It’s a sad truth that industry awards nights are generally overshadowed by the networking talk-a-thon that goes on in the amassed crowd of movers and shakers. It’s a tough gig for the artists who find themselves performing to an overtalkative audience who seem more interested in making contacts than hearing their music. However, The Age and Music Victoria did a pretty fine job in band programming by getting Daddy Cool back together who actually managed to keep the networkers down to a dull roar for their set.
The two happiest campers on the night were Dan Sultan, who grabbed Best Album for Blackbird and Best Male Artist, and Courtney Barnett, with Best Song for Avant Gardener and Best Female Artist. King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard beat Wagons, Client Liaison and Total Control for the title of Best Band while Best Emerging Artist went to Remi. Last year’s winners of Best Regional Act, Stonefield, were denied a second win with Cosmic Psychos taking the gong, while Saskwatch beat the Psychos for Best Live Act. For the second year in a row, The Corner Hotel and Meredith Music Festival were named Best Venue and Best Festival respectively, and Castlemaine’s Bridge Hotel earned the Best Regional Venue award.
The EG Allstars took their usual places as the evening’s backing band for a rotating roster of artists after the swag of awards was exhausted. Stonefield did their take on the Madder Lake tune 12lb Toothbrush before making way for Teeth &Tongue’s Jess Cornelius, whose version of Dear Prudence was a slow-building swirl of vocal beauty. But it was Russell Morris’ shot of psychedelia The Real Thing that finally brought the crowd together into a single voice with the song’s nonsensical iconic chorus. Morris never seemed ready to yield to the constantly building outro, with solo after solo washing over a crowd ready and willing to follow him into an acid-fuelled oblivion.
Before Daddy Cool’s headlining slot, the night paid tribute to trailblazing music journalist Ed Nimmervoll, who sadly passed away last month. Accepting Nimmervoll’s induction into The Age/Music Victoria Hall of Fame, Russell Morris spoke of the founder of Juke magazine as someone who stood out in an industry full of “puffed egos and delicate constitutions.” Brian Nankervis was given the honour of awarding Daddy Cool with their induction into the Hall of Fame before the band launched into a set including Bom Bom, Cherry Pie, Blind Date, Come Back Again and the insurmountable Eagle Rock. Closing on their eponymous classic Daddy Cool, singer Ross Wilson, guitarist Ross Hannaford, bassist Wayne Duncan and drummer Gary Young gave another example of just how fundamental they were to Australian rock music, if anyone didn’t know that already.
BY RHYS MCRAE
Photo by Ian Laidlaw
Loved: Ross Hannaford looking like a mad tradie tripper in fluorescent beanie and cargo pants.
Hated: People talking through Ed Nimmervoll’s tribute. For fuck’s sake, guys.
Drank: Nada.
