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Sexy Ester Featured
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Ready for Take-Off: Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters
Posted by Rick Tvedt on 9/29/09 • Catego...Ready for Take-Off: Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters
Posted by Rick Tvedt on 9/29/09 • Categorized as Features
Ready for Take-Off: Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters
Photos by Mary Sweeney
There are no sisters in Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters and no one is named Ester either, but the band is like one big, happy family. Actually the entire band is related, save one member, Brad Schubert (bassist and self-proclaimed IT guy). Guitarist Adam Eder and vocalist Lyndsay Evans are married. Keyboardist Roscoe Evans is Lyndsay’s brother and drummer Dusty Hay is the Evans’ cousin. All these folks hail from small towns in northern Illinois, just across the border, or from Grashot, Wisconsin.
Eder and Hay had been playing together in Nimbus, a band they had during their high school years. Lindsay Evans met Eder in 1998 and the two casually began writing songs. They married in 2003, decided to move to a bigger city and chose Madison. This began an extended period of casual songwriting that would later bear fruit.
The couple used to sit around and say things to each other like, “You’re sexy.” “No, you’re sexier.” “No you’re sexiest.” “No, you’re sexyiester.” “Hey, that would be a great name for a band,” Lyndsay said after one of these eyelash-batting exchanges.
Later, Eder was listening to the White Stripes’ debut album and misheard a line from “Stop Breaking Down”, thinking it went “All you pretty mama sisters breaking down.” Hey, that would be a great name for a band,” he thought.
When it came time to decide on a real band name, Lyndsay hated the Pretty Mama Sisters and Eder decided he didn’t like Sexy Ester so, in true lovebird fashion, they compromised and Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters was born.
The band held their first rehearsal in January of 2008 and by March they had worked up enough of Lyndsay’s and Eder’s songs to begin recording. They enlisted the services of Paul Schluter (Muzzy Luctin/Magic 7/Last Crack) and began work at Schluter’s Megatone Studios. The match turned out to be a productive one from both a musical and business standpoint. Schluter suggested the band join up with Next Level Productions, a management and promotions company that works with other area bands including Muzzy Luctin, Cudasigh, Gladstone, Sand and Faces for Radio. “Having Greg [Greg Martin of Next Level Productions] working for us made a big difference,” says Eder. “It especially helped us to get bookings, get CDs pressed, and especially with developing our appearance and stage presence.” The band also credits their photographer, Mary Sweeney, with developing a look.
Since then the band has ceased to work with Next Level Productions, although they are open to taking on new management, perhaps at a different level. “Our goal is to be making a living playing music,” says Hay. “Not be rich or anything, but just to be able to give up the 9-5 job and to be touring nationally.” The band does seem ready to make that commitment to their music. Right now they are concentrating on building up a following in the Chicago-Milwaukee-Madison area and they are making inroads in each of these markets. They also enjoy doing some “going home” shows in their home towns. This gives them a chance to stretch out as these places want four hours of music from a single band. In these cases they get a chance to play cover material that they love doing.
Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters’ debut album, Get Your Love On [read the review here], was finished in late 2008 and has received a very positive response. The band has been gigging regularly and has built up a solid foundation of fans and peers. The album is a breezy and joyous listen and was the surprise feel-good record of the summer. The opening cut, “Madison Sonny and Cher” is a nod to Madison and life on East Gorham Street. [It gets my vote for Madison theme song.] That track sets the tone for what is a sound that harkens back to the late-sixties, when music was about discovery and acoustic guitars still mingled with electric guitars. As the band pointed out, this is where many of their influences come from; the Beatles, the Mamas & the Papas, Neil Young, etc.
“All of us have different influences,” says Lyndsay. “Especially with the addition of the new members; All those influences are brought together to make something new.”
Lyndsay’s vocals are what make the band stand out. She’s got a powerful voice and a healthy range. Though she only has high-school choir training, she displays impressive control and is able to embellish the catchy melodies with effective trills and slides. Their acoustic-guitar based material was soon augmented with drums and by the time they began recording, they had a serious edge that was creeping into the songs. Eder doubled on bass for the recording sessions and it wasn’t until after the album was done that they recruited Schubert and Roscoe.
“Our sound is definitely moving into a heavier, more rock sound,” Eder says. The band has about ten new songs, which all the band members co-write, some of which are now on their MySpace page. “We’ve definitely been using the electric guitars more,” Eder continues. “Although, when we get back to the studio, I’m sure we’ll add some layers of acoustic.” Actually, the band may be back in Megatone Studios as you read this, hoping to book more time in October and plan to get a new album out by early 2010. A new single was released in August.
The band’s live show is a testament to the beefed-up sound [read a live review here]. Hay is rock steady on the drums, really nailing the snare. Eder strums furiously, cuing his lead vocalist and urging the band forward. Lyndsay is simply sensational, contorting and wailing, leaving the fans in anticipation of her next move. The look is changing, too. These are rock-stars, fully fueled and ready for takeoff.
