Austin Music Awards sees notable change

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Austin Music Awards organizers decided to change things up in 2010, namely, changing the show from being the festival opener to the festival closer.

"Instead of being the champagne of the festival were are now the fireworks," said Margaret Moser, Austin Music Awards director.

Moser said closing out the festival meant they had to go out with a bang.

Organizers prepped Austin Music Hall for most of the day Saturday for the show.

Close attention was paid to even the tiniest details like the placement of chairs.

This year show goers got to see a sweep of young bands coming in and performing.

"One of the things we like to do is bring guest presenters in and tonight we have for example most of Talking Heads are going to be here , Raul Malo from the Mavericks and in a sense that is kind of an affirmation, it's a confirmation that what we do is as good as anything else out there," Moser added.

The end of the show included a new segment called the All Star Soul Jam.

So, instead of having a big name act close the show like in years past, up and coming band Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears took the stage along with a few well known local musicians to play a few songs.

Moser said the goal is to make the Jam a show tradition.