393 entries across 13 categories and 25 local judging sessions over 6 weeks later, the Finalists in each category have been decided!

Each and every track was listened to in its entirety, and ‘marked’ according to Performance Standard (how good the vocals were and how well instruments were played), Songwriting (lyrics, melody, arrangement), Originality and Creativity, and Overall Appeal. Production and suitability for airplay were also taken into account, but not necessarily a deciding factor in a song’s selection as a Finalist track. Several tracks were moved to another category, where - stylistically - they fitted better and had a fairer chance against other tracks. The larger categories - Alternative, Contemporary, Pop, Rock and Folk - had 2 or more sessions each (Contemporary - with over 80 tracks - had 4!!). The selected tracks in each session went through to ‘Round 2′ (or a semi-final, if you like), where the judges had the difficult task of choosing the 10 Finalists out of the 13 - 20 standout tracks from the first round.

Later this week, the list of Finalists for the Specialist Awards will be announced - Best Male Vocal, Best Female Vocal, Best Producer / Track Production and Best Young Talent.

Tickets for the Awards Night will go on sale in September, with price discounts for all Entrants.

In the meantime, congratulations to the following bands and artists whose tracks have been marked as standouts in their category.

Alternative Finalists

• A Disappointing Fireworks Display - Aquariums can be frightening
• Limerick - Dangerous Love
• The Dukes of Erlington - Underestimated
• Gareth Hudson & Matt Aubrey - Woman Next Door
• Ergo B Bag - Lonely at the Top
• One Good Suggestion - The Knights Templar
• A Disappointing Fireworks Display - Architecture
• The Evening Son - Pander Bear
• Limerick - One Little Girl
• Here Come the Birds - Selling Expectations

Blues & Roots - Finalists

• Bluezone - My Love is a Dangerous Thing
• Gail Page - Through the Fire
• Bob Corbett - Just leave me
• Ben Pritchard - Just a Man
• The Retro Rockets - El Diablo
• David Vengalia - Vampire Blues
• Blindogs Lick - Don’t Feel the Same
• Doc Parker & Code Blue - Grandma
• Zoe Klemenczuk - Lovers
• Brien McVernon - Havana

Contemporary - Finalists

• Rocwater - Rainin’
• Ghost Road - Fake Disguise
• Ergo B Bag - The Party is Over
• Marissa Saroca - Let Me Down
• Glowing Embers - Laylow
• James & Anna Buckingham - All Life Is
• Lyn Bowtell - On Your Side
• Elisa Kate Barker - Be Still
• Gareth Hudson & Matt Aubrey - 1000 Hearts
• Chris Byrne - Follow the Sun

Country - Finalists

• Greg Gillett - Capricorn
• Kelly Hope - Timeless you
• Working Man’s Dream - Wallaby Hill
• Will Osland - New Rain
• Kim Mackenzie - Well well well
• The Dennis Boys Band - Big Gun Hillbillies
• Rod Smith - On the Road
• Mel Sommers - Steel City Country
• Kelly Hope - Heartbreak Road
• Brian Daly - Doppelganger

Folk - Finalists

• Nick & Liesl - Wyong River
• Lenore Bower & The Joe Hoover Band - When I Wake Up
• Bob Corbett - The Lambton Lights
• Nick & Liesl - Marjorie
• Chas Jagger Webb - So so hard to hear you …
• Mojo Juju & The Snakeoil Merchants - Fisherman’s Daughter
• Simon Stewart - Dragonfly Politics
• James & Anna Buckingham - Caterpillar
• Nick & Liesl - Mother Theresa
• Jason Lowe - How We let it Be

Jazz - Finalists

• Terence Koo - Pieces of Rain
• Dorian Mode - Galileo’s Dream
• Brien McVernon - Gypsy Woman
• Ruth McCrae - Grey Skies
• Terence Koo - Mind Games
• Gail Page - You can hear it

Instrumental - Finalists

• Matt Semmens - Semmo Tango
• Parris MacLeod - The Beginning
• Brian Saxby - Baritone Duet
• Daniel March - Grace
• Lee Franceschi Clayton - Gentle Rain
• Wu Pu-Yu - Fire Shadow Dance
• Parris MacLeod - Light at the end of the Tunnel
• Dave Vengalia - Gypsy
• Reason to Breathe - Cerebral Tempest
• Peter Graham - You and Me in a cemetery

Pop - Finalists

• The Understudy - Last Easy Day
• Nathan Eshman - Apathy
• Veto - Start Over Again
• Here Come the Birds - Bravery & Defeat
• Angry Socks - Let’s Go Camping
• Jaywalker - You Live, You Learn
• Bob Corbett - The Prettiest Face
• Sarah Humphreys - Waiting to Burn
• Benjalu - By Your Side
• The Understudy - Fine Young Folk

Rock - Finalists

• The Humm - Stella
• Veto - Moon and the Stars
• Vaudeville - Static
• Jaywalker - Sun From My Eyes
• PowerAge - Let’s Jam
• The Evening Sun - Lemming
• Vaudeville - Break the Cage
• The Humm - Ready in Motion
• Veto - Out! Of Normal
• Here Come the Birds - Sharp White Teeth

Heavy Rock - Finalists

• Cigars for the Man - Hardvest
• Spades - Bellend
• Mac Juju - Hellbent on Oblivion
• Level 8 - Sold and Discarded
• Shadowmill - 1 : 0 : 1
• Cigars for the Man - The Blame
• Shadowmill - A Siren’s Call

Soundtracks - Finalists

• Dorian Mode - The Good German
• Flesh Bullet - No Warning
• Hudson & Higginbotham - Cptn Cook Prologue
• Lenore Bower - Close my Eyes
• Luke Pittman & Ella Woolard - Share the Love
• Sam Reynolds - Grind
• Terence Koo - Lunacity Pt 1
• The Reason to Breathe - After the Battle
• The Veil - Ice Fairies
• The Veil - Suspended

Urban - Finalists

Electronica

• Thommer Koffer - Double BMK
• Thommer Koffer - Dr Krafty
• Ergo B Bag - Everything U Do is Awesome
• Veil - It Comes in Waves

Hip Hop

• Urban Freeflow - Sorry
• Top Button Recordings - Where I Lay my Head
• Cuzzybrodoh - Walk with me (New Car Saul)
• Brendan Murphy - DJ’s Sharing Needles

For more information about the 2008 ABC Newcastle Music Awards visit abc.net.au/newcastle/features/musicawards.

For an archive of entrants from previous years visit www.newcastlemusic.com/musicawards.php.