VIDEO: Watch the 2020 Steamtown Music Awards virtual nomination event for NEPA artists and industry professionals
Today, the Steamtown Music Awards released a virtual nominations event exclusively on NEPA Scene in place of its annual announcement party in-person at a local venue.
This video from ECMC co-founder Joe Caviston features new information about the 2020 award ceremony and who the nominees for each award are.
For 2020 only, the organizers have decided to open online voting for every award. While the committee will still pick the winner of each award, a separate “People’s Choice” will be named for each category. This gives nominees a second chance at recognition.
“We’re all stuck inside right now. We all need entertainment. Also, we’ve been locked up since March. Even the best bands are running out of content that fans can get excited about, so we’re providing them with something to rally their fans behind,” Caviston explained.
“The winners of the online voting in each category will be given a special certificate. Nominees can win both the people’s choice and committee vote. This should be interesting.”
Voting will open on Friday, July 24 and take place inside the Steamtown Music Awards’ Facebook event page.
For now, local musicians and their fans will have to watch the video below to find out who has been nominated:
On Friday, the written list of nominees and instructions on how to vote will be released exclusively through NEPA Scene. This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award nominees will also be announced.
The award ceremony will take place over three nights, Sept. 10-12, and will be professionally live streamed by Scranton media production company Ionic Development.
On Tuesday, July 28, organizers will announce the artists who will be performing at this year’s ceremony, along with other exclusive details about the event, via NEPA Scene.
On June 1, Caviston announced that the 2020 Electric City Music Conference and its opening night, the Steamtown Music Awards, “will be held in an altered fashion due to the coronavirus pandemic and its lasting effects on the local music scene and venues.”
His three-part strategy for the events is as follows:
The music festival
We are postponing the festival aspect of the ECMC for 2020 until further notice. Our hope is to host a two-day showcase in January of 2021 that will allow for a weekend of musical performances around the city.
Currently, we do not feel that we can safely and logistically execute the festival portion of the event. Your health and safety is our priority, and we do not feel that bringing bands from all over the country to Scranton and filling venues with concertgoers would be socially responsible.
Once a date is established for the two-day showcase, we will make a formal announcement.
The conference: speakers, mentors, and panels
The conference portion of the ECMC will take place virtually. We will have an interactive Zoom video chat available to the public. We will also live stream this aspect of the conference from our social media page as well as NEPA Scene’s Facebook page. As always, this aspect of the weekend will be 100 percent free.
We are currently coordinating schedules with speakers and will announce them shortly.
The Steamtown Music Awards
The Steamtown Music Awards will be broken up over three days: Sept. 10, 11, and 12. The award ceremony(s) will take place at The V-Spot in Scranton. Awards will be split equally across all days in hopes of allowing the most people possible to safely and comfortably attend the ceremony. We have coordinated with our media sponsors Ionic Development and NEPA Scene to live stream the event as well.
We will still have a red carpet area, there will still be performances, and we will still give out awards. However, for this year, we will not be tenting off the parking lot. Please be aware that we do not know what the capacity limitations will be at The V-Spot as of the second week of September. Whatever they are, we will follow all guidelines.
If you do not feel comfortable attending the ceremony and you are nominated for an award, you may submit an acceptance video to be played if you win.
Last year’s ECMC featured performances by over 150 bands from seven states in 12 venues throughout Scranton, the Steamtown Music Awards ceremony with many new awards and special performances of its own, and free panel discussions and mentoring sessions for local musicians, professionals, and music fans. As the largest event of its kind in Northeastern Pennsylvania, this celebration of the diverse local music scene is much more than a music festival, bringing hundreds of artists and music industry professionals together annually to meet and network while recognizing and showcasing established and up-and-coming musicians.
See NEPA Scene’s photos from the 2019 Steamtown Music Awards ceremony at The V-Spot here.
2020 Steamtown Music Award nominees
Best New Artist
Channel 65
CJ Suprxme
Don’t Panic
Down By 5
Fatal Betrayal
Fatal Misconception
J3R1CH0
Starving Hysterical Naked
The Sorters
Theme for a Sinner
Tori Viccica
The Contact Collective
Mellifluous
Twin Lakes
RadioRiot!
