By Charles Basil
©Copyright 2024 SDAM.com/Charlie Basil

An electronic wail wakes you from an uncomfortable sleep. Your temples throb as you slam your palm against the alarm clock, tripping the snooze button.     Mummified, you step into a hot shower, followed by a cold breakfast. Then it hits you. A glimmer of recollection…and you realize the cause of this eternal pain.     You were at the San Diego Music Awards last night. You remember seeing that dude from Blink 182 (you're not sure which one. He had a lip ring though). Then a cooler's worth of margarita flashes before your eyes and it dawns on you, you fell victim the annual SDAM.com after-party. That sour taste in your mouth is the remnants of SDAM.com CEO Michael Breen's famous margarita mix. "I make those every year," says Michael, "And they're always gone before the awards are even over."     That tradition held true again this year. It was Jason Guilliani from Jack's Broken Heart helping polish off the last drops before scampering away to collect his award for Best Alternative Band. "I was surrounded by conversation in both ears and all of sudden I just heard 'Jack's Broken Heart and was like, OH NO!, and ran out of there." Guilliani says.     He didn't have to run far, SDAM.com's suites were directly overlooking the venue, a stone's throw to the stage.     As always, the sound system at Humphrey's by the Bay was loud and kicking, but the crowd was all-too-self-absorbed to pay attention to the on-stage action. Those not fortunate enough to make the SDAM.com huddled around the back bar slurping drinks and mingling. However, artists and industry brass alike hurried to room 115 to revel amidst the action of the party.     When the show stopped, the party only grew. Somebody's beautiful wife obviously needed a chaperone, as did the girls clad in all leathers. County law prohibits disclosing what those three were doing around 1 a.m.     While bong hits and droopy eyes filled other after parties about the Half Moon Inn, the SDAM.com crew were shouts and hollas into the wee hours. Suspicions of divine intervention began as the crowd witnessed a cooler that turned ice into beer. It was full every time it was opened.     And that's the last thing I remember…