2015 Worcester Music Awards to Rock the City on April 15

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Monday, April 06, 2015

Patrick Sargent, GoLocal Worcester Contributor

The 2015 Worcester Music Awards are less than two weeks away and voting has closed for the best live music acts, DJs, radio talent and albums that have rocked Worcester this year.

Pulse Magazine will award talent in 26 categories, including The Lifetime Achievement Award, which recognizes special individual who has been a mainstay of the Central Massachusetts music scene. More than 3,000 people voted on the Worcester Music Awards site.

SEE SLIDES BELOW: 2015 Worcester Music Award Nominees

Niki Luparelli will be back to host and she expects this year's event to be as crazy as ever. "Kanye will be interrupting everyone to give their awards to Beyoncé. I'll be there to accept them in case she doesn't show," said Luparelli.

Performances this year include Ashley Jordan, Lori Diamond & Fred Abatelli, Cougar Bait, Hothouse with Jim Perry, and the night will be capped off by Rolling Stones tribute band Let it Bleed.

Luparelli will be looking forward to partying the night away and expects a "rowdy, drunk, interrupting, fun party crowd. Same as every year."

Worcester's Garcia Nominated Three Times

St. Peter-Marian graduate Dezi Garcia of Worcester has been nominated in three different categories including Best Solo Act, Best Male Vocalist, and Sexiest Musician. 

"I am honored and proud to have been nominated for three different awards in the city I grew up in. It feels great to have some validation for my music. I think it speaks volumes that my fans show love like voting for me and appreciate my live music," said Garcia.

Garcia is currently taking classes at Cape Cod Community College and frequently plays around the city. Last summer, Garcia was a staple on Shrewsbury Street.

"I definitely see this as a taking off point in my career. I see this as a stepping stone for much more to come," said Garcia. "I have so many ideas and original music I can't wait to release. If I were to win it would be an incredible honor. Hopefully this will be the catalyst for big things to come."

Mixed Reviews of Worcester Music Scene

"I am constantly in awe of the talent in Worcester," said Dale LePage, of Dale LePage & the Manhattans, nominees for Best Jazz Act. "There are so many venues in use now than there were two years ago. Venue owners are realizing what a draw live music is."

LePage is host of two television shows - This is the Night Life! with Dale LePage and WooTube Entertainment TV on Charter. LePage is reaching out to all musicians in the area to have them on his newest show, This is the Night Life!, and is hopeful that the nominees and winners will reach out to him to promote their music on his show.

"I know what it's like to be a struggling musician," said LePage. "That's why I do this. It gives these bands and musicians an opportunity."

Not everyone is on board with LePage's view of the area's music scene. Luparelli believes that the venue aren't doing as much as they could to support local music. "The music scene is struggling. Venues don't want to pay. They think musicians should play for free because they like making music. Chefs like to cook but no one expects them to make 100 plates of food for smiles and an occasional tip. People used to eat home then go out for entertainment. Now they eat out and go home to watch Netflix," said Luparelli.

Garcia, like LePage, is much more enthusiastic about music in Worcester. "If you go to the right places the music scene in Worcester is great. I've had so many great memories of playing my acoustic guitar around this city," said Garcia.

Luparelli adds, "The pulse awards give some recognition to the starving artists and weekend warriors, provided they have enough followers on social media to vote. I think it should be like the academy awards though and have all the artists vote instead of the Internet."

The Worcester Music Awards are a free, 18-plus event. Doors open at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 15, at Jillian’s, 315 Grove St., Worcester.

This story originally ran on March 18.

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Related Slideshow: 2015 Worcester Music Awards Winners

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