By Brian Goslow

Kickass performances. Stoked musicians. Classy microphone-shaped trophies. Press coverage. Sealed winners’ envelopes. Smokin’ hot models. Way cool presenters. Some musical networking. Cheering fans. Great venue. Faithful groupies. The culmination of months of voting. A customized slide show of all the nominees. Food, drink, and anticipation. Tie it all together with one super-cool WAAF host and (to quote local boys Aerosmith) “Just press play.” What do you get? You get The Pulse magazine’s first annual Worcester Music Awards, that’s what. Those of you who were part of the festivities know exactly how cool it was…and those of you who weren’t, well, you had BETTER make plans to be at next year’s party…this is one new Worcester tradition you’re not going to want to miss.

24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year…That’s about how much time, give or take a minute here or there for things like eating and buying gear, area musicians spend work their asses off trying to get the recognition they deserve. This year, on Thursday, April 20 at Irish Times in Worcester, they finally go it…in spades. On Thursday night, April 20 at the Irish Times, The Pulse magazine made sure that the musicians, DJs, and clubs that make up our Central MA music scene were 100% in the spotlight ~ along with the fans who support and love them. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past three months, you know about the process for determining the winners who were announced that night: First, fans got to nominate bands, solo performers, and venues they wanted to see make it to the final rounds of voting in 22 categories. Then, after the voted were tallied and the top 4 choices in each category were determined, it was time for you, the music supporters, to cast your votes for the winner in each category. Some races were neck-and-neck…some winners pulled ahead from the very beginning and never looked back. And some results came as a huge surprise to everyone (c’mon, what’s an awards show without a little shake-up here and there, right?).

With WAAF’s Carmelita, considered a goddess by local musicians because of her long-running Bay State Rock show, at the helm, the evening was a celebration not just of the winners, but of local music in general. Five out of the seven guest presenters are club owners who all deserve recognition for giving a lot of the nominated acts not just a boost early on in their careers, but also continued support and performance opportunities throughout the years ~ Scot Neri from Irish Times, Erick Godin from Lucky Dog, Dickie from Ralph’s Diner, Anna from Fitchburg’s The Compound, and Chris Galli from Tammany. And looking out into the crowd, how cool was it to see laid-back fans of Cabbitha’s folksy style applauding right alongside Skulltoboggan’s leather and chain-clad band of brothers! Newcomers to the metal scene sneaked backstage after their category was announced to cheer on buddies up for an award in Best Rap/Hip-Hop. Heavy metal CDs found their way into jazz musicians’ hands and solo artists up for the same award exchanged gig schedules.

Starting promptly at 7pm with a welcome by The Pulse magazine publisher Paul Giorgio, who then introduced Carmelita to a crowd of nearly 350 people, the Awards wasted no time in diving into the meat of the event. The first award of the evening, accepted by two of the band members, was Best Rock Act, which went to Jediah, who recently laid down the tracks for their upcoming Roger Lavallee/Ben Slater-produced CD, tentatively called “Flight,” at Long View Farm Studio in North Brookfield. They’re currently doing some overdubbing and final mixes at Tremolo Lounge. If you like well-polished mainstream contemporary rock ‘n’ roll with quality original songwriting ~ think U2, Coldplay, and Dave Matthews ~ watch for their return to the clubs, local cable stations, and outdoor festivals in June.

After a rousing opening performance by one Mr. Dusty Cobb (Hey DC, don’t forget about us when you’re on your world tour!), the audience was in for one of the evening’s biggest surprises: Almada beat out The Black, Collapsible Three, and Das Happening for Best New Act. “Winning wasn’t something the four of us really talked about prior to the award ceremony,” says Almada drummer Al Bigelow. “We were up against some really great bands and just assumed we’d lose. We are a ‘80s-influenced pop rock band with song titles like ‘Killed by Cuteness’ and ‘Oceans and Telescopes. Last we knew bands like us don’t do well in this town.” Look for a full-length CD from Almada by late summer prior to their heading west for two weeks of shows in California.

