Sandy Kim

Unlike so many of his peers, Christopher Owens has the chops and vision to pull off his nostalgia fetish; not just to approximate the sound of his forbears but approximate their songs, too. The problem is, an approximation is what it is. That can be intoxicating on its own: just for its accuracy, "Honey Bunny" is one of his many thrilling Beach Boys impressions. Though it switches angles a lot melodically, its hooks have a warm familiarity, down to the ending that repeats the final line three times: "And you'll be the girl that I love!"

Ask guitarist Ruben Cortez of Whittier's the Littlest Viking to deconstruct his music and he'll flash a boyish smile and tell you he simply writes pop songs.

"I could play all of our songs as pop-punk versions," he says.

Never mind that the music is instrumental, and laden with math rock sensibilities, vacillating between angular rhythms and sugary sweet melodies sandwiched between as many thematic changes as one song can reasonably be expected to hold, leading me to suspect that Cortez might be speaking with an overly glib tongue.

​The seventh and final OC Music Awards showcase features Entice, the New Limb (which we recently reviewed), Stereofix (which we recently interviewed), Dusty Rhodes and the River Band as well as the Color Turning competing in the Best Live Band Category. 

Entice open the showcase with a performance at 8 p.m. in place of Duress, which had to drop out after their drummer welcomed a baby into the world last night. The event, like the previous six showcases, is free. Gypsy Lounge is a 21 and over venue.

The five finalists in both the Best Live Acoustic and Best Live Band categories will be announced Wed., Feb.17. The 10 finalists advance to the Best Live Acoustic Finals on Fri., Feb. 26 at Yost Theater or Best Live Band Finals on Sat., Feb. 27 at Samueli Theater. Winners perform March 6 at Grove of Anaheim, receive $2,500 voucher from Fender and a four-day recording session at Red Bull Studios.

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​The OC Music Awards takes place today at OC Tavern in San Clemente. Local artists Skee, Carly Layne, Parker Macy Blues, Christina Dietz and Allensworth will be competing in the Best Live Acoustic category. 

The first performance is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. (so far, pretty much every week they've started exactly on time) and the event ends at midnight. This showcase is free--like all the rest--but only open to fans 21 years of age and older. It's the second to last live showcase of the 2010 series. Check out this clip of Huntington Beach-based sunshine soul band Allensworth performing "Back in a Second."

After the jump: 2010 OC Music Awards Nominees; showcase schedule.

​The OC Music Awards Showcase Series continues today at all-ages venue Chain Reaction in Anaheim for a third Best Live Band category performances. 

Local faves Moostache, Halos (featured in current issue of the Weekly), the Colourist (recently added to Bamboozle roster), the Bolts and BLOK are all scheduled to play. The event starts at 7 p.m. and should finish around 11 p.m. Like all OC Music Awards Showcases, it's free!

Notes OCMA organizers:

Red Bull is providing recording sessions at Red Bull Studios for both Best Live Band and Best Live Acoustic Showcase Series winners. Each band will have the chance to spend four days recording at the exclusive studios compliments of Red Bull North America Inc. This incredible opportunity paired with a $2,500 voucher from Fender® will provide two talented Orange County bands with the tools and support to further their music careers that much more.