CONGRATS! 2015 Hamilton Music Award Winners

The 2015 Hamilton Music Awards ceremony on May 24, 2015 at Theatre Aquarius was amazing! Host Ian Thomas did a wonderful job and had everybody laughing.  There were heartfelt tributes to Tava Tunes, Brian Griffith and Cpl. Nathan Cirrilo, a visit from mayor Fred Eisenberger and a ton of amazing area music.

As always, the local scene was in the spotlight the whole show and the award winners were announced. Rockers the The Arkells and songstress Laura Cole took home three trophies each that night.  Blues veteran Harrison Kennedy also won a pair well-deserved awards.



Links: Laura Cole, More Laura Cole Stories, Video above courtesy of Richard Crawford



Links:  Arkells: More Arkells Stories, Video above courtesy of Oskar Covers



Links: Harrison Kennedy, More Harrison Kennedy Stories, Video above courtesy of RandallStaffordCook

Click here for the Spectator story.

Congrats everyone.

• Female Artist: Laura Cole
• Male Artist: Harrison Kennedy
• Songwriter: The Arkells
• Record: The Arkells: High Noon
• Local Group (People's Choice): Live How You Live
• New Artist: Laura Cole
• Blues Recording: Harrison Kennedy: This Is From Here
• Folk/Traditional Recording: The Vaudevillian: Salty Dog
• Roots Recording (Group) : Harlan Pepper: Take Out A Twenty And Live Life To The Fullest
• Roots Recording (Solo): Katie Bulley: Sun Wolf
• Alt/Country Recording: The Dinner Belles: The River And The Willow
• New Country Recording: Billy J White: Damn Fool Thing
• Jazz Recording: Diana Panton: Red 
• Alternative/Indie Rock Recording: The Dirty Nil: Smite
• Rock Recording: The Arkells: High Noon
• Adult Alternative Recording: Laura Cole: Dirty Cheat
• Pop Recording: Kojo "Easy" Damptey: Daylight Robbery
• Loud/Metal Recording: Sumo Cyco: Lost in Cyco City
• Punk Recording: Simply Saucer: Baby Nova
• Rap/Hip Hop Recording: Canadian Winter: The Snowball Effect
• Lifetime Achievement Awards: Brian Griffith, Graham Rockingham, Bob Doidge

Click here for our pictures of the event

Click here for pictures of Trebleclef, our mascot, hanging out at the ceremony

Blast from the Past: Last Year's Winners

Links: Hamilton Music Awards, More HMA Stories

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Vote for Your Favourite Local Musician and More in the Spec's Readers' Choice Awards!

The Hamilton Spectator is once again offering the public a chance to vote in their Reader's Choice Awards.  Of course, the main category our readers will be interested in is Local Musician.

The talented nominees are:

• Blind River
• Bombing Neverland
• Laura Cole
• Shanya Lynn Dawson
• 40 Sons
• Freedom Train
• Human Race
• Jonny Kerr and Shari Dunn
• Rob Kirkham and Neon Rain
• Carm Milioto
• Ginger St. James
• Tomi Swick
• TicTac (Tristan Miller)
• Tommygunn
• Lori Yates

Click here for the results

Other categories of interest are: Music Instructor, Music School, Radio Station, Recording Studio, Festival, Live Entertainment Facility, Live Jazz Club, Live Music Bar/Lounge, Music Instrument Store, and Record Store (New and Used).

The voting deadline is Thursday October 2, 2014 so get out and vote! Click here to get started.

Blast from the Past: Last Year's Winners

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New Zilis CD: Sketches II

Searching for music that's a little off the beaten path?  Then check out Sketches II, the newest offering from Hamilton Rock band The Zilis.

The sound is unmistakably indie but beneath the modern exterior lies a heart of folk and blues.  The band manages to mix it all up into a wonderful, unique concoction.

Katie Bulley (vocals) and Parag Chakravarti (alto sax) lend the Zilis a hand with their amazing experiment.  The CD's also engineered by Carm Milioto of Live How You Live.

You can pick up this superb disc at their live shows or purchase it (as well as download) though the Zilis bandcamp page.

Videos below courtesy of the Zilis.







Links: The Zilis, More Zilies Stories, More Releases

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