AIR announces 10th annual awards and 20th anniversary
PRESS RELEASE:
In it’s 20th year, AIR (Australian Independent Record Labels Association) is proud to announce its 10th Annual Awards. The Awards will be presented in partnership with Naming Rights Partner, Carlton Dry, and supported by Major Partner, Rdio.
The 2015 Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards will take place on Thursday 22nd October at Meat Market in North Melbourne. Regarded as the independent music industry’s night of nights, now in its 10th year, this years event is set to be the biggest yet, with performers to be announced soon.
AIR hosted its inaugural Awards in 2006 at the Blackett Hotel in Sydney, delivering just four Awards: Hilltop Hoods received two of them (Independent Artist of the Year and Best Performing Independent Album), Gotye won Most Outstanding New Independent Artist and Blue King Brown took out Best Performing Single/EP.
Since 2006, AIR has presented ninety individual Awards. 2015 will see this exceed one hundred – adding to this year’s list of things to celebrate. Some notable Award winners over the years include John Butler Trio (2007, 2010), British India (2007), Gurrumul (2008, 2011), The Drones (2009), Dan Sultan (2010, 2014), Adalita (2011), The Jezabels (2011, 2012), Chet Faker (2012), Hermitude (2012), Flume (2013), Vance Joy (2013), Paul Kelly (2013), King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard (2013), Violent Soho (2014), Remi (2014) and Courtney Barnett (2014).
Of course there has also been the Awards performances, too many to name them all but for memory’s sake, here’s a few to be remembered: The Basics in 2006, Gurrumul, Eddy Current Suppression Ring, The Drones, CW Stoneking, The Amity Affliction, Illy, Paul Kelly, Hermitude, Archie Roach, Seth Sentry, Violent Soho, Big Scary, Meg Mac and Remi.
This year also marks 20 Years of AIR. Conceived in 1995 by a group of independent recording labels, with the idea of forming an industry association that would assist the ongoing development of Australia’s independent record industry.
Before long, a small group of independent labels started coming together to meet regularly at the pub and in mid 1996, AIR officially became an Incorporated Association, using a donation from Phantom Records. The founding members were Sebastian Chase (Phantom), Graeme Regan (Hot), Ed Jonker and Michael McMichael.
By early 1998, AIR boasted a membership of 25 labels and soon after, received its first operation-funding grant from TheAustralia Councilforthe Arts. The wheels were in motion and by late 2000; AIR had 180 Label Members, affirming its place as an important cog in the wheel of the Australian music industry. AIR has since gone from strength to strength and now, 20 years since the association was formed, AIR continues to work tirelessly, advocating, lobbying, advising, negotiating and promoting on behalf of its members and the broader Australian independent recording industry.
2015 Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards
Thursday 22nd October
Meat Market
5 Blackwood St, North Melbourne