MMA Awards Wednesday - Ride the Free Bus to St. Cloud

If you were wondering like I was why the MMA's were in St. Cloud instead of the Twin Cities this year and were worried about transportation to and from the event, worry no more. The Minnesota Music Academy is providing free bus service to and from the Red Carpet.

The busses depart from and return to Gluek's in downtown Minneapolis (16 N. 6th St.) on Wednesday, September 22nd.

Schedule:
5:00pm & 6:00pm (departing Mpls to Red Carpet)
12:30am & 2:00am (departing Red Carpet to Mpls)

Red Carpet doors open at 6:30pm and show begins at 7:30pm, ends around midnight.

Tix: $8.00 advance/$10 at the door. For more info on the Awards Show, visit www.minnesotamusicacademy.org

No drinking or smoking on the buses (operated by Voigt Bus Co.), but there will be FREE Red Bull Energy Drink. Space is limited - each bus holds about 45 people.

There will be a MMA volunteer for each bus, so when you arrive at Gluek's, make sure to check in with them to get your name on the list. There are 90 available spots.

This year's performer's list has been released. It includes Nachito Herrera, Monroe Crossing, Alicia Wiley, John Starkey Project, POS/Doomtree, Hydrophonics, Jack Norton & the Mullet River Boys, Honeydogs, Viento Norteno, Dallas Johnson w/ JD Steele & Desdamona, Bryan Barnett and Celebrity Records Bryan Gerrard & David Drone.

The event is hosted by the lovely Mei Young (KQ Homegrown) & Jason Nagel (Cities 97)

Presenters include David Campbell, Melissa Maerz, Peter Scholtes, Lars Larson, Tony Paul, JD Steele, E.G. Bailey, Chris Strouth, David de Young, Rich Horton, Drinking w/ Ian Cast, Jen Boyles, St. Cloud Mayor, Maya Lopez, KVSC hosts, Electric Fetus staff, Jim Weber, Taco Martin, Red Bull Energy Staff, Red Carpet Staff and MMA Board Members.

I myself will be presenting the awards for best horn player, best bassist, and best guitar player. If Prince, who is nominated for best guitar player wins and actually shows up, who knows, I may even get to shake his little purple hand.

Minnesota Music Awards Ballot is Out - HowWasTheShow vs. City Pages, Pulse and Rift in MMA deathmatch

Ballots for the Minnesota Music Awards, hosted by the Minnesota Music Academy (MMA), are now available online at www.minnesotamusicacademy.org

In this, the 24th year of the Academy, 50 categories are featured on the ballot including Best Indie Label Recording, Hip Hop Artist/Group and New Group/Artist of the Year. HowWasTheShow was a nominee (and loser) last year in the "Best New Media" category which was won by MusicScene.org (who aren't nominated this year.) On the 2004 Ballot, the MMA category HowWasTheShow is nominated is called "Best Music Media" and includes both web and print media organizations, pitting us against the likes of City Pages, Pulse of the Twin Cities, DU Nation, Misplaced Music.org and Rift Magazine. This means that HowWasTheShow will probably lose, but it'll be a good company of losers whoever takes home the trophy. Besides, since I write for Rift Magazine, and the City Pages and Pulse pepes are deserving friends, we all win, right? And on the outside chance any of us are unhappy with the results, I'm sure we can settle our differences in a good-spirited drinking contest.

Voting deadline this year is September 13th, and winners will be announced and at the Minnesota Music Awards Show on Wednesday, September 22nd. Though this year the ceremony will be held at the Red Carpet Nightclub in St. Cloud instead of in St. Paul at O'Gara's.

For additional information on how to become a member or volunteer your time to MMA, please contact them via their website at www.minnesotamusicacademy.org or (612) 305-4487.