Laneway, CMC Rocks, Sheeran, Gang of Youths, up for Helpmann nominations

Laneway, CMC Rocks, Ed Sheeran, Gang of Youths, Midnight Oil, Dark Mofo, Underworld and Cécile McLorin Salvant were among those representing contemporary rock in the nominations for 42 categories for the 18th Helpmann awards.

They were announced by Live Performance Australia last night simultaneously at events in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Sydney.

The awards also cover musicals, comedy, opera and classical music, theatre, ballet, dance and physical theatre, presentations for children, regional touring and cabaret.

Best International Contemporary Concert

Cécile McLorin Salvant and Adelaide Festival

Ed Sheeran World Tour 2018 (with Frontier Touring)

Paul McCartney One On One World Tour 2017 (with Frontier Touring, MPL, Marshall Arts)

Underworld (with Sydney Opera House Presents)

Best Contemporary Music Festival

CMC Rocks QLD 2018 (Chugg Entertainment & Rob Potts Entertainment Edge)

St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival 2018 (Lunatic Entertainment & Laneway Presents)

Mona Foma (Museum of Old And New Art – MONA)

WOMADelaide (Womadelaide Foundation)

Best Australian Contemporary Concert

Symphonica  with Armand van Helden (with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Frontier Touring & Arts Centre Melbourne)

Gang of Youths – Australia 2017 (with Live Nation)

Gotye Presents A Tribute to Jean-Jacques Perrey (with Sydney Festival & Mona Foma)

Midnight Oil – The Great Circle World Tour 2017 (with Frontier Touring)

In other categories, Kate Miller-Heidke and Keir Nuttall are contenders for Best Original Score for their work on Muriel’s Wedding – The Musical.

For Best Male Actor In A Musical, David Campbell is up for Dream Lover (John Frost and Gilbert Theatrical) and Assassins (Hayes Theatre Co).

Also announced last night was the Best Special Event award.

It was presented to Melbourne International Arts Festival for Taylor Mac: A 24-Decade History of Popular Music.

Mac charted a complete social history of the United States through the music that scored its rebellions and revolution, triumphs and tragedies across four six-hour marathons, covering one decade per hour.

150 local and international artists worked with Mac’s team to pull off this queer retelling of history, at a time when the lives of Australia’s LGBTIQ+ community were under the spotlight.

This year’s winners will be announced at two events over two nights.

Act I, on Sunday, July 15 at Sydney Town Hall, will be a sit-down event at cocktail hour celebrating creative, designer and supporting roles.

It will have live performances and hosted by artistic directors Rhoda Roberts AM and Michael Lynch CBE AO.

Act II, on Monday, July 16 at the Capitol Theatre, will be staged on the set of Priscilla Queen of the Desert – The Musical.

The black tie event will present the major trophies, with performances including the Priscilla cast.

LPA chief executive Evelyn Richardson explained: “Two shorter shows enables us to better highlight the artistry and excellence in our dynamic live performance industry.

“Over the past 18 years the Helpmann Awards have received nearly 11,000 entries and announced over 2,750 nominees which highlights the scale of the live performance industry enjoyed by 18.4 million people each year in Australia.”

The Helpmanns are supported by the NSW government, via its tourism and major events agency, Destination NSW.