A band-by-band guide to the 2009 Westword Music Showcase

Fifteen years ago, on a cool, damp night in LoDo, a local music festival was born. By the standards of today's Westword Music Showcase, the inaugural event was modest. I know, because I was there — as a spectator. Little did I know back then that one day I'd be charged with curating the Showcase, a role I've filled for the past six years as it moved to the Golden Triangle and became bigger and better than ever. And despite the fact that I make this claim each time, this year's edition really is the be-all and end-all.

For starters, the lineup is astonishing from top to bottom, regardless of your musical tastes. For nine measly bucks and some change ($20 if you wait until Saturday to get your tickets), you'll hear five bona fide big-shot headliners (one of whom is also on the bill at this year's Pitchfork and Siren festivals) and more than eighty of our town's finest acts. Plus, we've added several cool new venues, and we're getting an earlier start so you can take in as much music as possible. This guide contains the basic info on this year's performers, but stop by the Backbeat blog this week for some free MP3 downloads.

See you Saturday, June 13, at the Showcase! — Dave Herrera

Click here for a complete Showcase schedule.

BUILT TO SPILL

8:25-9: 50 P.M., VERIZON WIRELESS OUTDOOR STAGE

The Westword Music Showcase is about the experience of seeing performers making music on the spot, in real time — and few groups are more representative of that aesthetic than Built to Spill. Led by Idaho-based singer-songwriter/guitarist Doug Martsch, the band makes consistently brilliant albums, such as 2006's You in Reverse. But instead of treating each track like a glass figurine that might shatter if not handled with care, Martsch and company boldly elaborate on their original designs without getting hung up on perfection. "You can fuck up and forget about it a minute later," Martsch notes in an interview available in its entirety on westword.com's Backbeat Online blog. "Do things that you might not want to be totally remembered for, things that wouldn't be totally representative of Built to Spill...things on the guitar or whatever. You do them on your guitar for a minute and then move on. It's a really freeing experience to play live."

— Michael Roberts

MEESE

6:55-8:05 P.M., VERIZON WIRELESS OUTDOOR STAGE

Stepping nimbly onto the escalator built by the Fray, Meese is on the fast track to being Denver's next big breakout band. And while there's no denying the hard work, passion and attention to craft the brothers Patrick and Nathan Meese have put into their outfit since moving to Denver from Cleveland, it seems almost impossible for Meese not to succeed; the band oozes sharp, glittery hooks that are simultaneously frantic and casual, low-key and assured. Now that the group's major-label debut, Broadcast, is due to be released on Atlantic Records on June 30, its sweet, bouncy, synth-plus-guitar sound might become the soundtrack to more than just Denver's summer. — Jason Heller

THE FLUID

5:35-6:35 P.M., VERIZON WIRELESS OUTDOOR STAGE

The Fluid's reunion show at the Bluebird Theater was amazing on every level — and the fun was only starting, as lead singer John Robinson points out via e-mail. A secret club date in Seattle was "a total blowout," he writes, and a throng of 6,000 ate up the band's performance at a festival celebrating Sub Pop Records' twentieth anniversary: "I got a little crowd surfing in, just like old times." Since then, the original lineup's played more gigs in New York City and Seattle, and while there are no plans to record new material, Robinson stresses that the players are "keen to remix and remaster some of the back catalog and make it available at some point." Everyone's also game to reassemble every so often if the occasion is right — and the Westword Music Showcase proved to be the perfect fit. Robinson believes "it could well be the music event of the summer for Denver." — Roberts

CURSIVE

4:15-5:15 P.M., VERIZON WIRELESS OUTDOOR STAGE

"I'm at my best when I'm at my worst," croons Cursive's Tim Kasher in "From the Hips," a track from the Omaha band's most recent album, this year's Mama, I'm Swollen. And — as those lyrics and titles indicate — Kasher uses his band's comeback album as yet another vehicle for his lush, extended metaphors and self-referential probing. But Kasher's three-year break after 2006's Happy Hollow seems to have mellowed the introspective songwriter out a bit; a few of the postmodern edges have worn off, and the band seems a bit more open to flat-out rocking. That is, in a totally sensitive way. Of course, there are still plenty of twisted, conceptually complex anthems in Cursive's repertoire, including songs from its masterpieces, 2000's Domestica and 2003's The Ugly Organ. — Heller