The fact that OSB’s Brendan Mahoney topped Jarvais for Best Male Vocalist is a sign of his group’s growing fan base. OSB also took home Best Pop Act in a field that included Huck, The Curtain Society and Four Year Strong, and then also nabbed Best CD for “The Grey Area.” The follow-up, “Transitions,” is being recorded with Roger Lavallee at Tremolo Sound; its release will be followed by a number of CD-release parties in clubs from Worcester to New York City and beyond.

Lisa Marie, who fronts two blues and R & B ensembles ~ All Shook Up and The Ripchords ~ and performs with Wilbur & the Dukes and a variety of other local ensembles, was awarded the Best Female Vocalist trophy by Channel 3 News Update Anchorwoman Julie Tremmel (looking quite sleek and glamorous these days with a sexy new hair cut and color!). You can see Lisa Marie & All Shook Up on May 12 at J.J.’s House of Blues.

Two of LM’s counterparts in the Best Female category performed live during the evening. Dawn Sweet of Pet Rock performed Garbage’s “Special” with guitarist Andy Rivers while Standard Deviation’s Amanda Lirange (dressed like a lead female vocalist from a rock band should be, sexy and tough in boots, short skirt, and stockings that just dare you to look away) and guitarist Wayno-O chose to bypass material from their just released CD “Private Life” and instead play their newest song, “Sin.”

After accepting the Best Coffeehouse/Singer-Songwriter Act trophy from Erick Godin (who would soon receive the Best Live Venue award on behalf of the Lucky Dog Music Hall), Joe Hogan rushed over to Green Street to open up for Mullethead. “The plan for the summer is to stay in Worcester, to write and play music,” says Hogan, a Holy Cross soon-to-be senior who plays wide receiver for the HC Crusaders and is originally from Vestal, New York. “Dave Matthews is the reason I began playing guitar,” he says. “Jeff Buckley and Bob Dylan have also been largely influential in my songwriting style.” His first CD, tentatively named “Smokey Joe Hogan,” should be out this month. He’ll be back at the Lucky Dog on June 8 and Java Hut on June 9.

Prior to receiving Best Country/Americana Act, Michael Thibodeau and Ed Barnett of The Bee’s Knees played Barnett’s “The Cause” from their “Long Before” CD. They’re currently working with producer Roger Lavallee (shouldn’t there be an MVP award for this guy?) on a new full-length CD. “We have a lot of shows through May and will probably be taking a little break during the summer to catch out breath and to work in the studio,” Thibodeau says.

Best Hardcore Act Change of System has always gone all out right from the beginning, playing their first show at Locobazooka in 2000. Since then, they’ve played the Palladium numerous times and have just recorded five tracks at Long View Recording Studios in North Brookfield. “We will hopefully be releasing a new album some time in September of this year,” says vocalist Justin Desautels and drummer Eric Powers. “We’re also building our own recording studio for recording/pre and post production.” Look for them to keep booking great local shows with national acts.

 Just after picking up their trophy for Best Metal Act, Skulltoboggan performed “Never Be This Way” and “Drink and F*ck.” (Yes, that’s right, “Drink and F*ck,” that romantic, Hallmark-card worthy ballad that warms the very cockles of an audience’s collective heart.) It was the first acoustic performance ever for a group who has played close to a 100 shows over the past 12 months. “I like to refer to it as working the ‘Northeast Triangle’ ~ Boston, Providence, and New York City,” says frontman Craig Gaumond (whom, by the way, we should thank for rethinking his plan to go out on stage holding his WMA trophy over his, um, “toboggans,” wearing nothing else but a smile!). “You would be hard pressed to find anyone as driven as myself, [drummer] E-Dawg and [guitarist] Skullbob. The supporting cast has changed over the years for various reasons, but we know what we want and god damn it, we are doing our best to reach our destination.” That includes this year’s Locobazooka at the Fitchburg Airport. “We really need to be there this year.”

Now it bears mentioning here that Ms. Carmelita herself is quite a presence on stage, too ~ not “just another pretty DJ voice,” this lady has some serious skills at getting…and keeping…an audience’s attention. Oh, and she didn’t have to mention twice to onlookers what a shame it was that her drink glass was empty! Decked out in a feminine but ballsy rock-n-roll black outfit underneath one hell of a fringe jacket, the music veteran knows her bands and their fans…in other words, she’s got just the right vibe to keep the crowd interested and the party moving along smoothly.

