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OC Music Awards

OC Music Awards Night Three Recap: In Pictures!

By Taylor Hamby Wed., Jan. 18 2012 at 2:22 PM

Categories: Last Night reviews, OC Music Awards, local bands

Chris Victorio/OC Weekly

Just one of the many beautiful people in the audience Tuesday

The OC Music Awards' live band showcase season is always an exciting time for the local music community. We at the Weekly love going to the showcases each week to check out the rising talent around us at some of our favorite local clubs. Thursday was kind of a sleeper in terms of exciting new acts, however.

Here's a recap of the night in photos (our lazy [wo]man's review that's only slightly more helpful than a Yelp review). Check out some of photographer Chris Victorio's shots of the audience members and the bands.

We Are She Is

Chris Victorio/OC Weekly

We Are She Is is a super fun band that's garnered a following in the LGBT scene. They pulled out all the gimmicks that can make a show entertaining: hand claps, audience participation and party favors, but we think they need about two more years of gigging experience to tie it all together.

Midnight Hour

Chris Victorio/OC Weekly

Midnight Hour probably took more time to set up their stage than any other band, but it didn't really make a difference. While technically proficient and musically skilled, their music lacked oomph and sounded like the Killers circa 2004. But that might work out for them--it's a familiar sound that's marketable and we can see their songs being used in commercials or movies.

Ceasefire

Chris Victorio/OC Weekly

Hold your fire!!

Ceasefire played in the same style of Midnight Hour, but in a less compelling fashion. The set was average both in originality and showmanship.

We Are The Aresenal

Chris Victorio/OC Weekly

We are the Arsenal was enjoyable because their sound was catchy and was the least derivative of all the bands that played that night. Kudos for originality!

Pwest

Chris Victorio/OC Weekly
Pwest--pronounced like it's spelled, not P-west--was a fun way to end the night. With his drum machine and live drummer in tow, the Santa Ana native rocked the dwindling crowd--hard. It's not hard to imagine Pwest carrying the white-boy rapper schtick beyond color lines, the way Eminem did.