A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS

3:00-4:00 P.M., VERIZON WIRELESS OUTDOOR STAGE

New York trio A Place to Bury Strangers burst on the scene on a wave of comparisons to the Jesus and Mary Chain — comparisons that certainly weren't unfounded. Still, APTBS has take one particular sliver of that sound (namely, it's early, white-noise era) and amped it to an exponential degree. Nearly industrial in its starkness, the group forges shivering, lumbering songs that stab like icicles and throb like the hearts of mastodons. The act's self-titled debut full-length from 2007 is a formidable recording, but it pales before its blissfully punishing live set — aided by singer/guitarist Oliver Ackermann's array of customized, homemade effects pedals, which he crafts by day for clients as illustrious as Wilco, U2 and another of his obvious influences, My Bloody Valentine. — Heller

AAKASH MITTAL QUARTET

NOMINATED IN JAZZ

5:00-5:45 p.m., Dazzle

Personnel: Aakash Mittal; Jean-Luc Davis; Matt Fuller; Josh Moore

Discography: Possible Beginnings (2008)

ACHILLE LAURO

NOMINATED IN INDIE ROCK

4:00-4:45 p.m., Curious Theatre

Personnel: Matt Close; Luke Mossman; Jon Evans; Ben Mossman

Discography: Achille Lauro (2008); You're Going to Live (and Other Nice Things to Hear) (2007)

ACTION PACKED THRILL RIDE

NOMINATED IN ROOTS/AMERICANA

2:00-2:45 p.m., Fidel's Cantina

Personnel: Lucas Johannes; Mark Cawthray; Jon Evans; Duncan Dotterrer

Discography: A Looseleaf Script (2008); Action Packed Thrill Ride (2007)

ADAI

NOMINATED IN DEATH/GRIND METAL

4:00-4:45 p.m., Broadways

Personnel: Justin Trujillo; Devin Mendoza

Discography: ...I Carry (2008)

ALAN ALDA

NOMINATED IN INDIE ROCK

3:00-3:45 p.m., Bar Standard

Personnel: Luke Goodhue; Chris White; Matt Grizzell

Discography: Alan Alda EP (2009)

THE ALAN BAIRD PROJECT

NOMINATED IN POP

12:00-12:45 p.m., La Rumba

Personnel: Alan Baird; Nick Fox; Noah Matthews; Joel Matthews

Discography: Tonight's the Night for Kings (2009)

ALOFT IN THE SUNDRY

NOMINATED IN POP

3:00-3:45 p.m., La Rumba

Personnel: J. Heard; A. Rod; Chris Nelson; Big John

Discography: Modestine (2008); pen.triloquist (2007); Manuscript Novella (2005)

ASTROPHAGUS

NOMINATED IN INDIE ROCK

1:00-1:45 p.m., Curious Theatre

Personnel: Jason Cain; Joshua Cain; Daniel Pope; Joshua Trinidad

Discography: For Boating (2008); Casualite (2005)

ANDREA BALL

NOMINATED IN SINGER-SONGWRITER

12:00-12:45 p.m., Mo's

Discography: Beat Beat Pound (2008)

BDRMPPL

NOMINATED IN AMBIENT/ELECTRONICA

Personnel: Nick; Ryan

Discography: BDRMPPL EP (2008)

BELA KAROLI

NOMINATED IN AVANT POP

6:00-6:45 p.m., Curious Theatre

Personnel: Julie Davis; Brigid McAuliffe; Carrie Beeder; James Han

Discography: Furnished Rooms (2007)

