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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival LA Music Critic Awards Reviews See it or Skip it Women in Entertainment

HFF19 day 5 – see it or skip it

No fringing tonight – it’s our Third Annual LA Music Critic Award Winners Showcase, honoring Women in Entertainment.  Doors at The Mint open at 6 p.m. and the show kicks off at 6:30, with Emily Zuzik, Dree Mon, Jordan Siwek, Constanza Herrero, Brigitte Rios Purdy, Amilia K. Spicer, Manda Mosher and The Spider Accomplice set to perform.  We will also be honoring Fanny Walked the Earth with our 2019 Icon Award.  Tickets are available at the door for $13, and a portion of the proceeds will benefit Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.  Please join us.  In the meantime, here are our reviews from Monday night.

TITLE OF SHOWAll our Pretty Songs

VENUE:  Asylum Studio C

REVIEW:  This show should be required viewing for all millennials and others seeking guidance on whether to follow their dream or settle for the security of a real job.  The staging of the show was brilliant.  Hats off to playwright John Brahan, who also performed on the drums, director Dan Schultz, who likewise took the role of the artist seeking his dream, and Shanlie Phillips as the semi-spoiled but gifted daughter of music industry parents.  To sound like an artist who doesn’t have any talent takes a lot of skill, and Schultz pulled it off.  But this wasn’t supposed to be a true display of their musical talents, rather a biting look at coming of age, and in that they succeeded.

RECOMMENDATION:  This one is definitely worth checking out.  Remaining performances are June 22 at 10 p.m. and June 29 at 8 p.m.  Tickets are available on their Fringe project page.

TITLE OF SHOWRaised by Wolves

VENUE:  Stephanie Fuery Studio Theatre

REVIEW:  Once again a brave solo artist has given us an absolute gem that is easily one of the best, if not the best, show at HFF19.  All the way from Canada comes the compelling and emotionally draining story of Marla Black, and I was proud to be crying by the end of the show.  I learned so much about the pack structure of wolves and sled dogs, and how it applies to every day living.  This was a Ted Talk/Seminar disguised as a Fringe show, and would be a bargain at ten times the price.  Don’t miss this priceless and thought-provoking show.

RECOMMENDATION:  Don’t miss this show.  The only remaining performance is June 22 at 5:30 p.m., so get your tickets before it sells out.  Tickets are available on her Fringe project page.

 

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out LA Music Critic Awards Women in Entertainment

Announcement of LA Music Critic Award winners for second half of 2018

What a year this has been.  We have been overwhelmed with the quality of music created by indie artists in 2018, and by the public support of their craft.  This cycle of nominations has generated 745 comments and 5,366 views from 63 countries, 23 of which generated at least 10 views each.  In addition, our blog has been viewed a total of 8,826 times since the nominations were announced on December 7.  We are so proud of each and every artist and their fans and thank you sincerely for this accomplishment.

The winner of the Icon Award will be announced at the Winners Showcase on June 18, 2019 at The Mint in Los Angeles.  Please save the date and come out to see the winners perform.

Without further delay, here are the winners for the second half of 2018:

BEST EP (Male) – Zach Callison (A Picture Perfect Hollywood Heartbreak)

BEST EP (Female) – Lauren Jaimes (Here to Stay)

BEST EP (Group) – Shelby Texas (We are Shelby, Texas)

BEST EP (International Artist) – Paolo Preite (An Eye on the World)

BEST EP (International Group) – The Fisherman & The Sea (I Can’t Alone)

BEST CD (Male) – Hadden Sayers (Dopamine Machine)

BEST CD (Female) – Brigitte Rios Purdy (Still I Rise)

BEST CD (Group) – Birds and Arrows (Arbitrary Magic)

BEST CD (International Artist) – Kate Reid (The Heart Already Knows)

BEST CD (International Group) – Crack of Dawn (self-titled)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Male) – Everlast (“Don’t Complain”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Female) – Dree Mon (“Dance Like I Want To”)

BEST VIDEO (OFFICIAL) (Group) – Fanny Walked the Earth (“When we Need Her”)

BEST VIDEO (FOR A CAUSE) – Kim Kline (“Stand Tall”)

