All over bar the after party
That’s it for the 2017 Aria awards. Thank you for joining us through this wonderful journey of great suits, better music, and even better opinions about Australia’s best bird. (Polls close 9 December!)
The big winners of the night were Gang of Youths which won four awards including album of the year, best group, and best rock album for Go Farther in Lightness.
Paul Kelly also took home four awards, including best male artist and best adult contemporary album for Life is Fine.
Song of the year went to Peking Duk for ‘Stranger (feat. Elliphant).
Illy was named best Australian live act, while Harry Styles won best International Act. Both those categories are voted by the public.
Amy Shark won best breakthrough artist and best pop release. PNAU won best dance track.
A.B. Original took out two awards, best urban album and best independent release, for Reclaim Australia.
Sia won best female artist but did not collect her award in person.
You can read our full wrap of the night here.
‘Rock and roll saved our fucking lives’
Gang of Youths frontman Dave Le’aupepe, so eloquent on stage, continues in the press room in a roving, honest interview that touches on the power of rock and roll and the beauty of diversity.
He starts by addressing the journalists in the room:
Don’t capitulate, don’t equivocate, write honest things. We need a good and honest fourth estate.
For this band of migrants, he says the award means a lot:
My family came with nothing. To be heralded as something that is significant within the cultural landscape in Australia is quite amazing for us. The assumption about Pacific Islanders in this country is that they play footy or they work security or they sing RnB, and that’s not the case.
He also opened up about his experience with mental health issues:
Rock and roll saved our fucking lives, and it saved my fucking life ... I tried to kill myself in 2014 and a mate of mine who works with Sony, gave me a room and told me not to. I channeled all the horrible nervous energy I’d been channeling into alcohol and self-destruction into something that I thought was worthwhile.
People are cynical...but it’s actually something that gave me hope and life that I didn’t have before.
He shouts out to the other Pacific Islander journalists in the room, who congratulate him, beaming and as proud of him and the band as anyone.
Because it seems we cannot get through a public event without something like this happening, it behooves me to tell you that Kirin J. Callinan, who you may remember from earlier in the blog because Jimmy Barnes talked about being in his video clip, exposed his penis on the red carpet.
I don’t know why.
On the broadcast, Peking Duk are trying to remember their speech. I love that they have decided to dress in matching outfits based off John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. It’s a strong look and one more people should emulate.
And that’s it for the awards. Now for a tribute to Malcolm and George Young. Malcolm Young’s funeral was held in Sydney today.
Kurt Pengilly and Jon Farriss from INXS, who just presented best live act, tell us in the media room that they miss performing live.
Farriss says:
I don’t get out much. I’ve been watching some of the live acts tonight and going, ‘oh, I remember that’. There’s something special about it.
Robbie Buck asks them how they feel on the 20th anniversary of the death of bandmate Michael Hutchence.
Said Pengilly:
We tend to reflect on the fact that it’s 40 years since we’ve been together.
Everyone else keeps bringing up Michael’s death and that sort of thing. For us, we remember all the fun times. He was our brother, our partner in crime. We try and avoid the anniversary, it’s not something I want to celebrate. It’s more the fun times.
Peking Duk wins song of the year
Peking Duk has won the song of the year for ‘Stranger (feat. Elliphant). Lorde presented the award.
On TV, Gang of Youths has just accepted their Aria for album of the year.
David Le’aupepe says the award is significant for the Pacific Islander community. Most of the band are Pacific Islanders.
We’re not just useful on the footy field.
Also, Buzzfeed has made this important point:
Dave Le'aupepe is what you'd get if Jon Snow and Khal Drogo had a baby #Arias pic.twitter.com/Q77EJIID2J
— BuzzFeed Australia (@BuzzFeedOz) November 28, 2017
We are barrelling toward the end here.
‘Every now and then you have one of those years that’s just non stop’
In his brilliant speech accepting the award for album of the year for Gang of Youths, David Le’aupepe said of Paul Kelly: “the heart of Australia beats through [his] music”.
Speaking in the media room, Kelly talked about the commercial and critical success of his latest album Life is Fine:
It’s not something you aim for but it’s always good when you get it. We’ve had a big year - things jumped up, [we started getting] big crowds, we’re still in the middle of it ... every now and then you have one of those years that’s just non stop.
He was quite sanguine about success, describing it as almost random:
Some records are more popular than others; sometimes the light gets shined on you for a little while and it moves on. It comes and goes. I still keep making records and some are a little bit more difficult for people than others. Some are more popular.
Of his collaboration with AB Original for their update of Dumb Things, which was the highlight of the Arias broadcast, he said:
I love getting up with those guys ... they’re very funny guys to be with, and I just love the way they raise a ruckus.
I like the idea that two groups or two people can come together and make something that neither of them could have made on their own ... Sometimes when you’re just working with yourself you just bore yourself and you’ve got to find ways to surprise yourself.
Gang of Youths wins album of the year
Gang of Youths have swept this night’s awards, and can now add album of the year to tonight’s gongs for best group and best rock album.
