And now... The 2006 SHEDDIES!

[Shed Boy]

we have included the winners from last year as well. Perspective is a good thing :)

Best after show food. – Safeway takes the cake (2 foot sub) for the 2nd year in a row…but with a twist. It has become common knowledge that bands who lived here and moved away hit the Chinese at the Safeway because “no other Safeway Chinese tastes like the one in PT”. We are investigating the different elements into why this might be so, and will let you know what the DNA test says when the lab results get back. – 2005 winner - Best after show food. - Well...for one show, it was the Underdog hot dog cart. But the bastards got us hooked and then bailed because of a broken wheel. This would make our choice the “show-sub” as we call it. You know. One of those 3 foot 2 inch subs from Safeway that have been sitting in the case all day for $3.99. If you want um, you gotta get there before 2AM.
Best Death-defying feat/trick – Last year’s winners were filled with bass players somersaulting off of high stages, exploding gear, and singers leaping off the overhang at the back of the Legion stage. This year’s winner is KitsapBands.com for their most excellent April Fools trick saying the they had sold their site to The bible-thumping church that owns Bremerton’s Roxy Theater, and taking the scam to levels of new trickery. They had a good 100 local fans wanting to donate money, server space, and time to stop the evil-good bastards. One of the funniest things I ever saw on line. 2005 Winner, Best Death-defying antic/trick. 3rd place, The Trophy Wives singer jumping from the stage overhang about 12 feet to the stage. Len from COF used to pull that one. 2nd Place, The Common Hero bassist Kyle, so disappointed with the turnout at a summer show that he decided to summer sault dive like there was a crowd...but there was not. 1st place. Alan, from The Last Goodbye for bowling himself into his wife/bassist 40 year old tube amp and wreaking yet another perfectly good guitar, while causing injury to himself in a way reminiscent of the OK Hotel in 92. Well done bro.
Best PT show - The Skatepark Grand Opening - The Nihilists, Captain Incognito, Patterns, Lucius Clay, The Inkreats, Gypsy Joy Ride, Hula-hooping dude and others. One of the only times I have seen the city, the kids, concerned adults and just about every kind of band in town from funk to punk play in a show that was entertaining, sounded good and made sense. 2005 Best show - Hands down, it was the Brett Pemberton promoted Chinatown, Aiden, Nihilist, Schoolyard Heroes, HollwPoints in January. Be a long time before a top to bottom show that good will be here again.
Best Out of Town Band - For the 2nd year in a row, it has to be DEK, and for all the same reasons they won in 05. Our runner up winner is The Blakes. Looks like the hippies in the over 21 clubs finally found a rock band that they love. The Blakes have found themselves playing the regular circuit of clubs on the peninsula, and we have never heard of ANYONE that doesn’t love them. 2005 Winner - Best Out of Town Band - My vote is for DEK not just for what they did onstage, but off. Many don’t know this, but they are responsible for bringing The Briggs, Angel City Outcasts, Phnomonauts, and others to town, when none of these bands would have come to our dusty hamlet without their help.
Person of the Year – Steve and Quimper Sound. I remember when the Goodwill opened in PT. Even before it opened, 3 other thrift stores either closed, or reduced their hours. Same thing when Hollywood video opened. Before it even let a customer in the door, 2 video stores just gave up at the sight of a store with promo that didn’t look like a 4 year old did it. In the face of major chains like Tower closing, and indie stores dropping like flies around the country, it would have been easy for Quimper Sound to just shut it’s doors and claim defeat as so many spineless ones do to the evils of another store moving into the area or in the case of the record industry, it’s whole way of life changing from records/cds to downloads , but not this one. Steve expanded his store to a cool new location adding a kiddie mosh pit, a wider selection, provides a small stage in store for local acoustic and DJ artists, and has sold 1000’s of concert tickets for local promoters and charities for free. That just touches the surface of how Steve has tried to make Quimper Sound one of the few “record sores” that will survive the internet age, and do it with soul and passion. Person of the year part 2 – Matt, The Upside. In the first 4 months of 2006 before they closed, PA all ages rock club The Upside held more hard rock shows then PT held in the last 5 years. They went just “rock shows”, but presented bands that would have never come anywhere near here, and provided a generation of fans with memories that will last forever, in a venue that had “the vibe”. Matt and the others that “worked” The Upside showed us all how hard it is to run a venue, and how cool it can be when you pull it off, and how sad it can be when it ends. We will always miss The Upside. Person of the Year, 2005 Promoter/Libido frontman Dan Demay. The last 7 months of shows would not have happened without him Zero, Skyler, Dakotah and a host of others. DJ Style E. has been to every show with his lights and help, even though rock isn’t his main gig, he supports, and is INVOLVED.
Shedboard topic of the year. - Once again, The Warrior is the winner with his “State of the Warrior Nation TM” address. Once you see it, regular Utube can’t compare. 2005 Winner, Shedboard topic of the year. - Dirty Whore, No Talent. Unexplainable.
