2015 Sammies nominees

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Last year was definitely a strange one for the Sacramento music scene.

You may have a few ideas why, but here’s one: there was no Sacramento Area Music Awards, a.k.a. the SAMMIES, SN&R’s annual celebration of local musicians.

We lasted 22 years, back-to-back-to-back. And while we didn’t need a break per se, we did think a springs awards season just made more sense. Release of the Year? We can easily reflect on the calendar year when we’re nominating in January.

And even with the changed schedule, thousands of votes were tallied for hundreds of nominees in a swath of categories. Thousands of you spoke out and showed your support for your favorite bands and Sacramento’s talent in general.

This year’s ballot represents the great variety of sounds you could hear on any given night: foot-stomping, banjo-wielding Americana; droning, doom-inducing heavy metal; lush yet restrained indie rock; bass-heavy electronic dance music; hard-hitting raps; complex, experimental soundscapes and so much more.

We present to you the 2015 SAMMIES nominees. Check out the artists, listen to their work online, go see them live.

Voting is open now and ends March 11. The awards ceremony, which will feature tons of live music, of course, takes place on Thursday, March 26, at Ace of Spades (1417 R Street) for $10. You can vote for your favorite bands here.

Until then, peruse the following nominees and make your picks in everything but the Hall of Fame category—that one’s reserved for artists who, thanks to at least three prior SAMMIES wins, have been “retired” from the process.

Happy voting!