BEST VIDEO (LYRIC) – The Spider Accomplice (“Epilogue”)

BEST VIDEO (COVER) – CALICO the Band (“California Dreaming”)

BEST VIDEO (COLLABORATION) – Seawaves & Jerad Finck (New Kids)

BEST VIDEO (INTERNATIONAL) – Ziggy Alberts (“Stronger”)

BEST SINGLE (Male) – Curtis Peoples (“Castaways”)

BEST SINGLE (Female) – Kris Angeles (“Stained Glass”)

BEST SINGLE (Group) – Honey River (“Peace, Love”)

BEST SINGLE (INTERNATIONAL) – Vanessa Zamora (“Malas Amistades”)

BEST SINGLE (HOLIDAY) – Mustangs of the West (“Everybody Wants Peace on Earth”)

BEST BLUES ARTIST – Brigitte Rios Purdy

BEST BLUES BAND – Michelle D’Amour and the Love Dealers

BEST BLUES (TRADITIONAL) ARTIST – Lawrence Lebo

BEST BLUES (TRADITIONAL) BAND – Julianne Q and the Howl

BEST BLUEGRASS ARTIST/BAND – Tellico

BEST CHILDREN’S ALBUM – Ruth and Emilia (The Spaceship That Fell in my Backyard)

BEST COMEBACK ARTIST – The Textones

BEST COMEDY ALBUM – Brad Wenzel (Sweet Nothings)

BEST COMPILATION ALBUM – A Blue Élan Christmas (various Blue Élan Records artists)

BEST COUNTRY ARTIST – Hilary Scott

BEST COUNTRY BAND – Robbie Fulks & Linda Gail Lewis

BEST EDM/DANCE ARTIST/BAND – TNEO

BEST FOLK ARTIST – Lauren Balthrop

BEST FOLK BAND –   The Skiffle Players

BEST HARD ROCK/METAL ARTIST/BAND – Rebel Rampage

BEST HIP-HOP/RAP ARTIST/BAND – Everlast

BEST HOLIDAY ALBUM – Mindi Abair and the Boneshakers (All I Got for Christmas is the Blues)

BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST – Abby Zotz

BEST INTERNATIONAL BAND – Norway Reloaded

BEST INSTRUMENTAL ARTIST/BAND – Andrew Abaria

BEST JAZZ ARTIST – Slim Gambill

BEST JAZZ BAND – CeCe Teneal and Soul Kamotion

BEST LATIN ARTIST/BAND – Constanza Herrero

BEST LIVE ALBUM – Shari Puorto (Live at Bogie’s)

BEST POP ARTIST – Jordan Siwek

BEST POP BAND – My Brothers and I

BEST POP/ROCK ARTIST/BAND – KT Tunstall

BEST PUNK ARTIST/BAND – Taco Mouth

BEST R&B/SOUL ARTIST – Candace Devine

BEST R&B/SOUL BAND – Diane Durrett & Soul Suga

BEST ALT ROCK ARTIST – Trevor James

BEST ALT ROCK BAND – The Upstart Crows

BEST ROCK ARTIST – K. Michelle DuBois

BEST ROCK BAND – The Guess Who

BEST REGGAE ARTIST/BAND – Sean Paul

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA ARTIST – Jeffrey Foucault

BEST ROOTS/AMERICANA BAND – No Dry County

BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER – Gaelynn Lea

BEST SOUTHERN ROCK ARTIST/BAND – Moonshine Saints

MOST UNIQUE ARTIST/BAND – Grave Danger

RISING STAR – Sofia Evangelina

FAN FAVORITE – Once again, the fans have spoken, and 25 artists were nominated for this award.  YYNOT was the early favorite, with Reloaded Norway, Paper Gliders, Jordan Siwek and Mindi Abair close behind.  All of a sudden a dark horse appeared in the final week that changed everything.  When the dust had settled, LAUREN JAIMES overtook YYNOT by a score of 184 votes to 170 votes.  Jordan Siwek took third place with 140 votes.  Reloaded Norway (64 votes) and Mindi Abair ( 42 votes) rounded out the top five.  Congratulations to you all.