BLACK LAMB

NOMINATED IN HARD ROCK

2:00-2:45 p.m., Broadways

Personnel: Mykel Martinez; Tim Vigil; Brian Hagman; Bill Stewart; Shane Hartman

Discography: forthcoming (2009); The First Step Is Admitting You Have a Problem (2008); Hang the Moon (2004); The Low Road (2002); Pillar of Salt (2002); High and Mighty (2001); Morning Star (2000); Lambs (2000)

BOLDTYPE

NOMINATED IN PUNK

3:00-3:45 p.m., Bannock St. Garage

Personnel: Mike Sweet; Jeffrey Do Right D; Dirty D; Joshie Don't Go

Discography: Boldtype EP (2005)

BOULDER ACOUSTIC SOCIETY

NOMINATED IN ROOTS/AMERICANA

3:00-3:45 p.m., Fidel's Cantina

Personnel: Brad Jones; Aaron Keim; Scott McCormick; Kailin Yong; Scott Aller

Discography: The Caged Bird (2008); Now (2007); 8th Color (2006); So Many Stars in the Sky (2004)

BUCKNER FUNKEN JAZZ

NOMINATED IN FUNK

1:00-1:45 p.m., Dazzle

Personnel: Rod Buckner; Ron Buckner; Bobby Hill; Amber Hutchings; Ty Nemecheck; Dave Hutchings; JP Pakalenka; Joel Brown

Discography: Get'cha Groove On (2006)

CACHEFLOWE

NOMINATED IN AMBIENT/

ELECTRONICA

Personnel: Justin Gitlin

Discography: Cache, Stacks & Queues EP (2008)

THE CHAIN GANG OF 1974

NOMINATED IN ELECTRO DANCE PUNK

12:00-12:45 p.m., Verizon Wireless Outdoor Stage

Personnel: Kamtim Mohager; other live musicians include Luke Osbourne and Brandon Anamier

Discography: Mad Paranoid (2009)

JOHN COMMON AND BLINDING FLASHES OF LIGHT

NOMINATED IN POP

6:00-6:45 p.m., Mo's

Personnel: John Common; Jess De Nicola Mefford; Jimmy Stofer; Dan Luehring; Brian McRae; Tom Germain; Jed Marrs; Kevin Meyer

Discography: forthcoming (2009); Why Birds Fly (2007); Good to Be Born (2006)

IAN COOKE

NOMINATED IN AVANT POP

4:00-4:45 p.m., Mo's

Personnel: Ian Cooke; Sean Merrell; Ian O.; Whit Sibley; Kelly O'Dea

Discography: The Fall I Fell (2007); Vasoon EP (2005)

THE CULHANES

NOMINATED IN COUNTRY/ALT-COUNTRY

12:00-12:45, Dazzle

Personnel: Jenny Lynn Culhane; Devin O'Toole; Pat O'Toole; Matt Cardenas; Sean Sweeney; Gary Baker

Discography: No Part of Nothin' (2009)

DEMON FUNKIES

NOMINATED IN FUNK

5:00-5:45 p.m., Fidel's Cantina

Personnel: Ryan Chrys; The Prom King; Square Dogg; Burning Sensation; P-Sax

Discography: Pure Junkies (2008)

DENT

NOMINATED IN HIP-HOP — MC

3:00-3:45 p.m., Vinyl Rooftop

Discography: Confi-DENT (2008); Blunt Sessions 101 (The Freestyles) (2007); Make Y'all Feel It (mix CD, 2006); Low Budget Soul (2006 V/A comp); Hip-Hop Love Jazz (2005, U.K.); Platinum in the Shower EP (2005)

TYLER DESPRES

NOMINATED IN SINGER-SONGWRITER

3:00-3:45 p.m., Mo's

DJ DRAGON

NOMINATED IN DJ DANCE

4:00-4:50 p.m., Bar Standard Patio

Discography: Numerous releases on N'telligence Recordings and Quick Adrenaline mixes on KXDC 102.1

