Rock You like a Hurricane

Classical Grass
Best Bluegrass
Remember the Jacques Loussier Trio and their popular "Play Bach" thing? Clear Lake-based Classical Grass runs in that popular-music-in-tuxedo-and-black-tie vein as their repertoire travels from traditional, easily recognizable bluegrass standards to classical pieces played bluegrass-style. Along the way they may veer into jazz, swing, blues and about any other genre that strikes their fancy. Kerry Jones (banjo), Steve Jaap (mandolin), Andy Moritz (bass) and Chuck Gunn (guitarist who just happens to be a former West Coast flat-picking champion) have more musical pedigrees than a dog show. Sparks will fly. -- W.M.S.
Barcode, 5 p.m.

Clouseaux
Best New Act, Best Guitarist (Kelly Doyle), Best Drummer (Claudio Depujadas), Best Horn/Horn Section
This collective of groovy cats and cool chicks has the Tiki Spy Exotica Lounge music category all to itself, but the brainchild of Middlefinger alums Jay Brooks and David Cummings (and most of the ex-Suspects) also has a much broader appeal. We like the band's own take on its alluring style, something it describes as what Ward Cleaver would slap on the turntable to seduce June. Having upped its ranks to a dozen with the addition of vocalists Johanna Harris and Miss Formica Dinette, the totally unique Clouseaux makes us damn proud to be from H-town. -- G.B.
Dean's Credit Clothing, 7 p.m.

Deep Ella
Best Rock/Pop
Having spent the first chunk of 2003 in the studio working on the follow-up to Last Year's New Thing, Deep Ella will no doubt be eager to reconnect with its local fan base, which grew considerably in 2002. Though silly U2 references somehow keep cropping up, Deep Ella is more akin to the emotional grandeur and power pop of Blue October. As long as the chemistry between vocalist Jeff Crowder and British-born guitarist Rob Atherton continues to meld, Deep Ella should surface on some record label's radar soon. -- G.B.
Mercury Room, 6 p.m.

deSangre
Best Rock en Español
Showing a creativity and an originality that many of their local alterna-rock peers lack, deSangre -- which translates as "of blood" -- brings the noise Soundgarden-style, with a few touches of '80s rock here and there. Keyboards ride above the guitar crunch, adding a layer of much-appreciated texture to their nightmarish soundscapes. The five-year-old band's second CD, untitled right now, is due out this fall. -- J.N.L.
TOC Bar, 5 p.m.

dj cuba gooding jr.
Best New Act
As naive patrons have discovered, this act bears a cheekily misleading moniker -- and most initial assumptions have more to do with the implied solo turntablism than the name-checked multiplex hero. According to public relations lore, Urban H. and Arctic Lars fled the crumbling economic climate of their beloved Eastern Europe, synths and Vocoder in tow, to pursue their celebrity in the shadow of Old Glory. Why they set up camp in Houston is anybody's guess, but hey, there's always room in our fair metropolis for a smart, hungry electro-pop duo. (Insert your own post-Enron "Show me the money!" quip here.) -- J.T.
TOC Bar, 4 p.m.

DJ Sun
Best Lounge DJ
What the hell is there left to say about DJ Sun? He's got the Saturday-night radio show, Soular Grooves, over at KPFT. His "Soular Sessions" are still going strong over at Brasil Monday nights. And now there's a couple of new additions to his weekly schedule: "DJ Sun @ Onion Creek," Tuesday nights in the Heights, and the just-launched "Soul Sushi" Wednesdays at the Japanese eatery Typhoon. And he's won this award so many damn times, we're still shocked that he hasn't pulled a Cosby one of these years and just declined his nomination. Come on, playa! Everyone knows you're a great DJ, so why don't you give all these hungry spinners dying for recognition a shot at the gold! -- C.D.L.
Boaka Bar, 9 p.m.

Downfall 2012
Best Metal/Industrial
Rap-metallurgists Downfall 2012 might want to send a copy of their recent album, The Fuse Is Lit, to the commander in chief so he can incorporate the catchphrase from the cut "Don't F*ck with the USA" into his recent "Bring it on" tough-guy rhetoric. The band's machine-gun sound builds on the groove laid down by drummer Josh Pazda and his bass-playing brother Adam. That interplay's evident in a rapid-fire bass-drum bridge in "USA," which also highlights the band's trademark tempo changes and crescendos, not to mention those requisite in-your-face sociopolitical rants. -- G.B.
The Brewery Tap, 4 p.m.

Drifter
Best Rock/Pop
One of the freshest and most invigorating (relatively) new bands, Drifter combines dew-drenched Southern rock with minty-fresh '70s pop in its own original style. Craig Feazel and Paul Beebe share vocal and guitar duties, while bassist-keyboardist Cullen "Monkey" Evans and drummer Chris Laurents provide a steady rhythm section. Their recent release, Lottery Bar, was like an Altoid to the mouth of Houston music, featuring great melodies, catchy choruses and commercial appeal without sounding wimpy. Extra kudos for their songs about healthy relationships between the sexes. -- B.R.
BAR Houston, 7 p.m.