Hall of Fame 2015

Musical Charis

Artist of the Year

Zyah Belle: www.zyahbelle.com

James Cavern: www.jamescavern.com

The Enlows: http://enlows.com

Exquisite Corps: www.facebook.com/excorpsmusic

G. Green: www.facebook.com/ggreenband

Kill the Precedent: www.facebook.com/killtheprecedent

Joe Kye: www.joekye.com/

Stevie Nader: www.facebook.com/stevienader

Pregnant: www.danielispregnant.tumblr.com

Sunmonks: www.sunmonks.com

Americana/Alt-country

50-Watt Heavy: www.facebook.com/pages/50-Watt-Heavy/308215529202239

Delta City Ramblers: www.deltacityramblers.com

F Street Stompers: www.facebook.com/FstStompers

The FreeBadge Serenaders: www.facebook.com/discountjazz

Chris Gardner Band: www.chrisgardnerband.com

The Golden Cadillacs: www.thegoldencadillacs.com

Million Dollar Giveaway: www.facebook.com/mdgcountry

The Nickel Slots: www.thenickelslotsmusic.com

Proxy Moon: www.facebook.com/proxymoon1

The West Nile Ramblers: www.thewestnileramblers.com

Blues

Ranell Carpenter Band: www.ranellcarpenter.com

The Christian DeWild Band: www.christiandewildband.com

Dippin' Sauce: www.dippinsaucemusic.com

Rick Estrin and the Nightcats: www.rickestrin.com

The Hucklebucks: www.thehucklebucks.com

Johnny “Guitar” Knox

Tessie Marie & the Poor Man Band: www.tessiemarie.com

Pailer & Fratis

Kyle Rowland Blues Band: www.kylerowlandbluesband.com

Stillwood Sages: www.stillwoodsages.com

Two Tone Steiny & the Cadillacs: www.twotonesteiny.com

Cover Band

Apple Z: http://applezband.com

Cover Me Badd: www.covermebadd.net

Groove Thang: www.groovethangband.com

Hip Service: www.hipservice.com

Mercy Me! Band: www.mercymeband.com

Deejay

Cue22: www.facebook.com/cue22music

DJ Billy Lane: www.facebook.com/djbillylanespage

DJ Hektor S: www.djhektors.com

DJ Nocturnal: www.facebook.com/DjNocturnal916

DJ Oasis: www.djoasis.com

DJ Zephyr: www.facebook.com/zephyreos

J-Kraken: www.facebook.com/jkrakenmusic

Jurts: www.facebook.com/whatsjurts

Sam I Jam: www.soundcloud.com/sam_i_jam

Electronic/Experimental

Color the Sound: www.colorthesound.com

Dad?: www.facebook.com/pages/DAD/693669104018394

Poppet: www.poppet.us

Pregnant: www.danielispregnant.tumblr.com

Michael RJ Saalman: www.facebook.com/michaelrjsaalman

Saint Solitaire: http://saintsolitaire.com

So Much Light: www.facebook.com/SoMuchLight

Young Aundee: www.facebook.com/YoungAundee

Emcee

Brutha Smith: www.bruthasmith.com

Mahtie Bush: www.mb916.com

Century Got Bars: www.centurygotbars.com

Dylan Phillip: www.facebook.com/TheDylanPhillip

Hennessy: www.thebeatknocks.com

JustKristofer: www.facebook.com/JustPlayJK

Luke Tailor: www.luketailor.bandcamp.com

M. Born: www.manilaborn.com

Soosh*e: www.facebook.com/hellasoosh

Task1ne: www.facebook.com/TASK1ne

Folk Rock

Paige Anderson & the Fearless Kin: www.thefearlesskin.com

Cave Women: www.cavewomenmusic.com

Honyock: http://honyockisaband.com

Joseph in the Well: www.joekye.com

Salt Wizard: www.saltwizardmusic.com

Spangler: www.spanglermusic.com

The Westwards: www.facebook.com/thewestwards

Parie Wood: www.pariewood.com

Xochitl: www.xochitlofficial.net

Funk

Big Sticky Mess: http://bigstickymess.com

Dank Ocean: www.facebook.com/dankoceanband

Funk.defied: www.funkdefied.com

Groovincible: http://groovincible.com

Hans! and the Hot Mess: www.facebook.com/hansandthehotmess

Ideateam: www.ideateamband.com

Isaac Bear: www.facebook.com/isaacbearmusic

Joy and Madness: www.joyandmadness.com

Rendezvous With Cool Beans: www.rwcbmusic.com

Hard Rock

California Riot Act: www.facebook.com/californiariotact

Fair Struggle: www.fairstruggle.com

FallRise: www.facebook.com/fallriserock

Heat of Damage: www.reverbnation.com/heatofdamage

Korean Fire Drill: www.facebook.com/koreanfiredrill

A Mile Till Dawn: www.amiletilldawn.com

Misamore: www.misamore.com

Overwatch: www.overwatchband.net

Restrayned: www.restrayned.com

Skin of Saints: www.skinofsaints.net

Some Fear None: www.somefearnone.com

Terra Ferno: www.facebook.com/terraferno

Track Fighter: www.facebook.com/trackfighter