Brad Schubert, Dusty Hay, Lyndsay Evans, Adam Eder and Roscoe Evans
Eder is hesitant to take credit for being the origin of the original material, deferring instead to the work ethic of the band and the collaborative approach to putting their material together. But Lyndsay notes that, “Most of the songs originate with Adam’s parts. Everything I write is inspired by what he writes. Every song is different, though. Sometimes we’ll just be jamming and something will come out of that.”
“One of our best songs just came out of nowhere during a frustrating rehearsal,” Hay says. “We spent hours trying to work one tune out and then just turned to something we had started at the beginning of rehearsal.
“Probably the quickest and best song we’ve done,” adds Eder. “I was like ‘Play that thing you played earlier,’ and in fifteen minutes we had a great new song.”
Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters have all the elements in place to blow up. If they can continue the pace, keep working on their arrangements and live show presentation, there is no telling how far they could go. One gets the feeling that, as an extended family, they’ve all got each other’s backs. They will need this if and when they get their opportunity to tour. Another thing is for sure; these guys love Madison. This is one band we may well be saying “Remember when…” about somewhere down the road.
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Sexy Ester - Live show review
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Wow.
There is a new force in the city and her name is Lyndsay Evans. After hearing the debut albu...Wow.
There is a new force in the city and her name is Lyndsay Evans. After hearing the debut album by Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters, I wasn’t sure what to expect from them in live performance. Could Lyndsay really wail like she indicated on Get Your Love On? How different would the band sound with two added members and keyboards? Well if I expected folk-infected pop with a bit of soulful vocals, what I saw was more Plasmatics; an eighties-era persona updated for the twenty-first century. Shy and unassumming in conversation, Evans transforms into a spiky, costumed rock starlet in the making.
I needn’t have worried that Evans could deliver on the vocal requirements. This is the most solid, powerhouse voice I have heard come out of this city. Stage presence, charisma, talent, this singer has what it takes. When the intensity got cranked up, Evans doubled over in contorted joy and belted like nobody’s business.
Her supporting band knows it, this is obvious. Drummer Dusty Hay and guitarist Adam Eder performed well, at times looking like they were holding the reins for dear life; looking optimistically into a bright future, which they should. That said, the band has a few challenges in front of them. Along with bassist Brad Schubert and keyboardist Roscoe Evans (Lindsay’s brother), they have a fairly cohesive look onstage but right now the crowd interaction is lacking. If they think Evans can carry this thing on her own, they’re wrong. It’s not that they probably think that – they are a work in progress, already totally morphing in identity since the release of their first album in late 2008. But every Jagger needs his (or her) Richards. The material will need to be a little more daring as well. I liked a lot of their songs but at times they did sound like a new band, embarking on a journey to craft their songs, their style and their identity, which is exactly what they are and what they’re doing.
Young, hungry, ambitious – I have little doubt that given the right set of circumstances, and the requisite amount of luck, Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama sisters will attain their dreams.
-Rick Tvedt
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CD Review
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SEXY ESTER AND THE PRETTY MAMA SISTERS – Get Your Love On
Posted by Rick Tvedt on 9/29/09 • Categor...SEXY ESTER AND THE PRETTY MAMA SISTERS – Get Your Love On
Posted by Rick Tvedt on 9/29/09 • Categorized as CD Reviews
SEXY ESTER AND THE PRETTY MAMA SISTERS – Get Your Love On
(2008 Self-Release)
You’ve got to love a band that sings about their cats, driving down East Johnson Street, just playing guitars in the yard and being in love. These are some of elements that make Get Your Love On quintessentially Madison. See the band live and you will agree that they are one of the more interesting – and promising – bands to come along in some while. How can they go wrong with a dynamo like Lyndsay Evans fronting them (there is no one in the band named Ester; to find out how they got their name, read the feature story here)? This woman’s got some powerhouse pipes and that only gets suggested on Get Your Love On. Since this recording the band has made a drastic change in style, approach and material, adding more edge and power along with some new, additional members.
That makes Get Your Love On even more of a whimsical timepiece for them and for us. Everything about the album says retro – but in a good way – and all the way back to early rock, when it was heavily blues-infected and acoustic instruments were still a necessary ingredient. In fact, just about every track reminded me of something, though damn if I could put my finger on it most of the time and damn if I cared. I can say that “Soldier Song” reminds me of a Harry Chapin melody (Cat’s in the Cradle”) and “The Tambourine Song” reminded me a bit of “When the Levee Breaks.”. There are also references to “I Got You, Babe” (naturally) in “Madison Sonny and Cher” one of my favorite tracks and one that gets my vote as Madison Theme Song. It also has a distinct “Mr. Bojangles” vibe.
