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Tins of Talent

Posted By: Amanda Farrell-Low and John Threlfall

03/31/2010 8:00 AM

Monday honours the 2009 M Award winners

I was talking to a member of the (now) M Award-winning vocal group = Ensemble=20 Laude a couple of weeks ago and, when I mentioned they were nominated, = she=20 quipped, =E2=80=9COh, great. Can we eat the award if we win?=E2=80=9D No = doubt her comment was=20 intended as a wry statement about the latest round of arts cuts (or = maybe she=20 was just hungry), but now that the award itself has been revealed, those = have=20 turned out to be prophetic words indeed, as this year=E2=80=99s award is = a big-ass can=20 of tomatoes.

Yep, you read that right. Since we started the M Awards back in 2002, = the=20 actual award has taken a number of different shapes: the inaugural = original=20 sculpture (nicknamed =E2=80=9Cthe flaming cheese=E2=80=9D), a series of = simple wooden plaques=20 (hanging on fine artsy walls and in lobbies across town) and last = year=E2=80=99s jumbo=20 beer bottle (likely the most popular of all, for obvious reasons). This = year we=20 decided to go in a totally different direction by making the award a = statement=20 about the funding cuts that have impacted = Victoria=E2=80=99s=E2=80=94nay, the province=E2=80=99s=E2=80=94entire=20 arts community. So yes, legitimate starving artists could actually eat = the=20 award, or the arts community as a whole could get together for a big = chili or=20 spaghetti protest-cum-cook-out on the legislature lawn=E2=80=94or, in = the fine tradition=20 of throwing rotten tomatoes at bad performances, they could collectively = come up=20 with something, uh, more aggressive to do with the contents of all those = cans.

Regardless of use, however, the meaning behind the annual M Awards = hasn=E2=80=99t=20 changed: giving you, the readers and audiences, a chance to honour the = local=20 talent you feel offered the finest collection of shows, performances and = bodies=20 of work in 2009 through a readers-choice vote. And vote you did, with = thousands=20 of ballots filled out both online and in print (and yes, the print = ballots did=20 once again make the difference in a couple of categories this year). = Thanks to=20 everyone who voted, congratulations to all who were nominated (both on = the long=20 and short lists) and here=E2=80=99s to this year=E2=80=99s = fresh-off-the-vine winners=E2=80=94surely an=20 important part of any local arts diet!

MUSIC

FAVOURITE SOLO ARTIST / HARDEST WORKING PERSON IN LOCAL = MUSIC: Vince=20 Vaccaro

With the release of his self-titled debut album last year, this = longtime=20 Victoria-ite solidified himself as a staple member of Mile = Zero=E2=80=99s music scene.=20 Vaccaro=E2=80=99s got a knack for writing catchy, honest pop tunes = that=E2=80=99s been garnering=20 him attention beyond Victoria=E2=80=94and getting him radio play on = stations across the=20 country. (For the record, the second- and third-place nominees, Emily = Braden and=20 Aidan Knight, were within one vote of each other.)

Runners-up (Solo): Emily Braden, Aidan Knight

Runners-up (Hardest Working): Les Monstres Terribles, Dane = Roberts

FAVOURITE BAND: The Racoons

Favourite Band is usually a tight race, and this year was no = exception: only=20 15 votes separated our second-place band, Jon and Roy, with winners the = Racoons.=20 These guys might be splitting their time between Victoria and Vancouver = these=20 days, but they=E2=80=99re still Islanders in our eyes; heck, they named = their=20 most-excellent 2009 album Islomania, which is a pretty strong indicator = they=20 feel the same way. This five-piece indie pop outlet with an affinity for = infectious synth hooks captured the M Award for Most Promising Local = Band last=20 year, so winning the Favourite Band category just seemed to be a natural = progression. Let=E2=80=99s hope they don=E2=80=99t totally abandon the = Island any time soon.

Runners-up: Jon and Roy, Acres of Lions

FAVOURITE JAZZ ARTIST OR GROUP: Brooke Maxwell

Maxwell is a man of many talents. Not only does he sing and play = piano and=20 sax, he=E2=80=99s also a most excellent composer, responsible for much = of Atomic=20 Vaudeville=E2=80=99s musical interludes=E2=80=94as well as co-penning = the tunes for Ride the=20 Cyclone, which won Favourite New Play this year. With his brand of jazz = that=20 often incorporates elements of swing, rock and pop, it=E2=80=99s no = wonder Maxwell is=20 this year=E2=80=99s favourite.