Fan of the year – The Parents. You must “Sing” this one to the melody of Foreigners, “Women”… Women in fast cars, women who own bars, women with spare living rooms, women who make the crowds swoon… None of the big shows that happened in 06, would have without the parents (yep. The guys too). Every fan of local music would be up shit creek without them. Fan of the year, runner up – Mike “The Dad” from DEK. He doesn’t even live here, but “the dad” from DEK is not only a fan of the music, but has worked his but off to bring small towns all over the Northwest “The Rock”. History will show just how special it is to have not only bands like DEK willing to play here, but also will go to bat to bring along bands like The Briefs and The Accused to a town that would have never seen a bands like them otherwise. Fan of the year, 2nd runner up – Kelsey. How else can you explain someone who can be seen tolerating/enjoying the 4 chord rock playlist of Lit’s Friday night radio show from the studio AND the simplistic drones of what is usually played at the BR while making coffee. All kidding aside…she goes to shows, supports EVERYONE as a fan, and donates a ton of time to people doing good things like the BR. Most of all, she loves music, all music, and is just one of the coolest fans we know of. Another one of “those people would be Myles, who gets our nod as a cool fan as well. 2005 winners. Fan of the Year - Its a tie. Althya. Gotta love someone who comes to all the shows, gives rides, brings more girls, and is genuinely bummed when she does miss a show. The other is Matias. Not only does he truly love the music, but helps out at almost every show working with Zero and the Lights. Steven Tyler from Areosmith once said that without fans like them, rock shows wouldn’t be any fun. We agree.
Band most likely to actually make money playing music for a living - A tie between The Inkreats and Captain Incognito - Both have catchy songs that keep getting better, entertaining performances and a fan base that loves them, all at an age where I was still trying to jump the fence at Frampton concerts. 2005 winner Band most likely to actually make money playing music for a living - Shotgun Kisses. They may play a lot of covers, but there are a lot of bands that make $1000 a night playing covers, so don’t laugh. Besides...they rock at it.
Most Improved Band - Captain Incognito. Barely a band a year ago, they managed to get some homemade recording done, write more songs, and play a few Seattle-type dates. 2005 Most Improved Band - The Inkreats. These guys will get scary-good in 06.
Band we wish would have stayed together - Patterns. Oh how we need more female rockers. A good band getting better before they hung it up. 2005 Winner - Band we wish would have stayed together - Lunatic Fringe.
Local Band of the Year – Dead Whore River. In a see of “punk” and blues-based rock comes the almighty DWR. If I had one Peninsula band to play for my life, scare Bin laden out of a hole, or make a crowd go Ooooo!, it would be this one. Technically a great metal band, and they stepped up their live schedule to include El Corazon and Studio 7 shows that cemented the fact that this IS the best live band that lives on the Peninsula. Local Band of the Year part 2 - The Lonely H. Baring calling the Hollowpoints, who we really haven’t lived here in 3 years and are in the “hall of fame” anyhow, no other band has done more in 06 than the H. Mind you, they have had some great people helping in their corner, but the songs are great, they played shows ranging from creative local gigs and benefits (The Fair? at 19?) to big-time venues in Seattle like Neumo’s. All this while gaining great press, and the respect of a vast audience. These guys will be huge. May or may not be with this band, but the future is indeed bright. 2005 winner - Local Band of the Year - The Nihilist. They have improved every show, and now put on one of the best around and recorded a great debut CD. To top it off, like those that have come before them, they have helped promote shows and encourage new bands.
Local MySpace site of the year - Brand X Formerly Anti Barney Superstar. With all this technology, you think someone would do something USEFUL with it all. In any case, Brand X has tried his best with his pt_local_music group to give the local rock loving mass regular updates, and a local forum other than this. Plenty of entertaining stuff comes in 2nd, but a MySpace site of the year? I am frankly amazed it made it to year 2 without the man messing it up. 2005 Winner, Local MySpace Site of the Year - Missionary Mercenary and PT Local Music
The Local Hard Music Supporter Award. – The Boiler Room. While we make no bones that we really support larger shows, on real stages, with real sound and lights, and real big crowds, those bands have to start somewhere. No other person or venue has featured more rock shows in PT than the Boiler Room. From a sparsely attended Stalin’s War show that deserved more of us to show up at, to a steady stream of the artists that have played the venue for years like the Solvents, The Boiler Room stepped up it’s efforts in 06 to bring a wider swath of music to the small room, and featured several bands from around the world, as well as more music/art/skate related events than I can ever remember.
The Local Hard Music Supporter Award, Runner up - The one thing that always makes me happy is seeing great pictures and video from the local bands/shows. People like Jim, Kyle, Carson, Daryl and others give us an insight into the shows that you just can’t get any other way. Artists, photographers, and writers who document local music will always be important to many, and while there is nothing like being there, we salute the art that surrounds the music.
Coolest Addition to the local music scene. Skate Park – Skate and rock go hand in hand, and the park has provided a great opportunity for local kids to get together, skate, and talk about music. We hope that the facility is “used” and that the city sees the correlation between “skate and music”, and fosters that into producing some summer shows at the venue. We will see, but the Skatepark already has been the best addition to the local youth environment in years in Port Townsend.
Coolest Addition to the local music scene, runner up. – Radio. All respect to Dick Rossetti, (the End DJ who recently lost his job), but there can’t be anything funnier than REAL drunks who play guitar getting together to talk misguided politics and play local music. Throw in a revolving series of local freaks and Nurse Angie to keep all of Dan’s twisted chemistry experiments in line, and how can you not listen on Friday nights to the only local waves that matter (or that we have). There are other shows on these indie waves, but are pretty much what you would expect from a station in PT. A lot of dribble about environmentally sustainable something-or-other. Pretty much like that Saturday Night Live skit where they mock how silly public radio can be. Dan’s show however can only be considered a throwback to a simpler time when the absence of log books and rules meant real radio with no other agenda other than a party. More indie media please and where the hell is short-lived rag Blue Dog Black?
Words that need to go away. Rock and Punk. Till then, we will be here. HALL OF FAME WINNER!