OK, back to the WMA winners. One has already gone global. Best Club DJ DJ Shame ~ who spins sets on Tuesday nights at the Lucky Dog ~ hosts a weekly satellite show on XM Radio and is finishing work on a megamix CD. “It’s a 60-minute mix including bits and pieces of all types of music from Prince to AC/DC to the Crash Crew to the Police as well as some local bands such as 9 Volt Superhero, Schecta, the Curtain Society and Sumo,” he says. “I’m thinking of calling it ‘Journey Back into the World of Music.’” International or not, Shame still looked pretty darn pleased with himself for having taken home this Worcester award!

On the radio side of the DJ art, WAAF morning man Greg Hill, aka “The Hillman,” won the Best Radio DJ trophy, an award accepted for him by WAAF jock (and character extraordinaire) Kevin Barbare. And what was the hot topic on Friday’s The Hillman Morning Show? That’s right, the WMAs ~ and we take it as a very good sign that a bunch of guys who are never shy when it comes to talkin’ sh*t about someone or something they don’t like gave the whole event a big thumbs up.

The George Clinton Funkadelic Appreciation Society, aka White Chocolate, took home first prize for Best Cover Act. “It seems like even a lot of the younger bands now have a more diverse interest in music from all styles and time periods, so this has allowed a mixture of influences that transcends typical generational boundaries,” says singer Spoonie-J. “We’re a funk band, so we play whatever we think is funky. That could be a Funkadelic or Meters song from the ‘70s, a Bowie or Prince song from the ‘80s, or a Roots or Outkast song from the 2000’s. It’s not the era that matters, it’s the attitude.”

Hint of Lime (have you all seen the female…supporters…these guys have? WOW!) took home two WMAs ~ one for Best Jam & Groove Act and one for Best Live Act. They’ve built a devoted following playing regular shows at the Tammany Club, the Artist Development Complex in Southbridge, and the WPI and Clark University campuses; they’ve got a 3 a.m. show time scheduled for their appearance at the Strange Creek Festival in Greenfield later this month.

Not all the award winners (remember that the results of the voting were kept secret ~and sealed!~ until the on-stage announcements) were able to attend. “I was surprised when I found out I was nominated for this award and I’m really shocked that I won it,” says Best Rap/Hip-Hop Act Q-Strange, who began seriously making music with a Providence hip-hop collective called 3rd Floor in 1995. A few years later he was moving around the country generating a buzz on the horrorcore rap scene, especially in the Midwest. A newcomer to Worcester, he plans to drop a new CD called “Qurrupted” on us this summer. “I hope to do more shows locally and hook up with other local artists both hip hop and metal bands as well.” Well, having a WMA on your mantle might just generate some buzz, Q!

Lee Whalen, frontman of The Sleepless Knights ~ voted Best Jazz Act ~ has been out of town on work-related business of late, keeping the group out of commission for a while. Expect them back in the clubs by mid-summer, when they’ll begin work on the follow-up to 2005’s “Wild Knights” CD. “I think we’re relatively unique in that we draw up jazz-based set lists with the intent of getting people up off their feet and onto shaking their groove-thang,” Whalen says. “We give them something groovy and accessible that they haven’t quite bent their ear around yet.”

Best Blues Act Jon Short had a very good reason for missing the festivities ~ he was on the way to Clarksdale, Mississippi to play the JukeJoint Festival. He’ll be back home for a string of shows ~ many with his new group the Barrelhouse Ramblers ~ at a half-dozen area clubs this month topped off by an appearance at the StrangeCreek Festival on Memorial Day Weekend. “Have Blues, Will Travel” indeed.

Guys, we missed you, but it’s time to get back to the folks who were at the party. WDOA.com DJ L.B. Worm stormed the stage to present the Best Punk Act Award to The Numbskulls. “Being voted best punk band in Worcester doesn’t mean anything without having a community to share it with and play shows with,” bassist James declared from somewhere inside a crowd of Numbskulls fans who’d leapt onstage to help accept the award. “Essentially, the ballsy groupies and neckbreakers,” explains bassist Lysie. “They’ve been key this year for us getting our asses back into gear and playing shows.” The next Numbskulls Worcester appearance is on May 13 at the ITAM. Bring extra cash for their new “The Last … Volume 1 of 3” CD.

