San Diego Music Awards: A Night in Pictures

Published March 21, 2018 • Updated on April 22, 2021 at 3:44 pm

All the stars of the San Diego music scene turned out for the annual awards show at the House of Blues.

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All the stars of the San Diego music scene turned out for the annual awards show at the House of Blues.

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The first award of the night, for Best New Artist, was presented by NBC 7's LIberty Zabala (left). The winners, Jumbotron, no-showed.

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Soon it was time for the first performers of the night, the Sure Fire Soul Ensemble.

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Marie Haddad took home the statuette for Best Pop Album for "Stories From Atlantis."

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Tim Pyles, of 91x and SoundDiego, accepted the award for Marujah for Best World Music Album, for "Marujah Rising."

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Whitney Shay, a nominee for Best Blues, was the next to perform.

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Shay was happily called back onstage after her appearance to accept the award.

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Rebecca Jade followed Shay into the winner's circle to claim her award for Best Jazz Album ("Planet Cole Porter"), which she recorded with Peter Sprague.

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Pyles was joined at the podium by his "91x Loudspeaker" radio co-hosts, Andrew Rowley (left) and Lou Niles, to present the awards for Best Rock Album and Best Local Recording.

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Mittens nabbed the Best Rock Album award for "Endlessly."

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"Darling Darling," by Wish and the Well, was honored for Best Local Recording.

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Breaking up the presentations next was Berkley Hart, nominees for Best Country or Americana.

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San Diego Music Awards 2018 - Photos by Alex Matthews

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Berkley Hart were backed onstage by the San Diego music legends of the Farmers.

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Unfortunately for Berkley Hart, Sara Petite ended up taking home the award.

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Bluesman Robin Henkel's "Slippery Like a Watermelon Seed" claimed the Best Blues Album award.

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Casbah owner Tim Mays presented the Lifetime Achievement award to the Paladins.

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The rockabilly legends were represented by bassist Thomas Yearsley and the mother of guitar player Dave Gonzalez.

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San Diego Music Awards 2018 - Photos by Alex Matthews

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The winner for Best Jazz performer, Danny Green.

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Best singer/songwriter Lindsay White delivering her acceptance speech.

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South Bay's own P.O.D exploded onto the stage for the next performance.

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The band's "Soundboy Killa" was nominated for Song of the Year.

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SoundDiego contributor Robin Roth was joined by her KFM-BFM colleague Mike V to present the awards for Best Rock and Best Pop.

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The Farmers took home Best Rock.

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While Birdy Bardot (right), joined by Marissa Mortati, were the winners for Best Pop.

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Authentic Sellout went low-key accepting the award for Best Indie/Alternative.

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The statuette for Best World Music went to the B-Side Players -- keen observers can spot SoundDiego video photographer Eric Casas wearing the ballcap.

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The Parker Meridien, hoping to go home with an award for Artist of the Year or Album of the Year, took to the stage next.

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The awards were organized again this year by Kevin Hellman of the San Diego Music Foundation and City Beat, who presented a check worth nearly $20,000 to the Guitars for Schools program.

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SoundDiego TV's Alysha Nett and Daye Salani presented the awards for Best Hip Hop/Rap performer and Best Hip Hop or Rap Album.

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We were excited to see SoundDiego contributor Jay Smith claim the award for Best Hip Hop or Rap album, for 1019 the Numberman's "Solus Superstes."

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Salani announced the Best Hip Hop/Rap performer award.

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Vokab Kompany has claimed an amazing five SDMAs, this time for Best Hip Hop/Rap performers.

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North County's Trouble in the Wind were the evening's headliners.

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It wasn't long after the last note that they were back onstage to claim the award for Best Country or Americana Album, for "Pineapple Moon."

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Singer/songwriter/lounge lizard Ariel Levine went home with the Song of the Year bauble, for "Sunshine Part 2: On My Color TV."

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TITW made a return visit to the stage for the Artist of the Year award.

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Album of the Year went to CC and Tone for Little Hurricane's "Same Sun, Same Moon."

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SoundDiego photographer Alex Matthews caught the winners together before the party ended.

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Matthews also spotted the Schizophonics Pat and Lety Beers bookending Mrs. Henry's Blake Dean.

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And Marie Haddad and Areil Levin deservedly showing off!! See you next year!

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