Last Friday night (01/10), I headed down to The Forum to go watch The Jagermeister Independent Music Awards with my side-kick Kim (although I'm sure she wouldn't like to be known as my sidekick). As usual, I was late. Luckily I don't think I missed anything, besides getting a seat. After getting our Jager and Redbull (endorsement deal please?) we searched for higher ground so our view wasn't obstructed by those menacing tall people. While this article will not be even close to being as well written as The Vine and Mess+Noise articles about the night, I highly doubt that you'd expect it from me anyway. You shouldn't expect any amazing photography either, if you have any complaints about that you should direct them to Pix and Chris and tell them to purchase me a professional camera, or a hot photographer I can drag around with me.
While waiting for the show to start Kim and I spotted Dan Sultan, so acting like sad middle aged women at a male strip club, we swooned over him for a while. Actually, we seemed to have an opinion about everyone/everything that night. We were like the young, female version of The Muppets, Stalter and Walkdorf. Just factor in that we were drinking and we're not very funny. Sorry to whomever was standing near us and had to listen to the obnoxious running commentary of us yelling out things like we were trying to help someone win the showcase on The Price Is Right.
*CLICK READ MORE BELOW...
I missed the opener with Scott Dools but apparently it was to do with cricket or something. First up to perform are The Amity Affliction who get an "eh that was OK" from me. If I listen to any sort of hardcore/ post hardcore or metal, I like it to be brutal. Brutal to the point where I want to start punching people in the face and my nose starts bleeding. I may be exaggerating but it was definitely too soft.
The first awards of the night for Best Independent Hard Rock or Punk Album goes to Parkway Drive which I was pleased about. I haven't checked out their new album but I do get out Killing With A Smile when I'm in the mood for it and back in my door bitch/PR days I saw them playing a great set.
The much hyped and eventual winners, Cloud Control performed, Kim was not pleased at all. I don't listen to the radio so I was a fresh listener and probably the uncoolest blogger out there with my lack of new music knowledge. To be honest I don't really get the hype it was kind of droll. It wasn't terrible, and perhaps I need to take another listen. On the upside, there were pretty lights which held my attention.
Throughout the night some more artists I hate won some awards, Midnight Juggernaught with their electro/indie wankery and John Butler Trio who just shit me to tears. Although the John Butler Trio did win their award thanks to Nova listeners (ugh! insert self important snobby comment here).
While Aussie Hip Hop still irks me, there were a hell of a lot of smokin' hot Hip Hop men roaming around. (I swear I'm not a boy-crazy teen). In Kim and I's game of guess who's going to win, I picked Urthboy to pick up Best Independent Hip Hop/Urban Album. He also has a pretty good Twitter page that you should go check out.
Another highlight was seeing shithouse British India blowing up a bass amp and walking off stage. Apparently they said "this would have never happened at the ARIAs", which is amusing because I doubt they'd get asked to play there anytime soon.
My one big issue with the night was with the sound. While the projector showing the nominees before awards were announced were fine, it was the sound while people were trying to present/accept awards. It felt as if no one was actually watching what was happening and instead everyone was just chatting to their friends, even during the performances. I felt really bad for presenters/winners that what they were saying was falling on deaf/rude ears. At certain points of the night a jaded hipster blogger on his laptop took the stage, and I have no idea if what he was saying was amusing or not.
There has also been talk "controversy" about the use of the word 'independent'. People seem to getting their proverbial knickers in a twist over the fact that artist nominated have major label affiliations. I mean maybe I'm so stupid that the uproar goes completely over my head but I really don't get it. What does independent mean anyway? Has the meaning changed over time like the words 'pop(ular)' and 'rnb'? Would have anyone heard any of these bands if it had not been for the assistance of major labels/distributors?
If you read my articles, I'm bitter, angry, insular and I complain. A lot. Actually maybe I should have been the annoying pretentious hipster blogger up on stage. But even I realise that an awards show like this isn't going to please everyone, nothing ever will but I am sure the intention behind holding these awards came from a good place.
It seems to me if people are that concerned about the "little guy" they should start up their own organisation and run their own award show where they can define the term "independent" themselves and please everyone who likes splitting hairs.
Here is a great response from Nick O'Byrne (General manager of the Australian Independent Record Labels Association) regarding all the uproar - Mess + Noise. I'd be interested in hearing your opinion on what you think about the term "independent".
To lighten the mood here are some photos of the after party at Miss Libertines taken with the Cheki "we're having new age fun with a vintage feel"
*Kim being Megan Washington and Sarah Dee and I being sauced.