They take to the stage and deliver the best speech of the night, hands down.
Says lead singer Dave Le’aupepe:
We’re all immigrants to this country, every single one of us. This country was built on a strong Indigenous people and on the backs of immigrants.
A.B. Original thank you for making an incendiary, important record for the brown boys. We fucking love you. Amy Shark you are one of the strongest women and thank you for making the strongest music. Paul Kelly, the heart of Australia beats through your music.
It’s a wonderful, moving speech, and Le’aupepe continues to pay tribute to his own migrant background, as well as those of his bandmates: Pacific Islander, Korean and Jewish.
We’re Pacific Islanders and we’re very proud of our heritage. We are a loving community and we’re not just useful on the footy field, and we hope this proves something. My grandparents came on a boat after the Holocaust, they came as refugees to this country and thank you for welcoming us. We love this country. Fuck yeah. Thanks.
In case you missed it:
When Darryl Braithwaite is inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame, there's only one thing to do... 🏇🏿 #ARIAs pic.twitter.com/xavrGA6ecR
— Channel 9 (@Channel9) November 28, 2017
Amy Shark wins best breakthrough artist
Amy Shark has won her second award for the night – this time for breakthrough artist.
She spoke earlier in the night about how much winning these awards mean to her, and this second win has only added to the emotion.
She says:
There are a lot of years that I was frustrated with the industry. I just wanted everyone to hear my music so bad. My heart can’t handle this. This is an incredible night for me. Thank you.
Katie Noonan, who won this award in 2002, presented the award to Shark, but not before delivering a wonderful acknowledgment of country.
Illy wins best live act
It’s a crowded field, including a lot of artists who’ve already taken home awards tonight, but Melbourne rapper Illy, as voted by the fans, has won best live act.
He pays tribute to Triple J for their decision to move the date of the Hottest 100, announced yesterday.
Shout out to Triple J for their last 24 hours, it’s been a big thing, so congrats to those guys.
Harry Styles is Wolfmother: a theory
We haven’t spoken about Harry Styles for a while, so please enjoy this despatch from Naaman Zhou about Styles’s live performance, with bonus 2006 Australian festival circuit content.
Writes Naaman:
Harry Styles, resplendent in purple suit and gold swirls [it’s paisley, Naaman, we discussed this], has just delivered the performance, that let’s be fair, a huge chunk of the audience has been waiting for.
It’s a rollicking, high-energy rendition of his single Kiwi, which, coming in the middle of this night of Aussie music, suddenly sounds a lot like Wolfmother’s Joker and the Thief. A deliberate choice? Am I the only one who’s noticed this?
Anyway, it’s another great performance on a night of great performances. The stans can rest easy, and if he releases some music next year, he’s a shoo-in for a 7th straight award for best international act.
The only story that matters, from Daryl Braithwaite’s Hall of Fame speech:
As a child, my twin brother Glen and I used to love singing along to the songs on the radio at the time. We joined the choir at Christchurch Grammar School in Melbourne, with Olivia Newton-John in my class, and we went out for a week.
Braithwaite says his dad was “upset for a long time” when he gave up his fitting and turning apprenticeship to join Sherbet.
He talks about going on the dole after Sherbet and the difficulty of getting back into music.
That record changed my life. Thirty years on, I’m eternally grateful.
He’s about to perform Horses with Guy Sebastian and Vera Blue.
In real time, I am hearing from Steph Harmon that Harry Styles’s live performance was excellent and involved a lot of screaming. (From fans, not from Styles.)
Here’s Daryl Braithwaite being inducted into the hall of fame by Jimmy Barnes.
If you want to expand your solo Braithwaite repertoire beyond Horses, may I suggest One Summer? I promise you already know it.
Barnes is talking about all the girls that loved Braithwaite in the 70s.
He wasn’t just a pretty face, he could sing as well... despite their neatly-brushed hair and the satin jackets, they were actually really good. And Daryl had a serious set of pipes. I used to go see them playing in pubs in Adelaide and pubs where people would get shot and stabbed, and they would kill it.
He tells a story about seeing Sherbet perform at Victoria Park in Sydney, when they were so heavily mobbed by fans that he thought they would not out alive.
I’m standing there watching, and Daryl must have spotted me. He said to me, ‘Hey, come here. Come with us. If you don’t come with us, you are going to get killed’.
So suddenly from standing there with my jaw open I was in the back of an armoured van with Sherbet. This was the peak of their career and Daryl took me into the van and shared it with me and I remember driving away and there were girls throwing themselves in front of the van. They were going nuts. That day, Daryl Braithwaite gave me a glimpse of what it was like to be a rock star. He shared his moment with me, and I was a nobody. I was a nobody, and I was a nobody. I was a nobody, and he shared it with me. That’s the sort of guy that Daryl Braithwaite is.
In real time, the ceremony has just started up again after a dinner break. The big hitters - album of the year and best Australian live act - are coming up.
In TV time, AB Original, is accepting the Aria for best independent record.
It’s the best.
