At the 2010 East Coast Music Awards, Festival and Conference in Cape Breton, it’s not just the music industry insiders and usual suspects who get to decide who win all the awards, music fans also get to have their say through a pair of Fan’s Choice awards.
The Cape Breton Credit Unions Fan’s Choice Artist/Group of the Year Award will be selected from all ECMA 2010 Music Award nominees. And new in 2010, the Bell Aliant Fan’s Choice Video of the Year Award will be chosen from all Video of the Year submissions.
These awards are the only East Coast Music Awards voted on by the public, and fans have until Friday, March 5th at midnight (AT) to cast their vote. Cast your vote online at www.bellaliant.net/ecma or www.ecma.com. Please note that only one vote per computer will be tabulated.
Winners of the Cape Breton Credit Unions Fan’s Choice Artist/Group of the Year Award and Bell Aliant Fan’s Choice Video of the Year Award will be announced March 7th during the ECMA 2010 Bell Aliant East Coast Music Awards Gala presented by RBC at Centre 200. The gala will be shown worldwide via web broadcast when Bell Aliant brings ECMA live to the world at www.bellaliant.net/ecma.
“These Fan’s Choice Awards allow all fans of East Coast Music to be an active participant in our biggest night of the year,” said Su Hutchinson, executive director of the East Coast Music Association. “These are the awards that artists truly cherish, because they are based on the respect and appreciation of the fans they serve. Everyone can make their voice heard through the online voting process and help us determine these deserving winners.”
The Cape Breton Credit Unions Fan’s Choice Artist/Group of the Year Award does not replace the ECMA Entertainer of the Year Award. The Entertainer of the Year Award is now voted on solely by the ECMA membership and is based on performances and touring throughout the eligibility period whereas the Fan’s Choice award is voted on solely by the public.
Cape Breton artists nominated for awards this year, and therefore eligible for the Fan’s Choice Artist/Group of the Year Award are: Andrea Beaton (Instrumental Recording of the Year); Carleton Stone Drives the Big Wheel (Sirius Satellite Radio Rock Recording of the Year); Dawn and Margie Beaton (Roots / Traditional Group Recording of the Year); Forever (Aboriginal Recording of the Year); Gillian Boucher (Roots / Traditional Solo Recording of the Year); JP Cormier (Folk Recording of the Year); Madison Violet (Group Recording of the Year) (SOCAN Songwriter of the Year); Mischif (Rap / Hip-Hop Single Track Recording of the Year); Mista Mack (Rap / Hip-Hop Single Track Recording of the Year); Richard Poulette (Aboriginal Recording of the Year); The Easy Bleeders (Alternative Recording of the Year); and Tom Fun Orchestra (Video of the Year).
The Bell Aliant Fan’s Choice Video of the Year Award does not replace the Video of the Year Award. The latter is solely based upon voting by the ECMA membership, whereas all videos originally submitted for Video of the Year award are made available as voting options for the Fan’s Choice Award.
Cape Breton artists eligible for the Fan’s Choice Video of the Year Award are Erin Martell and Tom Fun Orchestra.
Gala awards tickets are on sale at the Centre 200 box office, or online through www.reservatech.net or www.ticketpro.ca. Can’t be there in person? No problem. Simply log on to www.bellaliant.net/ecma the night of the gala, as Bell Aliant Brings ECMA Live to the World. This multi-camera, high definition shoot will take viewers on stage and through the audience for both the pre show and the gala awards show in its entirety. It’s easy to access, the next best thing to being there, and absolutely free!
The 2010 East Coast Music Awards, Festival & Conference will take place in Cape Breton from March 4-7 and is an annual event organized by the East Coast Music Association. The ECMA is a not-for-profit organization whose mandate it is to foster, promote and celebrate East Coast music locally and globally.
