Photos by Ted Soqui


More than 2,000 happy fans, musicians, music-biz types, sundry hangers-on and untold others attended the L.A. Weekly’s fifth annual Music Awards at the Henry Fonda Theater on Thursday, June 26. This year saw another wildly woolly and good-natured affair as freestyling hosts Busdriver, Aceyalone and Abstract Rude gamely guided us on a mad dash through the announcements of the nominees and winners, between a lot of simply great sets by guest performers the 88, Minibar, Kool Keith, Otep and Elliott Smith, all of whom seemed to rise to the occasion with some of their best performances ever. Highlights were many, among them the humorous and insightful comments by the legendary session drummer Hal Blaine, on hand to receive his LAWMA Pop/Rock Lifetime Achievement Award, as were the elusive Ron and Russel Mael, a.k.a. Sparks, droll and delighted at their belated recognition in the duo’s hometown. This year’s event felt very special, like everyone was really into it, and a jolly good time was had by all. Congratulations to our winners and nominees. And thanks, L.A. scenesters and music lovers, for not being too cool to show up.

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Kool Keith

BEST NEW ARTIST


Moving Units


BEST ROCK BAND


The Warlocks


BEST HARD ROCK/METAL BAND


Queens of the Stone Age


BEST POP/ROCK BAND


The 88


BEST PUNK/HARDCORE BAND


400 Blows


BEST RAP/HIP-HOP ARTIST


Jurassic 5


BEST JAZZ ARTIST


Charlie Haden


BEST COUNTRY ARTIST


I See Hawks in L.A.


BEST CONTEMPORARY BLUES/R&B ARTIST


Cody Chesnutt


BEST SALSA/LATIN ARTIST


Cumbeley

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BEST INSTRUMENTAL BAND


Insect Surfers


BEST NEW-GENRE/UNCATEGORIZABLE ARTIST


Gwendolyn


JAZZ EMINENCE AWARD [tie]


Teddy Edwards,


Anita O’Day


BEST WORLD MUSIC/RECOMBINANT ARTIST


Adam Rudolph’s


Go: Organic Orchestra


BEST ELECTRONIC DANCE ARTIST


Dntel


BEST DJ — MIXMEISTER


Cut Chemist


BEST DJ — SELECTOR


DJ Haul


BEST RADIO SHOW


Rev. Dan’s


Music for Nimrods (KXLU)


BEST ROCK/POP SONGWRITER/COMPOSER [tie]


Eleni Mandell,


Elliott Smith


OUTSTANDING CLASSICAL ENSEMBLE/ARTIST


California E.A.R. Unit

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