EXCLUSIVE: 2021 Steamtown Music Award nominees in 27 categories announced in Scranton
Today, the Electric City Music Conference announced the nominees for the 2021 Steamtown Music Awards. Online voting begins at noon on Thursday, Oct. 14 on the ECMC Facebook page.
For the second year, every award will have an online voting component. The online voting will contribute to 50 percent of the vote for each category, while the SMAs committee will contribute the other 50 percent of the vote.
The standout performers that received fan support on social media and at live concerts will receive the People’s Choice Award, given out in each category in addition to the main award.
Due to COVID-19 concerns, the number of categories has been reduced a bit this year, but the award ceremony will be back with all of the usual pageantry at The V-Spot (906 Providence Rd., Scranton) on Thursday, Nov. 18. The event will again be held both indoors and outdoors, with the parking lot enclosed by a tent.
“We’ll be back to full strength in 2022,” ECMC co-founder Joe Caviston said.
Nominees and visitors will have the chance to walk the red carpet from 5:30 p.m.-7 p.m. where interviews will be conducted by NEPA Scene editor Rich Howells during a live stream of the event. Official red carpet photos will also be taken by Keith Perks of 1120 Studios.
The eighth annual Steamtown Music Awards will feature live performances by Room 108, Jay Trinity, Royal Hell, Mack Mulla, Ellie Rosentel, Blind Choice, Ripped Away, So Much Hope, Buried and DJ Hersh.
In addition, there will be on-stage appearances by AJ Crossley, Alexandra Gesler, Alonna Weaver, The Boastfuls, Carver Cross, Dan Lykens, Dave Kline, Denny Corby, George Polemitis, Jacquelyn Kazoun, John Kasper, Lucia and Glynn Murphy, Michelle Pagan, Johnny Popko, Rich Howells, Tanis Pellegrini, Vinnie Archer, Nick Van Wagenen, Daniel Pittman, Tom Ferranti, Mark Hoover, Donna Trusky, Kris Jones, Josh Balz, John Phillips, and Aaron Bruch to present the awards throughout the evening.
Nominees and presenters get in free. Tickets for guests, which are $10, are on sale now via Eventbrite.
The conference continues on Friday, Nov. 19 and Saturday, Nov. 20 in various venues throughout the Scranton area, including the Backyard Ale House, The Bog, Noir Dark Spirits, Peculiar Kitchen, The Railyard, Stage West, and The V-Spot.
Over three days, the Electric City Music Conference typically features performances by over 150 bands from across the country throughout different venues, the Steamtown Music Awards ceremony with many 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.
2021 Steamtown Music Award nominees
Best New Artist
Room 108
5-7-Zero
Cat Matthews
False Fears
New Moon Rising
P!HXN
Reminiscer
So Much Hope, Buried
Wife Swamp
Tori V and the Karma
Channel 65
Sleeplore
Acoustic/Solo Artist of the Year
Chris Shrive
Derek Nowak
Duds
Kyle Demko
Ryan Williams
Tori Viccica
Blues/Funk/Reggae Act of the Year
Brendan Brisk
Elephants Dancing
Dustin Douglas and the Electric Gentlemen
The Tribe
Static in the Attic
Clarence Spady
Country Act of the Year
Big Country
Chris Shrive/Flatland Ruckus
Mike Elward
New Moon Rising
Wells River Band
Boots and Bangs
DJ/EDM Act of the Year
Cryptic
Flipswitch
DJ Hersh
DJ Famous
EJ the DJ
Adam Farley
Duo/Trio of the Year
CC Duo
Friendly Fyre Duo
The Frost Duo
Mr. Jones and Me
Holy Sardine
BiB – Bald Is Beautiful
Folk/Americana/Bluegrass Act of the Year
American Buffalo Ghost
Franklin House
Joe Burke & Co.