DJ SOUP

NOMINATED IN DJ NON-TRADITIONAL

3:00-3:50 p.m., Bar Standard Patio

Discography: Various demos and mixtapes

DJ TYLER "DANGER" JACOBSON

NOMINATED IN DJ NON-TRADITIONAL

12:00-12:50 p.m., Bar Standard Patio

DJ WESLEY WAYNE

NOMINATED IN DJ NON-TRADITIONAL

2:00-2:50 p.m., Bar Standard Patio

Discography: Currently working on various mixtapes to be released on Till! Productions

ENEMY REIGN

NOMINATED IN DEATH/GRIND METAL

3:00-3:45 p.m., Broadways

Personnel: Sherwood Webber; Andon Guenther; Justin Lascelle; Nick Guenther; Cassie Begay

Discography: Means to a Dead End EP (2008)

THE EPILOGUES

NOMINATED IN MODERN ROCK

4:00-4:45 p.m., La Rumba

Personnel: Chris Heckman; Nate Hammond; Jason Hoke; Jeff Swoboda

Discography: The Beautiful, the Terrifying (2008)

EVERYTHING ABSENT OR DISTORTED (A LOVE STORY)

NOMINATED IN INDIE POP

6:00-6:45 p.m., Bar Standard

Personnel: Robert Rutherford; John Kuker; Trevor Trumble; Jody Pilmer; Andy Maher; Joe Grobelny; Ryan Stubbs; Bryce Merrill; contributors

Discography: The Great Collapse (2008); The Soft Civil War (2006)

F.O.E

NOMINATED IN HIP-HOP MC

1:00-1:45 p.m., Vinyl Rooftop

Personnel: F.O.E.

Discography: Welcome — A New Beginning (2008)

THE FRESH BREATH COMMITTEE

NOMINATED IN HIP-HOP — GROUP

12:00-12:45 p.m., Vinyl Rooftop

Personnel: On Point; Kontrast; Catch Lungs; Purpose; Crystal; DJ Skip Ripkin

Discography: CPR (2009)

GANGCHARGER

NOMINATED IN INDIE ROCK

1:00-1:45 p.m., Sutra

Personnel: Mark, Jeff, Brian, Ethan

PAUL GARCIA

NOMINATED IN DJ DANCE

5:00-5:50 p.m., Bar Standard Patio

Discography: EDM (2009)

GREG HARRIS VIBE QUINTET

NOMINATED IN JAZZ

6:00-6:45 p.m., Dazzle

Personnel: Greg Harris; Bill Larson; Rob Fahie; Erinn Bone; Matt Fuller

Discography: Frames Live (2007); Memory of Pilots (2006); Open Space (2006)

GIT SOME

NOMINATED IN ROCK

4:00-4:45 p.m., Sutra

Personnel: Chuck French; Neil Keener; Luke Fairchild; Andrew Lindstrom

Discography: Cosmic Rock (2008); Yes, Have Some (2006)

HAVOK

NOMINATED IN METAL

12:00-12:45 p.m., Broadways

Personnel: Shawn Chavez; David Sanchez; Jesse De Los Santos

Discography: Burn (2009)

HELLO KAVITA

NOMINATED IN INDIE ROCK

3:00-3:45 p.m., Curious Theatre

Personnel: Corey Teruya; Ian Short; Jimmy Stofer; Luke Mossman; Leor Manelis

Discography: And Then We Turned Sideways (2008)

THE HOLLYFELDS

NOMINATED IN COUNTRY/ALT-COUNTRY

2:00-2:45 p.m., Dazzle

Personnel: Eryn Hoerig; Kate Grigsby; Tim Mallot; Sam Spitzer; Keith Hoerig

Discography: Black Heart Blue (2009); Saratoga (2008); File Under 'H' for Toy EP (2006)

HOUSES

NOMINATED IN INDIE POP

2:00-2:45 p.m., Curious Theatre

Personnel: Andrew James Hamilton; Kinsey Hamilton; Stephen Brooks; Matthew Till; Johnny Lundock; Maria Kohler; Eric Peterson; Mike Marchant

Discography: Spring EP (2009)

IDEAL FATHERS

NOMINATED IN POST-PUNK

12:00-12:45 p.m., Sutra

Personnel: Jesse Hunsaker; Adam Rojo; Mike Perfetti; Mike King

Discography: Complete Waste of Time Travel EP (2009)

