Sounds of the City // Best Of 2023

Readers’ Choices Only

Congratulations to all the musicians here who can now proudly proclaim that they have won a Best Of 2023 award. This is not a ballot. There’s more. Along with winning Best Of votes from our readers, these fine musos have also earned a spot on our Music Awards 2023 ballot that goes live in early November. Stay tuned!

 

Album

Readers’ Choice (Top 5):

Doppelgänger by Broke String Burnett

I Can Dream You by Matt Tedder

SEA/SONS by Abraham Alexander

Summer Suite by Dave Cave

Watch Me Burn by The Troumatics

 

Americana/Roots Band

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Broke String Burnett

Cut Throat Finches

Grady Spencer & The Work

Keegan McInroe

September Moon

 

Bassist

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Andy Boyd, Freeze Sucka

Marcus Gonzales, Royal Sons

Dylan Kain, Novakain

Kris Luther, Arenda Light

Jacob Martinez, Broke String Burnett

 

Blues Band

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Aurora Bleu

Dr. Wu’s Texas Blues Project

Micheal Lee

Love Shack Band

Matt Tedder

 

Country Band

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Chasing Texas

Holy Moly

Jesse Jennings Band

Squeezebox Bandits

Seth Ward & The Silence

 

DJ Artist

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Alkemyst (Adam Winslett)

CV Fields (Conner Fields)

DJ DataBass (Brian Hill)

Reckless 1 (Ros Cardona)

DJ Soft Cherry (Dominique Patton)

 

Drummer

Readers’ Choice (Top 4)

John Bereuter, Novakain

Matt Mabe, Arenda Light

Kyle Parker, Rewind the Sun

John Paul Thomas, Broke String Burnett

 

Folk Group

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Ah Pook the Destroyer

Jacob Furr Band

Monks of Symbiosis

The Shameless Boo-Hoos

Tipps & Obermiller

 

Guitarist

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Chad Beck, Royal Sons

Kyle Kain, Novakain

Cooper Kern, Rewind the Sun

Dustin Massey

Henry Sepulveda III, Broke String Burnett

 

Hip-Hop Artist

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

88 Killa (Donovan Payne)

Lou CharLe$

Todd Faroe

J/O/E (Joseph Petty)

JaeBoy (Jason Addington)

 

Keyboardist

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Mandy Hand, Big Heaven

Sam Jones, Mike Ryan Band

Justin Pate, Dirty Pool

Calan Rawl, Broke String Burnett

Katie Robertson

 

Metal Band

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Iron Jaw

Life of Scars

Ox Combine

Since My Beloved

Within Chaos

 

Open-Mic Night

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

The Cicada, Open Mic Night with Tommy Luke (Weekly on Sundays)

Dirty Water Saloon, Pickin’ Round the Campfire (Weekly on Wednesdays)

McFly’s Pub, Open Mic Night (Weekly on Tuesdays)

Panther Island Brewing, Pickers Night (Every Other Tuesday)

Scat Jazz Lounge, Black Dog Jam (Weekly on Sundays)

 

Punk Band

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

A Dangerous Affair

Hotcake Hand Grenade

The Me-Thinks

Phorids

Take Away Monday

 

R&B/Soul Group

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Abraham Alexander

Cotinga

Kompany

Retrophonics

4 Ya Soul

 

Regional Act

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Brave Little Howl

Flickerstick

Raised Right Men

The Wee-Beasties

Texas Flood

 

Rock Band

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Arenda Light

Freeze Sucka

Novakain

Rewind the Sun

Royal Sons

 

Song

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

“Fever Pitch” by Itchy Richie & The Burnin’ Sensations

“Have to Ask My Lawyer” by Jace!

“I Don’t Want You” by LaTasha Lee

“Moonshine” by Jesse Jennings

“The Wolf King” by Iron Jaw

 

Tejano Group

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Latin Express

Monica Saldivar

Squeezebox Bandits

Tejano Outlaw Band

Tejas Brothers

 

Tribute Band

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Chasing Rent

The Dick Beldings

Far Beyond Drunk

Hazard County

Poo Live Crew

 

Venue

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Billy Bob’s Texas, 2520 Rodeo Plz, Fort Worth, 817-624-7117

The Cicada, 1002 S Main St, Fort Worth

Lola’s Fort Worth, 2000 W Berry St, Fort Worth

The Post at River East, 2925 Race St, Fort Worth, 817-945-8890

Tulips FTW, 112 St. Louis Av, Fort Worth, 817-367-9798

 

Vocalist

Readers’ Choice (Top 5)

Brandon Burnett, Broke String Burnett

Dylan Kain, Novakain

Todd Pack, Iron Jaw

Blake Parish, Royal Sons

Rob Redwine

 

 

To check out all the pages of Best Of 2023 in a flipbook format, click here.