This was an evening full of joyous moments, yes, but alas the night did have one tragedy. Dusty Cobb, the omnipresent Troubadour of Tammany who had started the evening by performing “Maria,” a personal composition he calls “…a fantasy mixed with a little bit of personal reality,” had disaster strike his Best Solo Act trophy. “The whole night I held onto the thing like it was a matter of life and death,” Cobb says. “But as I [went] up the stairs to my apartment, I tripped ~ f*cking sandals! ~ and did a roll.. but the trophy didn’t come out on top.” Look for Dusty (with his new group DC5, who’ve already headlined at the Felt Club in Boston) most Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the Tammany Club.

The night came to a close with Worcester City Councilor Joff Smith awarding our gracious hosts ~ Rehab/The Irish Times ~ the trophy for Best Dance Venue. A very pleased-looking Mr. Scot Neri accepted the award and received a special “above and beyond” round of applause from the crowd. As this year’s Worcester Music Awards party gave way to the college night crowd, Carmelita wished all of the bands the best of luck and left with her hands filled with CDs that we’ll no doubt be hearing in the weeks ahead on Bay State Rock.
As our list of winners proves, there’s plenty of great music of all genres being made and played here in Central MA. And now all of us who love and live music have the Worcester Music Awards to look forward to every year ~ and you can count on continuing to read all about new and established bands, clubs, and DJs here in the pages of The Pulse magazine every month!

Sharp as a Diamond, Dog
16-Year-Old WMA Nominee Envee Aims to Rap His Way to the Top
By Brian Goslow

While Envee, the youngest WMA nominee, didn’t take home the first place trophy for rap/hip-hop, he’s determined to make a name for himself in the years ahead. The St. Peter-Marian High School student, who just turned 16 in March, got his first rap CD ~ Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP ~ when he was in third grade. “Ever since then hip-hop bought me into a whole other realm,” he says. “My first song was recorded was in sixth grade and you can imagine how that sounded. [The first] decent sound came from me when I was about 14.”

Envee teamed up with Crime Committee Entertainment house mixmaster DJ Syrenn last summer. “I was planning the release my first CD, called The Haitian Kid Volume 1,” Syrenn says. “I wanted Envee to be a feature artist and eventually developed a relationship in music and as friends. What makes us such a good team is the love for hip-hop we both have. Envee and I treat the rap game as a lifestyle, not as just a job.”
Their first collaborative effort, The Diamond Dog: The Lost Chapter, is scheduled to come out this fall. “The CD is being worked on hard so trust me it will be a hit when it hits the stores,” Envee says, adding that “…pressing, distribution deals are being looked at now.”

He’s already impressed one important local producer. Ben Milner, studio manager of Long View Farm Studios in North Brookfield, says Envee is a very versatile artist. “At times he is thoughtful and intellectual, at other’s he’s able to boost your spirits, allowing you to let go. He has no fear of displaying the harsh realities of his life through his music. As he matures as a person, his music will only continue to blossom.”

And that’s exactly what Envee plans on doing. “I am the observer of everything around me and I put it down into my music.” Two of his main areas of focus are young gang violence and troubled childhoods. “Not everything I talk about happens to me and when it doesn’t happen to me I state that in a song. Everything I talk about is real ~ just know that.”

Envee was nominated for the Best Rap/Hip Hop Act along with RADIx (featured in this month’s Up and Comers CD review), X-Juno, and winner Q Strange.

To follow the adventures of Envee and DJ Syrenn, visit www.theenvee.com.

VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO SPONSOR BUDWEISER BEER, HOST CARMELITA, KARON SHEA MODEL MANAGEMENT, INC., and MR. SCOT NERI ~ and to all the music performers, promoters, supporters and fans in Central Massachusetts!

Don’t forget to check out more WMA pix online at www.thepulsemag.com!