Live Review: A Glimpse Into South Australian Music's Biggest Night Of The Year

The SA Music Awards - South Australian music’s biggest night of the year - was a supernova of glitz, glamour, and guitar, and a profound meditation on the urgency of steadfast artistic communities in trying times. 

Rock band West Thebarton set the event into motion with gravelly energy and an unheard of amount of guitar, before we were welcomed by our genial hosts Ash McGregor and Henry Doyle and the winners of the Industry Awards were announced.

Longtime photographer and scene legend Deb Kloeden won Best Photograph for her live snapshot of The Empty Threats. Other winners of the Industry Awards included Aysh Field for Best Cover Art for Coldwave’s No Conflict, the iconic Crown and Anchor, recently saved from demolition, for Best Live Music Venue, Space Jams for Best Small Music Festival, and many more.

The lively audience was then presented with a video message by Keith Urban, congratulating special attendee and legend Guy Sebastian on his induction into the South Australian Music Hall of Fame.

Guy Sebastian, a consummate showman, was good-natured and genuine as he took the stage, shouting out the various Adelaide venues and institutions that played major roles throughout his childhood, much to the appreciation of the crowd. His family were in attendance; Sebastian joked that his son was taken out of school early to attend the awards ceremony, and when his teacher asked what he would be up to that night, the child explained, “My dad’s getting abducted!”

His speech went on to be briefly political; hinting at Donald Trump’s recent re-election, Sebastian preached the unity brought about by music in a time characterised by division. He then, much to the enthusiasm of the crowd, walked across the stage to grab his guitar.

Sebastian’s ensuing performance of the mega-hit Battlescars truly brought the house down; the crowd was ecstatic, singing along to the anthemic chorus that defined everyone’s 2012.

Thus the SA Music Awards were fully set into motion as the major winners were announced.

Pop icon in the making aleksiah (who had to keep racing up to the stage in her platform boots) swept the awards, winning Best New Artist, Best Solo Artist, the Emily Burrows Award, and Most Popular Pop Artist.

The night then featured a performance from My Chérie, who took the stage with ethereal flair and wowed the crowd with her eerie, ecstatic music.

Indie favourite Swapmeet took home Best Song for their album’s leading single Ceiling Fan (“Thank you Keith Urban,” guitarist and vocalist Venus said into the microphone as the four took the stage to accept their award). The band returned back to the stage later that night to accept the award for Best Release for their gem of an album Oxalis.

Teenage Joans, the indie-rock and punk-rock duo, won Best Group and Most Popular Punk Artist; though as the two are on tour currently, they couldn’t be in attendance, and instead thanked the audience with a sweet little video message.

One of the most emotional moments of the night was when the Sisters of Invention won MusicSA Community Achievement Award for their work in the local community and disability awareness. The win by the world’s first all-female pop group with disabilities was truly deserved.

The event was capped off with a performance from the winner of Most Popular Experimental Artist, Sons of Zoku.

It was a night of celebration, guided along by McGregor and Doyle with their gentle crowd-work. It was a night of opportunities and milestones for local artists who have worked so hard to be recognised for their creativity and drive. Guy Sebastian was correct - recognition and support of local artistic communities is crucial now more than ever.

Read more about the winners of the major SA Music Awards here.