With all the great music we have witnessed during 2018 - it wasn't easy - but yes we have finally come up with our nominees here in this year's WRC Awards. Simply choose your favourite from each of the eleven categories provided here and hit the vote button. You have until midnight 31st December to make your choice and only one vote per category per e-mail address is allowed - so there. So what are you waiting for? Spread the good news and make sure your favourite band gets the votes it deserves! In the meantime, today's Track Of The Day is The Second Sons who we saw supporting Greta Van Fleet at London's O2 Academy Islington in April - one of the nominees in our Best Support Band category that was won last year by Mason Hill (pictured). Other nominees in this category this year include Those Damn Crows (The Bad Flowers/London's Borderline/September), Doomsday Outlaw (Graham Bonnet/London's Underworld/August) and Mark Pontin Group (Aynsley Lister/London's 100 Club/January).

Legendary rockers Cheap Trick performed a blistering set on Monday night in Birmingham, featuring a guest appearance from Wizzard icon Roy Wood, who joined the band for a festive rendition of their classic ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day’, as well as ‘California Man’. The show followed their amazing one-off date at Liverpool’s iconic and intimate Cavern Club - which saw the band inducted onto the venue's notable Wall Of Fame - ahead of their final show with Def Leppard at London’s Wembley Arena. ‘I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day’ featured on the band’s album 'Christmas Christmas', released last year - only months after their critically acclaimed album 'We're All Alright!' - and delivered a sleigh-full of Rock ’n’ Roll Christmas classics, as well as newly penned offerings such as the joyous lead track, ‘Merry Christmas Darlings’.

"The moment we were all anticipating had finally arrived. It was time for the big one, the epic, the grand, 'Gypsy' from the 1970 '...Very 'Eavy…Very 'Umble' album, and it didn't disappoint! Going on to mesmerize our senses and smack us in the ears like a ton of lead! A mind-blowing and intoxicating experience! Box got to stretch out and stun us all with his dexterous shredding, hypnotizing us mere mortals with utter brilliance, casting his magic spells over us with his expressive hand twirls and gestures whilst soloing as though his life depended on it! Next we were treated to the invigorating 'Look at Yourself' from the 1971 album of the same name, before the majestic and sublime 'July Morning', also from the 1971 'Look At Yourself' album, transported us into the stratosphere and carried us away to a different time and space. A powerful, uplifting and dazzling performance!" Read the whole of Steven C. Gilbert's Uriah Heep, Shepherd's Bush Empire, London, gig review from last Friday here plus check out our Video Of The Day.

Phil and Tommy Goodwin, aka Cellar Door Moon Crow (CDMC) are bringing their unique Urban Rock flavour to the masses next year. Hailing from Sheffield, CDMC release their debut album 'You Got This' on Friday 5th April and to coincide with this, CDMC will play a special showcase gig in London at The Black Heart, Camden on Wednesday 23rd January. Featuring heavy beats with sick guitar and distorted vocals fused with a swirling organ and ivory keys, they mash it up, using pre-1970's Led Zeppelin-esque analogue flavours with a big slap of 1980’s Hip Hop Dr Dre style production. The 14 song strong beast of a release unravels the journey and evolution that has defined the Goodwin brothers as pioneers of their very own identifiable flamboyant sound. Check out today's Video Of The Day 'Forgiveness'.

Percussion wizard Mike Dillon has seemingly done everything a musician could dream of. He's been a key member of bands like Garage A Trois, Dead Kenny Gs and Critters Buggin. He's served as a key sideman to artists like Rickie Lee Jones, Les Claypool and Ani DiFranco. He's amassed an extensive catalog of genre-defying recordings. He's taken to the road relentlessly, building one of the most loyal underground fanbases on the contemporary music scene, while being invited to share bills with bands including Clutch, Dean Ween Group and Umphrey's McGhee. For nearly three decades, Mike has been playing exclusively by his own rules. Now, the man championed as a "Punk Jazz provocateur" has just produced what perhaps may be his shining hour, 'Bonobo Bonobo'. The new album, due to be released this Friday, coincides with his upcoming Winter tour, and was recorded in New Orleans with a collective he calls The Mallet Men (today's Track Of The Day) - essentially an extended version of his core touring vehicle, The Mike Dillon Band.