Runners-up: Nick La Riviere, Jon Miller

FAVOURITE ROOTS/WORLD/BLUES ARTIST OR GROUP: The = Gruff

Oh, what bittersweet timing for this year=E2=80=99s Favourite Roots = Group. Shortly=20 after the votes were tallied, we found out that the Gruff will be = calling it=20 quits after recording four albums and spending nearly a decade as a = fixture in=20 the Victoria folk music scene=E2=80=94although we=E2=80=99re sure = we=E2=80=99ll still be seeing the=20 talented Jenny Ritter, Phaedra Kemp and Terry Upton (not to mention = their=20 rotating cast of accompanying fiddlers) continuing to appear on Victoria = stages.=20 Don=E2=80=99t miss their last-ever gig, May 1 at the Ambrosia Event = Centre.

Runners-up: Fish & Bird, Bill Johnson

MOST PROMISING LOCAL BAND OR ARTIST: Tequila Mockingbird=20 Orchestra

This band of gypsy troubadours has been selling out shows in Victoria = and=20 even criss-crossing countries in Europe over the last couple of years, = so we=E2=80=99re=20 none too surprised to see them take the Most Promising category. Their=20 infectious blend of gypsy, folk, ska and bluegrass has created a rabid = fanbase=20 locally and landed them gigs at both JazzFest and SkaFest=E2=80=94a = testament to their=20 diverse sound.

Runners-up: The Blue Violets, The Laundronauts

FAVOURITE PUNK/METAL GROUP: Alcoholic White = Trash

What can we say about Alcoholic White Trash? They=E2=80=99re a = legendary local punk=20 group that=E2=80=99s been rocking hard for a decade and has one of the = best band names=20 in the city. Despite losing their original drummer, Jay Brown, to cancer = in=20 2007, these guys have kept on keeping on and word is they=E2=80=99ll be = releasing a=20 follow-up to Punk Rock Jihad sometime soon.

Runners-up: Horde of Anachron, Unleash the Archers

FAVOURITE COVER BAND: That =E2=80=9970s Band

Ask and ye shall receive; after hearing from you, dear readers, that = a cover=20 band category would be a welcomed addition to the M Awards, = we=E2=80=99re pleased to=20 announce That =E2=80=9870s Band is the recipient of our inaugural award = for Favourite=20 Cover Band. The name says it all: these guys blast the all the diggable = tunes of=20 the decade.

Runners-up: Monkey Wrench, The Sutcliffes

FAVOURITE OPEN NIGHT: Hootenanny

While most of our categories this year were close races, this was one = of the=20 few where the winner was crystal clear from the get-go. This weekly = Sunday jam=20 with terrible hostess Carolyn Mark at Logan=E2=80=99s is the stuff local = legends and=20 Monday morning too-sick-for-work phone calls are made of. (For a great=20 first-hand Hootenanny account, check Nick Lyons=E2=80=99 post on the Monday Mag blog.)

Runners-up: Folk Music Society Open Mic, Tuesday Night Bluegrass = Jam

FAVOURITE CLUB NIGHT:Lucky Bar 90210

Another runaway winner, Lucky Bar=E2=80=99s Monday night =E2=80=9890s = night with Levi and Jay=20 Something is a favourite among folks looking to relive the era of Saved = by the=20 Bell and Haddaway singles=E2=80=94not to mention folks who were probably = in diapers when=20 neon spandex was hot. While 90210 was the clear winner here, = Jeremy=E2=80=99s Mix Tape=20 and Oh Great! It=E2=80=99s Monday were only two votes apart for second = and third=E2=80=94which=20 begs the question: what=E2=80=99s with these popular Monday night club = nights?

Runners-up: Jeremy=E2=80=99s Mix Tape (Strathcona), Oh Great! = It=E2=80=99s Monday (Hush)

FAVOURITE PROFESSIONAL ENSEMBLE: Victoria = Symphony

Now, here=E2=80=99s a surprise . . . or not, depending on how you = feel about the=20 city=E2=80=99s favourite symphony: hands-down, this category earned the = most number of=20 votes, with most of those (nearly a thousand in all) going directly to = the=20 Symphony. Winners of this category in 2005 and 2007, and runners-up in = 2006, the=20 Symphony clearly still has what it takes to be a fan favourite; = let=E2=80=99s hope you=20 all continue to support them in 2010, since they too were hit by the = same=20 funding cuts that are impacting groups large and small.