White Knuckle Riot: www.facebook.com/whiteknuckleriot

Hardcore/Industrial/Post-hardcore

Havenside: http://havensideband.com

I Wish We Were Robots: www.facebook.com/iw3robots

Kill the Precedent: www.facebook.com/killtheprecedent

A Lot Like Birds: www.facebook.com/alotlikebirds

Mercedes Avenue: www.facebook.com/MercedesAve

White Minorities: www.facebook.com/whiteminoritiesband

Yankee Brutal: www.facebook.com/yankeebrutal

Hip-hop/Rap

The Beatknocks: www.thebeatknocks.com

Blaquelisted: www.facebook.com/blaquelisted

California Bear Gang: www.facebook.com/californiabeargang

Destructikonz: www.facebook.com/Destructikonz

DLRN: http://dlrn.co

The Good Samaritans: www.facebook.com/TheGoodSamaritansBand

Iconoclast Robot: http://iconoclastrobot.com

Tel Cairo: www.telcairo.com

Indie

Cold Eskimo: www.facebook.com/ColdEskimo

Contra: www.facebook.com/contraaband

Cove: www.covetheband.com

Desario: www.facebook.com/desarioband

Exquisite Corps: www.facebook.com/excorpsmusic

Life in 24 Frames: www.lifein24frames.com

Soft Science: www.facebook.com/softsciencemusic

Sunmonks: www.sunmonks.com

Vasas: http://vasas.bandcamp.com

Jazz

City of Trees Brass Band: www.facebook.com/cotbb

Element Brass Band: www.facebook.com/elementbrassband

Jonny Gold Trio: www.facebook.com/jonnygoldtrio

Hot City: www.facebook.com/hotcityjazzband

The Alex Jenkins Trio: www.alexdrums.net

Jim Martinez Quartet: www.jimmartinez.com

Tony Passarell: http://tonypassarell.bandcamp.com

Derek Thomas Band: www.facebook.com/musicbyderek

Live Performer

Hans Eberbach: www.hansrocks.com

Kepi Ghoulie: http://kepiland.com

JRas: http://jrasmusic.bandcamp.com

Kill the Precedent: www.facebook.com/killtheprecedent

Stevie Nader: www.facebook.com/stevienader

The Nickel Slots: www.thenickelslotsmusic.com

Saint Solitaire: http://saintsolitaire.com

Screature: www.facebook.com/screaturesound

Metal

Black Mackerel: www.facebook.com/blackmackerelsac

Chernobog: www.facebook.com/Chernobog916

Church: www.churchband.blogspot.com

Deadlands: www.deadlandsmusic.com

Drop Seven: www.facebook.com/dropseven

Flub: www.facebook.com/flubmetal

Graveshadow: www.graveshadow.com

Horseneck: www.facebook.com/horseneckmusic

MDSO: www.facebook.com/MDSO.band

Plague Widow: www.plaguewidow.com

XTom HanX: www.facebook.com/xtomhanx

Zeroclient: www.zeroclientmusic.com

New Artist

Calling Tempo: www.facebook.com/CallingTempo

Dylan Phillip: www.facebook.com/TheDylanPhillip

I Am Strikes: www.iamstrikes.com

Joseph in the Well: www.joekye.com

Luke Tailor: www.luketailor.bandcamp.com

The O'Mulligans: www.facebook.com/theomulligans

Rat Stomp: www.ratstomp.com

Shoujo Kitten: www.facebook.com/shoujokitten

Pop/Rock

The Bell Boys: www.bellboysmusic.com

Bellygunner: www.facebook.com/pages/Bellygunner/474205012610977

Cemetery Sun: www.cemeterysunband.com

Fate Under Fire: www.fufmusic.com

Hero's Last Mission: http://heroslastmission.com

Humble Wolf: www.humblewolf.com

Once An Empire: www.onceanempire.com

Wrings: http://wringsmusic.com

Punk/ Post-punk

The Bar Fly Effect: www.facebook.com/thebarflyeffect

The Croissants: http://croissants.bandcamp.com/

Dog Party: www.facebook.com/dogpartylive

The Enlows: http://enlows.com

Ghostplay: www.facebook.com/ghostplay.music

G. Green: www.facebook.com/ggreenband

The O'Mulligans: www.facebook.com/theomulligans

Rebel Radio: www.facebook.com/rebelradioband

Screature: www.facebook.com/screaturesound

S.W.I.M.: www.reverbnation.com/swimsomeonewhoisntme

Producer

Charles Albright, www.facebook.com/charlesalbrightcharlesalbright

Andrew Barnhart

Brian Lee Bender: www.brianleebender.com

Tony Cale

DJ Loot: www.facebook.com/djloot916

John Glover: www.uprockaudio.com

Joe Johnston: www.puscavern.com

John Morris: www.tanglewoodstudios.com

Ira Skinner: www.facebook.com/AlleyAvenue

Sean Stack: www.fatcatrecording.com

Chris Woodhouse: www.thedockstudio.com

R&B/Soul

Zyah Belle: www.zyahbelle.com

Cash Campain: www.facebook.com/CashCampainMusic?