THE INFORMANTS

NOMINATED IN BLUES

3:00-3:45 p.m., Dazzle

Personnel: Kerry Pastine; Mac McMurray; Mark Richardson; Paul Christophersen; Paul Shellooe; Kenny Plum; Jonny Love

Discography: Stiletto Angel (2007)

IUENGLISS

NOMINATED IN AMBIENT/ELECTRONIC

5:00-5:45 p.m., Curious Theatre

Personnel: Tom Metz; contributors

Discography: Motion in Mind (2009); Sammy's Wildest Dreams EP (2008); Wake-Up Time (2007)

IVY

NOMINATED IN DJ DANCE

6:00-6:50 p.m., Bar Standard Patio

Discography: Gray V — Various Artists (3-Disc Set) (2007); plus appearances with Strawberry Fish and Black Bridge on various comps from Pangea Organics

JOSEPHINE & THE MOUSEPEOPLE

NOMINATED IN AMBIENT/

ELECTRONICA

Personnel: Avi Sherbil; Danny Shyman

THE KNEW

NOMINATED IN ROCK

4:00-4:45 p.m., Bar Standard

Personnel: Jacob Hansen; Tyler Breuer; Patrick Bowden; Tim Rynders

Discography: forthcoming (2009); Boom Bust EP (2008); Holladay (EP) (2007)

JEN KORTE (AND THE LOSS)

NOMINATED IN SINGER-SONGWRITER

1:00-1:45 p.m., Mo's

Personnel: Jen Korte; Jessica Mefford; Dan Luehring; Jim Roberto; Matthew Patrick Gilliam

LIFE IN ELECTRIC

NOMINATED IN MODERN ROCK

1:00-1:45 p.m., La Rumba

Personnel: Noe Deleon; Ross Ryan; Zach Newton; Jason McGinnis

Discography: Come Undone, Cover Up (2009)

LION SIZED

NOMINATED IN POST-PUNK

3:00-3:45 p.m., Sutra

Personnel: Josh Bergstrand; Shane Trost; Number Three

Discography: Lion Sized EP (2006)

LYIN' BITCH AND THE RESTRAINING ORDERS

NOMINATED IN PUNK

6:00-6:45 p.m., Bannock St. Garage

Personnel: Shank Whitey; Ivan Wankinov; Greg Lousanus; Weezus H. Christ; Chief Rug Burns; The Great.

Discography: Can't Cum Within a Hundred Feet of Your Love (2007); Beastiality Prevents Teen Pregnacy (2005)

THE MAGIC MICE

NOMINATED IN INDIE POP

1:00-1:45 p.m., Bar Standard

Personnel: Aaron Betcher; Tyler Wilcox; Chad Peterson; Charli White; Steve Jones

MANELINE

NOMINATED IN HIP-HOP — GROUP

5:00-5:45 p.m., Vinyl Rooftop

Personnel: ManeRok; InkLine; Dee Jay Tense

Discography: Till Then... (2007)

MARRIED IN BERDICHEV

NOMINATED IN AMBIENT/ELECTRONICA

5:00-5:45 p.m., Curious Theatre

Personnel: Brittany Gould

Discography: Dark EP (2009)

NINTH + LINCOLN ORCHESTRA

NOMINATED IN Jazz

4:00-4:45 p.m., Dazzle

Personnel: Tyler Gilmore; Wil Swindler; Brad Goode; Art Bouton; Peter Sommer; Dominic Lalli; Mark Harris; Dave Rajewski; Rob Murray; Kevin Whalen; Tom Ball; Jaime Parker; Rob Borger; Gary Mayne; Greg Harris; Dave Devine; Brian Wilson; Paul Romaine

Discography: Ninth+Lincoln (2007)

NO PLOT KILL

NOMINATED IN PUNK

4:00-4:45 p.m., Bannock St. Garage

Personnel: David Bartz; David Schmidtline; Ray Hammer

Discography: Evil Prevails When Good Men Fail to Act (2007)