Evans can handle ballads like “Get Happy” and folk/pop like “The Simple Life” well enough, but one waits in anticipation for her to let loose as she hints at on “The Tambourine Song,” “Well Fed” and the choruses to “Madison Sonny and Cher.”
The album was recorded by Paul Schluter at his Megatone Studios and this was a wise move on Sexy Ester’s part. Too often new bands neglect their initial recording, treating it as a novelty, or rushing to put out material that they will just re-work much of on their follow-up “real” recording. Get Your Love On succeeds in informing its listeners that Sexy Ester is serious from the get go, and it’s superior sound quality is testimony to the band’s intent without being over-produced. The album has a natural flow and feel; this is this album, by this band, at this point in time and one senses immediately that they are on a continuum.
I’ve found myself listening to Get Your Love On repeatedly. There is something immediately endearing about it and this is an awful valuable trait for a band to have. There is every indication that this album is the band’s proverbial “wetting of its feet” and that they on the verge of finding the right combination of instrumental muster that will propel Evans, and the rest of them, on to greater things. Here’s hoping that happens.
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Sexy Ester voted Top Three for favorite new band in Madison!
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The winners in the Arts & Entertainment category are a mix of old favorites and newbies, some of the...The winners in the Arts & Entertainment category are a mix of old favorites and newbies, some of them in ripped fishnet stockings. Madison clearly likes to rock, but it also has a penchant for William Shakespeare, art movies and Latin jazz. Yes, we have a particular kind of taste in this town — and Lou & Peter Berryman have probably already written a quirky folk song about it.
Madison's Favorite New Band
1. Little Red Wolf
2. Shaneshane
3. Sexy Ester & the Pretty Mama Sisters
The female rockers of Little Red Wolf caught your attention with soaring harmonies and unusual colors provided by such instruments as accordion and viola.
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A.V. Club Review/Local Sounds Showcase
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Madison music rag Rick's Café folded in 2007, but founder Rick Tvedt resumed his efforts to review M...Madison music rag Rick's Café folded in 2007, but founder Rick Tvedt resumed his efforts to review Madison-made CDs en masse and report on local music news last year through the localsounds.org webzine. Just like the site's coverage, this showcase bill embraces some different local sounds without much regard to genre snobbery or audience borders. Headliners Sexy Ester And The Pretty Mama Sisters send frontwoman Lyndsay Evans' vocals pole-vaulting over an exuberant mix of Deep Purple and Go-Go's, a pop sound that nicely balances the hip with the refreshingly un-hip on 2008's Get Your Love On. Mild local popster Mike Droho plays here with his latest band, The Compass Rose, which at least puts a new finish on his upbeat, seeker-next-door songwriting with beatboxing and violin on the album And The World Makes Sense Again.
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Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters
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"With all the post-this, post-that being bandied about, it's nice to hear a good, straight-ahead cla..."With all the post-this, post-that being bandied about, it's nice to hear a good, straight-ahead classic rock outfit every now and then. Sexy Ester starts with influences such as the Who and Neil Young, then adds a big swig of the blues."
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Roadio Indy .com
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"Get Your Love On" Reviewed by RadioIndy.com!
POSTED BY: momof5pacs POSTED ON: 23 Nov 2008 03:06 P..."Get Your Love On" Reviewed by RadioIndy.com!
POSTED BY: momof5pacs POSTED ON: 23 Nov 2008 03:06 PM
“Get Your Love On” by Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters is a collection full of original, melodic pop/rock music. Lead vocals are strong and powerful, which lends a distinctive element to this group’s sound. Get a rock groove on when you listen to “The Tambourine Song” as it showcases solid power chords on the guitar and rolling drum beats. “The Love Song” exhibits how tight these musicians are with their perfect timing, shown throughout the song. The addition of a grooving bass solo really makes the song rock. Taking a change up to a Latin rhythm, “The Simple Life” and “841” shows diversity within the band and includes the use of Latin percussion instruments. Fans of The Cranberries, Melissa Etheridge, or melodic pop/rock should definitely pick up “Get Your Love On.”
-Diane and the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team
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Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters
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You’d never guess it from their sound, but Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters got their start as...You’d never guess it from their sound, but Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters got their start as a goth band. Well, sort of.
Adam Eder, one founding member of the local pop-rock group, met Lyndsay Evans, the other founding member, back in 1998 when he was the bass player for the grunge-turned-goth band Vampyres Sleep in the Shade.
The two began writing songs together and, after Vampyres officially disbanded in 2001, started playing acoustic sets around town. Instead of recreating the gloom and doom of Vampyres, the duo found itself drawing from the darkness and heartache of blues-inspired classic rockers such as Jefferson Airplane, The Animals and The Rolling Stones.
Then, last January, the band’s roots emerged again when Dusty Hay, Vampyres’ drummer, joined the project. However, they didn’t return to goth at this juncture either. Instead, the band took a bit of an arena-rock turn, plugging in their instruments and recording an album of good, old-fashioned rock ’n’ roll songs composed over the past eight years.
