Review by Amy Modesti
“Hey Friends. Are you ready for a great night? Let’s rock. — Lori Friday
The 4th Annual Thomas Edison (The Eddie’s) Music Awards returned home to Proctor’s Theatre for the second time since its 2019 debut. Out came surprise wins, spectacular performances, and a collective camaraderie experienced by all.
“How about some music?” yelled out one person.
Super 400, Rich Ortiz, Hot Club of Saratoga, Buggy Jive, Tomasina Winslow and Nite Train, and Erin Harkes Big Band served their fans tasty tunes to satisfy their musical craving. Super 400 opened with a rocking ”You Are My Light”, Erin Harkes Big Band got the Proctor’s crowd partying to ”Levitating” while the others held the fort down with equally satisfying sounds.
RadioRadioX DJ Rob Smittix announced the first set of nominees. Poking fun at the Will Smith slap heard around the world and getting a fake slap from Upstate Records for forgetting their name for ”Record Label of the Year”, garnering audience laughs, Smittix was funny yet humble, thankful to take part as presenter.
RadioRadioX garnered its first ever win- a tie for ”Music Journalist of the Year” went to Liam Sweeny (RadioRadioX) and Indiana Nash (The Daily Gazette). The online station received a special shout out from Off The Record’s Joanna Peterson-Palladino-Resnick, upon accepting their award for ”Party Band of the Year”.
“I’d like to thank Artie Fredette of RadioRadioX for giving us our first gig in 2009. i think he booked us, so I thank him for that. if it wasn’t for you, I don’t think we’ve been here to this day. I’d like to thank Jimmy Barrett of the River Street Beat Shop for booking our second gig. We couldn’t do it if it wasn’t for those two gigs with the band, so I appreciate him and his selling our music. I’d like to thank RadioRadioX for playing our record and our album continuously. Melody Lemony, one of the best DJs in this town for supporting the band and everything that she’s done.”
Also first-time winners were Super Dark Collective (“Presenter of the Year”), Troy Savings Bank Music Hall (“Large Music Venue of the Year”), and Super 400 (“Rock/Pop Artist of the Year”). To win an Eddie, according to Lori Friday, was a dream she’s had since a young starlet honing her bass chops to performing with her group for 26 years.
“Kenny (Hohman) said earlier, ’What are you gonna say if we win? I said we don’t have a chance to win this thing.’ So we got a sheet. This has been something that started in a bedroom at eight or nine years old. We had a dream, and we get to live that dream every time we play together, and we’ve been so honored for 26 years. To represent the rock and roll spirit in the #518 and our home of Troy,NY, thanks to all the people who work behind the scenes; the tours that we can go on, lights, sound, promoters, pub owners, sweeping the floor, we couldn’t do it without you. And for everyone who buys a ticket, get out of the house, turn off Netflix, and come support live music. Thank you all.”
“How about a round of applause for Skip Parsons?” Applause filled the theatre for the late musician, Skip Parsons. Although no tribute was held, the applause was fitting for the local legend nonetheless.
New last year (and this year) are special merit awards. This year’s merit awards were given out to John Griffith and his Facebook Music Group, ”Bar People”, Mario Johnson (aka D.J. Hollyw8d) for his ”More Music, Less Violence” initiative, and Jocelyn and Chris for their live streamed Couch Concert Series they held during the pandemic.
And let’s not forget about Erin Harkes, the Eddie’s MC! Including her four wardrobe changes (including the famous – “I slap back.” t-shirt/pant suit ensemble jab towards Will Smith), her party-rocking tunes she closed the show with and receiving the first “Petty Eddie’s” from Jim Murphy, Harkes overall comedic timing was sharp, funny, and was current. Her skit revolved around the pandemic, a business alteration, relying on retailers and first responders to keep us safe and to survive, and for women, the thankfulness to stay home and not wear a bra out in public.
“The Eddie’s is just to celebrate all this #518 music. It’s a party where gratitude is shown for countless hours of hard work. And it’s juried by a purest record whose work is “fair” as possible. Like every awards show, there are flaws, there is no perfection, the signaling out of those whose recognition is some always feel is overlooked, some will be recognized more than others. Those honorably hopeful over time, that The Eddie’s will ”truly” reflect the breadth and depth of who we are as a music community and there are non-music winners whose pools will continue to deepen, as well as the artists coming abroad every year to perform on our stage and listen to be honored as well. This room is full of future Capital Region Thomas Edison Music Hall of Fame winners, and we can’t wait to celebrate you all back next year.” – Jim Murphy, The Eddie’s Founder.
Regardless of outcome, everyone was a winner. The #518 music scene came out to party at one of few music awards shows of 2022: The Eddie’s. The celebrations have just begun.
The Eddie’s Hall of Fame Class of 2022 induction ceremony will take place Tuesday, June 7,2”22, 6:00 p.m. at Universal Preservation Hall, Saratoga Springs,NY, celebrating eight legends of the #518 music scene. Honoring the late Greg Haymes and Brooks Brown, Joel Moss, Super 400, Rich Ortiz, Greg Bell, Michael Eck, and Sara Ayers.
The Eddie’s Photo Gallery
ALM Fine Art and Photography 