THE NORTHERN WAY (FORMERLY SET FORTH)

NOMINATED IN POP

2:00-2:45 p.m., Verizon Wireless Outdoor Stage

Personnel: Steve Melton; Ryan Buller; Jeff Bostic; Marc Peets

Discography: Set Forth EP (2008); Set Forth EP (2006)

JOSHUA NOVAK

NOMINATED IN SINGER-SONGWRITER

2:00-2:45 p.m., Mo's

Personnel: Joshua Novak; John Rasmussen; Kit Peltzel; Gann Matthews

Discography: Dead Letters (2007); The Five Day Romance EP (2004); Metropolitan Songs (2001)

THE OUTTA CONTROLLERS

NOMINATED IN PUNK

1:00-1:45 p.m., Bannock St. Garage

Personnel: Parker Clark Whitton; Chaz Ginest; Chris VR; Joe Kadingo

Discography: The Outta Controllers (2009)

OVERCASTERS

NOMINATED IN INDIE ROCK

2:00-2:45 p.m., Sutra

Personnel: Ed Marshall; Kurt Ottaway; Erin Tidwell; John Nichols

ELIN PALMER

NOMINATED IN AVANT POP

12:00-12:45 p.m., Curious Theatre

Discography: Elin Palmer (2009)

ELLISON PARK

NOMINATED IN SINGER-SONGWRITER

5:00-5:45 p.m., Mo's

Personnel: Ellison Park; Mark Clifford; Quinn Michael Theis; Aaron Hochberg; John Olsson

Discography: When Head Killed Heart (2008)

THE PHOTO ATLAS

NOMINATED IN ELECTRO DANCE PUNK

5:00-5:45 p.m., Sutra

Personnel: Alan Andrews Jr.; Mark Hawkins; Bill Threlkeld III; Nick Miles

Discography: To Silently Provoke the Ghost (2009); No, Not Me, Never (2007)

THE PIRATE SIGNAL

NOMINATED IN HIP-HOP — GROUP

1:00-1:45 p.m., Verizon Wireless Outdoor Stage

Personnel: Yonnas Abraham; DJ A-What

Discography: The Name of This Band Is the Pirate Signal EP (2006); Norma(L) (2004)

PICTUREPLANE

NOMINATED IN AMBIENT/ELECTRONICA

5:00-5:45 p.m., Curious Theatre

Personnel: Travis Egedy

Discography: Pictureplane/BDRMPPL split 7" (2008)

PRIMASONIC

NOMINATED IN PUNK

2:00-2:45 p.m., Bannock St. Garage

Personnel: Sin; Kurt; Zac; Clyde

Discography: forthcoming (2009)

RED STINGER

NOMINATED IN PUNK

12:00-12:45 p.m., Bannock St. Garage

Personnel: Tim-E; Frad; Louie; Joel

Discography: Radio Friendly (2008)

REMINDERS

NOMINATED IN HIP-HOP — GROUP

4:00-4:45 p.m., Vinyl Rooftop

Personnel: Big Samir; Aja Black

Discography: Recollect (2008)

RENO DIVORCE

NOMINATED IN PUNK

5:00-5:45 p.m., Bannock St. Garage

Personnel: Brent Loveday; Andrew Erich; Tim Jadowski; Tye Battistella; Johnny Smith

Discography: Laugh Now Cry Later EP (2004); You're Only Making It Worse (2003); Naysayers and Yesmen (2002); All Throttle, No Bottle (EP) (1998)

ROE

NOMINATED IN POP

6:00-6:45 p.m., Fidel's Cantina

Personnel: Jake Espy; Nick Daniluk; David Anderson; John Breeding; Jake Breeding

Discography: Frame by Frame EP (2006)

THE ROUGE

NOMINATED IN INDIE POP

5:00-5:45 p.m., La Rumba

Personnel: Joshua Vaught; Jack Egan; Adam Call; Steve Voss

Discography: Heat & Light (2009)

