Westword had its first Music Awards event in 1995 to recognize local bands, and this year the event will take place at The Golden Triangle and feature big name bands including Built to Spill and Cursive as well as on the cusp artists like The Fresh Breath Committee and Hello Kativa.

Here's what Westword has to say: "This annual celebration of talent makes the Denver music scene dynamic and recognizes dozens of local bands in a variety of categories. The Showcase begins with choosing this year’s top local bands, which is a process that calls for broad community involvement in both the nomination and selection segments."