Kay Kay
Flowers for You
Acoustic/Solo Artist of the Year
Christian Gratz
Dustin Douglas
Mike Elward
Sarah Carne
Shannon Marsayda
Chris Shrive
Derek Nowak
Tori Viccica
Blues/Funk/Soul Act of the Year
Brendan Brisk Blues Band
Dustin Douglas & The Electric Gentlemen
JP Williams Blues Band
The Contact Collective
Moodswing
Teddy Young and the Aces
Country Act of the Year
Big Country
Flatland Ruckus
Jack’d Up Country
Runnin’ on Whiskey
The Wells River Band
Tommy Guns Band
DJ/Electronic Act of the Year
DJ Hersh
DJ Pat Moore
DJ Quoth
Cryptic
Lady Hectic
FlipSwitch
Duo/Trio of the Year
Five7Ohh
Friendly Frye Duo
Holy Sardine
The MDG Crew
Mr. Jones and Me
The Frost Duo
The Boastfuls Duo
Remedy Lights
Folk/Americana/Bluegrass Act of the Year
The Sorters
The Mule Team
Tedd Hazard
American Buffalo Ghost
Remedy Lights
Spud
Hip-Hop/Rap/R&B Artist of the Year
Joe Grizzy
Lucas Hex
Maine the Medicine
The KP
en7er-pr1ze
G Lyrekal
Indie Rock Act of the Year
Alma Mater
Joe Burke & Co.
Kali Ma and the Garland of Arms
The Cryptid
Don’t Panic
The Robinsonade
Jam/Reggae Act of the Year
Elephants Dancing
Myal Soul
The Tribe
Static in the Attic
Sterling Koch and Freeway Jam
Zayre Mountain
Metal Act of the Year
The Aegean
Black Nihil
Behind the Grey
Brotality
Paladin’s Death
Traverse the Abyss
Pop/Top 40 Act of the Year
Modern Ties
The MDG Crew
Flowers for You
TySoul
Nowhere Slow
Tatiana
Punk/Hardcore Act of the Year
AlphaAudio
Blind Choice
Cut Up Naked Teenagers
The Maguas
Theme for a Sinner
Starving Hysterical Naked
Rock/Alternative Act of the Year
Lifer
E57
The Boastfuls
University Drive
The Holtzmann Effect
Soul Satellite
Tribute/Cover Band of the Year
Bad Liars
Bing King Moose
Dance Hall Devils
Down by 5
Friendly Fyre
The Taxmen
Female Vocalist of the Year
Alecia Powell
Courtney Hahn
Leah Beth Evans
Shannon Marsyada
Tatiana Tell
Tori Viccicia
JoyLynne Raye Frie
Alyssa Fusaro
Male Vocalist of the Year
Derek Nowak
Richie Zackoski
James Barrett
Jordan Ramirez
Martin Monahan
Nick Montini
Tyler Zeiss
Steven Murphy
Guitarist of the Year
AJ Larsen
Christian Gratz
Dave Kline
Dustin Douglas
Jeff Symons
Matt Anneman
Rob Husty
Tyler Salak
Bassist of the Year
Ben Roper
Chris Benitez
Lenny Mecca
Luke Seeley
Mike Capwell
Mike Fedysky
Eric Novroski
Aaron Kovalich
Drummer of the Year
Chris Langan
Jerry Bruno
Mark Montella
Seth Mahaffey
Tanner Snyder
Tommy Smallcomb
George Pachucy
Sean Cunningham
Video of the Year
Don’t Panic – “Fall of 99”
Alma Mater – “Fade to Grey”
Cut Up Naked Teenagers – “Anything But a Tomorrow”
Dustin Douglas – “Santa Claus Is Back in Town”
Modern Ties – “Supernatural”
Maine the Medicine x Amanda Rogan – “I’m Tryin”
Soul Satellite – “Shindig”
The Maguas – “Actions Speak Louder Than Words”
The Tribe – “Highlights”
Toothless – “Grinner”
Song of the Year
The Aegean – “Arethusa”
Modern Ties – “Outside the Lines”
Patrick McGlynn – “The Man in the Cannon” (2020)
The Sorters – “Ocean Beach”
Zayre Mountain – “Into the Fire”
Anytime Soon – “End of an Era”
Lifer – “The Start of Something Else”
Lucas Hex – “Bloodshot”