It’s worth repeating this quote from Briggs’s acceptance speech:
We weren’t saying we are going to make it through the struggle, we’re saying we’ve made it, we’ve persisted, we’ve been here for 80,000 years.
Updated
Jimmy Barnes: ‘I’ve lived my life in the public eye’
Jimmy Barnes has joined us in the media suite, where he shed some light on his appearance in one of the strangest film clips of the year: Sydney musician Kirin J Callinan’s video for Big Enough.
Barnes:
Kirin J Callinan is an awesome, awesome, awesome artist. He’s a friend of my kids’ and asked me to scream on one of his records. I did it for fun.
The record recently went viral, after a very perplexed Jimmy Fallon played it – and mocked it – on The Tonight Show’s segment Do Not Play.
Barnsey again:
I think Kirin is a really great creative mind, and a really fun spirit, so I was happy to do it. But I could see where Jimmy Fallon was coming from when he put it on: suddenly he’s got two guys dressed as cowboys in Australia, and me in a cowboy hat screaming in the clouds. I could see where he was coming from.
I’m with you Kirin. I think you are a very talented young man. Tell Jimmy if he’s not careful we will move next door to him. https://t.co/KtmmVABW4Y
— Jimmy Barnes (@JimmyBarnes) November 15, 2017
Barnes has recently published two acclaimed memoirs that detail his life with addiction and depression. “For 40 years, in front of the public, I was drinking myself to death,” he told Guardian Australia in October.
Speaking in the media room he said:
To look back at it and make some sense out of it, and let it go, has been a really good thing.
You probably could have done this with a therapist, which I was doing as well, but I’ve had to do it in the public eye obviously ... I’ve lived my life in the public eye. Most people remember more about those days than I do. But it’s been very cathartic. It’s a really nice thing to do.
Barnes won an Aria for his children’s album, which his son said was “so rock and roll”.
So proud of my Dad for winning at the #ARIAs for his kids album.
— David Campbell (@DavidCampbell73) November 28, 2017
He is so rock and roll 🎸
Updated
Update: it turns out Steph Harmon did tell me about the kilt and I forgot.
um may i direct you to my blog pic.twitter.com/SIdiDQfuhW
— steph harmon 🌈 (@stephharmon) November 28, 2017
Sorry, Steph.
Teachers get Arias too
In a lovely new category, the Arias is now recognising Australia’s best music teachers. The winner is Renee McCarthy from South Australia’s Woodcroft College. She has already been given her pointy statue and is not allowed on stage, but Josh Pyke did visit her school earlier this year and reads it out on stage.
That’s all happening in TV time, by the way. Happened hours ago in real life.
Also in TV time, Jimmy Barnes just accepted the Aria for best children’s album. (In a kilt! How did no one tell me he was in a kilt?)
More on Barnsey in a bit...
‘Going through a divorce, for a country singer – there’s nothing better than that’
Kasey Chambers won best country album earlier tonight for Dragonfly, which was produced by Paul Kelly and includes collaborations with Ed Sheeran and Paul Vance. This brings the insanely talented, insanely successful country singer up to 12 Arias in total:
I’m very committed to the Arias – and the after-party.
I went through a lot of different things leading up to [Dragonfly], both personally and vocally. I had nodules on my voice for 20 years, and then I got rid of them. That was like discovering a whole new part of myself.
Chambers split up with her husband, country singer Shane Nicholson, in 2013.
Going through a divorce, for a country singer – there’s nothing better than that. It’s basically the reason us country singers get married: so we can go through a divorce and make another record. So I’m looking for a husband tonight – gotta get another record out soon!
He’s got a few albums too. It’s helped both of us. We banded together at the very least.
Updated
‘Darryl Braithwaite gave me a glimpse of what its like to be a rock star’
Technical difficulties prevent us from bringing you much of Daryl Braithwaite’s speech as it happened (we’ll get it to it later) but Naaman Zhou has brought us these comments from Jimmy Barnes, who did the induction.
You couldn’t turn on the radio in the 70s without hearing Darryl Brairhwaite and Sherbet. They were the biggest act in the country by a mile. Cold Chisel tried to start to break into the scene around the same time. We were a support act at the time. We got asked to open up for a lot of bands, they treated us like shit, but Sherbet didn’t.
Darryl Braithwaite gave me a glimpse of what its like to be a rock star. He shared his moment with me.
On TV, A.B. Original, Paul Kelly, and Dan Sultan just delivered what I reckon is going to be the performance of the night.
Daryl Braithwaite is being inducted into the hall of fame, and he just revealed this AMAZING fact:
Daryl Braithwaite just revealed he dated Olivia Newton-John - for a week - when they were school mates #arias
— cameron adams (@cameron_adams) November 28, 2017
Guess she really likes horses.
Political manicures and 90s nostalgia
All Our Exes Live In Texas – who were responsible for one of this writer’s favourite albums this year, When We Fall – have joined us in the media room, after winning in the blues and roots category.
Hannah Croft’s Arias manicure spells out Save Manus, and Katie Wighton’s spells #metoo.