Runners-up: Emily Carr String Quartet, Lafayette String Quartet

FAVOURITE COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA:Greater Victoria Youth=20 Orchestra

Local veterans since 1986, the Greater Victoria Youth Orchestra = continues to=20 produce outstanding orchestral music that appeals to young and old = alike. Guided=20 by the collective vision of the late Stuart Knussen, J=C3=A1nos = S=C3=A1ndor and Yariv=20 Aloni, the GVYO has collaborated with the Victoria Symphony, been = conducted by=20 the likes of Yehudi Menuhin and continues to perform for notables and = locals=20 alike. And you=E2=80=99ve still got time to book tickets for their = season-ender on April=20 25 at UVic.

Runners-up: Sooke Philharmonic Orchestra, Victoria Chamber = Orchestra

FAVOURITE VOCAL ENSEMBLE:Ensemble Laude

Chalk one up for the history camp! It takes a lot to unseat past = winners=20 Balkan Babes and the Gettin=E2=80=99 Higher Choir but this community = women=E2=80=99s mediaeval=20 choir proved they=E2=80=99ve got the oomph to keep early music at the = forefront of the=20 audience=E2=80=99s imagination. Not that the 17th century hit parade is = all they do; as=20 directed by Elizabeth MacIsaac, Ensemble Laude=E2=80=99s repertoire runs = from the 10th=20 to the 20th centuries, and you can get a taste of their talent at their = upcoming=20 April 25 gala concert at St. Andrew=E2=80=99s.

Runners-up: Balkan Babes, Gettin=E2=80=99 Higher Choir

FAVOURITE ALBUM OF 2009: No Nations, Jets = Overhead

A beautifully understated collection from one of the city=E2=80=99s = finest bands,=20 Jets Overhead=E2=80=99s No Nations is 43 minutes of pure progressive = psych-rock bliss.=20 Clever lyrics and songs that sweep and build but never resort to = noodling, this=20 follow-up to 2006=E2=80=99s Bridges is well-deserving of Favourite = Album=E2=80=94heck, we know=20 it=E2=80=99s one of the top records of 2009 here in the Monday office. = And with a=20 recently announced gig at the Sasquatch Music Festival, we=E2=80=99re = sure folks south=20 of the border would agree.

Runners-up: Islomania, The Racoons; Let=E2=80=99s Just Stay Here, = Carolyn Mark (and=20 NQ Arbuckle)

FAVOURITE RECORD PRODUCER: Wynn Gogol

Wynn Gogol=E2=80=99s 1 Ton Studios has produced, mixed, mastered and = engineered=20 albums for acts such as Harry Manx, Outlaw Social, Neil Golden, Jon = Miller=20 (Orchidology, which was up for Favourite Album, was produced by Gogol) = and=20 Honeyloaf, to name but a few acts on his impressive production resume. = The=20 diversity of styles is reflective of his skills, whether they be behind = the=20 sound board or in front of the keys.

Runners-up: Joby Baker, Adam Sutherland

PERFORMANCE

FAVOURITE NEW PLAY OR ADAPTATION: Ride the Cyclone =

A twisted musical journey of a teen chamber choir from Uranium, = Saskatchewan,=20 who die in an amusement-park accident, Ride the Cyclone is a story about = small-town living and defining yourself=E2=80=94all set to catchy = song-and-dance numbers=20 ranging from communist gospel to French drag cabaret. Penned by Atomic=20 Vaudeville co-artistic director Jacob Richmond (Favourite Jazz Artist = winner=20 Brooke Maxwell co-wrote the music and lyrics) and featuring lots of = great=20 Victoria talent (Britt Small co-directed the show, which starred the = likes of=20 Kholby Wardell, Kelly Hudson, Rielle Braid and others), word is = they=E2=80=99re adapting=20 this Cyclone to take it on the road.