“Each song on the new album, Get Your Love On, sort of represents a different point in our lives over the last decade,” says Evans.
Eder and Evans -- who are now married -- admit that one track, “The Tambourine Song,” has a particularly special place in their hearts both personally and musically.
“It was one of the first songs Adam and I wrote together,” says Evans, “and it has this really unique time signature, which makes it interesting from a musical standpoint. Plus, the lyrics came out of a bit of writer’s block.”
In other words, it’s an example of the band’s enduring strengths and some of their more difficult challenges, a taste of both where they’re going and where they’ve been -- and not in a sappy, tear-jerking kind of way. Featuring a warbling harmonica melody by Michael “Mouse” Adams Jr., tambourine by Paul Schluter of Megatone Studios, a down-and-dirty electric-guitar jam by Eder, and Evans’ signature vocals -- a Freddie Mercury-meets-Janis Joplin sort of sound that’s both powerful and beautiful -- it’s arguably one of the most rocking songs on the album.
An MP3 of “The Tambourine Song” is available in the related download sections at right. More songs by the band can be found on its MySpace page. Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters will debut Get Your Love On, as well as its new lineup, which includes Brad Schubert on bass guitar and Roscoe Evans on keys, harmonica and guitar, in a release party at The Frequency on Saturday, January 31.
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Sexy Ester Debut cd Release
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WARREN — It’s not every day that Hixter’s Upper Deck in Warren plays host to a CD release party, but...WARREN — It’s not every day that Hixter’s Upper Deck in Warren plays host to a CD release party, but on Saturday the bar will come alive with the sounds of Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters, as they offer free beer and a live performance of the band’s debut album, “Get Your Love On.”
Lead singer Lyndsay Evans and guitar player Adam Eder — a husband and wife team who live in Madison, Wis. — have been playing music and writing songs together for 10 years. Last year, Eder’s cousin Dusty Hay, who plays percussion, began to play with the pair.
“When Dusty came in, we really thought we had something good,” Evans said in an interview Tuesday. So, the trio began recording songs together at Megatone Studios in Madison.
“The studio that we recorded in, in Madison, is affiliated with the record company and they heard us and they asked us if we wanted to join them,” said Evans.
So how did Hixter’s get picked as the spot for the group’s CD release party?
“Adam is from Warren,” said Evans. “Dusty lives in Warren.” Brad Schuburt — who didn’t play on the album but plays bass with the group now — also lives in Warren.
All the band members are in their mid- to late-20s and still toil away at day jobs in between gigs and recording sessions.
Evans described some of Sexy Ester’s musical influences, “We’re all big lovers of classic rock. I think our biggest influences come from that.”
She named the Beatles, The Who, Led Zepplin and Janis Joplin as a few of their favorites, she said they have a few more recent influences as well.
“The White Stripes are a great band and they’ve got a really raw sound,” Evans said. “Dusty really likes Oasis and Green Day.”
She said the band tries to fuse this classic rock sound with a pop sound.
Evans said that she and Eder wrote the 10 songs on the album over the course of all the years they’ve been playing together. She said, “They’re all really personal.”
When asked if she had a favorite among their own songs, she was hesitant to pick just one, “‘Soldier Song,’ I always get emotional when I sing that. And 841. It’s about me and Adam being home together, so it’s about love and it’s personal.”
“Soldier’s Song is reminiscent of Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance,” complete with a melancholy harmonica and a similar cadence in the refrain. “841” is a simple song, sweetly melodic and with a more personal tone, opening with the lyrics “Here we are again with your guitar — And our dreams of being superstars — You sing out of tune wildly — and I smile.”
Evans said Eder’s favorite song is “Madison Sonny and Cher,” which opens crackling like an old gramophone and has lyrics that pay homage to the eponymous duo with — “You got me and I got you — Baby.”
Joplin’s influence is evident when listening to Evans sing, but Evans’ surprisingly powerful voice is much more melodic and has less of Joplin’s trademark scratchy wail.
And the name — Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters — for a band made up of three guys and a girl named Lyndsay?
“Well, we’re kind of keeping it a mystery,” said Evans. “But it was a compromise.”
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Free lance jounalist loves Sexy Ester
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Monday, May 26, 2008
I’ve been wanting to tell you...
For those of you who have not taken...Monday, May 26, 2008
I’ve been wanting to tell you...
For those of you who have not taken the opportunity or had the chance to head out to see Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters, you're truly missing out on a band I now absolutely LOVE!!
My Spouse and I spent a weekend night with them at Hixters in Warren and they are truly awesome. Lyndsay Evans is an amazing singer, and a night with her singing songs you can belt along to along with others they've written is quite an experience. the rest of the band, IMO, is icing on the cake.