Wighton:
As a feminist band it’s very important for us - particularly at the moment, particularly at the moment.
The band recently supported Backstreet Boys’ Australian tour – which landed moments as surreal as this one, Wighton says.
We stood side of stage to watch them, and every night AJ would jump off the stage and come and dance with us. And every time that happened we would be like, ‘What. Is. Happening’.
He touched Hannah’s jacket, and she just never washed it.
The band picked their band name by “googling the worst country song titles of all time,” Elana Stone says, “and we’ve been stuck with it for five years. But it’s been serving us well.”
On TV, Vance Joy presents the award for best adult contemporary album to Paul Kelly.
In real life, All Our Exes Live In Texas have just stopped by the media room and Steph and Naaman are VERY excited. More on that soon.
Meanwhile, on television
The Channel 9 broadcast is really flying through the awards, which is probably a good thing. So far we’ve seen Sophie Monk present the Aria for best pop release to Amy Shark, who spent 15 years on the pub circuit before breaking through and had these lovely words for struggling musicians:
Lovely speech from Amy Shark: "If you're a struggling musician and you just feel like you're going nowhere, keep going." #arias
— Calla Wahlquist (@callapilla) November 28, 2017
Up next was the award for best group, presented by Mick Fleetwood to Gang of Youths.
And now Lorde’s performing a mashup of Liability and Green Light. She is sitting down in front of a stage that has been fitted with moody venetian blinds, because she’s Lorde and, like Angel from Buffy, can always find moody flattering lighting.
Updated
Paul Kelly wins best male artist
Paul Kelly has just been named male artist of the year – the third time he’s won this particular award, which he was nominated for at the first Arias awards in 1987.
It’s his second Aria award tonight, but his record Life Is Fine won two earlier in the artisan categories, for best engineer (Steven Schram) and best cover art (Peter Salmon-Lomas).
I admire all the other nominees tonight – and it’s a real honour to be among them.
He was nominated alongside DD Dumbo, Dan Sultan, Illy and Vance Joy.
Kelly:
A trick to being best male is just to pick good people to work with.
He continued, shouting out his label, his crew, his partner and his band.
My band, I’ve mentioned them before, they’re just so good to be with and we spent a lot of time travelling this year and we never got sick of each other.
Jimmy Barnes, another best male, will be joining us shortly in the media room...
Updated
While the Arias broadcast plays catchup, Pnau have dropped by the media room to talk about how they nabbed Elton John for their 2012 remix album Good Morning to the Night.
Said Nick Littlemore:
I was getting a massage in Balmain, and Elton called. I was having a physio session and I answered the phone and he said: ‘Hello it’s Elton.’
Working with him is surreal, you give him a few pages of lyrics and he looks at them vaguely, then he plays a whole entire song, and you think, why am I in music?
They’ve also paid tribute to Kira Divine, who worked with them on their latest album.
We made three albums to make this one album. Two bad ones and then Changa is alright. We really did do two crappy albums and only really struck it because Kira came on board, she was really the inspiration.
Will they keep working together in the future?
Pnau just wont go away. We’re schoolmates, we keep doing it, can’t stop it. We’re like magnets, we attract each other.
Updated
A few more awards
All Our Exes Live in Texas (which is a great name for a band) have won best blues and roots album for When We Fall. It’s their first Aria award.
As well as having an excellent name, All Our Exes Live in Texas have strong feminist ideals, boycotting Perth’s Ellington Jazz Club after its owner said you just “nod your head and listen with your understanding face on” when female artists talk about the obstacles they face in the music industry. Band member Hannah Crofts explained the decision here.
Also, Muslim rom-com Ali’s Wedding has won for best original soundtrack.
Meanwhile, the TV broadcast of the ceremony has begun with a performance of Chameleon by Pnau, which in real time (not TV time) just won the Aria for best dance release.
AB Original win best independent release
AB Original have won best independent release, their second award of the night. They were visibly shocked as they took the stage.
Briggs:
Whose big idea was this? Wow … We didn’t expect to win the first one. We really didn’t expect to win this one.
The main point of this whole record was to spark an idea and change the expectation of what an Indigenous artist could be. Because we weren’t saying we’ve gotta make it through the struggle; we said, we’ve made it, we’ve persisted, we’ve been here for 80,000 years.
Trials said:
This moment is not lost on us, trust me. The idea of writing a record for your nephews and nieces and it resonating through a crowd and an industry like this is not lost on us.
Briggs dedicated the award to his friend Dr G Yunupingu, who died in July this year.
I know he would love that – he loves things that are famous, he loved being famous. I love you … I miss you every day. Thank you everybody.
Earlier, Sia won best female artist – but didn’t appear, or even send a recorded message with a banana superimposed on her face. Disappointing.
Updated
Wins for Kasey Chambers and Pnau
Kasey Chambers has won best country album for Dragonfly and delivered an excellent, funny and fairly chaotic speech.
At first, there’s a bit of a wait, as Chambers is nowhere to be seen and confusion reigns. After a few seconds, she appears on stage.
