Brevard Live Music Awards Set For Tonight

By  //  September 8, 2014

11th Annual Event Set For Tonight At the Florida Institute of Technology Gleason Auditorium

ABOVE VIDEO: Kenny Tommassello accepts the Favorite Guitarist Award during the 2013 Brevard Live Music Awards at the Henegar Center last year in Downtown Melbourne. Tommassello dedicated his award to his friend and long-time Brevard musician, Rennie Davis, who passed away.

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA — For the eleventh time, the curtains will open for the annual Brevard Live Music Awards honoring Brevard’s favorite musicians.

Master of Ceremony John Leach with assistant Lisa Wagner from Rock Candy. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)
Master of Ceremony John Leach with assistant Lisa Wagner from Rock Candy. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

The show, also refered to as the local Grammys, Bammys and BMAs, will take place Monday, September 8, 6-9 p.m., at the Gleason Auditorium at Florida Tech in Melbourne.

Over the past years the BMAs have become a glamorous event where the music community unites for a great evening filled with entertainment and fun. 

Who are the favorites? A long nomination and voting process is needed to find out, starting with nomination ballots which were distributed in the May and June issues of Brevard Live Magazine.

Music fans were asked to name their favorite musicians and bands in nine categories: Original band, cover band, vocals, guitar, bass, keys, drums, miscellaneous, and the grand prize – the Entertainer of the Year.

Once the nomination phase was over, the names were published and fans were able to vote online until August 10th. 

The verdict is in. The fans have spoken. But you have to be there to find out who are the winners of this popularity contest which is driven solely by the music community.

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This year’s production team includes Ana Kirby (show), Joe Calautti (music), Mark Brasel (sound), our ever-witty Master of Ceremony John Leach and his assistant Lisa Wagner of Rock Candy. 

The stage will feature performances by Steve Cowden, The Divas, Jason Noon, and GT Express. The patriotic opening will be the rock voice of last year’s favorite vocalist Paul Bender of Funpipe.

Show performers, The Lights Out Project, with Jason Noon. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)
Show performers, The Lights Out Project, with Jason Noon. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

To see and to be seen is the motto of the Brevard Live Music Awards, and the colorful audience adds to the glitz and glamour of this event. It’s the who’s who of Brevard’s music scene with everyone who has name and fame. 

Brevard Live Music Awards has a $10 admission charge with is a donation to Brevard Music Aid Inc., a 501 c 3 non-profit organization that helps musicians in need. 

Gary Kirby performs "Chasing Rainbows," a song written by his dad, Gary Kirby, Sr. at the 2013 Brevard Live Music Awards at Henegar Center tonight in Downtown Melbourne.
Gary Kirby performs “Chasing Rainbows,” a song written by his dad, Gary Kirby, Sr. at the 2013 Brevard Live Music Awards at Henegar Center in Downtown Melbourne. (SpaceCoastDaily.com image)

BREVARD LIVE MUSIC AWARDS 2014 NOMINEES

GT Express, one of Brevard's popular R & B bands. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)
GT Express, one of Brevard’s popular R & B bands. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

BREVARD-LIVE-MUSIC-AWARDS-580-2ORIGINAL BAND
• Highway One
• Lights Out Project
• Lucy Iris
• Monday’s Mona Lisa
• WEEP

COVER BAND
• Fundecided
• GT Express
• Highway One
• Rock Candy
• The Last Chance Band

VOCALIST
• Jody DeIli (Luna Pearl)
• Joel Thomas (Hwy 1)
• Lisa Wagner (Rock Candy)
• Lucy Iris (Lucy Iris)
Steve Cowden (Last Chance)

GUITARIST
• Chuck Van Riper (Lights Out)
• Eric Webb (Last Chance)
• Joel Thomas (Highway 1)
• Russ Jones (Fundecided)
• Sloan Franklin (Lucy Iris)

BREVARD-LIVE-SEP-580-1BASSIST
• Bart Carter (Last Chance)
• Joe Mazza (Rock Candy)
• Max DeIli (Luna Pearl)
• Ricky Snell (GT Express)
• Terry Wallace (Hwy 1)

DRUMMER
• Alex Petrosky (Lights Out)
• Jesse Moore (Rock Candy)
• Joan Martins (GT Express)
• Randy Forrest (Lucy Iris)
• Roger Holloway (Last Chance)

KEYBOARD
• Al Beile (Rock Candy)
• Ira Gruver (Luna Pearl)
• Sam Debella (Last Chance)
• John Wicker (GT Express)
• Sloan Franklin (Lucy Iris)

MISCELLANEOUS
• Chuck Van Riper (Horn)
• Greg “French Fry” Gaines (sax)
• Joe La Bella (percussion)
• Randy Forrest (Percussion, Ukele, Banjo)
• Steve Mazzi (Sax)

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
• Highway One
• Lights Out Project
• Lucy Iris
• Rock Candy
• WEEP

BREVARD LIVE MAGAZINE has been the Space Coast's premier entertainment magazine for over 15 years and enjoys a dedicated readership. The subjects inlcude Music, Festivals, Movies, Arts, Dining along with the most comprehensive music and arts-calendar. Brevard Live is distributed on the first of each month in over 300 locations all over the county.
BREVARD LIVE MAGAZINE has been the Space Coast’s premier entertainment magazine for over 15 years and enjoys a dedicated readership. The subjects include Music, Festivals, Movies, Arts, Dining along with the most comprehensive music and arts-calendar. Brevard Live is distributed on the first of each month in over 300 locations all over the county.