Since their debut gig at The Half Moon, Putney, over four and a half years ago, The Boom Band - featuring the four guitar line-up of Jon Amor (The Hoax), Marcus Bonfanti (Jawbone/Ten Years After), Mark Butcher (former England cricket star) and Matt Taylor (Snowy White/The Motives), plus keyboard player Paddy Milner (Jawbone/Tom Jones/Jack Bruce) - have developed something of a reputation as an awesome live band. Tonight they invite you to a festive shindig featuring friends old and new to raise money for the housing and homelessness charity Shelter. You’d be hard pressed to find a better line-up of talent from the British Blues scene and beyond, includinging Big Boy Bloater, Malcolm Bruce, Jojo Burgess, Lauren Dove, Jules Fothergill, Lorna Fothergill, Moz Gamble, Matthew Gest, Peter Gordeno, Mark Howes, Jack J Hutchinson, Evan Jenkins, Rosco Levee, Darrin Mooney, Jonathan Noyce, Wayne Proctor, Greg Smith, Matt Taylor, Ash Wilson and Phil Wilson!

The UK’s finest Melodic Rock band FM will join forces with Hard Rock group The Quireboys in early April next year for seven tour dates that celebrate 35 years since both acts started out. These two venerable institutions will be joined by Bad Touch and Vega. Hot on the heels of their 10th studio album, ‘Atomic Generation’, FM began the tour cycle to promote it with an appearance at the Frontiers Rock Festival in Milan in April 2018. Performing a set that included new songs, fan favourites, plus some surprise song choices, the band’s showmanship was faultless and mind-blowing. The rhythm section of Pete Jupp and Merv Goldsworthy didn’t miss a beat, guitarist Jim Kirkpatrick and keyboardist Jem Davis produced rich sonic tapestries with their instruments, while singer Steve Overland was simply breathtaking, demonstrating why he is one of the truly legendary voices in Melodic Rock. ‘The Italian Job’, due to be released next year on Friday 22nd February documents this show. An absolute gem of an album, it is unmissable not only for FM followers, but for all fans of the genre.

"The second set proved to be extra special with a 'S.F. Sorrow' band reunion and guest guitarist David Gilmour! Joining May, Taylor and current band was Jon Povey on keyboards, Wally Waller on bass and Skip Alan on drums. Kicking of the set in style with 'Scene One' from the 1970 'Parachute' album, before diving headlong into five tracks from the 1968 album 'S.F. Sorrow'. Starting with the eminent and vibrant 'S.F. Sorrow Is Born', moving onto the delectable and illustrious 'She Says Good Morning', with David Gilmour entering the stage for the remainder of the set to embellish the tracks with his trademark guitar licks. The glorious 'Baron Saturday' sees Taylor step up to the mic to bark out the lyrics. A bit croaky, but delivered with enthusiasm and zeal! 'Trust' gels nicely with all the band locking in. The breathtaking and beguiling 'I See You' shifted everything up a notch, with some fine jamming and guitar noodling from Taylor and Gilmour! The second set concluded with the astounding epic 'Cries From the Midnight Circus' from the 1970 album 'Parachute'. Gilmour raised the bar and lifted the song into the stratosphere with some magisterial fretwork!" Read the whole of Steven C. Gilbert's The Pretty Things, The IndigO2, London, gig review from last Thursday here plus check out our Video Of The Day.

Today's Rock On The Ridge Podcast Track Of The Day pays homage to the recent Wrinklystock VII at The Mick Jagger Centre, Dartford, with music that was played on the night by support band The Replicants (pictured) plus headline act The Kast Off Kinks. There's also a review of some of the best music of 2018!

Ginger Wildheart’s Birthday Bash is at The Garage in London tonight, and with an impressive supporting cast, it promises to be a special night. Originally formed in late 1989 in the depths of Newcastle, The Wildhearts recently completed a three date UK tour performing their debut album, 'Earth vs the Wildhearts', in its entirety.

"At the end of the set Ben tells of how he and the band spent weeks and weeks holed up in the studio to produce the new album and how proud they were of it. They should be proud, it’s a corker and the songs sound fantastic live. Wayne produced the album too, which makes you wonder where he gets the time for King King. The band don’t spend too long off stage before being coaxed back for one more - a lovely cover of Don Henley’s 'Dirty Laundry' which made everyone smile and cheer one last time. This really was one one of those gigs that you were sorry to see end and for me both Matt Pearce and Ben Poole have firmly joined that breed of new British guitarists who are carrying forward the legacy of Clapton, Beck and Page. Good luck guys! No pressure…." Read the whole of Pete Elphick's Ben Poole/Matt Pearce & The Mutiny, Half Moon, Putney, London, gig review from last Wednesday here (pictures courtesy of Bruce Biege) plus check out our Video Of The Day.

Today's Blues On The Radio Podcast Track Of The Day is an hour of new music from Mike Ross, The Riotous Brothers, JP Williams, Rob Heron & The Tea Pad Orchestra, Half Deaf Clatch, Andy Lindquist, Eric Bibb, Sean Chambers and The Ragtime Rumours, Steve Bailey & Mississippi MacDonald, Slide Tracked Blues, Split Whiskers, ElectroBluesSociety and Kevin "B.F." Burt.