Orange County Register

The nominees for the 9th annual OC Music Awards have just been announced — and it’s a four-way tie for who has the most notices, with long-running Orange-based rockers Thrice, Fullerton groups Dusty Rhodes and the River Band and the Steelwells and O.C./L.A. electro outfit Blok all nabbing three nods.

Thrice and Rhodes and his players are up for best album, for Beggars and Palace and Stage, respectively. Rounding out that category are Asleep in the Wake, from Melanoid, the Radiohead/Coldplay-influenced band led by John Hanson … In Search of Solid Ground, a strong one from Saosin … and Portable Record Player, one of the finest works from Fountain Valley singer-songwriter Michael Ubaldini.

Those latter three also picked up second nominations — for best rock (Melanoid), best alternative (Saosin) and best country/Americana (Ubaldini).

Thrice’s other noms were for best rock and best alternative, while Rhodes and his crew (below) landed in the best rock and best country/Americana fields. Blok, also up for best hip-hop, will compete against Color Theory, Free the Robots and more for best electronic, and square off with the Steelwells, the Colourist, I Hate You Just Kidding and She Screams Remedy for best new artist.

The Steelwells also scored nods for best indie (alongside the Color Turning, the New Limb, the Union Line and Young the Giant) as well as best song, for its track “El Capitan.” Other nominees in the latter category include “Tuck (How It Feels Away)” by Aushua, “Storm” by Atreyu (who also picked up a best metal nomination), “Walk Like a Gentleman” from Eye Alaska (whose Chase Kensrue faces brother Dustin, above, of Thrice in the best alternative race) and “Oh Goodbye” by the Colourist.

In addition to Eye Alaska, Atreyu, Free the Robots and the Colourist, other acts racking up a pair of nominations include Stereofix, the Dirty Heads, Aushua and I Hate You Just Kidding.

Sugar Ray will receive the Orange County Impact Award, an honor that last year went to punk veterans the Vandals. Jim Washburn, former critic for both the Register and OC Weekly and justifiably the county’s leading local-music historian, will be given the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Reel Big Fish hilariously landed in the best world category. Avenged Sevenfold scored a nod for best metal, despite having done next to nothing last year (though obviously there is much sympathy for the group in the wake of drummer James “The Rev” Sullivan’s death).

Walter Trout, Parker Macy Blues, Mississippi Man, Roman Alexander and the Robbery all landed in the best blues category, along with Savage City, a 2007 OCMA winner, which lost bassist Cy Pace late last year. Cambria Detken, the 17-year-old from Laguna Niguel who wound up singing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show last April, earned a nomination for best pop, along with Stacy Clark, Molly Jenson, the Bolts and the Sequence.

All winners, including those for best live band and best acoustic performer (both still being determined in Tuesday night battles at venues throughout O.C.) as well as the People’s Choice Award winner, will be revealed March 6 at the Grove of Anaheim. For that last prize, fans can still vote for favorites online until March 1.

Click below for a complete list of nominations.

2010 OC MUsic Awards nominees

(Nominees listed in alphabetical order)

Best Album –- Released in 2009
Asleep in the Wake — Melanoid
Beggars – Thrice
In Search of Solid Ground — Saosin
Palace and Stage — Dusty Rhodes and the River Band
Portable Record Player –- Michael Ubaldini

Best Song – Released in 2009
“El Capitan” –- The Steelwells
“Tuck (How it Feels Away)” — Aushua
“Oh Goodbye” –- The Colourist
“Storm” –- Atreyu
“Walk Like a Gentleman” –- Eye Alaska

Best New Artist – New to 2009 Music Scene
Blok
The Colourist
I Hate You Just Kidding
She Screams Remedy
The Steelwells

Best Alternative
Aushua
Eye Alaska
Saosin
Stereofix
Thrice

Best Blues
Parker Macy Blues
Mississippi Man
Roman Alexander and the Robbery
Savage City
Walter Trout

Best Club DJ
Bobby Soul
DJ Dan Sena
DJ Oldboy
Free the Robots
Rachael Starr

Best Country/Americana
Billy Kernkamp
Dusty Rhodes and the River Band
The Fallen Stars
Michael Ubaldini
Pawn Shop Kings

Best Electronic
Blok
Break the Circus
Color Theory
Electric Valentine
Free the Robots

Best Folk
Argyle Smile
Barrett Johnson
I Hate You Just Kidding
Matt Kollar and the Angry Mob
Yellow Red Sparks

Best Hip Hop
Blok
Brawdcast
The Dirty Heads
Loose Logic
My Hero

Best Indie
The Color Turning
The New Limb
The Steelwells
The Union Line
Young the Giant

Best Jazz
Dana Parker
Rare Form Band
Riff Raff
Todd Oliver
Translucent Ham Sandwich Band

Best Latin
Boogaloo Assassins
Chris Williams
Miguel Garcia and the Vaquetones
Robert Anthony Aviles
Soul Hustlers

Best Metal
Atreyu
Avenged Sevenfold
Death by Stereo
Pistolero
Throwdown

Best Pop
The Bolts
Cambria Detken
Molly Jenson
The Sequence
Stacy Clark

Best Punk
The Adolescents
Audacity
Chaser
Franki Doll & the Broken Toys
Longway

Best Rock
Dusty Rhodes and the River Band
Melanoid
Thrice
Stereofix
Sederra

Best Surf
Gantez Warrior
Hindu Pirates
Marc B
The Eliminators
The Growlers

Best World
The Dirty Heads
Humanlab
Pilot Touhil
Reel Big Fish
Starpool

Orange County Impact Award
Sugar Ray

Lifetime Achievement Award
Jim Washburn

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