DOMA 2007 preliminary ballot -

Dallas Observer Music Awards...

Those four words make me think of a few things such as
1. recognition for our local musicians right here at home
2. awareness for the public of who's out there in Dallas making great music
3. marketing potential (hey, I book shows, so it helps!)
4. frustration. very LARGE amounts of frustration. First, it's impossible to find ANY info about the music awards on the Observer's website. WTF? Can I preview the categories? No. I have to actually vote to figure out what they are (they can change from year to year). Has anyone from the Observer written anything this year promoting the ballot? Apparently not. So, I relied on my friends' posts and emails about their picks to help me with mine. I'd link you, but basically it's condensed below. Vote, please: DOMA 2007

Think of voting today like the primaries; you don't get to decide who wins, but you can get your choice on the ballot. These are my suggestions. Some I voted for, some I went "DOH!" when I saw them on friends' suggestions, so you gotta make up your mind.

Best Act in Town: The Crash That Took Me, Sorta, The Chemistry Set, Happy Bullets, Radiant (no more *), Airline, Shibboleth
Musician of the Year: Chris Holt, Salim Nourallah, Marc Solomon, Eric Pullido (Midlake)
Best Album: Sorta's Strange and Sad But True, Jayson Bales Cruel and Unusual, The Chemistry Set Blue Monsters, Boca Tinta rec's JD Whittenburg's new CD, JD Whittenburg, but I haven't heard it yet, so I'll put it here on her word, which is quite reliable. Guess it's a trip to Good Records for me, asap.
Best Song: "Our Love" – Red Monroe (with excellent production by Junius Recording Co.), "New Hope PA" - Chemistry Set, "85 Feet"- Sorta
Best New Act: Airline, The Valentines, (Boca Tinta rec: The Felons, whom I also haven't heard yet; I must get out soon), The Crash That Took Me, JD Whittenburg
Best Country/Roots: Telegraph Canyon, Jayson Bales, Theater Fire
Best Cover Band: Blaze of Glory (Bon Jovi). Hard Nights Day: I love you guys, but really, you can't have this award EVERY year.
Best Folk/Acoustic: Sarah Jaffe, Chase Willett, Doug Burr
Best Jazz: Shelley Carroll/Sheldon Wright Quintet
Best Indie-Rock: Red Monroe, St Vincent, Midlake
Best Experimental: Tree Wave, Mom (don't know them, either, just taking Travis' word on that)
Best Hard-Rock: Record Hop
Best Female Singer: Sarah Jaffe, Camille Cortinas
Best Male Singer: Doug Burr, John Dufilho, Trey Johnson
Best Radio Show: Meat Radio, Uncut K104
Best Music Website/Blog: BocaTinta, The Fine Line
Best Record Label: Hit Records, Kirtland Records, Idol Records
Best Producer: Salim Nourallah, Chris Bell, Lindsay Graham, Stuart Sikes
Best Live Music Venue: Club Dada, Palladium, Deep Ellum Live, Bend Studio, The Cavern, Sons of Hermann Hall, The Granada

Looking over that list, while it's not exactly a comprehensive guide to the Dallas scene, but it's a good start. You're going out on Saturday night and want to hear some music? Check to see if any of the above are playing. You're a band and need to know the decent venues to play in Dallas? Call those bookers first (if you can get in). You're ready to record your album? Any of those producers will give you a quality product. Etc. Etc. You see where I'm going with this post; quality over quantity and the key insiders in DFW music, listed above. Just know, there's lots and lots of great people who aren't listed. Music is Dallas is worth listening to!