Runners-up: Macbeth (Kaleidoscope), The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll = & Mr.=20 Hyde (Giggling Iguana)

FAVOURITE OVERALL PRODUCTION: The Year of Magical Thinking=20 (Belfry)

Not much of a stretch here=E2=80=94when word dropped that acclaimed = Canadian actor=20 Seana McKenna would be taking the lead in the Canadian premiere of Joan = Didion=E2=80=99s=20 equally acclaimed one-woman show at the Belfry, it quickly became the = most=20 anticipated show of the fall season. And, under the attentive eye of = Belfry=20 artistic director Michael Shamata, McKenna=E2=80=99s turn in this = production easily=20 stands as one of the finest moments on local stage and will no doubt be=20 remembered for years to come.

Runners-up: Death of a Salesman (Blue Bridge), Who=E2=80=99s Afraid = of Virginia=20 Woolf? (Inconnu)

FAVOURITE SITE-SPECIFIC PRODUCTION: The Strange Case of Dr. = Jekyll=20 & Mr. Hyde (Giggling Iguana)

After a string of successful Halloween shows at Craigdarroch Castle = (notably=20 The Fall of the House of Usher and War of the Worlds) proved the = viability of=20 seasonally site-specific theatre, Giggling Iguana celebrated their 10th=20 anniversary as Rockland mainstays this year with a deliciously creepy = take on=20 Robert Louis Stevenson=E2=80=99s classic, as adapted by (and starring) = talented locals=20 Christina Patterson and David Radford. Big surprise Iguana=E2=80=99s = Castle shows always=20 sell out=E2=80=94they=E2=80=99re fall favourites for all the right = reasons. We=E2=80=99re already=20 looking

forward to this year=E2=80=99s show! Runners-up: Pretty Little = Instincts (SNAFU),=20 SPARK Festival Mini-Plays (Belfry)

FAVOURITE ACTOR: Jacob Richmond (Death of a = Salesman)

As countless comedians have discovered over the years, it=E2=80=99s = one thing to be=20 funny=E2=80=94but it=E2=80=99s quite another to make the jump to drama = after you=E2=80=99ve already=20 established yourself as a comedy mainstay. Fortunately, Jacob = Richmond=E2=80=99s acting=20 talent proved to have great legs indeed outside of his regular Atomic = Vaudeville=20 playground, as evidenced by his powerful supporting role in Death of a = Salesman.=20 Part of Blue Bridge Theatre=E2=80=99s acclaimed inaugural season, = Richmond=E2=80=99s performance=20 offered just one more reason why this Salesman was a favourite of local = critics=20 and audiences alike. A 2008 M winner for director and playwright (and = again for=20 playwright in 2007), it=E2=80=99s a pleasure to see him get this = nod.

Runners-up: Casey Austin (Scorched), Victor Dolhai (The = Fantasticks)

FAVOURITE DANCER/CHOREOGRAPHER: Ingrid Hansen

Anyone who just saw her share the stage with Treena Stubel and Lynda = Raino in=20 Agnes B. already knows that Ingrid Hansen is the rising dance star in = the city,=20 bar none. After coming out of UVic strongly and making a fast name for = herself=20 with shows like the 2008 Favourite Dance Performance winner BLiNK, = Hansen has=20 kept the dance pressure up with this year=E2=80=99s Fringe standout = Pretty Little=20 Instincts. What=E2=80=99s next for this young talent? We have no = idea=E2=80=94but we can bet=20 it=E2=80=99ll be good!

Runners-up: Asmira, Treena Stubel

FAVOURITE DIRECTOR / HARDEST WORKING PERSON IN LOCAL THEATRE: = Ian=20 Case

Getting the director award for The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll & = Mr. Hyde=20 but a welcome winner in the Hardest Working category, it=E2=80=99s hard = to think of=20 anyone who was busier behind the scenes in 2009. As well as his daily = duties as=20 the general manager of Intrepid Theatre, Case somehow manages to find = the time=20 to regularly direct for Shakespeare in the Summer (Julius Caesar in = 2009,=20 Richard III in 2010) and for Fringe shows (The War of 1812 last year), = as well=20 as helming the annual Castle shows. And did we mention he=E2=80=99s also = a husband and=20 father of two? Sheesh!

