Flying Lizards and beating Brian Eno with an olive branch.”

10 p.m. The Skeetones
Up for the “New Artist” and “Electronic” CEAs this year, The Skeetones’ organic Electronica (with influence from Dupstep, Downtempo, Hip Hop and Acid House) has garnered the band regional attention (they’ve already been invited to a few big fests based on word-of-mouth acclaim). Though certainly an Electronic act, don’t expect two dudes hiding behind laptops. This is a real band (drums, bass, guitar, keys) with an Electro base from which they build improvised jams. Check the band’s site for a link to a free download of their Techtonics EP.

9 p.m. Acarya
This quartet’s acoustic-based Rock sound has a trance-like pull thanks to the prevalence of World music grooves and the group’s wide-open songwriting. The percussion-heavy band — which also features expressive vocals and even a cello from time to time — is described as “a cross between Led Zeppelin and Rusted Root.”

NORTHSIDE TAVERN (FRONT ROOM)

11:30 p.m. High Heels
High Heels is a project from Austin Brown (formerly frontman for Staggering Statistics), developed when he moved to Berlin. After much recording, the live band (with members of Wussy, Cash Flagg and The Chocolate Horse) made its Cincy debut at this year’s MidPoint Music Festival. Fans who miss the quirky, creative Indie Rock songs Brown wrote for Staggering Statistics will thoroughly enjoy the singer/guitarist’s new kick.

10:30 p.m. Sacred Spirits
When guitarist Josh Kufeldt left Indie Pop heroes Pomegranates due to creative differences, there was little doubt he’d emerge with his own project. Indeed, this summer, Kufeldt and pals Ben Lehman and Sam Cowan formed Sacred Spirits. With an edgier, trippier, somewhat more experimental slant on Indie Pop, the band’s forthcoming debut studio effort was partially recorded in Brooklyn with French Kicks frontman Nick Stumpf.

9:30 p.m. Fake Hands
Fake Hands is a rotating collective with songs that blend Pop elements into a Post Rock base. The band (which features 3-7 players live) has been doing things D.I.Y. style, booking tours throughout the Midwest and East Coast and putting out two releases on their own (their Skeleton Songs EP was picked up for distribution this year by Dedicated Records). The group hopes to have a new cassette-release ready by BRINK.

SHAKE IT RECORDS

10:30 p.m. Painwater
Supergroup, anyone? Painwater is a Folk/Americana project formed by singer/songwriter Wm. “Billy Catfish” Furbee and featuring Wussy’s Chuck Cleaver, The Fairmount Girls’ Melissa Fairmount and Steve Girton, former frontman of Sistern, longtime live and studio engineer and current member of the Fairmounts.

9:30 p.m. Andy Gabbard
When not recording or touring with Buffalo Killers alongside his brother Zach, singer/songwriter/guitarist Andy Gabbard has been performing solo acoustic shows around town with a folksier Pop/Rock edge than the Buffs’ electrifying Psych Rock.

8:30 p.m. The Cincy Brass
One of the more outrageously fun shows of this year’s MidPoint Music Festival was provided by The Cincy Brass, which didn’t fail on their promise of bringing a Mardi Gras-like atmosphere to Arnold’s during their jubilant set. The funky group of horn players is becoming beloved for the members’ arrangements of everything from “When the Saints Go Marching In” to unexpected reworkings of modern Pop songs by the likes of Kanye West, Black Eyed Peas and Lady Gaga.

THE COMET

12:15 a.m. Leopard Messiah
This new five-piece Garage Pop outfit formed last year but spent a lot of time writing and honing their sound before playing live, which they finally did in grand style recently, opening for The Greenhornes’ huge homecoming show. With former members of Eat Sugar, The Griefs, The Vergins and White Girls, plus influences like The Kinks, The Sonics and Love, the band’s first recordings are available now through its Web site.

11:15 p.m. Two Headed Dog
Leopard Messiah’s Ross Dolan might just be the busiest man at BRINK this year besides organizer Dan McCabe, as he’s also playing with his other new band, Two Headed Dog. He’s joined by his former bandmate in The Virgins, singer Victor Valentino, as well as former Thee Shams drummer Andy Fox and bassist Chard Hardwick. “Gritty-grimy-Blues-Psych-Rock music?” they ask on their MySpace bio. Judging from the raw, dirty demo posted, that question gets a big ol’ yes.

10:15 p.m. Monkeytonk
CityBeat’s Brian Baker is a legend in the field of writing clever, insightful blurbs for the MidPoint Music Festival guide, so I’ll defer to him for this one. From this year’s MPMF guide: “MonkeyTonk is a group of obvious Rock & Roll journeymen of a certain age, they’ve clearly paid their dues and now they’re making some fairly glorious Americana that gene splices the swampy electric slink of Sonny Landreth and the balls-out Midwestern chug of John Hiatt, with flecks of Warren Zevon and Little Feat tossed in for good measure.”

9:15 p.m. The Dukes
The Dukes were formed out of the members’ desire to start a no-nonsense, straight-up, gritty and raw Rock & Roll band. They even describe themselves as “the forerunners of the rebirth of Rock & Roll,” taking inspiration from ’60s Rock pioneers and today’s Garage Rock masters.

