In a show of exuberance, the South Australian music community came together at Woodville Town Hall to celebrate. Indigenous act DEM MOB shone, winning five awards, including the prestigious Emily Burrows Award, which includes a $5,000 grant for professional development. They also took home Best Regional Artist, Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Artist, and secured the Best Hip Hop award in the People’s Choice category.
In addition to their musical accolades, the group was honoured with the Best Music Educator award for their ‘Kurunpa Kunpuntjaku’ program. This initiative sees DEM MOB spearheading music programs and initiatives in the APY LANDS and Ceduna to engage young First Nations students.
The Empty Threats took home two awards, Best New Artist and Best New Song, with their haunting track “Evil Eye”.
Inducted into the SA Music Hall of Fame was Australian music legend Paul Kelly. With family and close friends supporting him in the audience, Kelly recounted tales of growing up in Adelaide and playing small gigs around town. He then treated us to a song from the early phase of his career “The Streets of Forbes” and a recently penned song about fishing with Dad.
You’ll find a full list of all the award-winners below the gallery!
As well as the multiple awards presented, the audience were treated to performances from aleksiah, The Empty Threats, Carla Lippis + The Mondo Psycho, and singer-songwriter Nathan May.
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC AWARD WINNERS:
SPECIAL AWARDS
NEVILLECLARK AWARD
Winner: Todd Pergallini
Winner: Jase Ess
EMILY BURROWS AWARD
Presenting Partner: APRA AMCOS
Winner: DEM MOB
BEST INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION
Presenting Partner: UNESCO
Winner: Adam Page
COMMUNITY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Presenting Partner: MusicSA
Winner: GirlsRock! Adelaide
MAJOR AWARDS
BEST NEW ARTIST
Presenting Partner: WOMADelaide
Winner: The Empty Threats
BEST REGIONAL ARTIST
Presenting Partner: Good Music Month
Winner: DEM MOB
BEST ABORIGINAL OR TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ARTIST
Presenting Partner: Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music
Winner: DEM MOB
BEST SOLO ARTIST
Presenting Partner: Scenestr
Winner: Alana Jagt
BEST SONG
Presenting partner: Wonderlick
Winner: The Empty Threats
Work: Evil Eye
BEST RELEASE
Presenting Partner: Hindley Street Music Hall
Winner: Slowmango
Work: Hypercolour Miscellaneous
BEST GROUP
Presenting Partner: Moshtix
Winner:Bad//Dreems
INDUSTRY AWARDS
BEST MANAGER
PresentingPartner: Eckermann Lawyers
Winner: Rachel Whitford
BEST REGIONAL LIVE MUSIC VENUE OR LIVE MUSIC ACTIVATION
Presenting Partner: AHA (SA)
Winner: Adelaide Guitar Festival – On the Road 2023
BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE
Presenting Partner: AHA (SA)
Winner: Crown & Anchor
BEST STUDIO
Presenting Partner: Flinders University
Winner: Wundenbergs
BEST COVER ART
Presenting Partner: Version Design
Winner: Kaspar Schmidt Mumm & The Bait Fridge
Work: Hypercolour Miscellaneous by Slowmango
BEST MUSIC VIDEO
Presenting Partner: JC Decaux
Winner: Conor Mercury Movies
Work: Bills by Carla Geneve
BEST MUSIC EDUCATOR
Winner: SAMii
Work: DEM MOB’s Kurunpa Kunpuntjaku
BEST STUDIO ENGINEER/PRODUCER
Presenting Partner: Novatech Creative Event Technologies
Winner: Lewis Wundenberg
BEST LIVE TECHNICIAN
Presenting Partner: Adelaide Backline & Production Hire
Winner: Nathan D’Agostino
BEST SMALL MUSIC FESTIVAL OR EVENT
Presenting Partner: White Marquee
Winner: Some Shine Festival
BEST MAJOR MUSIC FESTIVAL OR EVENT
Presenting Partner: Insurance Advisement Australia
Winner: Vintage Vibes Festival
PEOPLE’S CHOICE
MOST POPULAR BLUES & ROOTS
Presenting Partner: Adelaide West End Association
Winner: Dojo Rise
MOST POPULAR COUNTRY
Winner: Mark Curtis and the Flannelettes
MOST POPULAR ELECTRONIC
Presenting Partner: Thebarton Theatre
Winner: Electric Fields
MOST POPULAR EXPERIMENTAL OR ART MUSIC
Presenting Partner: Crown & Anchor
Winner: SONS OF ZÖKU
MOST POPULAR FOLK
Winner: Ukulele Death Squad
MOST POPULAR HEAVY
Presenting Partner: Derringers Music
Winner: Stabbitha and the Knifey Wifeys
MOST POPULAR HIP HOP
Presenting Partner: The Gov
Winner: DEM MOB
MOST POPULAR JAZZ
Presenting Partner: Helpmann Academy
Winner: 5 SIDEDCUBE
MOST POPULAR POP
Presenting Partner: Alpha Box & Dice
Winner: The Tullamarines
MOST POPULAR PUNK
Presenting Partner: Three D Radio
Winner: Teenage Joans
MOST POPULAR ROCK
Presenting Partner: UniBar ADL
Winner: Mums Favourite
MOST POPULAR SOUL, FUNK OR RNB
Presenting Partner: Woodville Town Hall
Winner: Mum Thinks Blue
