David Houston / News

date ? 2005 What have I been doing? Well the "Wendy Tapes" and "Songs From Winter" are done And so is "No Bongos Tonight" I added the Christynas to a few more songs on that CD Besides "Singer/Shadows" We did "Evie", "Trouble" and "Hopeless Romantics" And I have another surprise for you "The New Old CD" with Me, Erik, Miss, and Pat is now plus the Christynas I just couldn't help myself I had to do it

April 30th 2001

Ever since the Smammie's night
I've wanted to tell you what that evening was like
But between working, playing and writing new songs oh and being sick
I haven't had a chance
And then a few weeks ago I was talking with my friend Heather Robinson
And she told me about this review in the State Hornet
So I'm just going to let Ryan tell you all about it

10th Anniversary Sammies

Reviewed by Ryan Endean
State Hornet
April 04, 2001

Sacramento's biggest and brightest musical stars all gathered together
last Wednesday to honor each other at the 10th annual Sacramento
Area Music Awards at the Crest Theatre in downtown Sacramento.

The annual award show highlights the Sacramento music scene and
its musicians and raises money for local charities. This year the
proceeds from the show went to the Wind Youth Center and Joe's Style Shop.
Hosted by local music moguls Eric Bianchi and  Laura Ingle, the show
was a mix of awards, performances, and hijinxs typical of a gathering of musicians.
The show started off with a bang, literally, with a performance by
Sacramento Taiko Dan, a highly energetic Asian drum troupe.

The big winners of the evening included country rock group Forever Goldrush
for Outstanding Country Band, the lead singer, Damon Wycoff,
took home the Critic's Choice Award for male vocalist.
The group also played an amazing three-song set during the show,
wowing the crowd. The Outstanding Hip Hop/Rap Group award went to
The C.U.F., who won the award for the second year in a row.

Taking home the award for Outstanding Rock Band 
was Sacramento‚s big boys Oleander.
The group accepted their award via satellite from a hotel room
somewhere in Ohio. The group also presented the award for Critic‚s
Choice New Band, which went to the Freight Train Riders of America.
The Outstanding Pop Band award went to The Skirts, an all-female pop
group. The Skirts also presented the award for Outstanding R&B/Funk
Band, which went to Funkengruven. Probably the most anticipated
band of the evening, Luxt, a heavy metal band that closely mirrored
their performance to Korn, won the Outstanding Metal award and
played during the concert.

The Outstanding Folk Band award seemed to hold a lot of controversy
behind it. As the nominations for the award were being read, the crowd
chanted for David Houston, one of the nominees. Houston lost to
second-time winner Xenophilia and the crowd did not seem content
with the decision and continued to chant Houston's name.

The award show also included the SAMMIES Hall of Fame awards,
which went to long-time winners Tattooed Love Dogs, Los Elegantes
and Mick Martin & The Blues Rockers. The award for longest speech
of the evening went to Critic's Choice Guitarist winner G.B. of Magnolia
Thunderfinger. His speech was so long that hosts Laura Ingle and Eric
Bianchi dubbed him the Julia Roberts of the 2001 SAMMIES.

Though the show did have its high points, it also had some serious low
points. Easily the lamest point in the evening came when long-time
Sacramento band Tesla announced the award for Band of the Decade
to......themselves. In a video shot the previous week, Tesla and host
Laura Ingle, opened the envelope and presented the award to
themselves. The crowd was far from amused.

The hosts, Bianchi and Ingle, left much to be desired. The pair has
hosted the show for many years, however, this year they seemed to
have left their humor at home. Bianchi and Ingle slowed the show down
to almost a halt every time they had the microphone. The show would
have been much better hosted by real representatives f the
Sacramento music scene.

Bobby Jordan of The Knockoffs and Red Star Memorial and Skid Jones
of Magnolia Thunderfinger would be prime candidates for next year's
hosting position. In the two minutes that Jordan and Jones were on
stage to present the award for Critic's Choice for Bassist, they were
funnier and wittier than Bianchi and Ingle could ever hope to be. The
most redeeming moment of the evening came at the very end of the
show, after most of the audience and the musicians had already gone home.

After the last award was presented, punk rocker icons 7 Seconds, the
winners of the Outstanding Punk Band award, played an amazing set
to the die-hard crowd that stuck around till the end.

The set by 7 Seconds was a perfect finish to the awards show as it
was a perfect example of how music should be. 7 Seconds invited
fellow punk band The Knockoffs on stage to engage in some serious
rock and roll hijinxs. At one point, Knockoffs singer Danny Secretion
was down to his underwear sliding around on the water-soaked stage.

Regardless of the lack of hosting and some unwanted upsets in the
awards, the show was a success and did a fine job of acknowledging
and embracing the huge Sacramento music scene and all of its
hard-working musicians.

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