A to Z

As I wrote about last year, our music blog A to Z (blogs.riverfronttimes.com/atoz) has somewhat replaced the aim of this column: to discuss local music goings-on and happenings. The immediate nature of the blog lets me expand our coverage by augmenting the print product with video, audio and story outtakes.

Moreover, I often talk about shows we don't have room for in print; for instance, the Feed — who had quite a successful SXSW and is playing before the Cardinals game on May 29 — is playing the Pageant on Friday, April 11, with the flamboyant glam-rockers Semi-Precious Weapons. A to Z will also have an exclusive interview with local indie fave Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin, who plays the Bluebird on Monday, April 14.

And the following information was already posted on our blog a few days ago, but it's important enough to warrant some precious column inches here: the list of 2008 RFT Music Awards nominees. Like last year's list, the following ballot was compiled via a combination of my opinion and the thoughts of 70-plus musicians, venue employees and other music scene denizens. The showcase is a mere two months away (save the date: June 1, all day and night in the Loop), and voting begins in May.

Stay tuned to our MySpace page (myspace.com/rftmusicawards2008) and the A to Z blog for the latest, most updated information. As always, these categories are arranged to the best of our abilities, because there are some St. Louis bands that just refuse to be pigeonholed.

Best Americana/Folk: Caleb Travers & Big City Lights, the Linemen, Rough Shop, Rum Drum Ramblers, Theodore

Best Untraditional Americana/Folk: The Bottle Rockets, Bad Folk, Magnolia Summer, the Monads, Rats and People

Best Blues Artist: Bottoms Up Blues Gang, Big George Brock, Tom Hall, Marquise Knox

Best DJ: DJ Karizma, Flex Boogie, Rob Lemon, Scotty Mac, Rob Gray

Best Eclectic/Uncategorizable: The Conformists, Raglani, Eric Hall, .e, Quief Quota

Best Funk/Soul/R&B: Dogtown Allstars, Lamar Harris, Upright Animals, Kim Massie, Nite Owl

Best Garage Band: Left Arm, The Blind Eyes, the Nevermores, the Tripdaddys, the Vultures

Best Hard Rock/Metal: Cross Examination, Harkonin, Head On Collision, Shame Club, Heroes of the Kingdom

Best Hip-Hop DJ: Crucial, Needles, Mahf, Trackstar, Charlie Chan, K-Nine

Best Indie Band: Target Market, Bunnygrunt, the Hibernauts, Jumbling Towers, Say Panther, So Many Dynamos

Best Jazz Artist: Willie Akins, Hamiet Bluiett, Erin Bode, Dave Stone Trio, Brian Sullivan Quartet

Best Live Act: Victoria, Jon Hardy & the Public, The Feed, 7 Shot Screamers, So Many Dynamos, Vandalyzm

Best Local Release on a Label: Grace Basement, New Sense (Dren); Shame Club, Come On (Small Stone); Ludo, You're Awful, I Love You (Island); The Pubes, Peat Sounds (Roadhouse Tunes); Riddle of Steel, 1985 (Ascetic); Earthworms, Bottle Full of Bourbon (F5); The Monads, Ornery (Big Muddy)

Best Local Release (self-released): Jon Hardy & the Public, Working in Love; The Hibernauts, Periodic Fable; The Bureau, We Make Plans in Secret; Rockwell Knuckles, Northside Phenomenon; Various Artists, The Space Parlour: Live in St. Louis Series 2007; Rats and People, The City of Passersby

Best New Artist: The 75s, the Livers, Wooden Kites, the Blind Eyes, Museum Mutters

Best Punk/Hardcore: Nerve Parade, the Humanoids, Ded Bugs, Lye By Mistake, The Pubes, Cardiac Arrest

Best Pop Band: Gentleman Auction House, Jon Hardy & the Public, Grace Basement, Sex Robots, The Feed

Best Rap/Hip-Hop Artist: Earthworms, Family Affair, Midwest Avengers, Rockwell Knuckles, Vandalyzm, Gotta Be Karim

Best Reggae Band: Dub Kitchen, Dubtronix, Murder City Players, Yard Squad

Best Rock Band: Victoria, The Incurables, Riddle of Steel, 7 Shot Screamers, Wormwood Scrubs