Music

The winners of the 2019 South Australian Music (SAM) Awards were announced at Bonython Hall on Friday night, including the People’s Choice Blues and Roots award presented by Radio Adelaide, and a Best New Video award for one of Radio Adelaide’s own presenters.

Indie rock trio Horror My Friend took home a haul of three awards. Adrian Eagle and Electric Fields took home two awards each, and Jess Day won Best New Artist.

In a gala ceremony hosted by triple j Home and Hosed’s Declan Byrne after a stirring Welcome to Country by Jack Buckskin, Horror My Friend won Best Song for Turned Loose, Best Group, and Ryan Sahb won Best Music Video for a clip he created for the band.

In other major award categories, Jess Day claimed Best New Artist, while 2018 winner Adrian Eagle was named Best Solo artist, and won Best Release for AOK. Electric Fields took out the Best ATSI artist and the People’s Choice award in the Electronic category.

From the industry, Wundenberg’s Recording and Rehearsal Studios won Best Studio, with Mario Spate winning Best Engineer for the second consecutive year. The recently launched Lion Arts Factory claimed Best Music Venue, with Porchland and Stonecutters winning Best Festival/Event.

With Sleep Talk, Bearclaw Camp and The Beautiful Monument on her resume, Alex Karatassa took home the award for Best Manager and Luke Hancock bagged the Best Live Engineer award.

In the People’s Choice category, Ollie English took home the Blues and Roots award for the second year running, The Cut Snakes won the Country category, Sons of Zōku took out the Experimental award and Ukulele Death Squad snagged the Folk award.

Rising stars Wing Defence grabbed the Punk award, Wanderers won Soul/Funk/RnB taking out their second People’s Choice award, and Adam Page won his fourth SAM Award in the Jazz category (previously a winner in Jazz and World Music categories).

In other honours announced during the ceremony, the UNESCO City of Music Best International Collaboration Award went to Slava and Lenny Grogoryan with Beijing Duo, as part of Adelaide Guitar Festival; the Music SA Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to music engineer Neville Clark, and the coveted APRA AMCOS Emily Burrows Award presented for the first time at the SAM Awards was taken out by four-piece country rockers Dead Roo.

Lisa Bishop, CEO of Music SA, said the Awards were a wonderful acknowledgment of an incredibly hard working industry.
“Our musicians are thriving at the moment and the South Australian Music Awards are a fantastic opportunity to recognise and celebrate the efforts of those on stage, off stage and behind the scenes. I am so proud of all our nominees, finalists and winners. They are the reason we continue to flourish as a UNESCO City of Music and why Adelaide is well known as a breeding ground for world class artists and industry professionals.”

Minister for Innovation and Skills, David Pisoni, said: “The State Government is proud to support the South Australian music industry and is working to make our state a place where local musicians can develop and be successful in their craft.

“The Music Development Office supports both creative and business development through programs that mentor and develop local musicians, bring more young people into the industry and support new festivals and events. Congratulations to all the winners of the SAM Awards and thank you to Music SA for encouraging and supporting our artists.”

Chair of Music SA Anne Wiberg said: “The SAM Awards are the perfect reason to get together and honour the people who keep our music scene alive. Congratulations to everyone involved in presenting the event, and also to the nominees and winners of those well deserved accolades.”

The gala at Bonython Hall provided a stellar line up of entertainment, with live performances by Kelly Menhennett, Jimblah, CASM Artists by Nathan May, Stellie and SAM Award winners Jess Day and Horror My Friend, with Electric Fields closing the night with a surprise performance.

Best Studio
presented by Adelaide Music Collective
Wundenberg’s Recording and Rehearsal Studios

Best Studio Engineerpresented by SAE Institute
Mario Spate

Best Live Engineer
presented by Novatech
Luke Hancock

Best Festival/Event
presented by Moshtix
Porchland/Stonecutters

Best Venue
presented by AHA (SA Branch)
Lion Arts Factory

Best Cover Art
presented by VERSION Design
Jack Fenby (Dress Code)

Best Manager
presented by Association of Artist Managers
Alex Karatassa

Best Music Video
presented by Channel 9
Ryan Sahb (Horror My Friend)

Best Song
presented by APRA AMCOS
Horror My Friend – Turned Loose

Best New Artist
presented by WOMADelaide
Jess Day

Best Group
presented by Music SA
Horror My Friend

Best ATSI
presented by CASM
Electric Fields

Best Solo
presented by Adelaide Fringe
Adrian Eagle

Best Release
presented by The Music
Adrian Eagle – A.O.K.

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS

Blues & Roots
presented by Radio Adelaide
Ollie English

Country
presented by Grace Emily Hotel
The Cut Snakes

Electronic
presented by Rocket Bar
Electric Fields

Experimental
presented by Ancient World
SONS OF ZÖKU

Folk
presented by Wheatsheaf Hotel
Ukulele Death Squad

Heavy
presented by Underground Records
Hidden Intent

Hip Hop
presented by The Gov
Elsy Wameyo

Jazz
presented by Elder Con
Adam Page

Pop
presented by Lion Arts Factory
Germein

Punk
presented by Three D Radio
Wing Defence

Rock
presented by Crown & Anchor

TOWNS

Soul/Funk/R’n’B
presented by Woodville Town Hall
Wanderers

OTHER HONOURS
UNESCO, City of Music, Best International Collaboration Award Winner: SLAVA AND LENNY GROGORYAN WITH BEIJING DUO, AS PART OF ADELAIDE GUITAR FESTIVAL

Music SA Lifetime Achievement Award
Winner: NEVILLE CLARK

APRA AMCOS Emily Burrows Award
Winner: DEAD ROO