Emily Massingill
Free lance journalist
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Music Of Madison
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Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters
Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters was born and bred a...Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters
Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters was born and bred about an hour north of our fair city, making them a truly local band. Comprised of husband and wife Adam Eder and Lyndsay Evans, on guitar and vocals respectively as well as Evans' brother Roscoe on keyboard, Eder's cousin Dusty Hay on drums and their childhood friend Brad Schubert on bass, this family affair blends whatever pops into their head into catchy, danceable songs.
When asked why they've stayed in Madison, Lyndsay put it very simply: "I heart Madison," she said while making a heart shape over her chest. Adam was a little more articulate in expressing his love. "It's got a certain comfort level for us," he said, "it's like a really big small town."
With no association with the university other than proximity, Sexy Ester is a great addition to the local music scene. Offering a perspective different from that of the student population, they provide an interesting contrast to their local contemporaries.
While Minneapolis and Chicago might be bigger Midwest music hotbeds, Lyndsay Evans explained the convenience of staying put in Madison. "In Madison we're right in the middle," she said. "We can go to Chicago and the Twin Cities and Milwaukee and Iowa City. So we can go to those places and still live in the city [we] love."
A chance to see Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters and partake in their unique blend of styles is rapidly approaching. The band will celebrate the release of their latest EP, Hubba Bubba, Dec. 3 at the Frequency. Playing one of their favorite venues in town, with other local bands The Choons and The Nod, the evening will be jam-packed with local talent.
—Jeremy Gartze
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List of 2011 MAMA Performers Announced
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List of 2011 MAMA Performers Announced
Posted on April 1, 2011 by Rick Tvedt
Below is the list ...List of 2011 MAMA Performers Announced
Posted on April 1, 2011 by Rick Tvedt
Below is the list of performers as of today.
The Rowdy Prairie Dogs (Americana)
Star Persons (Hip-Hop)
Gerri DiMaggio (Jazz/World)
Sexy Ester & the Pretty Mama Sisters (Rock)
Lords of the Trident (Hard Rock/Punk)
Anthony Lamarr (Faith-Based)
Pro Arte Quartet (Classical / Lifetime Achievement Award
Recipient)
MAMAs All-Star Guitar Showcase (special performance featuring John Masino, Aaron Williams and Joel Pingatore)
Youth Performers:
Kati May (Pop/Youth)
Midnight Voices (A Capella Youth Group)
Ariela Bohrod (pianist – Final Forte winner)
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2011 Madison Area Music Awards Nominees Announced
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2011 NOMINEES ANNOUNCED
Posted on March 27, 2011 by Rick Tvedt
The 2011 Nominees for the 8th An...2011 NOMINEES ANNOUNCED
Posted on March 27, 2011 by Rick Tvedt
The 2011 Nominees for the 8th Annual Madison Area Music Awards were announced last night at the Brink Lounge.
Below is the list of nominees:
2011 MAMA NOMINEES (VIDEO FORMAT)
2011 MAMA NOMINEES
Artist of the Year
Mighty Short Bus
Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo
Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters
Lucas Cates Band
Beth Kille
New Artist of the Year
Chaos Revolution Theory
Anthony Lamarr
Star Persons
The Projection People
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Alternative
Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters – Hubba Bubba
Little Red Wolf – If Only We Were Just Like We Are
The Choons – The Choons EP
Kicksville – The Singles – Season 3
Blues
Beau Geste Productions – Live in Madison
Clovis Mann – Metamorphic
Classical
Toby Klusmeyer – Love’s Secret
