WOW Hall Awards

CCPA Announces WOW Hall Award Winners for 2020-21

 

By Bob Fennessy

 

Eugene’s Community Center for the Performing Arts is pleased to announce the official winners of the 27th Annual WOW Hall Awards for 2020-21.  Begun in 1994, the WOW Awards are designed to honor the public’s favorite performers of the past year.  Because the WOW Hall went the majority of the years 2020 and 2021 closed due to COVID, we combined the two years.  In addition to live performances, acts that participated in our virtual events were also included.  A ballot was published in the January issue of the WOW Hall Notes and a ballot box was available at the WOW Hall through April 16. 

There were a lot of first time winners.  The award for Favorite Local Band are newcomers Spunj, Favorite Male Performer is Big Freedia, and Favorite Female Performer is the all-girl band Spoonbenders.  Best Instrumentalist also has a new winner this year – multi-instrumentalist Jeremy Wagner of the Sugar Beets, Laura Kemp Trio and the McKenzie Drifters, amongst others.  The WOW SNL NYE event won the award for Best Show/Musical Performance.

The WOW Hall Membership Party won for Best Nonmusical or Variety Event for the seventh time.  Last year the variety included gift cards for everyone who attended.  These were purchased from numerous local establishments who supported the event in the past with donations.

Best New Act has to go to someone different each year.   Congratulate Spunj; the Eugene band was able to soak up awards in two categories.   Best Band Name is a first time win for Creep Creep Janga!

    Winner of the $35 gift certificate is Roger Lesiak, whose selections were Wheatfield, Peter Rowan, Barry Sless, Wheatfield, WOW Hall Membership Party, Wheatfield (write in) and Cap’n Trips, respectively.

    First place finishers receive a certificate from the WOW Hall suitable for framing.  Here are the top vote getters:

 

Favorite Local Band:

    1.        Spunj

    2.        The Macks

    3. (tie)    Egotones

            Token Rhymes

    4.        Sugar Beets

    

Favorite Male Performer:

    1.    Big Freedia

    2.     Tim McLaughlin

    3.     Brother Ali

    4.    JD Simo

 

Favorite Female Performer:

    1.    Spoonbenders

2.    Michelle Zauner

3.     Halie Loren

4.     Megan Bassett

    

Best Instrumentalist:

    1.    Jeremy Wegner (guitar/mandolin)

2.    Steve Kimock (guitar)

    3.    Pete Sears (bass/keys)

    4.    Adrianne Lenker

        

Best Musical Performance:

    1.    WOW SNL NYE

    2.    Terrapin Flyer

    3.     Hot Buttered Rum

    4.     Japanese Breakfast

 

Best Non-Musical/Variety Event:

    1.        WOW Hall Membership Party

2.         WOW-loween

    3.         Coalessence Community Ecstatic Dance

    4. (tie)    Eugene LIVE!

            WOW Hall 45th Anniversary

Best New Act:

    1.    Spunj

    2.    Bluphoria

    3.     Jerry’s Middle Finger

    4.     Adrianne Lenker

 

Best Band Name:

    1.    Creep Creep Janga

    2.    Cherry Poppin Daddies

    3.     EWEB

    4.    Jerry’s Middle Finger

 

Here’s a review of the winners of past twenty-six years:

 

Favorite Local Band: 

2019           Cherry Poppin’ Daddies

2018            Egotones

2017            High Step Society

2016            High Step Society           

2015            Cherry Poppin’ Daddies

2014            Medium Troy

2013            Blue Lotus

2012            Sol Seed

2011             Medium Troy

2010            Medium Troy

2009            Medium Troy

2008            Cherry Poppin’ Daddies

2007            Medium Troy

2006            Reeble Jar

2005            Eleven Eyes

2004            StopSignGo

2003            The Sugar Beets

2002            The Sugar Beets

2001            Abakadubi

2000            Abakadubi

1999            Habaneros

1998            The Varicoasters

1997            Cherry Poppin’ Daddies

1996            Floater

1995            Cherry Poppin’ Daddies

1994            Cherry Poppin’ Daddies

 

Favorite Male Performer:           

2019            Melvin Seals

2018            Melvin Seals

2017            Melvin Seals

2016            Melvin Seals

2015            That 1 Guy

2014            Aaron Carter

2013            Karl Denson

2012            Alcyon Massive

2011            Matisyahu

2010            Hank Williams III

2009            Jason Webley

2008            Bassnectar

2007            Jason Webley

2006            Andrew Bird

2005            Jello Biafra

2004            Marty Larsen-Xu (RnR Soldiers)

2003            Rob Wynia (Floater)

2002            Greg Brown

2001            Rob Wynia (Floater)

2000            Mike Watt

1999            Rob Wynia (Floater)

1998            Steve Perry (Cherry Poppin’ Daddie

1997            Steve Perry (Cherry Poppin’ Daddies)

1996            Rob Wynia (Floater)

1995            Steve Perry (Cherry Poppin’ Daddies)

1994            Artis the Spoonman

 

Favorite Female Performer:

