The Carlton Dry-sponsored Independent Music Awards night ran as smoothly as it feasibly could. Held in a cleaned up former meat market in North Melbourne, the ceremony was carried out with near-seamless rapidity, thus enabling a celebratory atmosphere to be upheld throughout.
Dylan Lewis was on board as the event’s host. With no TV camera or a radio microphone to filter his banter, Lewis went to town with awkward, lewd and often acerbic sarcasm. He’s a freakin’ funny dude, which made you heartily support his mid-show suggestion that there should be a TV show devoted to Australian music (Recovery revival 2015?).
Before we got into the awards, Meg Mac took the stage. It ain’t easy to perform for a room full of freshly seated patrons wondering when they can get another beer, but Mac didn’t falter. She used big hooks and an even bigger voice to prove she’s probably about six months away from seriously exploding.
Adalita was this year’s keynote speaker and she offered an impassioned account of her 25 years in music (19 of them as an independent artist). Her very sincere speech emphasised that it is possible to make a sustainable living out of this indie music thing.
Best acceptance speech of the night goes to Paul Grabowsky, whose Sextet picked up the award for best jazz album. Dressed in a trim suit, Grabowsky joked that he must’ve missed the “plain clothes night” memo, recommended his son to anyone looking for a graphic designer and referred to himself as “grandpa”.
Nominees for best electronica single, SAFIA were the next performer. While the Canberra three-piece showed genuine enthusiasm, their extrapolation of James Blake-like plaintive dub step might need some refiguring if they’re going to be on anyone’s radar in twelve months time.
Jo Symes, from 2013 nominees Big Scary, stepped up to the podium to hand out an award, which prompted Lewis to ask whether the band had spent their $30k Australian Music Prize winnings on drugs. When she rebutted with “No way, we’re independent.” He hilariously quipped, “Of course, you grow your own.”
DMA’s were next to perform, punching out the tune that accelerated them from nobodies to somebodies six months ago, Delete. Whether or not you buy into their Brit pop revival shtick, the chav-channeling collective execute said shtick pretty darn well. Though, their disaffected, stinging-for-a-smoke attitude meant they’d almost walked off stage before the song was done.
Oh yeah, Sheppard played at some point and the lead vocalist’s microphone wasn’t on. But it’s uncertain that their fluffy MOR pop would’ve been any more pronounced had the vocals been audible.
Violent Soho and Courtney Barnett took out two awards each, perhaps to the surprise of no one, but deserving nonetheless. Then, after picking up the gong for best hip hop album, Remi was announced as the recipient of the very generous Carlton Dry Global Music Grant. Fifty grand sure is a lot of money and it’s fair to predict Remi will have better luck cracking the overseas market than the majority of the local hip hop brigade. Following his win, the rapper closed the ceremony with Tyson, featuring hype-man N’Fa Jones. The exuberant performance was a convincing advertisement to get along early to see Remi supporting Allday later this month.
Everyone left with 16 beers in the belly and firm confidence in the strength of Australia’s independent music community. The whole event felt more like a party than a ‘take yourself seriously, this is a real job’ occasion. And so it bloody should. Musicians are social deviants. Thankfully, beer companies want to invest in them.
BY AUGUSTUS WELBY
Photo by David Harris
Loved: Free beer.
Hated: One-to-seven too many free beers.
Drank: Carlton Dry.