The first awards of the night for Best Independent Hard Rock or Punk Album goes to Parkway Drive which I was pleased about. I haven't checked out their new album but I do get out Killing With A Smile when I'm in the mood for it and back in my door bitch/PR days I saw them playing a great set.
The much hyped and eventual winners, Cloud Control performed, Kim was not pleased at all. I don't listen to the radio so I was a fresh listener and probably the uncoolest blogger out there with my lack of new music knowledge. To be honest I don't really get the hype it was kind of droll. It wasn't terrible, and perhaps I need to take another listen. On the upside, there were pretty lights which held my attention.
Throughout the night some more artists I hate won some awards, Midnight Juggernaught with their electro/indie wankery and John Butler Trio who just shit me to tears. Although the John Butler Trio did win their award thanks to Nova listeners (ugh! insert self important snobby comment here).
While Aussie Hip Hop still irks me, there were a hell of a lot of smokin' hot Hip Hop men roaming around. (I swear I'm not a boy-crazy teen). In Kim and I's game of guess who's going to win, I picked Urthboy to pick up Best Independent Hip Hop/Urban Album. He also has a pretty good Twitter page that you should go check out.
Another highlight was seeing shithouse British India blowing up a bass amp and walking off stage. Apparently they said "this would have never happened at the ARIAs", which is amusing because I doubt they'd get asked to play there anytime soon.
My one big issue with the night was with the sound. While the projector showing the nominees before awards were announced were fine, it was the sound while people were trying to present/accept awards. It felt as if no one was actually watching what was happening and instead everyone was just chatting to their friends, even during the performances. I felt really bad for presenters/winners that what they were saying was falling on deaf/rude ears. At certain points of the night a jaded hipster blogger on his laptop took the stage, and I have no idea if what he was saying was amusing or not.
If you read my articles, I'm bitter, angry, insular and I complain. A lot. Actually maybe I should have been the annoying pretentious hipster blogger up on stage. But even I realise that an awards show like this isn't going to please everyone, nothing ever will but I am sure the intention behind holding these awards came from a good place.
It seems to me if people are that concerned about the "little guy" they should start up their own organisation and run their own award show where they can define the term "independent" themselves and please everyone who likes splitting hairs.
Here is a great response from Nick O'Byrne (General manager of the Australian Independent Record Labels Association) regarding all the uproar - Mess + Noise. I'd be interested in hearing your opinion on what you think about the term "independent".
To lighten the mood here are some photos of the after party at Miss Libertines taken with the Cheki "we're having new age fun with a vintage feel"
*Kim being Megan Washington and Sarah Dee and I being sauced.
The winners:
Most Popular Independent Artist (as voted by Nova Listeners)
John Butler Trio
Best Independent Artist
Dan Sultan (Independent/MGM)
Breakthrough Independent Artist
Cloud Control (Ivy League)
Best Independent Album
Cloud Control – Bliss Release (Ivy League)
Best Independent Single/EP
Little Red – ‘Rock It’ (Liberation)
Best Independent Blues And Roots Album
Dan Sultan – Get Out While You Can (Independent/MGM)
Best Independent Hard Rock Or Punk Album
Parkway Drive – Deep Blue (Resist/Shock)
Best Independent Country Album
Kasey Chambers, Poppa Bill And The Little Hillbillies – Lost Music Blues (Liberation)
Best Independent Hip Hop/Urban Album
Urthboy – Spitshine (Elefant Traks/Inertia)
Best Independent Dance/Electronica Album
Midnight Juggernauts - The Crystal Axis (Siberia/Inertia)
Best Independent Jazz Album
Stu Hunter - The Gathering (Vitamin)
5 comments:
Love Parkway. New album is fantastic!
Independent....Well I work at an Independent record store in Melbourne...But we obviously stock stuff from Major labels! I guess to some people, like us at the store, it pretty much means 'not mainstream'....or 'underground'....or something.... ;)
"Throughout the night some more artists I hate won some awards, Midnight Juggernaught with their electro/indie wankery and John Butler Trio who just shit me to tears."
Dear Lord this was funny. Awesome stuff.
And no you do not get a camera.
Stalter: That Dan Sultan performed covers with a bunch of wash ups at the NRL Grand final
Walkdorf: They weren't half bad
Stalter: No, THEY'RE ALL BAD
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
oww and the fact we rebuff advertising money and guest posting doesn't bode well for your camera present lol
but never say never
Hahaha @ Pix!
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