Crowd pleaser

Our Best Music Poll awards party was so much fun even we were surprised

by Brian Goslow

There are times when Worcester's arts community proves itself second to none, even if it's for only a brief moment. This year's Worcester Phoenix Best Music Poll awards party, a visual and sound mesmerizing celebration of the

area's diverse musical and spoken-word community, hit that moment.

Twelve hours before the fifth-annual party was slated to begin, emcee Rich Boucher was five states away in his newly adopted hometown of Newark, Delaware. After a train, cab, and bus ride, the flamboyant Boucher arrived at the Tammany Club, where our 1998 Best Spoken-Word Performer was surprised by members of Worcester's and Providence's Poetry Slam community, of which he had been one of its most active members before moving to the "First State."

Tammany had seen many things during its history in the center of Worcester, but no one could remember it having been invaded by a kamikaze group of performance poets. Bill MacMillan ignored the mic and took his craft to the audience, along with wife, Sou, and Dave Eye and Kyria Abrahms of the Providence Slam Team. For many in the crowd, this was their introduction to live poetry.

WGMC-TV3's arts and entertainment reporter Debra Daigle arrived to film footage for upcoming broadcasts, enlisting N.E. Hostility's Jon Paladis to help with the camera to videotape the performances and participants. I remember the days when you couldn't find out when a national act were playing the city; so it's great to have another outlet supporting the local music scene. And it certainly must have benefited Trigger, our Best Local Country Act, who made their Worcester debut. The band's tight and energetic performance won over new fans. Although traditionalists tend to believe Garth Brooks typifies everything wrong with "New Country," Trigger's inspired rendition of "I've Got Friends in Low Places" proved that a performance filled with honesty will get the audience charged.

Dave Dick of Salamander Crossing stopped by to pick up his group's award for Best Local Folk Act before returning home to pack for a gig the following night in Philadelphia. Best Local Solo Act, Patrick Murphy, dropped in to say hello but left without his award. (If you happen to see him in Cambridge, where he just moved, let him know his plaque is gathering dust in our office as I write this.) Our Best Local Cover Act, Uncle Wally, were slated to perform with a reduced line-up, but the entire group got caught up in the moment. And the gleam in drummer Dana Gagnon's eye grew larger when the Deal's Dave Nelson agreed to let him use his drumset, enabling everyone to perform.

Toni Ballard normally doesn't play rock clubs, but our Best Local Jazz Act showed herself to be a real charmer, requesting the assistance of guitar virtuoso Steve Cancelli ("He's going to play through a Marshall amp. This is cool -- heavy-metal jazz!" Ballard exclaimed.). The jazz diva sang two songs from the Sleepless in Seattle soundtrack; and the response from the crowd demonstrated how diverse musical tastes have gotten. Toni, thanks. It was great to have jazz as a part of our line-up.

Last year, the Charley Dee Band kicked off the night with a full set. This time around, Dee went it alone, running through a montage of blues chestnuts. The Cream Team reunited to accept their award as the Best Avant-Prog Act, then insisted on having the honor of giving Chillum their two awards for Best Local Rap/Hip-Hop/Hardcore Act and Best Local Album (Ninetyseven). On a night filled with the unexpected (what else do you call an event where Captain P.J. learns he's a runner-up for Best Local Poet, but possibly won't even qualify as one of the evening's three-biggest characters -- even after spinning on his head?!), Tiki Gods took the stage, clad in leis and hula skirts. Paco began as a chance for Chillum members to stretch their musical horizons, now they threaten to become one of the city's biggest monsters. Be devoured!

Special 79 and Gangsta Bitch Barbie picked up their Best New Artist and Best Local Heavy Metal/Hard Rock Act awards. And the Deal were presented with their hard-earned Best Pop/Rock Act plaque before breaking into a strong set marked by the twin-tower Pete Townsend-windmill performance of guitarist John Donavan and bassist Bill Nelson. Along with selections from their upcoming CD (currently being recorded at Nelson's Big Deal Studio), the trio played "Smack the Puppet." Although many bands disdain from encouraging the lovable Captain P.J., this didn't happen at Tammany -- especially with many of the groups knowing the long-time WCUW deejay has been one of the scene's biggest supporters. Who knows? He was probably in attendance at the first incarceration of Thinner.

Right before the night's final act, Boucher took advantage of Tammany's mobile phone to call his fiancee, Elizabeth Smith, and we're glad to report that the party was so loud, it woke someone up in Delaware. At least he didn't bring P.J. home to meet her, but there's still the wedding! Speaking of Thinner, "On the Rocks"'s John O'Neill proudly handed them their Best Punk/Ska Act award ("We're too stupid to play ska," declared guitarist Dan Rugburn), then the trio proved themselves the rightful heirs to the state's musical lineage of proud rock and rollers from the Remains to the Neighborhoods (whose David Minehan produced their self-titled debut CD). And in the tradition of all great punk bands, as the late hour weighed heavily on all, they promised the soundman they only had two songs left in their set. They proceeded to belt out six more before closing time. You know, they didn't win the award for nothing!

And the lovingly taunted soundman? Tee Quitadamo helped bring Wormtown to the masses via their television sets in the late '70s and early '80s on Cable Channel 13. No event that aims to mix so many different styles can be successful without an understanding person behind the controls (okay, we're kissing his ass a tiny bit), and, Tee, the city owes you one. He also revealed he's uncovered some of the station's long-thought-lost videos of Wormtown's early days, but that's another party later this summer.

Normally, at the end of the four-month process -- which begins in mid-January with Worcester Phoenix writers spending hours going over proposed nominees, then a grueling five-week balloting marathon, and finally a manic few weeks of frantic writing -- we're glad to see "Music Poll" end. Not this time. Thanks to the enthusiastic turnout and quality of the performers, we can't wait for 1999 to present Worcester with the biggest music party it's ever seen. The Tiki Gods have willed it!