As the sound of industry chatter filled the room, it was soon apparent that The Age Music Victoria Awards are as much about networking as they are about celebrating the local music scene. However, with a lineup including Marlon Williams, Harts and Courtney Barnett, it wasn’t long until attention turned towards the stage.
Hosted by charismatic PBS presenter Lyndelle Wilkinson and RRR’s roller skate wearing Chris Gill, the awards’ tenth anniversary kicked off with an epic performance from singer/songwriter, producer and multi instrumentalist, Harts. Drawing from his recent EP, Breakthrough, the young talent showed the crowd exactly what all the fuss is about. The short set included Breakthrough and Red And Blue, and a face melting guitar solo that saw Harts playing behind his head.
Country bluesman Marlon Williams was next to grace the stage. The diverse crowd got a glimpse of Williams’ self-titled debut album, with tracks including Hello Miss Lonesome, Strange Things and Dark Child. A talented vocalist, the performance also showcased his guitar playing skills as he battled against the two other guitarists on stage.
As the night moved on to the announcements of the Public Awards, the crowd settled down to hear who had come out on top. Best Festival went to Golden Plains, Best Venue was awarded to the renowned Corner Hotel. The regional awards went to Cosmic Psychos (Best Regional Act) and Theatre Royal in Castlemaine (Best Regional Venue). Other major winners included The Smith Street Band (Best Live Band), Raised By Eagles (Best Emerging Talent) and C.W. Stoneking (Best Male Artist).
However, the night’s clear champion was Courtney Barnett, taking home Best Female Artist, Best Band, Best Song for Depreston and Best Album for Sometimes I Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit. The Melbourne singer/songwriter had already taken the stage before her award sweep and had captivated the crowd with her humble charm and storytelling lyrics. The brief set included Depreston, Avant Gardener and Pedestrian At Best, demonstrating that Barnett’s ability to connect with a crowd in a simple, authentic manner is unlike any other.
The EG Allstars soon set up on stage, teaming up with vocalists Emma Donovan, Olympia, Ajak Kwai, Briggs, Ecca Vandal, Ben Salter, Iseula Hingano and Blake Scott (The Peep Tempel). The singers all brought their own flavour and style to the stage, each as impressive as the next. Closing the night was DJ Fee B-Squared (RRR) with a bunch of electronic jams for those that wanted to send the night off with a boogie.
BY PHOEBE ROBERTSON
Loved: Harts’ contagious energy.
Hated: Having to work the next day.
Drank: Sailor Jerry.
