NIAGARA MUSIC AWARDS
PINK FLOYD NIAGARA - ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR

NIAGARA ROCKS
Awards night honours best of local music.
Niagara's music community was loud, proud and throwing itself a party Tuesday.

The first-ever Niagara Music Awards is in the books a winner, thanks to a surprisingly polished show at the Niagara Centre for the Performing Arts. "I don't think a lot of people expected what they saw here tonight," raved show co-ordinator Morgan Whelan about the energetic, two-hour bash. "They probably thought, well, it's a local music awards show - it's gonna be cheesy, it's gonna be boring."

Far from it. Where else could you see Canadian Polka King Walter Ostanek mingling with Niagara metalheads Flatlined?

It was that kind of night. Fashion ranged from leather jackets and sneakers to posh gowns and three-piece suits. The live music went from flashy rapper Just Isaac to blues pillar Jack De Keyzer. The awards themselves seemed secondary to the good vibes and cheerleading all night.

"I'm in shock right now ... I'm hyperventilating," said Oliver Black lead singer Serena Pruyn, who took home the Female Vocalist of the Year award. "It's an honour and it's so cool to be part of something that's just starting. It's the first year for these rewards and I'm just so honoured."

Welland's Oliver Black led all artists with five nominations, and took home the award for Group of the Year.

Other big winners were St. Catharines' Jagger Cook who won Album of the Year ("All Our Hands are Dirty") and Songwriter of the Year; Welland's Street Pharmacy, claiming Original Song of the Year and the Peoples Choice Award; and St. Catharines rockers Modern Digital Militia (MDM) who won the unlikely combo of Heavy Metal Group of the Year and Dance Recording of the Year. "I think it's great, and long overdue," said MDM guitarist Digital X. "If you're gonna do it, make the first year good like this."

Cook, who recently returned to Niagara after a stint in Los Angeles, was "humbled" by the Niagara recognition.
"There's just so much talent here ... it's truly an honour," he said. "It feels really cool to be acknowledged by your home.

Rock Group of the year winners Guv'Nor Generals of Welland said it was better late than never to shine the spotlight on Niagara's music scene, which struggles for recognition being so close to Toronto. "There has been a scene here for years, they just haven't been looking," said singer/guitarist Charles Horse, taking a swig from his flask backstage.

"Bands from Niagara have to work a lot harder," added bassist Frank Roy. "By the time bands get out of Niagara and go to Toronto, they're smokin'"

Some of the night's biggest cheers went to Honeymoon Suite, who were given the Special Achievement Award for putting Niagara Falls on the musical map two decades ago. "This can only go to the band that says Niagara Falls so much," raved Whelan, who handed out the award. Honeymoon Suite singer Johnny Dee said it was "about time" Niagara musicians had their own awards show. "There's a lot of great talent in this room and I'm glad to see it firsthand."

About 700 people attended the event, well short of a sell-out. But Whelan is confident now that the first show delivered the goods, it'll be a hot ticket next year. Organizers plan to rotate the show around Niagara and add more categories as needed. "I'm already thinking ... how can I beat this next year?"

Award presenter Mark Matthews got some of the night's biggest cheers with his call to arms to support Niagara music. "To the bar owners and club owners, get off your wallets," he said. "You pay, they play, and your place will be packed."

And the winners are ...

Winners of the first annual Niagara Music Awards, held Tuesday night at the Niagara Centre for the Performing Arts:

- Original Song of the Year - "Sober State of Fame" - The Street Pharmacy

- ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR - PINK FLOYD NIAGARA

- Group of the Year - Oliver Black

- Original Band of the Year - The Broken Lyre

- Songwriter of the Year - Jagger Cook

- Album of the Year - "All Our Hands Are Dirty" - Jagger Cook

- Female Vocalist of the Year - Serena Pruyn, Oliver Black

- Male Vocalist of the year - Wainwright

- Rock Group of the year - Guv'Nor Generals

- Metal Group of the Year - MDM (Modern Digital Militia)

- Country Band of the Year - Angela Siracusa

- Music Video of the Year - Soren Carter

- Tribute Act of the Year - Oracle (tribute to Jethro Tull)

- Bar Band of the Year - Sukkapunch

- Dance Recording of the Year - MDM (Modern Digital Militia)

- Blues Band of the Year - Niagara Rhythm Section

- World Group of the Year - Crooked Trail Band

- Theatrical Performance of the Year - Vicky Vlassis Radulovich

- Recording Engineer of the Year - Dean Malton for the Toasted Western Swing Band

- Jazz Group of the Year - The Groove Associates

- Children's Group of the Year - The Smudge Fundaes

- Instrumental of the Year - Nathan Chamberland

- Peoples Choice Award - The Street Pharmacy

- Special Achievement Award - Honeymoon Suite

Article ID# 957152
Author: John Law
Date: March 26, 2008