Every rock star has to get a start somewhere, whether it’s a coffee shop, a dive bar, or a backyard party. So will you see the next Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, or Sean Kingston at this year’s New Times Music Awards? Maybe not, but then again, you just might. Either way, judging by last year’s successful inaugural event, this year’s awards will be a smash hit.
In fact, last year’s awards were so successful that the competition has grown to include more categories and the event will be showcased over a four-day period, Aug. 19 through 22.
“We had a really great turnout, everyone had a blast, the performances were amazing, and with that much fun you really can’t help but want to keep it going,” said Bob Rucker, owner of New Times Media Group.
Another change this year is that the contest was open to musicians in the Northern Santa Barbara County area. Plus, this time around, the categories were expanded to allow musicians to compete within their own genres, rather than with everyone as a whole. Organizers hope that by narrowing down the genres, it will not only allow for more accurate judging but also give audiences a chance to support the genre they like most or, hopefully, come out and experience one they’ve never heard before.
If you’re ready to rock, be sure to stop by the performances and awards for the rock and alternative genre, which kicks off the event Thursday, Aug. 19.
The party continues Friday, Aug. 20 with performances and awards for the reggae/worldbeat genre. Expand your mind and let the beat capture you.
When the weekend comes, the party will kick into high gear with two events on Saturday. The first will be the performances and awards for the classical/jazz, folk/bluegrass/Americana, and blues/R&B genres, followed by performances and awards for the hip-hop/rap/electronic/DJ genre.
The NTMA will wrap up on Sunday with performances and awards for the songwriting category. And find out who gets the awards for Best Album, Best Overall, and Readers Choice.
Winners receive a one-of-a-kind NTMA trophy designed by New Times Media Group’s own Alex Zuniga. Zuniga said his concept for the award developed simply from the idea of listening to a live song and seeing someone on the mic.
“I’ve always liked the look of those old-school microphones. They have great lines and style,” he said.
So he and Rucker found a few microphones online, ordered them, and went to work designing the awards based on the real thing.
This year, with the expanded categories and the need for more awards, Rucker and Zuniga collaborated with Genesis Bronze in Paso Robles to create the awards.
“It’s a sculpture really … it came out sweet. Whoever gets one is going to be surprised … it’s pretty cool,” Zuniga said.
Along with the trophy, winners also receive cash prizes.
Audiences won’t get left out of the swag department either: a raffle will be held for some great prizes and winning songs will appear on a compilation CD to be given out at the events.
Arts Editor Shelly Cone can be contacted at scone@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Aug 12-19, 2010.
