Music, Style & Culture

Scottish Alternative Music Awards Are Back

The awards will take place in Glasgow, on 25th February.

Hannah Currie

Writer

Scotland’s most talented musicians are receiving the recognition they deserve this month as the nominees for the 2011 Scottish Alternative Music Awards are revealed.

The awards turn the spotlight onto acts on the brink of success, and each of the 36 nominees were specially selected by a regional panel of industry experts including promoters, A&R scouts and radio DJs.

The SAMAs began last year as an ambitious university project by student Richy Muirhead, but after unprecedented success they are back by popular demand - and bigger than ever. With two new categories added for 2011 - Best Electronic and Best Acoustic - the awards celebrate all facets of Scottish music outside of the mainstream.

Richy says: "The music scene in Scotland is fantastic, with new acts emerging almost weekly. The SAMAs have been developed to recognise these up-and-coming artists, give them exposure and act as a stepping stone to the next level in their career."

View the nominees below, including my favourites to win. Voting opens at 9pm on Monday 7th February. Visit http://www.sama11.co.uk to vote.

Best Rock/Alternative

SWIZZLESTICK by LIGHTGUIDES by leithrecords

This Familiar Smile (myspace.com/thisfamiliarsmile)
Kid Adrift (kidadrift.com)
Lightguides (myspace.com/lightguides) [Recommended]
Boycotts (myspace.com/startaboycott)
Little Eskimos (littleeskimos.co.uk)
Shutter (shutter.tv)

Best Acoustic

Coal by jjbull

Rachel Sermanni (myspace.com/rachelsermanni)
RM Hubbert (rmhubbert.com)
Tragic O’Hara (myspace.com/tragicoharauk)
JJ Bull (myspace.com/jjbull) [Recommended]
Alan McKim (myspace.com/alansmusic)
Steven Kem (myspace.com/teganband)

Best Electronic

Hello World by Capitals

Grum (myspace.com/grummmusic)
Capitals (myspace.com/capitalsband) [Recommended]
Indian Red Lopez (myspace.com/indianredlopez)
Mopp (moppmopp.com)
Conquering Animal Sound (conqueringanimalsound.co.uk)
Akira Kiteshi (myspace.com/technoirbeats)

Best Metal

Departures (myspace.com/departuresmusic) [Recommended]
Carnivores (myspace.com/carnivoresscotland)
Metaltech (myspace.com/metaltech)
Secta Rouge (myspace.com/sectarouge)
Zombie Militia (zombiemilitia.co.uk)
Burn the Sunset (myspace.com/burnthesunset)

Best Live Act

Three Blind Wolves - Echo On The Night Train by thebluewalrus

Young Fathers (youngfathersmusic.com)
Three Blind Wolves (myspace.com/threeblindwolves) [Recommended]
Lady North (myspace.com/ladynorthmusic)
Make Sparks (myspace.com/makesparksband)
Hey Enemy (myspace.com/heyenemy)
Stanley Odd (facebook.com/stanleyodd)

Best Newcomer

FIND MY WAY by Kobi Onyame

The Winter Tradition (myspace.com/thewintertradition)
Kobi Onyame (kobionyame.com) [Recommended]
Xavia (myspace.com/xavierhq)
Bwani Junction (myspace.com/theband411)
James Mackenzie & the Aquascene (myspace.com/jamesmackenzieinverness)
Miniature Dinosaurs (miniaturedinosaurs.co.uk)

The Scottish Alternative Music Awards will take place at The Classic Grand, Glasgow, on 25th February and will feature performances by various Scottish artists and special guests. A limited number of public tickets are on sale now, priced £10: visit http://www.tickets-scotland.comor phone 0141 204 5151.