James Cavern: www.jamescavern.com

Ayanna Charlene: www.ayannacharlene.com

Thai Nicole: www.facebook.com/ThaiNicoleMusic

Shadia Powell: www.soulsandsounds.com/shadiapowell.html

Rashell: www.diamondndarough.com

Tey Yaniis: www.teyyaniis.com

Reggae/Jam

The Bennys: www.facebook.com/thebennysband

Eazy Dub: www.facebook.com/EazyDubBand

Element of Soul: www.elementofsoul.com

Island of Black and White: www.islandofblackandwhite.com

JRas: http://jrasmusic.bandcamp.com

King Hopeton: https://soundcloud.com/king-hopeton

Massive Delicious: www.massivedelicious.com

MAU: www.facebook.com/MAUBAND

The Old Screen Door: http://theoldscreendoor.com

Simple Creation: www.simplecreationband.com

The Storytellers: www.facebook.com/sacstorytellers

Street Urchinz: www.facebook.com/streeturchinz

Release of the Year

Dre-T: Sacramentality

The Enlows: Retrospective 1999-2014

Exquisite Corps: Vignettes

G. Green: Area Codes

Life in 24 Frames: Bitter End

Stevie Nader & Boywolf: Grit

Saint Solitaire: Versus Resistance

Kevin Seconds: Off Stockton

Soft Science: Detour

Sunmonks: In a Desert of Plenty

Luke Tailor: TextBook Money

Rock

The Diva Kings: www.facebook.com/thedivakings

Drive-Thru Mystics: www.facebook.com/DriveThruMystics

The Kelps: www.facebook.com/thekelpsmusic

Lite Brite: www.litebriteband.com

MindFlowers: www.facebook.com/mindflowersband

Odame Sucks: odamesucks.com

The Three Way: http://thethreewaymusic.com

Walking Spanish: www.walkingspanish.com

Z Rokk: www.zrokk.com

Rockabilly

Hank Biggs & the Hardtops: www.hankbiggs.com

The Devils Train: www.facebook.com/thedevilstrainofficial

The Infamous Swanks: www.facebook.com/theinfamousswanks

Rockabilly Love Cats: www.rockabillylovecats.com

The Twilight Drifters: www.twilightdrifters.com

The Vintage Vandals: http://thevintagevandals.com

Singer-songwriter

Sherman Baker: www.shermanbakermusic.com

Adrian Bellue: http://adrianbellue.com

Ricky Berger: www.facebook.com/rickybergermusic

James Cavern: www.jamescavern.com

Christopher Fairman: LeKelton.com

Stevie Nader: www.facebook.com/stevienader

Rebecca Peters: www.facebook.com/Rebeccapetersmusic

Kevin Seconds: www.facebook.com/officialkevinseconds

Parie Wood: www.pariewood.com

Teen Artist

Dog Party: www.facebook.com/dogpartylive

Four Days Out: www.facebook.com/fourdaysout

Heat of Damage: www.reverbnation.com/heatofdamage

A Mile Till Dawn: www.amiletilldawn.com

Ugly Bunny: http://uglybunnytheband.bandcamp.com

Tribute Band

Cash Prophets: www.facebook.com/pages/Cash-Prophets/182247055162317

Chicago Tribute Authority: www.chicagotributeauthority.com

Journey's Edge: http: www.atjourneysedge.com/

Revolver: www.facebook.com/Revolver916

Steelin' Dan: www.steelindan.com

Stellar: www.facebook.com/stellartributeband

SuperHuey: www.superhueylive.com

World

Bomba Fried Rice: http://bombafriedrice.org

Halfpence & Haypenny: www.halfpenceandhaypenny.com

Hollow Point Stumblers: www.thestumblers.com

La Noche Oskura

Nagual: www.nagualmusic.com

Rey Y Kaye: http://reyykaye.com

Solsa: http://solsaentertainment.com

World Hood: www.facebook.com/pages/World-Hood/160322720696374