I’m sorry. They told me to go backstage to present an award, but I gather it’s not this one. Now I’m really nervous because I had to run in these shoes.
It’s her eighth solo Aria win, and Chambers is proud of it.
My life is so weird. I was literally getting nits out of my kid’s hair this morning and now I’m holding this.
There’s a lot of negative stuff said about being a woman in the industry over 40 years old, but I fucking love it!”
Pnau won best dance release for Chameleon.
The original duo, Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes take to the stage with newly-minted third member Sam Littlemore. Now that there’s three of them, there’s a lot of people to thank, but Sam has the last word:
Thank you to you two for letting me help you out.
On the red carpet earlier, our interview with Pnau was interrupted when it was thought Harry Styles had arrived.
That’s always been the story of our lives – being ushered aside as someone actually important, talented, gifted [shows up].
Nick Littlemore of @pnau believes he spots a Harry Styles on the red carpet - and then calls us “Gardening Australia”. #arias pic.twitter.com/YJyvF2Xabd
— steph harmon 🌈 (@stephharmon) November 28, 2017
Updated
A necessary photographic interlude
Updated
Barnsey wins his first Aria in 25 years
Jimmy Barnes has just won his first Aria since 1992, and it’s for a children’s album: Och Aye the G’Nu!
He brought an actual real life child to the stage: his grandson Dylan who, wearing a leather jacket, was looking as sharp as Barnes himself (who was wearing a kilt). Barnes wrote the album for him.
Said Barnes:
If you’re going to make a kid’s record, why not go to the top: the Wiggles helped me do it.
The Wiggles indeed recorded the album with Barnes, and competed against it in the same category with their own album of duets.
Speaking of duets, this is not a duet, but it is worth posting again:
The Wiggles, INCLUDING MURRAY, are Australian #birdoftheyear #arias pic.twitter.com/OzM7vBouKI
— steph harmon 🌈 (@stephharmon) November 28, 2017
Earlier, Amy Shark gave a wonderful, intimate performance of Adore, which came in at #2 on this year’s Hottest 100; the record it’s from, Night Thinker, has already won Shark best pop release.
While I recover from the sheer embarrassment of accidentally declaring Harry Styles the “best international event,” let’s enjoy this pitch for an Australian buddy cop movie starring Rebel Wilson and Sophie Monk.
Wilson is there along with Ruby Rose as part of the Pitch Perfect 3 promo tour. Not sure how I feel about that as a concept, but who cares because she looks GREAT.
Harry Styles wins best international artist, because of course
You cannot beat Harry Styles fandom at this game. They mobilise. They have online voting parties. They are ever so slightly terrifying.
They have won Styles the best international artist for the sixth time in a row.
My colleague Naaman Zhou has sent the following report:
Harry Styles has won best international artist for his self-titled debut album, to the cheers of many, many fans in the crowd.
Incredibly, this brings Styles to record-breaking six wins in a row in the same category, after winning five straight gongs with One Direction.
Cheering punctuates his speech as he accepts the award, and the British superstar immediately references the recent same-sex marriage postal survey.
“Congratulations on your recent political decision,” he says. “I love you all, thank you so much.”
Thanks, Harry. We think you’re alright too.
Updated
Paul Kelly has taken to the stage to sing Life Is Fine, the title track of his 23rd studio album – which, remarkably, is the first of his to have ever debuted at #1 on the Aria charts.
He’s followed up, of course, with Dumb Things featuring AB Original and Dan Sultan – an update of Kelly’s own song, which touches on Don Dale, asylum seekers, and blackface, and includes a prescient line from Briggs: “The date’s changin’”. You can listen here.
Told ya. pic.twitter.com/Yayue0Ijj1
— Senator Briggs (@Briggs) November 27, 2017
Meanwhile, they announced they would be serving booze in the media room – which pretty much never happens – garnering a bigger applause than even Lorde.
A music history lesson
Mick Fleetwood has just spoken in the press room, promoting his latest book, Love That Burns, which tells the story of the early years of Fleetwood Mac.
“Most of you do not know how that band started,” he says, wearing a bright blue suit, yellow shirt and feathered hat – looking more like a Wiggle than a legendary drummer.
This book is about a sort of unknown period in the life and career of Fleetwood Mac. The chronicle from 1967, when Peter and myself and John and Jeremy Spencer formed Fleetwood Mac right through to just before Stevie and Lindsay, the band that you probably know about.
There are only 2,000 copies available, says Fleetwood, who then reminisces about his early years in 60s London, which sound pretty amazing.
England was aglow with fashion, hairstyles, sociological changes, a whole revolution. We were just a little part of that with this strange blues movement, the likes of Eric Clapton and the Yardbirds and even Elton John had a band called Bluesology.
Can you believe it’s been 50 years, asks media host Robbie Buck.
“I can,” Fleetwood says, taking off his hat to reveal his bald head. “It’s been a long road.”
Incidentally, why isn’t this happening?
