Female, Queer and Indigenous Nominees Lead 2017 Pack

Full list of nominees/categories/links for each artist. List of prizes available from sponsors.

Statistically to date: 147 unique artists (representing ~500 individual musicians) applied for an FVMA, and 90 unique acts (~250 musicians) have been nominated over 18 months.

Abbotsford – CIVL-FM is pleased to present the 42 acts nominated in 13 categories for the second annual Fraser Valley Music Awards. An announcement ceremony was held at Townhall Public House in Abbotsford Tuesday night, hosted by decorated Fort Langley-raised writer and comedian Harry Doupe. Abbotsford’s Kristin Witko, and Mamarudegyal MTHC from Burnaby led the pack with nominations in 4 categories, while Abbotsford’s Jada Klein and Coquitlam resident TestTubeBaby were both nominated in 3.

This year, in addition to local aficionados like CIVL music director Audrey MacDonald and host Rabia Kamboj, Wide Mouth Mason singer/songwriter Shaun Verreault, Pat Steward (The Odds, Bryan Adams, Matthew Good), and Polaris Prize Grand Juror/CHUO-FM Ottawa station manager Erin Flynn all adjudicated submissions. Even Nashville, TN resident Steve Dawson weighed in on this years’ submissions. Many will remember him leading the Black Hen Houseband when Henhouse Studios was in Vancouver just a couple years ago.

All in all, 20 nominees had an Abbotsford connection to the Fraser Valley, while 6 Langley Sites brought home nominations, 4 Chilliwackians, and 3 each went to Maple Ridgers, Burnabyites and Missionites (who all, incidentally, tie in the category for least exciting venery). Two nominees are Surrey based, and one each hail from Port Coquitlam, Coquitlam and Lake Errock. Only 10 2017 nominees were also nominated in 2016, and only two category winners (Saint Soldier, Hip Hop – Abb/Harpdog Brown, Blues – Surrey) repeated.

Three Battle of the Bands dates to decide CIVL’s Dakota Leslie Memorial Live Performance of the Year Award and it’s accompanying $750 cash prize are taking place in Aldergrove, Chilliwack, and Mission. The following are dates where crowd participation WILL be a factor in deciding which artists will move on for a chance to play in the finals at the FVMA’s November 25th on the Abbotsford Centre stage as part of Abbyfest:

Thursday, November 16th at The Vineyard in Chilliwack, 8 – 10 PM, FREE w/ Ben Cottrill (Abby), Western Jaguar (Mission), Travis Murray (Ab) and Dear Father (Langley)

Thursday, November 23rd at Bob’s Steakhouse in Aldergrove, 8-10 PM, FREE w/ Molten Blues Band (Ab), Whiskeyjays (Langley), Corey Primus (Chilliwack) and Kenneth Kraylie (A)

Friday, November 24th at The Stage in Mission, 8 PM, FREE semi-final, winners TBA