Runners-up (Director) : Brian Richmond (Death of a Salesman), Michael = Shamata=20 (The Year of Magical Thinking)

Runners-up (Hardest Working): Clayton Jevne, Britt Small

FAVOURITE DANCE PERFORMANCE: The Secret Garden & Other = Works=20 (Ballet Victoria)

Ballet Victoria artistic director Paul Destrooper has choreographed = many=20 short and full-length programs for the company since taking its helm in = 2007,=20 including last year=E2=80=99s presentation of The Secret Garden. Set to = the music of=20 Hayden and based on a play penned by Belfry artistic director Michael = Shamata,=20 Destrooper=E2=80=99s Garden was just one of several works brought to = life on stage for=20 this Ballet Victoria performance. And with last week=E2=80=99s massive = production of=20 Carmina Burana, it=E2=80=99s safe to say Ballet Victoria isn=E2=80=99t a = sleepy town=E2=80=99s ballet=20 company.

Runners-up: Courtyard for a Bird (Suddenly Dance), Pretty Little = Instincts=20 (SNAFU)

HARDEST WORKING PERSON IN LOCAL DANCE: Treena = Stubel

A winner in this category last year and a runner up in both 2004 and = 2005,=20 it=E2=80=99s great to see the multi-talented Treena Stubel back in the = winner=E2=80=99s circle=20 once again. Whether she=E2=80=99s serving Cake on the Stage as part of = ROMP!, teaching=20 or mentoring young dancers, or appearing with the likes of Theatre SKAM, = Atomic=20 Vaudeville, Suddenly Dance Theatre or any of the local dance companies = she=E2=80=99s=20 helped start or support, Stubel is an admirable example of how important = it is=20 to give back to the community that nurtures you.

Runners-up: Asmira, The Cheesecake Burlesque Revue

FAVOURITE PERFORMANCE / CABARET SERIES: Tongues of = Fire

2009 marked a big year for slam poetry in Victoria, as Mile Zero = hosted the=20 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word for the first time. Much of = Victoria=E2=80=99s=20 spoken-word success can be traced back to Tongues of Fire, the bi-weekly = performance poetry presentation held at the Solstice Cafe. Whether it be = our own=20 local talent or featured slam poets from afar, Tongues of Fire is the = go-to hub=20 for spoken word in the city.

Runners-up: Impromaniacs Theatresports, Phillips Comedy Night

FAVOURITE COMEDY PERFORMER: Mike Delamont

We knew Mike Delamont was funny=E2=80=94why else would we have gotten = him to host=20 this year=E2=80=99s M Awards? Well, it looks like Monday readers agreed = with us, voting=20 Delamont/God/Carlos Rossi/Jimmy Peekaboo as the funniest guy in Mile = Zero. Word=20 is the frequent Atomic Vaudeville performer will be bringing his cast of = characters to a stage near you this May, so watch out for details on = that.

Runners-up: Wes Borg, Dave Morris

FILM & VISUAL ARTS

FAVOURITE ART SHOW: Ted Harrison Retrospective (Legacy=20 Gallery)

While this is just the latest in a long career of accolades for famed = artist=20 Ted Harrison, it also marks a welcome win for relatively new artsy = endeavour=20 Legacy Gallery, which has been putting its own stamp on the corner of = Yates and=20 Broad since taking over the old Starfish Glassworks site. With a = surprisingly=20 diverse range of exhibits=E2=80=94not to mention a very tasty = caf=C3=A9=E2=80=94Legacy has been=20 making its mark by hosting outstanding art shows and facilitating = community=20 meetings and discussions. Legacy is clearly one to watch=E2=80=94as was = the voting here,=20 with just a handful of ballots making the difference.

Runners-up: 12 Making Objects (Open Space), Woodpile Collective: Knew = (Boucherat Gallery)

FAVOURITE FILM EVENT: Antimatter

Who says the alternative always goes under the radar? This annual = showcase of=20 weird, wonderful and subversive films from all over the globe has been = building=20 and growing its audience and talent pool since 1998. Last year=E2=80=99s = version=20 included everything from an installation piece looping William = Shatner=E2=80=99s famous=20 line from Wrath of Khan to an acclaimed documentary about Os Mutantes = lead man,=20 Arnaldo Baptista.

Runners-up: Victoria Symphony=E2=80=99s City Lights, VFF=E2=80=99s = Converge

FAVOURITE FILMMAKER: Jeremy Lutter

Broken Mirror Films has only been around Victoria the last couple = years, but=20 they=E2=80=99ve obviously made an impression on our M Awards voters. The = company=E2=80=99s=20 director, Jeremy Lutter, has directed music videos for folks like Jets = Overhead,=20 Justin Hewitt and Death to Sexy, as well as created short films about = everything=20 from deranged pirate puppets to . . . deranged grandma puppets (okay, to = be=20 fair, his short filmography incorporates more than puppets).