MAYDAY

1 a.m. The Guitars
Though some of this band's members’ earlier groups were noted for a nihilistic, punkish assault (especially Death in Graceland), The Guitars was formed around a mutual love for ’50s and ’60s Pop music as well as the soulful, creative studio musicians of classic Motown and Phil Spector sessions. While the members all pull time in other bands, they’re staying busy with a few Guitars studio projects which should see the light of day very soon.

12 a.m. The Kickaways
With swaggering energy and unrestrained enthusiasm, The Kickaways sound like they could’ve formed in 1976 and been an early CBGB’s band. But the quartet actually got together initially in February of this year. The band’s self-described “loud, kickass Rock & Roll” should be like crack for fans that miss the raw intensity of the earliest Stooges and Patti Smith Group output.

11 p.m. Shiny Old Soul
This trio features members of the Gregory Morris Band, including Mr. Morris himself on vocals, guitar and “banjitar” (it’s exactly what you think it is), plus drummer Katherine Monnig and bassist Mike Sadoff. The band formed out of the players’ desire to develop a more intimate, rootsier approach, resulting in a jazzy, folksy, acoustic-based Rock sound and lots of gigs on the local club front. The band describes itself thusly: “One part Jazz, one part Folk, one part Punk, one part Rock, but it's really all about the songs.”

10 p.m. Zachary Burns Band
The Zachary Burns Band is just singer/guitarist Burns and drummer Marshall Bertram, but the duo’s full-bodied tornado of Blues and Rock has enough inherent power and soulfulness for an octet. Like that other Ohio Blues duo, The Black Keys (or non-Ohians Led Zeppelin, for that matter), Burns and Bertram take their vintage Blues inspirations and inject them with a fiery, modern spirit.

Last night, the music of Cincinnati — past, present and future — was on glorious display at Covington's Madison Theater. Yes, we realize it's a little weird to have the Cincinnati Entertainment Awards (which celebrated its 13th birthday last night) in Kentucky. But the Madison provided a more casual "Rock & Roll" atmosphere than past years' events, so, just as airport developers did in the ’40s, we've decided to claim Covington as Cincinnati, at least for one night.

The "bar" ambiance (and lack of a smoking ban in Kentucky) kept everyone off the sidewalks and in the venue, though we're certain many woke up this morning with the old "my clothes and hair smell like smoke" complaints. Fear not: Official CEA2010 gasmasks and Hazmat suits are being produced as you read this.---

The Lions Rampant — dressed in war-paint and American-Indian-gone-thrift-shopping attire — opened the night with a sizzling set of raw, bleeding Rock & Soul, setting the swaggering pace for the city's most fun and unique awards program. All of the live performances were top-notch and represented an impressive cross-section of Cincinnati's music scene — from II Juicy's slinky, sassy R&B and You, You're Awesome's Cubist adventures in Electronica to Brian Olive's ’60s-spiked Soul/Rock (featuring a great backing band of local Indie Rock performers, mostly from the band The High & Low), Small Time Crooks' highly entertaining mix of Rock, Hip Hop and Pop and Magnolia Mountain's transcendent take on Americana.

The CEAs have always been about current music-makers and the next wave of new favorites, but Cincinnati's rich and influential music history was also celebrated. Folks from the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation — who earlier in the day helped install a historical marker at 811 Race St., site of the pioneering Herzog studio facilities — talked about Hank Williams' (and others') crucial time spent in Cincinnati recording and also gave props to "Funky Drummer" Clyde Stubblefield, the man whose flawless break-beat on James Brown's Cincy-recorded "The Funky Drummer" gives Cincinnati an important place in Hip Hop history (Stubblefield's beat is the most sampled ever in Hip Hop). Former local politician (and noble arts supporter) Jim Tarbell also updated the audience on the re-birth of King Records as a recording/education/museum facility near Xavier's campus in Evanston.

Click here to check out who won what. Then go here and complain about it (or, if you're a reasonable person, celebrate it).

Slideshow of the Herzog Studio marker dedication and the Music CEAs show.

Public voting for the 13th annual Cincinnati Entertainment Awards for Music ends today at 5 p.m. Check out all the nominees here, and click on the ballot if you haven't already voted. Your vote determines the winners in 16 of the 19 CEA categories.

The 2009 music awards will be handed out Sunday, Nov. 22 at the Madison Theater. The performance lineup is being fine-tuned and will be announced soon. Tickets are $15 in advance and $18 at the door and are available here.---

During the day Nov. 22 the Cincinnati USA Music Heritage Foundation will erect a historical marker in front of 811 Race Street downtown, the building that formerly housed Herzog Studios, where Hank Williams and a host of other Country and Bluegrass stars recorded in the 1940s. Williams recorded one of his signature songs, "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry," at Herzog, which occupied the building's second floor.

The Music Heritage Foundation was behind the effort last year to get the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame to erect a plaque outside of the former King Records studio and offices in Evanston. That marker was dedicated on the afternoon of the 2008 CEA music show, which followed the King Records theme that evening with performances and remarks. It's expected that the 2009 CEA music show will similarly follow the Herzog Records/Hank Williams theme.

Show details will be announced as they're firmed up.