SATAN'S EIGHTIES LOVECHILD

NOMINATED IN DJ NON-TRADITIONAL

1:00-1:50 p.m., Bar Standard Patio

SIX MONTHS TO LIVE

NOMINATED IN INDIE POP

12:00-12:45 p.m., Bar Standard

Personnel: Gregory Hill; Chris Brumbaugh; Shawn Sandler; Donnie Maul; Matt Shupe

Discography: A Better Place (2008); Starting as of Now EP (2006)

SLIGHT HARP

NOMINATED IN AMBIENT/ELECTRONICA

5:00-5:45 p.m., Curious Theatre

Personnel: Brandon; Alejandro; Nate; Val; Mario; Jacob

SOMETHING UNDERGROUND

NOMINATED IN ROCK

4:00-4:45 p.m., Fidel's Cantina

Personnel: Seth Larson; Josh Larson; Trevor Mariotti

Discography: We Came to Get Down (2008); Slides (2003); Sounds From the Basement EP (2001)

SPARE THE LEGION

NOMINATED IN METAL

1:00-1:45 p.m., Broadways

Personnel: Chadd; James; Kenny; Clint; Sean

Discography: Spare the Legion EP (2008)

SPEAKEASY, TIGER

NOMINATED IN POP

2:00-2:45 p.m., La Rumba

Personnel: Kyle Simmons; Pete Schmidt; Tavis Alley, Lauren Gale; Luke Gordon

Discography: forthcoming (2009)

THE STILL CITY

NOMINATED IN INDIE ROCK

2:00-2:45 p.m., Bar Standard

Personnel: Jeff Wiencrot; Brian Knab; Ryan Murphy; Brandon Roth; Harold Hausman

Discography: Light and the Machines (2008)

STRANGE CONDITION

NOMINATED IN MODERN ROCK

6:00-6:45 p.m., La Rumba

Personnel: Ryan Malloy; Jas Kasten; Cody Kasten; Shaun Nelson

Discography: Sometime Saturday (2006), Ebullition (2003)

THE SWAYBACK

NOMINATED IN ROCK

5:00-5:45 p.m., Bar Standard

Personnel: Eric Halborg; William Murphy; Martijn Bolster

Discography: Long Gone Lads (2008); Forewarned (EP) (2006); The Swayback (2004)

TAUNTAUN

NOMINATED IN METAL

5:00-5:45 p.m., Broadways

Personnel: Chris Fogal; Dave Barker; Ian O'Dougherty; Matty Clark

Discography: Tauntaun (2009)

3 THE HARDWAY

NOMINATED IN HIP-HOP — GROUP

6:00-6:45 p.m., Vinyl Rooftop

Personnel: DJ Cysko Rokwel; Es Nine; A.V.I.U.S.

Discography: Patience (2007)

TO BE EATEN

NOMINATED IN DEATH/GRIND METAL

6:00-6:45 p.m., Broadways

Personnel: Ben Pitts; Brian Miller; Eric Fuller

Discography: In the Clearing (2008); Dead Man Seize (2005)

WETLANDS

NOMINATED IN INDIE ROCK

1:00-1:45 p.m., Fidel's Cantina

Personnel: Andrew Bell; Drew Haubert; Grant Israel; Mike Marchant; Cole Rudy

Discography: Babies Teeth (2009)

WHYGEE

NOMINATED IN HIP-HOP — MC

2:00-2:45 p.m., Vinyl Rooftop

Personnel: Whygee

Discography: Suicide Watch EP (2009)

YERKISH

NOMINATED IN PROGRESSIVE ROCK

12:00-12:45 p.m., Fidel's Cantina

Personnel: Tim Kaminski; Nate Huisgen; Ryan Eschenbach; Brent Moran

Discography: Fear Conquers America (2009); The Return of Douglas Jupitor (2007); Vignettes (2006); Yerkish (2005)

YOUNG COYOTES

NOMINATED IN INDIE POP

6:00-6:45 p.m., Sutra

Personnel: Adam Halferty; Zach Tipton

Discography: Basement EP (2009); Exhale EP (2009)