Runners-up: Scott Amos, Bryan Skinner

HARDEST WORKING PERSON IN LOCAL FILM: Bryan = Skinner

We=E2=80=99re actually considering renaming this one the = =E2=80=9CBryan Skinner Award,=E2=80=9D given=20 the number of times the CineVic director=E2=80=99s name pops up on our = winner=E2=80=99s list:=20 he=E2=80=99s picked up awards in 2006, 2007 and 2008, so now we have to = find some new=20 term for a four-time winner. What about a Skinner? (As in, =E2=80=9CWow, = you just scored=20 a Skinner!=E2=80=9D)

Runners-up: Scott Amos, Jeremy Lutter

FAVOURITE SCREENING SERIES: Free-B Film Festival

Okay, this one really doesn=E2=80=99t surprise us, since literally = thousands of you=20 attended the 2009 version of this perennially popular month-long August = film=20 series at Beacon Hill Park=E2=80=99s Cameron Bandshell. Last year saw = screenings of the=20 likes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer, American Graffiti, Cry Baby and = Journey to=20 the Center of the Earth in 3D, proving once again that Victoria Film = Festival=20 clearly knows what local audiences are looking for when it comes to = movie=20 madness.

Runners-up: Mayfair Drive-In, Movie Monday

FAVOURITE ARTIST: Gareth Gaudin

An early M winner back in 2004 and 2005, we=E2=80=99re pleased to = note that since=20 then we=E2=80=99ve managed to get the diversely skilled Gareth = Gaudin=E2=80=99s art appearing=20 weekly in Monday Magazine, courtesy of his =E2=80=9CMagic Teeth = Dailies=E2=80=9D strip. But=20 while it=E2=80=99s great to have him in the paper, the local co-owner of = Legend=E2=80=99s Comics=20 and Books continues to make headlines of his own via his popular Perogy = Cat and=20 other print and audio projects. Remember kids, if anyone ever asks what = you can=20 do with a BFA from UVic, just say, =E2=80=9CI wanna be a cartoonist like = Gareth!=E2=80=9D

Runners-up: Kristi Bridgeman, Wendy Welch

MOST PROMISING ARTIST: J. McLaughlin

Whether it be photography, collage, quilting or musical performance, = J.=20 McLaughlin is truly a Jill of all artsy trades. And while she=E2=80=99s = been a staple in=20 the Victoria community for some time, 2009 saw Lovely to Look At, her = first solo=20 show at Deluge since 1997 that marked her return to painting after a = five-year=20 hiatus (we also loved her creepy Disney prints at the Antimatter opening = party).

Runners-up: Cameron Kidd, Ami Muranetz

FAVOURITE MULTIMEDIA EVENT: Romp!

Winner of Favourite Dance Performance in 2007, it=E2=80=99s lovely to = see ROMP! take=20 the cake for this inaugural multimedia category, as it continues to be = an=20 inspiring combination of mixed mediums. Look no further than the = longrunning=20 Present/Tense performance, which annually combines the words of local = writers=20 with performances by local dancers; also on the bill in 2009 were the=20 photography exhibit Eighteen, the visual arts show Body Language plus = all that=20 great live dance.

Runners-up: 40 Years of Cool Aid Culture, Sweatshop

FAVOURITE PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBIT: Monday=E2=80=99s Annual Photo = Contest=20 (CACGV)

While we=E2=80=99re pleased to accept the nod for our annual = photographic=20 celebration, this award really goes out to you, the hundreds of local = shooters=20 who participate in our perennially popular photo contest held at the = Community=20 Arts Council Gallery each September. Quite literally, it would be = nothing=20 without you.

Runners-up: Range (AGGV), Sign, Symbol & Nature (Luz Gallery)

HARDEST WORKING PERSON IN LOCAL ART: Kirsten = Wright

One half of the force behind Regalia Boutique and Boucherat Gallery, = Kirsten=20 Wright has been providing spaces for up-and-coming artists to = show=E2=80=94and=20 sell=E2=80=94their work in Victoria for the past five years. She and = Boucherat co-owner=20 Bill Cowen have been getting a lot of press as of late regarding their = support=20 for the local arts scene=E2=80=94now she can add an M Award to the heaps = of=20 accolades.