Compilation Album
Man Mantis – The Best of Man Mantis, Vol. 1
Country/Bluegrass
Mighty Short Bus – The Forever Endeavor
The Dirty Shirts – Two Dollar Turpentine
SpareTime Bluegrass – Someone to Love
Jessi Lynn – Live at Eddie’s Attic with Sarah Peacock
Electronic
Null Device – Suspending Belief
The Projection People – The Projection People
Chants – Onlooker
Man Mantis – Cities Without Houses
Folk / Americana
Jessi Lynn – A Little Bit of You
Jim Schwall – Short Stories
John Statz – Ghost Towns
Tracy Jane Comer – You Have 29 Messages
Hard Rock / Punk
Orphan Bloom – Orphan Bloom
Chaos Revolution Theory – Counter Culture Redux
The Nod – Easy, Maverick
The Viscous Circle – Escape Wormwood
Hip-Hop
MC Starr – Cornerstone
Star Persons – Supernova EP
Billie James Project – Bille James is Not Your Lover
Nova – The Departure
Jazz
Harmonious Wail – The Vegan Zombie’s Lament
Tracy Jane Comer – In a Sentimental Mood
Pop / R&B
Mark Croft – Evening Flood
Lucas Cates Band – The Lucas Cates Band
Kati May – Behind Blue Eyes
Ida Jo – Providence
Rock
Beth Kille – Ready
20 Reasons Taken – Through This Fight
A Minute Jack Forum – Traction Blip
4 Aspirin Morning – Above the Bike Shop
Unique
Anna Vogelzang – Paper Boats
Art Paul Schlosser – Now Playing Monster
Julia McConahay – Look Up
Wall of Funk – Vital Hiatus
Wish You Were Here
Orlando – Lover’s Journey
Michael George Band – The Miracle
Stukenberg – The Silo Project
World
Natty Nation – Suffice Single EP
Nama Rupa – Planting a Seed”
SONG OF THE YEAR
Alternative
Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters – “Love Bubble”
Little Red Wolf – “Bella in the Elm”
Lorenzo’s Music – “Roulette”
Wall of Funk – “Wandering Out”
Blues
Jim Schwall – “Blues Song”
Clovis Mann – “Blowin’ Up the Shack”
Briana Lynn Hardyman – “Battlegound”
Little Red Wolf – “Sunshine”
Classical
Toby Klusmeyer – “For All to See”
Cover Song of the Year
Anna Vogelzang – “Bad Romance”
Mark Croft – “Washing of the Water”
Kristy Larson – “Jambalaya”
SpareTime Bluegrass – “If I Needed Someone”
Country / Bluegrass
Mighty Short Bus – “Don’t Mess With Texas”
Jessi Lynn – “California”
The Eugene Smiles Project – “Tennessee Whiskey”
Jim Schwall – “Sunday Go-to-Cheatin’”
Mark Croft – “One Mississippi”
Electronic
Man Mantis – “Come Into My Parlor”
Null Device – “Blow My Mind”
The Projection People – “Headlights”
The Cemetery Improvement Society – “Pretty”
Folk / Americana
Mighty Short Bus – “Minnesota”
Jim Schwall – “Again”
Orphan Bloom – “Brindle”
Jessi Lynn – “Damn”
Mark Croft – “Amen and Hallelujah”
Hard Rock / Punk
Orphan Bloom – “Burning in the Rain”
Clovis Mann – “Drowning Man”
Kitty Rhombus – “Gas Station”
4 Aspirin Morning – “Welcome to the Neighborhood”
The Nod – “Lie in All Honesty”
Hip-Hop
Anthony Lamarr – “Achieve”
Star Persons – “Supernova”
L.U.V. – “My Block”
MC Starr – “Beautiful Monsters”
Jazz
Harmonious Wail – “Lagavulin Bay”
Tracy Jane Comer – “(Life’s Too Short to Be) Just One Person”
Jim Schwall – “Somehow I’ve Got Your Love”
Lucas Cates Band – “Crucial Tactics”
Pop / R&B
Mark Croft – “Good Enough”
Julia McConahay – “Chosen”
Lucas Cates Band – “Not the Right Catch”
Art Paul Schlosser – “No Women No Fries”
Rock
Mighty Short Bus – “Go On, Go On”
Beth Kille – “Big Bright Beautiful World”
Lucas Cates Band – “Cougarville”
Clovis Mann – “Big Sky”
Unique
Orphan Bloom – “Frail Hand”
Mark Croft – “The Crow and the Raven”
Julia McConahay – “Strings Change”
Natty Nation – “She Cries Dub (Suffice Dub)”
Wish You Were Here
Heather Jean Maywood – “Forevermore”
Stukenberg – “Concussions in Heaven”
Michael George Band – “Here’s to Love”
Dave Downs – “Green Bag It”
World
Natty Nation – “Suffice”
Lucas Cates Band – “Enemy Lines”
Roots Collective – “Turn Around”
Nama Rupa – “War Crimes”
PERFORMER OF THE YEAR
Alternative
Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters
The Nod
The Woods Music
Blues
Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo
Clovis Mann
Mouse
Kyle Henderson
Country / Bluegrass
Jessi Lynn
The Dirty Shirts
Madison County
The Eugene Smiles Project
Electronic
Fambly Fun!
