Event photography by Samuel Graves. Media wall photography by Dave Pascoe
Last night, Wed 8 Nov 2023, MusicSA was proud to present the 2023 South Australian Music Awards at the iconic Woodville Town Hall on Kaurna Yerta.
The ceremony kicked off at 5.30pm for the pre-ceremony red carpet event. Drinks, food, photos and fashion filled the foyer to Woodville Town Hall, with scenestr documenting it all with a social media live stream, interviewing artists and industry. Local DJ Claude set the tone for the evening and had everyone feeling hyped to celebrate our unifying passion and cause: local South Aussie music.
Eager fans, nervously-excited finalists, family, friends and local and national industry members trickled into the hall at 7.00pm for the official roll-out of the 2023 SA Music Awards.
Kaurna, Ngarrindjeri and Narungga woman Ashum Yarlupina Owen performed a Welcome to Country and shared important words with the audience on music, as well as acknowledging some of the First Nations artists in the room, such as Nathan May, Rob Edwards, Dem Mob and Electric Fields. MusicSA would like to thank Ashum again for her time and for sharing her presence and culture with us at the awards on Kaurna Yerta.
The audience heard from MusicSA Board Chair John Glenn, as well as the Honourable Andrea Michaels MP, Minister for Arts.
Throughout the evening were performances by an incredible lineup of local talent, all of which were 2023 SA Music Awards nominees. Carla Lippis + Mondo Psycho, Nathan May, aleksiah and The Empty Threats performed unforgettable sets. Carla Lippis + Mondo Psycho’s energetic wrath and strong vocals, Nathan May’s captivating songwriting and warmth, aleksiah’s goose-bump inducing voice and delicious hooks, and The Empty Threats’ magnetism, boldness, and immersivity, all displayed a vivid cross-section of the talent SA has to offer.
The Empty Threats closed the 2023 SA Music Awards ceremony with a bang, delivering full energy after receiving two Major Awards (Best New Artist and Best Song).
Also gracing the stage was none other than Aussie music legend, Paul Kelly. Paul Kelly delivered a truly special moment for everyone in the building, speaking of his memories and key experiences of living in Adelaide, and sharing two songs with the captivated audience.
The first was an older one, a rendition of ‘The Street of Forbes’, which Paul spoke of being reminiscent to his times with Dave Clark, hanging around the folk clubs in Adelaide during the 70s. The second was a new original that still had ‘wet paint on it’, and was performed in public for the first time ever, ‘Going to the River with Dad’.
Not only does Paul Kelly now have his own lane in Adelaide (his home town and place of his debut gig), but he has now officially been inducted into the AMC SA Music Hall of Fame, which he was appointed at last night’s awards.
Of course, though the live performances of the evening were highlight features, the awards presented are a testament to the vast, diverse, skilled and undeniable talent South Australia holds in its music industry, and this was blatant as each award finalist and winner was announced. A key highlight was DEM MOB’s huge five awards win! A special thank you also to The Note for capturing interviews and special moments with the winners and sponsors behind the scenes during the ceremony.
MusicSA is proud to share and warmly congratulate again the SA Music Award winners for 2023:
2023 Special Awards
Neville Clark Award – presented by Rosanna Clark
JASE ESS – awarded by SAE Creative Media Institute
TODD PERGALLINI – awarded by TAFESA
APRA AMCOS Emily Burrows Award
DEM MOB
UNESCO Best International Collaboration Award – presented by UNESCO Adelaide City of Music
ADAM PAGE
MusicSA Community Achievement Award
GIRLS ROCK! ADELAIDE
2023 Industry Award Winners, presented by Flinders University:
Best Manager – presented by Eckermann Lawyers
RACHEL WHITFORD (27 Music)
Best Regional Live Music Venue or Live Music Activation – presented by AHA (SA Branch)
ADELAIDE GUITAR FESTIVAL – ON THE ROAD 2023
Best Live Music Venue – presented by AHA (SA Branch)
CROWN & ANCHOR
Best Studio – presented by Flinders University
WUNDENBERGS
Best Cover Art – presented by Version Design
KASPAR SCHMIDT MUMM & THE BAIT FRIDGE
for “HYPERCOLOUR MISCELLANEOUS”
Best Music Video – presented by JC Decaux
CONOR MERCURY MOVIES
for “Bills” by Carla Geneve
Best Music Educator – presented by SAMii
DEM MOB’S “KURUNPA KUNPUNTJAKU”
Best Studio Engineer or Producer – presented by Novatech Creative Event Technology
LEWIS WUNDENBERG
Best Live Technician – presented by Adelaide Backline & Production Hire
NATHAN D’AGOSTINO
Best Small Music Festival or Event – presented by White Marquee
SOMESHINE FESTIVAL (P.A.K Records & Daybed Records)
Best Major Music Festival or Event – presented by Insurance Advisernet Australia
VINTAGE VIBES FESTIVAL
2023 Major Award Winners, presented by Novatech Creative Event Technology:
Best New Artist – presented by WOMADelaide
THE EMPTY THREATS
Best Regional Artist – presented by Good Music Month
DEM MOB
Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Artist – presented by the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music
DEM MOB
Best Solo Artist – presented by scenestr
ALANA JAGT
Best Song – presented by Wonderlick
THE EMPTY THREATS
Best Release – presented by Hindley Street Music Hall
SLOWMANGO for “HYPERCOLOUR MISCELLANEOUS”
Best Group – presented by Moshtix
BAD//DREEMS
People’s Choice Award Winners, presented by The Note:
Blues & Roots – presented by Adelaide West End Association
DOJO RISE
Country – presented by MusicSA
MARK CURTIS AND THE FLANNELETTES
Electronic – presented by Thebarton Theatre
ELECTRIC FIELDS
Experimental & Art Music – presented by Crown & Anchor
SONS OF ZOKÜ
Folk – presented by MusicSA
UKULELE DEATH SQUAD
Heavy– presented by Derringers Music
STABBITHA AND THE KNIFEY WIFEYS
Hip Hop – presented by The Gov
DEM MOB
Jazz –presented by Helpmann Academy
5 SIDED CUBE
Pop – presented by Alpha Box & Dice
THE TULLAMARINES
Punk – presented by Three D Radio
TEENAGE JOANS
Rock – presented by UniBar ADL
MUMS FAVOURITE
Best Soul,Funk,RnB – presented by Woodville Town Hall
MUM THINKS BLUE
A sincere congratulations to all the winners and finalists of the 2023 South Australian Music Awards. Thank you for your contribution to our industry and community, and strengthening us all through creativity – and all that goes with it.
The South Australian Music Awards are made possible with the generous support from the South Australian Government’s Music Development Office, and partners Woodville Town Hall, Australian Hotels Association (SA), The Note (South Aussie media partner), Scenestr (national media partner), Novatech Creative Event Technologies, Flinders University, Moshtix, Pirate Life and Alpha Box & Dice.
A huge thank you to our sponsors, WOMADelaide, Hindley St Music Hall, Centre for Aboriginal Study of Music (CASM), Wonderlick, Eckermann Lawyers, Insurance Advisernet Australia, White Marquee Event Hire, SAMii, Three D Radio, Adelaide West End Association, Thebarton Theatre, The Gov, Derringers Music, The Crown & Anchor, Helpmann Academy, UniBar ADL, Adelaide Backline & Production Hire, Version Design and JC Decaux.
Special mention to City of Charles Sturt, the City of Adelaide and AEDA for their support of this event and ongoing support of live music in South Australia.
