HPMAs Are Go: This Year’s Lineup Announced + Voting

Just a little fyi — for those who’ve been watching & waiting anxiously for more details on this year’s installment of the ever-entertaining Houston Press Music Awards Showcase, well, you’re in luck, because today (I think?) the HP crew went live with the updated version of the HPMA site, including online voting & the full lineup for the showcase. Sweet! (Thanks to David over at Houston Calling for the heads-up, btw. When I’m out of the loop like I’ve been lately, he always helps me get somewhat back in it…)

I’m happy to see a lot of folks I like on the schedule, although it does feel like there’re some glaring omissions (The Wild Moccasins, Something Fierce, & O Pioneers!!!, for three, and I’m bummed as hell not enough people know & love Scale The Summit to have voted for ’em for “Best Metal”). Still, there’s plenty in the lineup to get excited about (in totally non-judgmental, alphabetical order):

1. B L A C K I E (does the “show” area of Dean’s have a balcony? ’cause if so, damn…)
2. Blaggards
3. The Born Liars
4. Buxton (hoo-ah; keep an eye out for their upcoming 7″, ’cause it rules)
5. Fat Tony (I desperately need to see this guy; “Invasion” rules — check the mixtape)
6. Free Radicals
7. Tha Fucking Transmissions
8. Elaine Greer
9. thelastplaceyoulook (their show at Fitz last month was mind-blowing; they play that heavy, emo-influenced rock like they’ve done nothing else their whole lives)
10. The McKenzies (great, great, great, addictive, loud pop, like the Wild Mocs snarkier, drunker big brother/sister)
11. Mechanical Boy (on CD, I’m a little eh, but live they’re pretty great)
12. Kristine Mills (got to meet her at my one on-air KTRU appearance for the Website, and not only was she very nice, but she could definitely sing)
13. Karina Nistal (yeah, I definitely still need to see her sometime soon, too)
14. Pasadena Napalm Division (full-on Prong-style metalcore from ex-DRI/dead horse/Dethkultur BBQ folks, and not bad)
15. Sean Reefer & The Resin Valley Boys
16. Ryan Scroggins & the Trenchtown Texans
17. Los Skarnales
18. Sideshow Tramps (I swear that someday I’ll see these guys play)
19. The Small Sounds (who appear to be basically playing two back-to-back sets, since I believe several of the Sounds are also Katie Stuckey‘s backup band)
20. Spain Colored Orange
21. The Tontons (please tell me they’re on a big stage like they were last year? ’cause that was awesome…)
22. Benjamin Wesley (yes, yes, yes; utterly hypnotic, laid-back, cool, & awesome)

One entertaining bit of errata on the list, btw, is “The Snack Charmers”, playing at 6PM at Martell’s (wherever the fuck that is) — I’m guessing they’re talking about The Snake Charmers, although “Snack Charmers” has quite a ring to it, too…

Anyway, as I’ve mentioned here before, the showcase itself is Sunday, July 26th — just a few weeks off, now — it starts at 4PM, and it ranges across a bunch of downtown-area venues, including old standbys like the Hard Rock Cafe, Dean’s Credit Clothing, & Red Cat Jazz Cafe and a bunch of new-ish venues like the House of Blues, Isis Houston, & Martell’s. Like the site says, 50 bands for a measly $10, plus a chance to feel like you live in a city that’s actually geared for seeing live bands by roaming on foot/train/shuttle between venues. Make yr plans now, eh?