The Sorters
Static in the Attic
Cat Matthews
Hip-Hop/Rap/R&B Artist of the Year
Jay Trinity
TySoul & Maine the Medicine
Gus the Savage
CJ Suprxme
Sellz
Mack Mulla
Metal Act of the Year
Black Horizon
Cruel Bomb
The Aegean
Toothless
Traverse the Abyss
Brotality
Pop/Top 40 Act of the Year
Modern Ties
Down by Five
Friendly Fyre
The Contact Collective
Tori V and the Karma
The Taxmen
Punk/Pop Punk/Hardcore Act of the Year
The Maguas
Flowers For You
AllTheDamnVampires
Blind Choice
The Mesos
Reminiscer
Rock/Alternative/Indie Act of the Year
Blind Choice
Don’t Panic
Esta Coda
The Boastfuls
University Drive
James Barrett
Female Vocalist of the Year
Alecia Powell
Amanda Rogan
Cierra Cellarari
Courtney Hahn
Tori Viccica
Gabriella Tolerico
Male Vocalist of the Year
Adolfo Busillo
Carmen Carey
Derek Nowak
Eric Abyss
Martin Monahan
TySoul
Guitarist of the Year
Andrew Blank
Bill Miller
Brian Zanetti
Chris Iorio
Duds
Matt Anneman
Mike White
Tom Turonis
Bassist of the Year
Aaron Kovalich
Ben Roper
Christopher Benitez
Dave Arneil
Keith Slader
Mike Fedysky
Nick Cotillo
Zach Jones
Drummer of the Year
Anthony Montini
Anthony Paesano
Billy Lieback
Dante Ceccerelli
Eric Novroski
Jon Labenski
Richie Pierce
Tyler Dempsey
Music Video of the Year
Brendan Brisk – “Chai Tea Tai Chi”
Don’t Panic – “Mr. Blue Sky”
TySoul & Maine the Medicine- “Serenity”
Sellz – “NCG Forever”
Kali Ma and the Garland of Arms – “Loophole”
Modern Ties – “Downtown”
Traverse the Abyss – “Faucet Mouth”
Reminiser featuring Flowers For You – “Grey”
Song of the Year
Sleeplore – “Anything You Want to Know”
Cat Matthews – “Bad Guy Anyway”
Elephant’s Dancing – “Tiki Time”
James Barrett – “Yellow Paint”
New Moon Rising – No Regrets
The Boastfuls – “Medicate”
Album/EP of the Year
The Maguas – “One of Us Is Lying”
Kali Ma and the Garland of Arms – “People”
Don’t Panic – “Dark Horse”
CJ Supreme – “The Butterfly Effect”
James Barrett – “A Series Of… Mostly Nothing”
American Buffalo Ghost – “Folk Songs and the Weird Americana”
Recording Studio of the Year
JL Studios
Novro Studios
SGS Studios
Republic Audio Studio
SI Studios
Windmill Agency
Producer/Recording Engineer of the Year
Earl Chang
Eric Novroski
Eric Ritter
Jay Preston and Joe Loftus
Matt Jenkins
Joe “Wiggy” Wegleski
Music Press of the Year
5-7-0 Press
Highway 81 Revisited
NEPA Scene
The Popko Project
Punkstyria
Rock This Way Podcast
Music Press Personality of the Year
Alonna Weaver – 5-7-0 Press
Hoover – Rock 107
Johnny Popko – The Popko Project
Rich Howells – NEPA Scene
Ray Meoni – 5-7-0 Press
Jeff Bonomo – Rock Talk
Music/Concert Photographer of the Year
Keith Perks
Juliana Soroka
Mike Lehman
Scott Kucharski
Ryan Mullaney
John Kasko
Local Radio Station of the Year
97.1 BHT
97.9X
98.5 KRZ
105 The River
91.7 VMFM
Rock 107
Videographer/Video Producer of the Year
Christopher Rhatigan
Eric Novroski
Ionic Development
Jeffrey Jaremko
KoloTV
Lamont Garcia
Photo of Tori Viccica by Keith Perks/1120 Studios
