Though spring break will whisk students away from Madison, one event is bringing the town together. The second annual Madison Area Music Awards, slated for Saturday, March 26, will bring musicians of every genre to the Wisconsin Union Theater in Memorial Union.
Matt Ahrens, writer and producer for the MAMAs, said even the presenters will be a diverse lot.
\We have everyone from Mayor Dave Cieslewicz to the orange guy presenting,"" he said.
The party gets under way with a pre-show party at 7 p.m. in the Union Theater lobby. At the same time, there is a VIP party in Lakefront on Langdon. The awards ceremony starts at 8 p.m. John Urban will be the emcee.
Ahrens said this year's event is going to be bigger and bolder than the first ceremony.
""It's gonna be pretty crazy,"" he said. ""We're going to try to raise the bar from last year.""
Last year's show got the MAMAs on its feet. This year will draw a broader range of artists because the 2004 show impressed all observers.
""I think there will be more drama to this show because there's more competitors,"" Ahrens said. ""Last year was so successful that everybody is involved in it this year.""
This year's show will present awards in 49 categories as well as a Lifetime Achievement Award. Though some categories have only one or two entries, the evening should provide plenty to offer for its three hour duration.
Rick Tvedt, president of MAMA Inc., executive producer of the ceremony and editor and publisher of Rick's Caf??, a music magazine about south-central Wisconsin, is looking forward to next Saturday's show. He praised the change of venue, from the Orpheum Theatre, 216 State Street, to the Union, which will showcase the MAMAs in a more suitable location.
""We wanted to have a little more cozy, comfortable, full house feeling to the show,"" he said. ""The Union Theater has a fully equipped stage where in the Orpheum we had to construct a stage.""
The Gomers are the house band for the night and the ceremony will include performances from six local bands, including Know Boundaries, The Profit$ and Samarah and the Madison Boys Choir. At the after-show party in the Rathskellar, Awesome Car Funmaker and Groovulous Groove will provide music.
Dave Adler, keyboardist for The Gomers, said the band wants the show's atmosphere to be similar to the first awards ceremony.
""We're looking forward to more of the same really cool, fun vibe that last year's MAMAs provided.""
For the show's appearance, this year will offer something new.
""This year's show is going to be visually a lot more effective,"" Tvedt said. ""We have a much more cohesive look.""
Though the show is aiming to entertain, it also offers other benefits to Madison. All net proceeds of the event will go to fund local music programs and the goal is to raise $25,000 for the Madison Metropolitan School. Tvedt said the MAMAs will accomplish a lot in the course of the night.
""The thing we're really trying to make here is community feeling, celebrate the great talent we have, contribute to a worthy cause and just have a helluva good time doing it,"" he said.
