2015 Sammies nominees
SN&R’s 2015 Sacramento Area Music Award nominees list gets back into the groove to celebrate the local music scene
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 2015Musical Charis
Artist of the YearZyah 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-country50-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
BluesRanell 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 BandApple 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
DeejayCue22: 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/ExperimentalColor 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
EmceeBrutha 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 RockPaige 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
FunkBig 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 RockCalifornia 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-hardcoreHavenside: 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/RapThe 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
IndieCold 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
JazzCity 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 PerformerHans 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
MetalBlack 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 ArtistCalling 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/RockThe 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-punkThe 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
ProducerCharles 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/SoulZyah 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/JamThe 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
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 YearDre-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
RockThe 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
RockabillyHank 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-songwriterSherman 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 ArtistDog 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 BandCash 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
WorldBomba 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