I wonder if the Arias even considered trying to get Lorde and Harry Styles to duet, I bet it never even occurred to them
— Sinead Stubbins (@SineadStubbins) November 28, 2017
It would have been a beautiful Fleetwood Mac cover one would assume
— Sinead Stubbins (@SineadStubbins) November 28, 2017
Updated
Best video – Bliss n Eso, Moments
Look, I know Australian hip hop is not everyone’s cup of tea, but this video is adorable.
Updated
Best rock album – Gang of Youths, Go Farther in Lightness
Gang of Youths have just won best rock album for Go Farther In Lightness – their second win for tonight and their third in total so far, after winning producer of the year in the artisan categories.
Lead singer David Le’aupepe accepted the award, saying:
We believe in the redemptive power of rock and roll music. Rock and roll saves a lot of lives, in my opinion. To those who tell us how much we helped them, thank you.
Updated
Paul Kelly wins for best adult contemporary album
Paul Kelly has won for best adult contemporary album, for Life is Fine. The rock legend has seven nominations tonight. This is his 4th win in this category.
Said Kelly:
A lot of people helped make this record. It’s a big team effort, first of all my band, Peter, Bill, Ash, Dan, Cameron, Vicky and Linda. It was a fun record to make.
We reviewed the album back in August. Reviewer Andrew Stafford said it had “some of his best songs in years”.
A good point:
WHY ISNT ANYONE TALKING ABOUT HARRYS SHOES #arias pic.twitter.com/WrR3Ugx76T
— missing harry | 2 (@hescityangel) November 28, 2017
Meanwhile, Lorde is performing Liability, from her album Melodrama. She wrapped up her Australian tour with a show in Melbourne on Sunday night.
Those following at home will be able to watch her performance in an hour or so, when the broadcast begins.
Lorde skipped the red carpet. She is also up for best international artist, but if twitter is any indication her fans were severely outvoted by Harry stans.
First award of the night for A.B. Original
A.B. Original have just won in the best urban category for their 2016 release Reclaim Australia, which also took out the Triple J J award for album of the year last week.
Said Briggs:
We made this album for our community, in our community, from our community. Change doesn’t come from everyone being comfortable. We made ourselves extremely uncomfortable trying to make this record, trying to upset all those rednecks, but we did it ... They were vocal, but we just had the better album.
Sydney metalcore band Northlane have won best hard rock and heavy metal album for their 2017 release Mesmer. It’s their fourth album.
Harry Styles is team lyrebird, confirmed.
Back on Harry for a second, because photos of his suit have come through and it is excellent.
While there are no Australian birds that are a direct parallel to this double-breasted purple paisley delight, I think it is spiritually closest to the lyrebird and am hereby registering that as Styles’s official Bird of the Year vote.
A number of these fans, some of whom began openly sobbing when Harry arrived, have been waiting on this hot patch of concrete for more than 24 hours.
Here’s a full look at that suit, which is excellent. One of the Wiggles (I can’t remember which) said that they had heard he had been accused of copying Cate Blanchett, which is probably the best style decision any of us can make.
For our international readers attracted by the glittering bait of Harry Styles, this is what a lyrebird looks like. They are excellent mimics.
Amy Shark wins best pop release
Amy Shark has just won best pop release for her album Night Thinker. We have no audio in the media room, so Calla will have to fill you in on her speech, but on the red carpet earlier she told Guardian Australia:
I have been watching these awards my whole life, and I never thought that I would get to play them or be up for any of them. So I’m overwhelmed.
Playing US talkshow The Late Late Show, hosted by James Corden, this month was “such an amazing experience”.
The same night that I was on Kim Kardashian was there and Ludacris was there, and I think that was a real moment for me to realise, This was such a big deal. Everyone’s treated like queens on that show.”
She says Kardashian gave her a little wave in the dressing room.
I think she knew I’m this little Australian that’s playing on this big show, had to give me a bit of encouragement. She was lovely, and really funny too.
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An update from inside the media bunker
The media have been swept up from the red carpet outside into a new room at the Star Casino, from which we will be covering it: the Iain Shedden Memorial Media Suite, named for the Australian’s well-respected and well-loved music writer who died last month.
All media assembled have been handed out cider – “his favourite drink” – to toast to Sheddy, who the media room’s host, Robbie Buck, called “an extraordinary man, an extraordinary journalist, an extraordinary music journalist, and also a great musician”.
Said Buck:
Iain was a fellow who lived music. He was able to write about music in a way that brought you into the very essence of it ... at the heart of it, outside of all the glitz and the glamour, he was able to share that thrumming joy of what good music does to all of us, to give us that sense of electricity.
As the night proceeds, Aria winners will be wrangled and brought to this room so we can hassle them with more questions about birds. In real time, the actual awards start very soon ...
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‘These are old issues’
Before offering their very important views on the negative profiling involved in Bird of the Year and calling the noble ibis a bin chicken, AB Original’s Briggs and Trials also weighed in on Triple J’s decision.
The communications minister, Mitch Fifield, has already said he wants the ABC board to reject the change, which called a “political decision” that would “delegitimise Australia Day.” To which I assume Triple J would respond: Yes. That was the point.
