It's perhaps fitting that Valentine's Day immediately followed up a night of big love for Omaha's arts community.
Last night's fifth-annual Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards ceremony showered affection and accolades on the arts community's celebrities and up-and-comers during a tight two-and-a-half-hour show that was a little grittier — or maybe just lower-lit and, on account of all the popcorn kernels that jumped free of the kitschy boxes on every table, dirtier — than in years past. Still, the best and brightest in local art, performing art and music gathered for the event, staged at Harrah's Convention Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
Hear Nebraska's Lindsey Baker and Andrew Norman were on hand with cell phones, cameras and laptops for real-time reporting; here's the live-tweet recap.
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We're live in 30 for the @, people!
Here we go! African Culture Connection drums and dance leading off the performances. .
Tom Becka kind of looks like Kenny Rogers.
Please stop throwing popcorn into @'s beard. It's sticking.
While the theater awards are being distributed, it's worth noting that Lindsey Baker and Andrew Norman are your HN Tweeters.
spotted Landing on the Moon's Megan Morgan in the lobby looking lovely in a full sequined skirt.
Saber from Machete Archive is his own spectacle.
smammies.
AYGAMG's Rebecca Lowry is sparkly.
Rumors swirling that @ to appear @. Stay tuned …
Buy a beer for @, get a positive review — just throwing it out there.
LB is happy to see we've finally figured out the attire is dressy-casual. Still, could use 2 more inches on a lot of the skirts here.
visual art award updates happening now at @.
Best Jazz/Easy Listening nominee Steve Raybine on the stage now with some flavor.
Vibraphonist Steve Raybine wields four mallets at once. He's probably a dick at home with the remotes
An absent Brad Hoshaw takes Best Alternative Singer/Songwriter.
Hoshaw is probably busy booking at Barley Street.
Cursive, also absent, snags the Best Rock award.
Sitting by a Leather Daddy at
Best hard rock goes to …
Best Hard Rock/Metal goes to perennial favorite Paria.
Salem Baptist Church grabs Best Gospel. A well-deserved repeat.
Best Soul/R&B: Satchel Grande. Kick it.
Westboro Baptist Church narrowly defeated for Best Racist, Homophobic Gospel
@ gets Best Jazz/Easy Listening and crowd love.
Kobra Kyle takes Best DJ. LB wishes she could take his beanie off, but not in a dirty way.
@ wields his award
Best Ethnic goes to Son del Llano, Best Cover Band goes to Secret Weapon.
Best cover band gets the first speech? OK.
@ and LB didn't conversate before coming and ended up committing an style faux pas: .
The are apparently supposed to wrap by 8:30 p.m. tonight, and things really are moving at a fast tick.
We're fermenting our popcorn into moonshine over here
If anyone's having more fun at than The Machete Archive's contortionist bassist, they must be on the other side of the room.
Best Blues artist: Kris Lager Band. Predictable.
Matt Cox takes home best Roots/Americana/Country/Bluegrass
The sequined dress/top/skirt is a hot trend here at the festivities tonight. At least the spangles are easy to spot in the dark.
Best Indie/Alternative goes to Little Brazil, y'all.
Best Hip-Hop/Rap goes to Conchance, who is looking sharp in a suit this year.
Speed-talker Tom Becka stutters out the intro for the Filter Kings, on stage now.
Backstage, ready to present artist of the year award. Missed rehearsal. Hope this goes well.
We have faith in you, Andrew.
Best New Artist: @ (that's All Young Girls Are Machine Guns, that is).
Album of the Year goes to recently reunited It's True's (@) eponymous album.
presenter commentary gets…interesting here at the end.
Our young Andrew almost missed his moment in the spotlight, but here he is with Artist of the Year.
And it goes to…It's True. And that's it for 2011. Post-party kicks off now.
Thanks for tuning in to our 2011 coverage tonight. Full recap up at hearnebraska.org tomorrow. Until then, darlings. LB out.
Nice work, LB. Thanks for not hitting me for my gray suit. Apparently, I left my black suit pants in Costa Rica. A.N. out.
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For those who were there, what did you think? Who got just rewards and who got robbed? Put your thoughts in the comments, and be sure to check out a couple of bonus photos of $pencelove and impromptu (and totally awesome) guest Kaitlyn Maria Filippini from the post-party in Harrah's Stir Live and Loud: http://plixi.com/p/77155592 and http://plixi.com/p/77161248.
