Banging the drum for grass roots music, Dorset’s Original Music Awards (OMAs), held at Lighthouse Poole in January, saw the cream of the local music industry come together to celebrate the breadth and depth of talent that, week-in-week-out, plies its tuneful trade in the county’s pubs, clubs, bedrooms and back rooms.
The OMAs may not have quite the glitz, glamour or commercial clout of the Brits or the Grammys, but the kudos accorded to the winners by their peers was plain for all to see at this red-carpet event. With not a forced false smile in sight on the faces of those who didn’t win, the assembled audience of some 250 met each award with equal enthusiasm in a very visible display of mutual support.
‘It was a great evening – we were chuffed to be nominated, let alone win an award,’ says Steven Wareham from Best Band winners, The Two Man Travelling Medicine Show. ‘As long as people want to scribble down a few lyrics and string a few chords together, the real winner is music itself.’
Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, held in the Allendale Centre in Wimborne, the Awards are organised by Hangover Hill, the recording studio, record label and promotions company based in Winterbourne Whitechurch headed up by Matt Black and Mel Berkhauer.
‘The standard of grass roots, original music in our county stands strong alongside the mainstream music found on commercial radio today,’ says Hangover Hill’s Matt Black.
‘To be involved with celebrating those grass roots musicians, songwriters, and the technical staff that assist their display is a privilege I'll never get used to. There is a silent majority of music lovers who feel this, and we have gone some way to bringing that music to them with the OMAs.’
The awards are decided by an independent panel of judges chaired by Chinners, aka Dave Chinnery of the Rock Regeneration webzine, that meets to deliberate nominees and eventual winners over several hotly debated sessions. Alongside awards for performance, technical excellence and venue support are a series of special awards for those whose music, and the circumstances in which it is made, call for wider recognition.
These special awards include:
Belief and Strength: Won by Ethereal UK
Swedish-born, Thai psychedelic folk/dreampop singer songwriter Waritsara ‘Yui’ Karlberg, performs as Ethereal UK and is based in Bournemouth. As the world comes to terms with transgender people, she uses that anger as her drive to keep going. She is also autistic and struggles with depression, ADHD, anxiety, PTSD and low self-esteem. Highly creative, yet sensitive to social interactions and certain sounds, her self-titled debut album came out in 2018 on the New York label XYYX, with her latest release Caramel Anthropod dropping just before Christmas on her Bandcamp page (etherealmusic.bandcamp.com).
Brothers In Arms: Won by Fraser D, Jason Poole, Al Sirpico
When Christchurch-based songwriter Fraser D (Fraser Duffy) was hit by a car and sustained life-changing brain and physical injuries, he turned to music to get him through. In the years since, he has met for weekly music therapy sessions with Jason Poole and Al Sirpico who sculpt his lyrics into radio-friendly songs. This award not only recognises Fraser's talents, but also the team that helps bring his ideas to reality.
The Alex JT Award: Won by Brothers Grimmer Family
Named after the Dorset artist Alex JT, a former child prodigy who created the soundtrack for a Sony PlayStation game at the age of seven, sadly he passed away in 2014 from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome leaving behind a wealth of music and poetry that continues to find fans all over the world. This year's recipients are the remarkably resilient Brothers Grimmer. Formed 15 years ago, the four-piece Bournemouth band's plans have been regularly derailed in recent years as lead guitarist and songwriter Lee Cleary suffered a series of seizures until, a year ago, he was hospitalised with double pneumonia and sepsis with multiple holes in his lungs. He wasn't expected to survive, he went into cardiac arrest nine times, yet he walked out of hospital just three weeks later determined to get back to the band. Lee is already playing and singing again - the band released the Thank You 23 EP in November - and is set to return to the stage this summer.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Won by Pronghorn
In 32 long years of hard and fast banjo/fiddle driven punk, Pronghorn have been through at least 32 different bass players and at least an orchestra-load of fiddle players who have come up through the ranks until they’ve been whittled down to just two - Ffi and Joe, who along with Steve Gunn on the gee-tar, have served the last 20-odd years. New lad Alex is on bass, but it’s the same core members of Toni Viagra and Lamma who started this ol' cowpunk thang back in ‘92 (pronghorn.co.uk).
Unsung Hero Award: Won by Dave Allan
One of the kingpins of Dorset Americana festival Rustic Stomp, Dave is the 'Swiss Army knife' of events management. Nothing is impossible for Dave, from pumping out toilets, to programming lighting rigs, and keeping the beer flowing, this one-man powerhouse doesn’t stop.
Most Original Artist Working Cross Genre: Won by Bite the Boxer
Matt Park started the genre-fluid Bite the Boxer project by accident, releasing a series of anonymous tracks in the early stages of lockdown in 2020. Learning new skills and techniques as he morphed the music through different genres and blends of genres, he has arrived at a cutting-edge sound that's fiercely modern with a cool, accessible sheen (bitetheboxer.com)
‘If the OMAs are about anything it’s to hail Dorset as a hotbed of musical talent,’ adds Matt. ‘Although there are winners, this is not like a race. It's more like a house of cards - there is a layer at the top, but without the layers below the whole thing is meaningless. The music community works because it supports itself.’
The Dorset Original Music Awards 2024 will open for nominations in the autumn.
Find out more on Facebook.com/OriginalMusicAwards
Dorset Original Music Award Winners 2023
Best Venue for Inclusivity & Accessibility: Lighthouse Poole
Best Open to All: Si Genaro
Best Songwriter: Plastic Jeezus
Best Recorded Work (Single): Opalites & Ayriss Sit Down & Shut Up
Best Recorded Work (Album): Nick Capaldi You and All the Seasons
Best Technical Support: Steve Smith (RMV Sounds)
Best Promoter: James Choff (UMP Promotions)
Best Original Music Venue: Tom Brown's Dorchester
Best Backstage Crew: Hawkeye's Crew
Best Festival: Barnstomper, Cerne Abbas
Best Artist Under 18: The Current Flavour
Best Breakthrough Act: Burg and The Vagabond Choir
Best Live Act: Galaxy Thief
Best Solo Act: Nia Nicholls
Best Small Band: Opalites
Best Band: The Two Man Travelling Medicine Show
Special Awards
Lifetime Achievement Award: Pronghorn
Belief and Strength: Ethereal UK
Most Original Artist Working Cross Genre: Bite The Boxer (Matt Park)
Supporting Original Artists: The Three Compasses, Charminster
Brothers in Arms: Fraser D, Jason Poole & Al Sirpico
The Alex JT Award: Brothers Grimmer Family
Un-Sung Hero: Dave Allan
Live and Unheard
A chance to see tomorrow’s stars today, this monthly live music night in the Sherling Studio at Lighthouse Poole is where unsigned artists and bands have an opportunity to perform using professional standard light and sound. Hangover Hill duo Matt Black and Mel Berkhauer curate the three-band bill from demos and sound files they receive. Most are from Dorset and, crucially, all are paid to play.
Next Live & Unheard Gig...March 28
The Jimmy Hillbillies - with four voices, 16 strings, a pair of accordions and a didgeridoo, they put a rustic shine on some stompingly great hoedown music.
Harry Jxye - up and coming pop punk/pop rock whose unique perspective forms a tapestry of stories in songs that are a powerful voice for the unheard.
Jason Lloyd-Bevis - a Dorset-based artist whose sound is inspired by rock, blues, soul and Americana. Songs with a heavy guitar presence and strong groove.
Tickets available at lighthouse.co.uk