Null Device
The Projection People
Folk / Americana
Kelly Underwood
Jim Schwall
Anna Vogelzang
Briana Lynn Hardyman
Hard Rock / Punk
Chaos Revolution Theory
Lords of the Trident
John Masino
4 Aspirin Morning
Hip-Hop
MC Starr
Nama Rupa
Star Persons
Man Mantis
Jazz
Harmonious Wail
Pop / R&B
Lucas Cates Band
Mark Croft
J Diamondzz
Ida Jo
Rock
Mighty Short Bus
Julia McConahay
Soul Shaker
20 Reasons Taken
Unique
Art Paul Schlosser
Kicksville
Ifdakar
DJ Fabulust
Wish You Were Here
Michael George Band
World
Natty Nation
Roots Collective
Tribal Call
VOCALISTS OF THE YEAR
Ensemble
Harmonious Wail
Natty Nation
Madison County
SpareTime Bluegrass
Female
Lyndsay Evans (Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters)
Jessi Lynn
Maggie Delaney-Pothoff (Harmonious Wail)
Ida Jo
Anna Vogelzang
Male
Frank Busch (Mighty Short Bus)
Lucas Cates
Mark Croft
Aaron Williams
INSTRUMENTALISTS OF THE YEAR
Bassist
Mark Noxon (Lucas Cates Band)
Jah Boogie (Natty Nation)
Zac Auner (Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo)
Rob Junceau (Mighty Short Bus)
Drummer/Percussionsit
Eric Shackelford (Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo)
Jesse Warmka (Lucas Cates Band)
Francisco Martinez (Natty Nation)
Brent King (Soul Shaker)
Guitarist
Aaron Williams
Lucas Cates
John Masino
Jim Schwall
Keyboardist
Aaron Konkol (Natty Nation)
Michelle Flood (Roots Collective)
Josh Dupont
Toby Klusmeyer
Specialty Instrument
Sims Delaney-Pothoff – Mandolin (Harmonious Wail)
Michael Adams – Harmonica (Sharp & Harkins Band)
Adam Zierten – Harmonica (Soul Shaker)
Daniel Walkner – Harmonica (Clovis Mann)
Strings
Ida Jo
Julia McConahay
Kenny Leiser (Lucas Cates Band)
VIDEO OF THE YEAR
Zooniversity Music – “Teach Me How to Bucky”
Man Mantis – “Come Into My Parlor”
Anthony Lamarr – “We’re Smelling Roses”
MC Starr – “Thru the Light”
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS
Cover Band
The Gomers
Hometown Sweethearts
VO5
Elf Lettuce
DJ
Nick Nice
DJ Fusion
Man Mantis
Vilas Park Sniper
Live Music Venue
High Noon Saloon
The Frequency
Majestic Theater
The Brink Lounge
Live Sound Engineer
Mark Weber
Chris Kasper
Andrew (Bear Sound)
Lou Cassis
Local Radio Personality
Gabby Parsons
Patt Gallagher
Jonathan Suttin and Kitty Dunn
Rockin’ John McDonald
Local Radio Station
89.9 WORT
105.5 WMMM Triple M
93.1 The Jamz
91.7 WSUM
Local Recorded Music Store
B-Side Records
Strictly Discs
Mad City Music Exchange
The Exclusive Company
Local Music Fan
Sarah “Hotdog” Warmke
Bob Stanton
Dan Maney
Kiki Schueler
Music Publication / Blog
Isthmus
Maximum Ink
Dane101
Muzzle of Bees
Recording Studio
Paradyme Productions
DNA Studios
Smart Studios
Blast House Studios
Studio Sound Engineer
Jake Johnson
Mike Zirkel
Randy Green
Brian Daly
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Winners of the 2011 Madison Area Music Awards
[+ Show ]
Winners of the 2011 Madison Area Music Awards
on Sunday 06/05/2011 10:05 am
The Lucas Cates B...Winners of the 2011 Madison Area Music Awards
on Sunday 06/05/2011 10:05 am
The Lucas Cates Band won six MAMAs, including Pop/R&B Performer of the Year.
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Share | Pop-rockers the Lucas Cates Band led the medal count, with six nods, at the 2011 Madison Area Music Awards. Other multiple-award winners included Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters, Star Persons and Artist of the Year Beth Kille.