The Boastfuls – “Tequila”
Kali Ma and the Garland of Arms – “Something Else”
Album/EP of the Year
Tom Flannery and the Shillelaghs – “Peace and Love and Dollar Pints”
Adam Farley – “Disrupt the System”
Christian Gratz – “1979”
James Barrett – “The Price of Comfort”
Gus the Savage – “Savage ’20”
Tori Viccica – “Tori V”
Canedy – “Warrior”
Brendan Brisk Blues Band – “Relaxylvania”
Maine the Medicine – “B.U.T.C.H”
A Fire With Friends/Sweetnest – “Bearings” split EP
Recording Studio of the Year
The Stude
After Image Studios
JL Studio
Papa Bear Studio
Republic Audio Studio
SI Studios
Saturation Acres
Soundmine Recording Studio
Windmill Agency
The Goat Lair Studio
Producer/Recording Engineer of the Year
AJ Larsen
Bret Alexander
Cliff Evans
Clyde Rosencrance
Daniel Malsch
Eric Novroski
Eric Ritter
Jay Preston
Joe Loftus
Joe Wegelski
John Rogniski
Tom Ferranti
Music Publication/Blog of the Year
The Weekender
NEPA Scene
Highway 81 Revisited
Direct Access World Wide
Access NEPA
5-7-0 Press
Music Journalist/Reviewer of the Year
Alan K. Stout
Rich Howells
Alonna Weaver
Eric Schlittler
Pat Kernan
Michael Lello
Music/Concert Photographer of the Year
Emily Sulkowski
Emma Black
Jason Riedmiller
Keith Perks
Tom Bonomo
Dominique Kożuch
Alex Seeley
Local Radio Station of the Year
105 The River
88.5 WRKC
97.9x
98.5 KRZ
Alt 92.1
Rock 107
90.3 WESS
91.7 VMFM
Local Radio/Podcast/Streaming Personality of the Year
Alan K. Stout
Duffy
Hoover
Popko
Lazy E
Lissa Kranke
Prospector
Ferg
Live Performer of the Year
Dustin Douglas & The Electric Gentlemen
University Drive
The Boastfuls
Runnin’ on Whiskey
Threatpoint
Alma Mater
Joe Burke & Co.
Mr. Jones & Me
Local “Sound Guy”/Sound Engineer of the Year
Ben Bush
Darren Fernandes
Joseph Wegleski
Matt Kester
Mike Magdon
Michael Snopkowski
Steve Zampano
Will Perna
New category – Live Performance/Concert of the Year
Behind the Grey – “Treason” EP release show at The Place in Scranton
E57 – “Heavy Seas and Smashing Skies” anniversary show at the Border Bar in Pittston
The Boastfuls – “Tequila” release show at Stage West in Scranton
James Barrett – “The Price of Comfort” release show at Stage West
Elephants Dancing and Bumpin Uglies at Stage West
Nowhere Slow on Thanksgiving Eve at The V-Spot in Scranton
Toothless at Karl Hall in Wilkes-Barre
Joe Burke & Co. at Karl Hall
New category – Local Podcast/Streaming Series of the Year
Alt-Natives on Alt 92.1
Rock This Way Podcast
Juicebox Sessions
NEPA Scene Podcast
Lissa’s Live and Local Podcast
NEPA Lime Light
97.9X Locals Only
Music on the Menu with Alan K. Stout
New category – Best Place to See a Concert/Show
Border Bar
Finnegan’s IRC
Karl Hall
River Street Jazz Cafe
Stage West
The V-Spot
The Sherman Theater
F.M. Kirby Center
New category – Videographer/Video Producer of the Year
Justin Goreschak / Ionic Development
Jon Edwards / Contention Media
Markie Dennebaum / TwentyFiveEight Studios
Stephen Reuther / Reuther Productions
Jeffrey Jaremko / Party on the Patio
Michael Belardi
Matthias Claflin
Luis Medina / Kolo TV
Photo by Keith Perks/1120 Studios/NEPA Scene