Runners-up: Cameron Kidd, J. McLaughlin

LITERATURE

FAVOURITE BOOK OF POETRY: Muscle Memory, Linda Rogers =

HARDEST WORKING PERSON IN LOCAL LITERATURE: Linda = Rogers

As Victoria=E2=80=99s current poet laureate and Focus magazine = columnist who also=20 published a new book of poetry this year (the winning Muscle Memory), = few would=20 argue that Linda Rogers is indeed the hardest-working person in local=20 literature. Not only does she more than live up to her laureate duties, = but she=20 readily volunteers to support all sorts of causes and fundraisers = throughout the=20 year=E2=80=94so much so that we=E2=80=99re thinking of having a new = category in our own Calendar=20 section: =E2=80=9CThis week with Linda Rogers.=E2=80=9D Keep it up, = Linda. You do us proud.

Runners-up (Poetry): What Were Their Dreams?, Wendy Morton; Woman = Walking,=20 Elizabeth Rhett Woods

Runners-up (Hardest Working): Wendy Morton, Yasuko Thanh

FAVOURITE LITERARY EVENT: Anarchist Book Fair

Last year marked the fourth incarnation of the Victoria Anarchist = Book Fair,=20 which has grown to become much more than an opportunity for folks = involved and=20 interested in the anarchist lit scene to exchange publications and = ideas; 2009=E2=80=99s=20 fair expanded to include the Festival of Anarchy, incorporating musical=20 performances, a DIY fair, urban capture-the-flag games and workshops = into the=20 nine-day celebration. Perhaps we=E2=80=99ll be seeing an Anarchist Month = this year?

Runners-up: Canadian Festival of Spoken Word, Poetry in the Raw = III

FAVOURITE FICTION BOOK: Vanishing and Other Stories, Deborah=20 Willis

Nowhere were the races closer than the literary categories in this = year=E2=80=99s=20 awards, and Favourite Fiction Book was no exception; Deborah = Willis=E2=80=99 Vanishing=20 and Other Stories edged out Vanessa Winn=E2=80=99s The Chief = Factor=E2=80=99s Daughter by a mere=20 three votes. Willis=E2=80=99 collection of bittersweet and biting short = tales not only=20 won an M Award, it was nominated for a Governor General=E2=80=99s Award = and is in the=20 running for the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize=E2=80=94a long list of = accomplishments,=20 especially considering this is Willis=E2=80=99 first book. And hey, the = current darling=20 of Munro=E2=80=99s Books also found time to judge our annual summer = fiction contest last=20 year.

Runners-up: The Chief Factor=E2=80=99s Daughter, Vanessa Winn; = Jan=E2=80=99s Atomic Heart,=20 Simon Roy

FAVOURITE NIGHT OF WORDS & IDEAS: Bolen Books reading=20 series

Another tough one to beat, local lit-wits Bolen Books has won this = category=20 for the past two years, and was a runner-up back in 2003, which says a = lot for=20 the outstanding wordsmiths they continue to host. Whether it=E2=80=99s = supporting West=20 Coast talent like Jay Rusezky, Arthur Black or Michael Kenyon or = bringing in the=20 big-league international likes of Phillipa Gregory or Diana Gabaldon = (all of=20 whom rolled through their doors in 2009), Bolen has a proven commitment = to=20 keeping Victoria=E2=80=99s literary scene vibrant, and we=E2=80=99re = lucky to have them here.=20 Keep up the good words!

Runners-up: Black Coffee Blues, Planet Earth Poetry

FAVOURITE NON-FICTION BOOK: Inside Chinatown, Robert Amos and = Kileasa=20 Wong

Another lovely effort by local artist Robert Amos, with an assist by = Chinese=20 Consolidated Benevolent Association secretary and editor Kileasa Wong, = this=20 fascinating book more than lived up to its name by taking us literally = inside=20 the Benevolent Association=E2=80=99s many meeting halls=E2=80=94most of = which we only ever see=20 from the outside, but given the full-colour treatment here courtesy of = Amos=E2=80=99=20 trademark photo-collages.

Runners-up: The Climate Challenge, Guy Dauncey; Small Beneath the = Sky, Lorna=20 Crozier

COMMUNITY

FAVOURITE ANNUAL MUSIC EVENT OR FESTIVAL: = Rifflandia

It was a close race between the Victoria Electronic Music Festival = (who won=20 this award last year) and Rifflandia, but in the end, this two-year-old = festival=20 showcasing up-and-coming indie, electronic, rock, hip hop and folk = talent from=20 Canada and beyond=E2=80=94not to mention some great Victoria venues, = beer and other=20 businesses=E2=80=94came out on top. We hear the third installment is in = the planning=20 stages and will be back mid to late September 2010.

