PHOTO BY JOHN SCHLIA
Joywave
joywavemusic.com
These homegrown rockers won this category by a ridiculously large margin and deservedly-so — even in a city blessed with many great bands. Oddly charismatic lead singer Daniel Armbruster, guitarist Joseph Morinelli, and drummer Paul Brenner, who are generally backed by a few road musicians, not only toured America and Europe last year, but found the time to release two albums. There was the studio-recorded “Cleanse,” and the live “Live.” And they managed to squeeze in a show for the home town, closing out the Rochester Fringe Festival with a packed outdoor gem at Parcel 5.
Finalists: Alien Autopsy | Bad Bloom | Bellwether Breaks