Said Briggs to Steph Harmon:
I think it’s a good trajectory for the industry, and it’s also a good indication of how the majority of people feel. They’re reasonable folks who know that Australia Day is trash and we can’t enjoy the countdown that includes our songs on that day. So it was a smart thing for the Js to do, so we appreciate their step towards equity and inclusivity.
Steph: Do you think the pressure you put on it was part of the decision?
Briggs:
Yeah I put many bricks through their window [laughs]. Many bricks.
Trials:
The brick budget was out of control. A lot of people were consulted and that’s what we found beautiful about the process, was that they spoke to community and spoke to a lot of voices that are important, that we look up to. We’re just a sounding booth for our communities you know.
The AB Original song January 26 has been seen as a galvanising force for the Change The Date movement, and it certainly gave it an anthem. But they say they did not write it with the intention of riding a growing wave of dissent about Australia Day.
It’s a “very old issue”, Trials says.
We made this record because it didn’t exist.
To birds: Briggs and Trials are both #teamcassowary, but say it is unfair to call the ibis a bin chicken when it has been displaced and moved to the margins because humans have invaded its habitat.
A.B Original have some strong thoughts on the cassowary and the ibis. #birdoftheyear #arias #weaskedotherquestionstoo pic.twitter.com/NYgnHbO9WC
— steph harmon 🌈 (@stephharmon) November 28, 2017
No political message there.
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‘It’s a beautiful gesture’
Before Harrymania struck, Naaman Zhou had the opportunity to chat to Dan Sultan about Triple J’s decision to move the Hottest 100 from 26 January to a floating date centred around the fourth weekend in January.
Said Sultan:
It’s a beautiful gesture. It’s not the answer but it’s a step in the right direction. For anyone to not show any empathy towards Aboriginal people and what we go through, particularly on that day … that day commemorates the beginning of the ongoing genocide of our people.
Empathy is important, it shows a sign of intelligence and it shows a sign of compassion and it’s the difference between whether you’re an arsehole or a nice person … Just because it doesn’t affect you doesn’t mean that you can’t be affected by it.
It’s very important, it’s magnificent and I’m very proud to be an Australian. And I’m very proud to have a bit to do with Triple J as well. And anyone who doesn’t like it, they’re not necessarily bigots or racists, but they can get fucked.
Sultan is up for three Arias for his latest album Killer, including best male artist, but he also featured on AB Original’s track January 26 about changing the date of Australia Day to one less offensive to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. He’ll be performing later tonight with Paul Kelly and AB Original, so watch this to get in the mood.
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Some people in the Harry crowd (let’s be honest, they are not here for anyone else) have been waiting outside the venue since noon YESTERDAY.
One young woman says Harry stole her pen, and she seems ecstatic about it.
Harry fan:
I saw him and it changed my life.
Joel Creasey:
How did it change your life?
Fan:
Because I saw him and it fulfilled me forever.
That seems to have wrapped up the red carpet. Owing to a rather confusing quirk of programming the ceremony will begin in real time very shortly but will not be broadcast until 7.30pm. So we will bring you the awards as they are announced, and then again as they happen in TV land.
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Harry Styles has arrived
Feels rather ridiculous to make this a key event, but red carpet interviews just abandoned an interview with Briggs and Trials of AB Original (up for six awards including album of the year for Reclaim Australia) to RUN to where Styles is signing autographs.
HARRY ALERT pic.twitter.com/11c0ZnCEzp
— Calla Wahlquist (@callapilla) November 28, 2017
We have now entered the post Harry part of the evening.
People are crying? Actual crying? #arias pic.twitter.com/ReiEoVWQh1
— Calla Wahlquist (@callapilla) November 28, 2017
I’m keen for a closer look at that suit, which appears to be some kind of purple patterned number.
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More important Sophie Monk news:
Sophie Monk and Stu, in their first public outing (“it’s pretty weird”), pick the kookaburra (Sophie) and the emu (Stu), and then Sophie gets jealous so Stu gives her his. #birdoftheyear #arias pic.twitter.com/JWPi6fxqoP
— steph harmon 🌈 (@stephharmon) November 28, 2017
Sophie Monk can’t read a teleprompter, and other charming facts
Sadly, technical difficulties prevent us from bringing you an interview with Bachelorette Sophie Monk and publican/group date winner Stu.
But please enjoy these excerpts from Sophie’s red carpet interview with Joel Creasy. Monk is presenting an award tonight, although she can’t remember which.
"We're here on the red carpet with Sophie and Stu, let's see how much damage Sophie Monk can do."
— Calla Wahlquist (@callapilla) November 28, 2017
Sophie: "I can do a lot."#arias
Sophie does not do after parties. "I don't do it. It only causes trouble. I just go home and eat food."
— Calla Wahlquist (@callapilla) November 28, 2017
She is presenting "best pop something." #Arias
Joel Creasy suggests that Sophie Monk might host a revived Australian Idol.
