‘Such an honour’: Teskey Brothers sweep 2019 Music Victoria Awards
The Music Victoria Awards scored a number of firsts at the Melbourne Recital Centre last night (November 20).
In its 15th year, a record number of talented women won in the genre categories.
Wiradjuri woman Naretha Williams became the first-ever First Nations and First Nations female artist to win Best Experimental or Avant-Garde Act.
Suldusk, who took Best Heavy Album, became the first heavy metal band to perform at the event.
The night belonged to The Teskey Brothers, however, who won Best Breakthrough Act in 2017, to win four gongs just two years later.
“We had a look at the nominees this year, and it was an incredible line-up, so to win this is such an honour for us,” they said,
“Thanks to everyone at Music Victoria and everyone who voted.”
Back-to-back winners Sampa The Great and Courtney Barnett held on to their titles of Best Hip Hop Act and Best Solo Artist, respectively.
G Flip took home the $5,000 Premier’s Prize for the Best Breakthrough Act.
Tones And I was handed a special Outstanding Achievement Award in recognition of her current achievements, both domestically and internationally, over the past year including going to #1 in 23 countries.
PBS 106.7FM’s Emma Peel and Jesse I accepted the community station’s Hall of Fame induction from film and TV identity Santo Cilauro.
Aside from Suldusk, there were live sets from Grand Salvo, and Melbourne-based South Sudanese artist Gordan Koang, while hip hop act Philly and vocalist Maylene Slater-Burns previewed their poignant single ‘Tired’, about the recent police shooting of a young Indigenous man in the Northern Territory.
The night ended with Kate Ceberano inducting Vika & Linda Bull into the Hall of Fame.
The sisters performed their song ‘When Will You Fall for Me?’ joined on guitar by Mark Seymour, who penned the song.
Public Voted Winners
The Premier’s Prize for the Best Victorian Album of 2019 – $10,000 cash prize
The Teskey Brothers – Run Home Slow
Best Band
The Teskey Brothers
Best Song – $3,000 APRA AMCOS cash prize
The Teskey Brothers – ‘So Caught Up’
Best Solo Artist
Courtney Barnett
Best Male Musician
Paul Kelly
Best Female Musician
Erica Dunn (Tropical F*ck Storm, Palm Springs, MOD CON, Harmony)
The Premier’s Prize for the Best Victorian Breakthrough Act of 2019 – $5,000 cash prize
G Flip
Best Live Act – $5,000 Lyrical Road travel voucher
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard
Best Small Venue (under 500 capacity)
Northcote Social Club, Northcote
Best Large Venue (over 500 capacity)
Forum, Melbourne
Industry Voted Winners
Best Festival
Golden Plains
Best Regional/Outer Suburban Act – $3,000 Bendigo Bank cash prize
The Teskey Brothers
Best Regional/Outer Suburban Venue (Over 50 gigs per year) – $3,000 Bendigo Bank cash prize
Theatre Royal, Castlemaine
Best Regional/Outer Suburban Venue (Under 50 gigs per year) – $3,000 Bendigo Bank cash prize
Meeniyan Town Hall, Meeniyan
Archie Roach Foundation Award for Emerging Talent – $2,000 Archie Roach Foundation cash prize
Key Hoo
Best Blues Album
Opelousas – Opelousified
Best Country Album
Matt Joe Gow – Break, Rattle And Roll
Best Electronic Act
Sui Zhen
Best Experimental or Avant-Garde Act
Naretha Williams
Best Folk or Roots Album
The Maes – The Maes
Best Heavy Album
Suldusk – Lunar Falls
Best Hip Hop Act
Sampa The Great
Best Intercultural Act
Përolas
Best Jazz Album
Andrea Keller – Transients Vol. 1
Best Reggae and Dancehall Act
Echo Drama
Best Rock/Punk Album
Tropical F*ck Storm – Braindrops
Best Soul, Funk, Gospel or RnB Album
Allysha Joy – Acadie: Raw
The awards were co-presented by RRR 102.7FM and PBS 106.7FM, and hosted by community radio presenters Lyndelle Wilkinson and Chris Gill.