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MtvU Woodie Awards hits NYC with a bang
By Ashlyn Coyne
12.3.07

Lights flashing, cameras rolling, crowd screaming. The screen on stage showcases bands most don’t know but wish they did. Trey Martino keeps the acts coming, announcing each award and band excitingly over the microphone. The anticipation and energy is thick throughout the crowd.On Thursday, Nov. 8, the college and university-exclusive MTV channel, MTVU, hosted their fourth annual music awards show called the Woodie Awards. The 2007 Woodie Awards were held at the Roseland Ballroom in New York City and aired on MtvU’s channel on Nov. 15.
The Woodie Awards highlight and recognize less known musical acts who tend to be overlooked in the mainstream music scene. There are no horrible performances by Britney Spears here, or any song or artist as annoying as “Soulja Boy.” Each category is a different “woodie” or a different aspect of a band which recognizes their true talent.

The show kicked off with Lupe Fiasco, performing his song “Superstar.” The already enthusiastic crowd got a little louder when Patrick Stump from Fall Out Boy joined Fiasco on stage to finish out his song.

Q-Tip, member of legendary hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, was the first person to present a woodie, and he listed the nominees for “Woodie of the Year.” Beating out Common, Lily Allen, The Shins and Amy Winehouse, Gym Class Heroes proudly took the stage to accept their woodie, thanking “management and our fans…it’s been a very blessed year.”
The next woodie was called the “Left Field Woodie.” This particular award was for very talented artists who most people have not heard of and couldn’t locate their C.D. in a music store. The nominees were CSS, The Knife, Klaxons, Madvillain and Rodrigo y Gabriela. Madvillain took home this woodie, which he accepted via satellite.

Two-time woodie award winners Fall Out Boy then took the stage to present the Best Video Woodie. The nominees were Justice “D.A.N.C.E.,” Motion City Soundtrack “Broken Heart,” RJD2 “Work It Out,” Say Anything “Wow, I Can Get Sexual Too” and TV on the Radio “Province.” The winner was Say Anything, who were greeted on stage with a huge applaud from the audience as they thanked their management, fans and parents.



Kenan Thompson came on stage next and introduced Tokyo Police Club, who performed two singles, “Cheer it On” and “Nature of the Experiment.” With their unique vocals and upbeat energy, their performance really had the crowd cheering.

The Alumni Woodie was presented next, and this award is for the more popular bands that were once in the same position that the woodie awards winners are in. They may have made it bigger than the rest, but they remain true to their roots. Spoon won this woodie award, beating out Bright Eyes, Modest Mouse, The Shins and Talib Kweli.

Next to perform, introduced by Talib Kweli was Spank Rock. They performed their two songs called “Loose” and “Rick Rubin.”

The next woodie was the Viral Woodie, which is for bands who are “infecting” campuses and computers everywhere. Motion City Soundtrack announced the nominees which were The Academy Is, Fall Out Boy, Linkin Park and Meg & Dia. The winner of the viral woodie was The Academy Is who thanked their management, fans and Fueled By Ramen label.

Tom Delonge and Dave Kennedy of the band Angels and Airwaves came out to announce the woodie for Best Music on Campus. The nominees were Acadia from the College of Oneonta, Danny Freeman from University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Rudy and the Rhetoric from University of Washington, Show me Action from Lehigh University, and Stella by Starlight from Duke University. Stella by Starlight were announced the winners, and graciously accepted their woodie and thanked everyone for voting for them humbly.

Singer, songwriter, humanitarian and activist Annie Lennox announced the nominees for Good Woodie. The nominees were all talented artists who use their voices and music to send a positive message. The nominees were Alicia Keys, Guster, Linkin Park, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus and Thom Yorke. Guster won the Good Woodie this year but was unable to make
the awards ceremony.

With only two more performances and two more award categories left, Lupe Fiasco took the stage once more to introduce The Academy Is, who played two songs for the eager and screaming audience. They played their two songs called “Everything We Had” and “We’ve Got a Big Mess on Our Hands,” both from their newest album.

The next category was the Best Performing Woodie. Muse took this woodie home, beating out Daft Punk, Lil' Wayne, The Academy Is and The Rapture.

The final category of the night was the Breaking Woodie. These nominees are all emerging artists who are really making a name for themselves on college campuses all across the nation. The nominees were Boys Like Girls, Peter Bjorn and John, Rich Boy, Silversun Pickups and Tokyo Police Club. The extremely popular Boys Like Girls took the last 2007 woodie home.
MTVU’s own VJ Kim Stolz and artist RJD2 introduced the act that would close off the night, Rilo Kiley. Rilo Kiley was a great finish to an amazing awards ceremony, closing with two new songs called “The Moneymaker” and “Breakin’ Up.”

The Woodie awards are for bands that are growing in their popularity, especially at colleges and universities. This award ceremony is a great way to recognize and acknowledge the “little”bands that are usually better than most mainstream music. The night was filled with appearances of great musical acts and mind-blowing performances. The Woodie awards took NYC by storm and the 2008 awards will be even better.