2019           Phoebe Blume

2018            Japanese Breakfast

2017            SZA

2016            Bonnie Payne (Elephant Revival           

2015            Kimya Dawson

2014            Babes With Axes

2013            Brandelyn Rose (Blue Lotus)

2012            Norma Fraser

2011            Lynx

2010            Frazy Ford

2009            Katherine Whalen (Squirrel Nut Zippers)

2008            The Blow

2007            Juliette Lewis

2006            Neko Case

2005            Yako Onuki (Melt Banana)

2004            Bitch

2003            Jennifer Folker (Drumattica)

2002            Shelley Doty

2001            Laura Kemp

2000            Laura Kemp

1999            Iris Dement

1998            Carrie Akre (Goodness)

1997            Shelley Doty

1996            Lynette Knackstedt (Skankin’ Pickle)

1995            Shelley Doty (Jambay)

1994            Laura Kemp

 

Best Instrumentalist:           

2019            Kishi Bashi (violin)

2018            That 1 Guy (magic pipe)

2017            Melvin Seals (keys)

2016            That 1 Guy (magic pipe)

2015            That 1 Guy (magic pipe)

2014            That 1 Guy (magic pipe)

2013            Felix Blades (guitar)

2012            Chris Wood (bass)

2011            Jason Webley (accordion)

2010            That 1 Guy (magic pipe)

2009            That 1 Guy (magic pipe)

2008            Buckethead (guitar)

2007            Steve Kimock (guitar)

2006            Buckethead (guitar)

2005            Dick Dale (guitar)

2004            Walker T. Ryan (guitar)

2003            Dick Dale (guitar)

2002            Dick Dale (guitar)

2001            Chick Corea (keyboard)

2000            Mike Watt (bass)

1999            Vassar Clements (fiddle)

1998            Mike Watt (bass)

 

Best Musical Performance/Show:     

2019           LDW            

2018            Floater

2017            High Step Society/Soul Vibrator

2016            Lettuce

2015            Pigs on the Wing

2014            Bohemian Dub Ball

2013            STRFKR

2012            Cherry Poppin’ Daddies / Medium Troy                                    

2011             Medium Troy / Synyrgy

2010            Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros

2009            Medium Troy

2008            Floater

2007            Ratatat

2006            Built to Spill

2005            Flogging Molly

2004            Rock ‘n’ Roll Soldiers / White Hot Odyssey

2003            Floater

2002            GWAR

2001            Floater / King Black Acid

2000            Sugar Beets / Nectar Way

1999            Floater

1998            The Skatalites / Let’s Go Bowling

1997            The Skatalites / The Toasters

1996            Sky Cries Mary / Floater

1995            Pennywise

1994            Floater

 

Best Non-Musical or Variety Performance:           

2019.           WOW Hall Membership Party

2018            WOW Hall Membership Party

2017            WOW Hall Volunteer Party

2016            WOW Hall Membership Party

2015            WOW Hall Membership Party

2014            Doug Benson

2013            WOW Hall Membership Party

2012            WOW Hall Membership Party

2011             Doug Benson

2010            Yard Dogs Road Show

2009            GRRRLZ ROCK

2008            Buckethead Guitar Hero Challenge

2007            MC Chris & Transformers

2006            Yard Dogs Road Show

2005            Star Wars III with MC Chris

2004            Suicide Girls

2003            Chuck Palahniuk

2002            (Tie) Monsterama

                    Rummage Sale

2001            Young Women’s Theater Collective

2000            Bindlestiff Family Cirkus

1999            Young Women’s Theatre Collective

1998            Jello Biafra

 

Best New Act: 

2019            Laundry                       

2018            The Almond Butters Band

2017            The Garcia Project

2016            La Luz                       

2015             Unknown Mortal Orchestra

2014            Garcia Birthday Band

2013            Shook Twins

2012            Blue Lotus

2011            Sol Seed

2010            Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk

2009            Portland Cello Project

2008            The T Club

2007            Devil Makes Three

2006            Band of Horses

2005            Reeble Jar

2004            Xiu Xiu

2003            The Ovulators

2002             Hell’s Belles

2001             Dave Carter & Tracy Grammer

2000            California Guitar Trio

1999            MeShell Ndegeocello

1998            Soul Function

1997            Young Women’s Ritual Theatre

1996            Ben Harper

1995            Trillian Green

1994            Floater

 

Best Band Name:           

2019           Tunderpussy

2018            We Were Promised Jetpacks

2017            Leftover Crack

2016            Soul Vibrator           

2015            Cherry Poppin’ Daddies

2014            The Cunninlynguists

2013            Conjugal Visitors

2012            Bad Mitten Orchestre

2011            Nashville Pussy

2010            Devil Makes Three

2009            The Cunninlynguists

2008            The Circle Jerks

2007            Conjugal Visitors

2006            Three Blind Mics

2005            !!!

2004            StopSignGo

2003            Eat !@#$ %^&*face

2002            Blasphemous Abnormality

2001            Abakadubi

2000            Sugar Beets

1999            Moth

1998            Cherry Poppin’ Daddies

1997            (tie) Big Bad Voodoo Daddy

                    Save Ferris

1996            Trillian Green

1995            Sweaty Nipples

1994            Sweaty Nipples