Runners-up: Symphony Splash, Victoria Electronic Music Festival

BIGGEST BIG WINNER SHOWDOWN / PERSON OR GROUP MOST DESERVING = OF AN M=20 AWARD / WHO WILL BE VICTORIA=E2=80=99S NEXT BIG THING? Cheesecake = Burlesque=20 Revue

While the Biggest Big Winner Showdown was won by Atomic Vaudeville = last year,=20 the Cheesecake voting block came out to help the Mile Zero burlesque = vixens take=20 this category=E2=80=94as well as two others=E2=80=94giving them a 2009 = hat-trick. (And just=20 imagine what these sirens of saucy silliness could do with a hat!) But = hey,=20 didn=E2=80=99t they win Next Big Thing last year, too?

Runners-up (Biggest Big Winner): Atomic Vaudeville, Symphony = Splash

Runners-up (Most Deserving): Les Monstres Terribles, Vince = Vacarro

Runners-up (Next Big Thing): Les Monstres Terribles, Vince = Vacarro

FAVOURITE ANNUAL EVENT OR FESTIVAL (NON-MUSIC): = Luminara

Here=E2=80=99s a sad irony: why did it take until this year for = Luminara to win this=20 category? Sure, the beautiful Beacon Hill lantern festival won for = Favourite=20 Free Event back in 2003, and was a runner-up that same year for = Favourite=20 Outdoor Event=E2=80=94where it was edged out by FolkFest=E2=80=94and it = was then a runner-up in=20 various categories in 2004, 2005 and 2007 . . . losing to FolkFest = pretty much=20 each time. The irony, of course, is that much like the late, = still-lamented=20 FolkFest, Luminara is another outdoor multicutlural local favourite that = doesn=E2=80=99t=20 look like it=E2=80=99s going to be around any longer in 2010=E2=80=94at = least, not in the way it=20 has been in the past. Ah, Luminara, we loved you while you were = here.

Runners-up: Fringe Festival, Victoria Film Festival

FAVOURITE ARTSY FUNDRAISER: The Sinner=E2=80=99s = Ball

Bit of a no-brainer here. Mix sexy costumes and a great night of=20 entertainment with one of the city=E2=80=99s arts mainstays and a = deliciously sinful=20 Heaven-meets-Hell theme and you=E2=80=99ve got a winning formula for a = memorable=20 fundraiser. The Sinner=E2=80=99s Ball picked up the award in this = category last year and=20 while we=E2=80=99re happy to see it win again, let=E2=80=99s get some = competition going from=20 some of the other, many, artsy fundraisers that will no doubt be = happening in=20 this cash-strapped town this year. Hmm, maybe if more arts = administrators=20 started wearing leather and PVC . . .

Runners-up: The Fringe That Stole Christmas, Poetry in the Raw = III

FAVOURITE PUBLICIST OR PROMOTER: Atomique

We=E2=80=99re hoping an M Award is a good 10th birthday present for = Atomique=20 productions, who celebrate a decade of bringing top-notch entertainment = to=20 Victoria this year. Whether it be selling out the arena for Leonard = Cohen,=20 organizing the Rifflandia Festival or bringing favourites like Julie = Doiron,=20 Ganga Giri or Hey Rosetta! to town for more intimate shows at Lucky, = these guys=20 are behind a large chunk of the shows that roll through Mile Zero.

Runners-up: Tony Edgington, Dane Roberts

MOST WELCOME NEW ADDITION TO THE ARTS SCENE: Les Monstres=20 Terribles

Looking back on music listings for 2009, we noticed Les Monstres = seemed to=20 have appeared out of nowhere to regularly grace Victoria=E2=80=99s = stages=E2=80=94and upon=20 listening to some of their haunting tunes, we=E2=80=99d have to say = we=E2=80=99re happy to have=20 them. The ethereal, surreal soundscapes this quintet produces are a = welcome=20 addition to Victoria, indeed.

Runners-up: Bucan Bucan, Blue Bridge/ Tango Fest (tie) M

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Wednesday 14 April 2010

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