The Dallas Observer Music Awards are about a month away and we cannot wait. We are planning around the clock, constantly trying to make it the best award show in the history of music.
Tonight, the 18 DOMAs judges will vote on the 38 categories. The 18 judges have been divided into three groups of six judges and each group will vote on roughly 12 or 13 categories. No judge who has a conflict of interest in one of the categories will vote on that category.
Meet your 2018 judges in no particular order. Nominees, you only have a few hours to bribe them.*
Veronica Young
Booking producer and co-host of Tuesday Morning Blend on KNON-FM 89.3
Gavin Mulloy
Marketing director of Legacy Hall
Caroline North
Former music and culture editor of the Dallas Observer; now a copywriter for the ad agency Publicis Hawkeye, but she still enjoys keeping up with the Dallas music scene
Paige Skinner
The person writing this; music and culture editor for the Dallas Observer
Wanz Dover
DJ, musician (Black Dotz), producer (Blixaboy), Observer contributor
Mike Brooks
Concert photographer
Kylee Kimosh
Entertainment director at The Rustic
Art Pena
Founder and director of cassette label Vice Palace
Alicia EV Borman
Musician (Atom & EV); independent live music curator; events team and community outreach at Top Ten Records in Oak Cliff; novelty song DJ; on average, attends three to four local shows a week for the last six to eight years.
Diamond Victoria
Clubs editor for the Dallas Observer
Eva Raggio
Music writer for the Dallas Observer
Roderick Pullum
Music writer for the Dallas Observer
Daniel Rodrigue
Journalism professor at Brookhaven College, photographer, journalist
Callie Dee
Hip-hop promoter, founder of Masters of the Mic
Adam Prickell
Keyboard/synthesizer player and record producer; musical director/keyboard player for Nelly Furtado; his playing can be heard on recordings by St. Vincent, John Congleton, Mikaela Davis, Nilufer Yanya, Astronautalis and Zhora, among many others.
Paul Slavens
Host of the "Paul Slavens Show" on KXT 91.7 FM; has an improv music night at Dan’s Silverleaf on Monday nights; musician in Ten Hands
McKenzie Smith
Member of the 1 o’ Clock Lab Band at University of North Texas/ Grammy Award winning drummer/ founding member of Midlake/ co-owner of Redwood Studios/ producer, mixer and active session drummer who has played with the likes of St. Vincent, Nelly Furtado, Regina Spektor, First Aid Kit, Sharon Van Etten, Father John Misty, etc.
Salim Nourallah
Musician (Nourallah Brothers); he’s gone on to release over a half-dozen solo albums and produce a fine list of many others (including the Old 97s, Rhett Miller, Deathray Davies & the Damnwells)
*These judges have promised that they cannot be bribed, so good luck.
The DOMAs showcase is Dec. 1 and the awards ceremony is Dec. 4. Tickets start at $15.