— Calla Wahlquist (@callapilla) November 28, 2017
Sophie: "I can host, I can't read a teleprompter... you can't teach me to read."
Joel: "People love you guys."
— Calla Wahlquist (@callapilla) November 28, 2017
Sophie: "They're confused by us." #arias
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More birds!
Guardian Australia’s culture editor, Steph Harmon, has encouraged the objective best band in the country, the Wiggles, into an exclusive bird-themed live a cappella performance. You are welcome.
The Wiggles, INCLUDING MURRAY, are Australian #birdoftheyear #arias pic.twitter.com/OzM7vBouKI
— steph harmon 🌈 (@stephharmon) November 28, 2017
In other bird news, we have one vote for the sulphur-crested cockatoo and one that I’m going to give to the rainbow lorikeet, because frankly the ibis doesn’t need the help.
The wonderful @JuliaJacklin goes for the cockatoo. #BirdOfTheYear #ARIAAwards #arias2017 pic.twitter.com/kNVU6sl0wV
— steph harmon 🌈 (@stephharmon) November 28, 2017
Social media star-turn-DJ @KurtColeman is a fan of the ibis and the lorikeet. Also knows how to pose. #arias2017 #birdoftheyear pic.twitter.com/zpo5YXwJaU
— steph harmon 🌈 (@stephharmon) November 28, 2017
I’m also going to take this coordinated dressing by the Preatures as a vote for the flame robin.
Who wore it better? #arias #BirdOfTheYear pic.twitter.com/oJyZUJ2NXN
— Calla Wahlquist (@callapilla) November 28, 2017
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So, who’s actually nominated?
Gang of Youths is heading into the night with the most nominations, with a stake in eight categories. It’s already won one for producer of the year.
Paul Kelly is next with seven nominations, including album of the year and best male artist. His album Life Is Fine has already won two, for best engineer and best cover art.
The Gold Coast singer Amy Shark is up for six nominations, including album of the year for Night Walker. AB Original is also up for six nominations, as is Jessica Mauboy and Illy.
Illy has just walked down the red carpet with a bittersweet reminder about the ephemeral nature of Arias nominations.
He tells the red carpet hosts that he was nominated for six last time around and walked away with none. The one he’s really after is best live act because, he says, his tour was so extensive that it even went to Exmouth, which is about 1,200km north of Perth.
I’m in a dress at the 2017 Aria Awards!! pic.twitter.com/msiGjbf2KH
— Amy Shark (@AmySharkMusic) November 28, 2017
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This evening looks set to be divided into two halves: before Harry Styles arrives, and after.
Styles is nominated for best international artist for his debut, self-titled album. The category is decided by Twitter vote and the highly motivated global Harry fandom has responded in force.
If Styles wins, it will be his sixth international Aria in a row. The award was only created in 2010, and One Direction, his former band, won for five years straight from 2012.
But before the Harrymania begins, let’s take a quick look at the red carpet.
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What is Harry Styles's favourite bird?
It’s the Australian music industry’s night of nights and the eyes of the world are on Sydney’s Star Event Centre to see if Harry Styles has arrived yet.
My Guardian colleagues Steph Harmon and Naaman Zhou are lassoing stars as they walk down the red carpet to ask them very important questions, like who they voted for in the inaugural Bird of the Year poll.
Dave Le’aupepe, frontman for Gang of Youths which is nominated for eight Arias including album of the year, has voted AGAINST the ibis, which is leading the poll.
Gang Of Youths’ Dave Le'aupepe confirms: loves the Guardian, hates the ibis. #arias2017 #birdoftheyear pic.twitter.com/8sYEODNxJk
— steph harmon 🌈 (@stephharmon) November 28, 2017
I think this counts as a musical bird vote:
. @doctormcdougall of Frenzal Rhomb impersonates his favourite #birdoftheyear at #thearias pic.twitter.com/yFETD8v1Fb
— steph harmon 🌈 (@stephharmon) November 28, 2017
No word yet on Harry’s favourite bird, but I expect Steph to elbow her way to the front and bring the people what they want.
Also yet to give his crucial bird of the year vote is Hall of Fame inductee Daryl Braithwaite. Braithwaite will perform Horses, because of course.
He says being inducted is an honour but he did not embark on a musical career with the aim of getting into the Aria hall of fame, which would admittedly be a very specific and lofty goal.
He says:
It really is an honour, you don’t really start out with this in mind, your start out with a love of music.
The red-carpet host Joel Creasey asks if Braithwaite thinks he can top Tina Arena’s 2015 hall of fame performance of Chains, which you can watch here. He is not sure, but says he will have two “special guests”.
The red carpet is being livestreamed on Twitter, but the broadcast doesn’t start on Channel Nine until 7.30pm.
The 2017 #ARIAs Red Carpet presented by @swarovski will be live on Twitter from 2.30pm AEDT on the 28th November 2017. Catch all the action here: https://t.co/4yFkQy3clG
— ARIA (@ARIA_Official) November 22, 2017
Grab some fizzy water, your birds of Australia guide, and settle in. It’s going to be a big night.
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