Artist of the Year
Beth Kille
New Artist of the Year
Star Persons
Album of the Year
Alternative - Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters, Hubba Bubba
Blues - Clovis Mann, Metamorphic
Classical - Toby Klusmeyer, Love’s Secret
Compilation Album - Man Mantis, The Best of Man Mantis, Vol. 1
Country/Bluegrass - Mighty Short Bus, The Forever Endeavor
Electronic - The Projection People, The Projection People
Folk / Americana - Jim Schwall, Short Stories
Hard Rock / Punk - Orphan Bloom, Orphan Bloom
Hip-Hop - Star Persons, Supernova EP
Jazz - Harmonious Wail, The Vegan Zombie’s Lament
Pop / R&B - Lucas Cates Band, The Lucas Cates Band
Rock - Beth Kille, Ready
Unique - Anna Vogelzang, Paper Boats
Wish You Were Here - Michael George Band, The Miracle
World - Natty Nation, Suffice Single EP
Song of the Year
Alternative - Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters – "Love Bubble"
Blues - Clovis Mann – "Blowin’ Up the Shack"
Classical - Toby Klusmeyer – "For All to See"
Cover Song of the Year - Anna Vogelzang – "Bad Romance"
Country / Bluegrass - The Eugene Smiles Project – "Tennessee Whiskey"
Electronic - The Projection People – "Headlights"
Faith-based - Anthony Lamarr – "My Tomorrow"
Folk / Americana - Mighty Short Bus – "Minnesota"
Hard Rock / Punk - Clovis Mann – "Drowning Man"
Hip-Hop - Star Persons – "Supernova"
Jazz - Lucas Cates Band – "Crucial Tactics"
Pop / R&B - Lucas Cates Band – "Not the Right Catch"
Rock - Beth Kille – "Big Bright Beautiful World"
Unique - Natty Nation – "She Cries Dub (Suffice Dub)"
Wish You Were Here - Heather Jean Maywood – "Forevermore"
World - Natty Nation – "Suffice"
Performer of the Year
Alternative - Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters
Blues - Aaron Williams and the Hoodoo
Country / Bluegrass - The Eugene Smiles Project
Electronic - The Projection People
Folk / Americana - Jim Schwall
Hard Rock/Punk - Lords of the Trident
Hip-Hop - Star Persons
Jazz - Harmonious Wail
Pop / R&B - Lucas Cates Band
Rock - Mighty Short Bus
Unique - Art Paul Schlosser
Wish You Were Here - Michael George Band
World - Natty Nation
Vocalist of the Year
Ensemble - Harmonious Wail
Female - Lyndsay Evans (Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters)
Male - Mark Croft
Instrumentalist of the Year
Bassist - Jah Boogie (Natty Nation)
Drummer/Percussionist - Jesse Warmka (Lucas Cates Band)
Guitarist - Lucas Cates
Keyboardist - Aaron Konkol (Natty Nation)
Specialty Instrument - Sims Delaney-Pothoff -Mandolin (Harmonious Wail)
Strings - Julia McConahay
Video of the Year
Zooniversity Music, "Teach Me How to Bucky"
People's Choice Awards
Cover Band - The Gomers
DJ - Nick Nice
Live Music Venue - High Noon Saloon
Live Sound Engineer - Mark Weber
Local Radio Personality - Gabby Parsons
Local Radio Station - 89.9 WORT
Local Recorded Music Store - B-Side Records
Local Music Fan - Sarah “Hotdog” Warmke
Music Publication / Blog - Isthmus
Recording Studio - Paradyme Productions
Studio Sound Engineer - Mike Zirkel
Michael St. John Lifetime Achievement Award
Pro Arte Quartet
Teacher of the Year Award
Michael Korth, Monticello Schools
Student of the Year Award
Ariela Bohrod, Interlochen Arts Academy
Meritorious Achievement Awards
Mark Fredrick
Steve Pingry
Katie Cavanaugh
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The scene salutes its winners at the 2011 Madison Area Music Awards
[+ Show ]
The scene salutes its winners at the 2011 Madison Area Music Awards
Amanda Rigell on Sunday 06/05/2...The scene salutes its winners at the 2011 Madison Area Music Awards
Amanda Rigell on Sunday 06/05/2011 10:05 am
Star Persons were named New Artist of the Year at the 2011 Madison Area Music Awards.
Credit:Amanda Rigell
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The MAMAs keep growing in scope and ambition for 2011
Winners of the 2011 Madison Area Music Awards
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Share | The 2011 Madison Area Music Awards, held at Overture Center's Capitol Theater Saturday night, reflected the eclectic nature of Madison's music scene. The ceremony included performances and pageantry from across genres. True to form in its eighth year, the show focused on live performances by nominated artists, video montages and speeches with heartfelt reminders of the MAMAs' driving purpose, fundraising for music education.
Performers included jazz siren Gerri DiMaggio, faith-based singer Anthony Lamarr, the Rowdy Prairie Dogs, hip-hop phenoms Star Persons, Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters, Kati May, the Boys and Girls Club Black Star Drum Line, campy metalheads Lords of the Trident and the MAMAs All-Star Guitar Band featuring John Masino, Aaron Williams and Joel Pingitore.
Outstanding moments of the show included a beautiful piano concerto performed by Ariela Bohrod, the Student of the Year award winner, an a cappella rendition of Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" by all-female youth vocal ensemble Midnight Voices, and a stunning Mozart performance by the storied Pro Arte Quartet, who received the MAMAs' Michael St. John Lifetime Achievement Award. Two moving tributes in memory of Madison musician Mark Fredrick and avant cellist Steve Pingry brought a somber, nostalgic note to the ceremony.
MAMAs staple Beth Kille was named 2011 Artist of the Year, in addition to her awards for Rock Album and Rock Song of the Year. New Artist of the Year, Star Persons, also walked away with Album, Song, and Performer of the Year awards in the Hip Hop category. Other big winners were Sexy Ester and the Pretty Mama Sisters, who took home awards for Alternative Album, Song, and Performer of the Year, as well as lead singer Lyndsay Evans' award for best female vocalist. The Lucas Cates Band also fared well, with the band or its individual members winning a total of six awards. Isthmus received a People's Choice Award MAMA for Music Publication/Blog.
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