An integral part of Melbourne Music Week, the awards recognised some of Victoria’s best artists, venues, and festivals over the past 12 months. King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard took home three massive awards for Best Band, Best Live Band, and Best Song for their track ‘Rattlesnake’. The Teskey Brothers claimed the win for Best Soul, Funk, RNB and Gospel Album with their LP Half Mile Harvest and added another trophy to the cabinet with their new title of Best Emerging Act.
A.B. Original won big on the night, picking up not one but three awards including the prestigious Best Album for Reclaim Australia. The same record was named Best Hip Hop Album, while A.B. Original were also recognised as the Best Aboriginal Act.
Other notable wins include Meredith for Best Festival, The Tote for Best Venue (Under 500 Capacity), The Corner for Best Venue (Over 500 Capacity), and Client Liaison taking home the trophy for Best Electronic Act.
The late three-time ARIA award winner Tony Cohen was also recognised for his contribution to music as a producer and sound engineer with an induction into The Age Music Victoria Hall of Fame.
See below for the full list of winners:
GENRE AWARD WINNERS:
Best Blues Album
Fiona Boyes – Professin’ The Blues
Best Country Album
Raised By Eagles – I Must Be Somewhere
Best Soul, Funk, RNB and Gospel Album
The Teskey Brothers – Half Mile Harvest
Best Jazz Album
Brenton Foster – The Nature of Light
Best Hip Hop Album
A.B. Original – Reclaim Australia
Best Electronic Act
Client Liaison
Best Heavy Album
Divide and Dissolve – Basic
Best Aboriginal Act
A.B. Original
Best Global or Reggae Album
Lamine Sonko and The African Intelligence – Afro Empire
Best Folk / Roots Album
The Mae Trio – Take Care, Take Cover
Best Experimental / Avant-Garde Act
Winter Sound School / Bridget Chappell
PUBLICLY VOTED WINNERS:
Best Festival
Meredith Music Festival
Best Regional Venue (Under 50 Gigs Per Year)
Theatre Royal (Castlemaine)
Best Regional Venue (Over 50 Gigs Per Year)
Workers Club (Geelong)
Best Venue (Under 500 Capacity)
The Tote
Best Venue (Over 500 Capacity)
The Corner Hotel
Best Regional Act
Cosmic Psychos
Best Live Band
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Best Emerging Act
The Teskey Brothers
Best Male Artist
Paul Kelly
Best Female Artist
Jen Cloher
Best Song
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Rattlesnake
Best Band
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Best Album
A.B. Original – Reclaim Australia
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE
Tony Cohen – Aria-Award Winning Producer & Engineer
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Zo Damage – 365 Day Live Music Photography Project
(Photo: Martin Philbey)