Nominees for 2016 Gold Coast Music Awards announced
More than 140 nominations were received for the Gold Coast Music Awards with nominees announced today.
Organisers said the total number of nominations were down but the number of artists and bands nominating had increased.
“Last year there was some confusion about the judging process, so we had some bands nominate many times,” Chloe Popa, co-founder of the Awards said.
“This year we have had 75 individual bands or musicians nominate,” she said. “The process has been tightened up, and the quality of nominations is phenomenal.”
The Awards were created last year following 20 years with no awards program on the local scene. The 2015 event sold out and 30,000 votes were received in the People’s Choice component of the awards program.
This year, organisers introduced a Video of the Year category with the support of Gold Coast Film Festival. 19 nominations were received.
An independent judging panel which is chaired by music journalist and broadcaster Trevor Jackson and includes Louise Bezzina (Bleach* Festival), Neil Beattie (Swingin’ Safari), Sean Flanagan (Hot Tomato) and Felicity Lawless (musician) will now meet to assess nominations.
The nominees are:
Artist of the Year, sponsored by Southport Sharks Cabana Bar + Lounge
Aaron West, Amy Shark, Casey Barnes, Cheap Fakes, City Over Sand, Darkc3ll, Electric Zebra, Electrik Lemonade, Ella Fence, Evol Walks, Hanlon Brothers, Hussy Hicks, IVORI, Jodie-Joy, Klubknight, Nowhere Else, The Wrath, Von Villains, White Lodge.
Emerging Artist of the Year sponsored by Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University
Aaron West, Aquila Young, Baltimore Gun Club, Being Jane Lane, Benny D Williams, Buffy Prescott, Catherine Gunther, Crown The Humble, Electrik Lemonade, Ella Fence, Evol Walks, Georgia Grace Knight, Ivey, Jacob Lee, Jade Peterson, Jason McGregor, Jenna Dearness Dark, Jennifer Sjaan, Jodie-Joy, Jordan Merrick – Fugitive & The Vagabond, Klubknight, Lecia Louise, Leopold’s Treat, MISTRAM, Napoleonic Wars, Nowhere Else, Redstarborn, ROMY, Sarah Shah, Sean Fitzgerald, The Maslows, Timber Bones, White Lodge, Yes Sir Noceur
These awards would not be possible without the support of our major partners: City of Gold Coast and Burleigh Brewing Co. and our category sponsors listed below.
Major sponsor, City of Gold Coast
Presenting partner, Burleigh Brewing Co.
Artist of the Year sponsor, Southport Sharks Cabana Bar + Lounge
Emerging Artist of the Year sponsor, Griffith University’s SEED Program
Song of the Year sponsor, NightQuarter
Music Champion of the Year sponsor, TAFE Gold Coast
Venue of the Year
Currumbin Creek Tavern, elsewhere, Miami Marketta, NightQuarter, Soundlounge, The Avenue
Music Champion of the Year, sponsored by TAFE Gold Coast
Amy Shark, Bleach* Festival, Cindy Jensen, Emily Holler, Glenn Tozer, Guy Cooper (Serotonin Productions & Human Records), Jodie-Joy, Karen Lindsay, Mark Duckworth, Matt Webber, WHO Agencies
Video of the Year Award, presented by Gold Coast Film Festival
ARTIST (and team)
SONG
Amy Shark
Golden Fleece
Baltimore Gun Club (Anthony Hyrmakowski)
Apollo
Casey Barnes (Michelle Barnes, Wazza Bray, LMG Digital Media
The One You Love
City Over Sand (Desert Island Media)
Look For Me
Electrik Lemonade (Desert Island Media)
Run and Hide
Ella Fence (Double Deuce)
Unknown Water
Eleea Navarro
Cigarette
Luke O’Shea (Hazel Schravemade)
Begin and End In Love
Hussy Hicks (Hazel Schravemade)
That Old Heartache
Kiara Jack
Make Shift Forest
Lane Harry x Ike Campbell (Human Records & Nilsson Films)
Rendezvous
Kirsty Abrahams (Mad Rose Films)
Breathe
Kirsty Abrahams (Mad Rose Films)
Fly Away
Phil Barlow and the Wolf (Nils Nilsson Films)
Bold Sea Eagle
Indigo Parade (Raconteur Films)
Colour & Peace
ROMY
Wild Heart
Buffy Prescott (Sean Dellit at Final Girl)
The Nothing
The Cheap Fakes (Smokehouse)
Baby It’s A Good Song
The Goldhearts (Stacy Cross, Campbell Drummond)
On The Run
Event of the Year
Bleach* At Burleigh, Blues on Broadbeach Music Festival, Buskers by the Creek, La Traviata, Leopold’s Treat Cold River album launch, Mescalito Blues Celebrating “10 Years of Stompin”, Mudgeerabarby, Platform, Summertime Sessions in the Village, Wallapalooza
Song of the Year, sponsored by NightQuarter
ARTIST
SONG NAME
Aaron West
She’s So Fine
Amy Shark
Golden Fleece
Baltimore Gun Club
Apollo
Barefoot Friday
Change
Barefoot Friday
Chasing Shadows
Buffy Prescott
The Nothing
Buffy Prescott
Guy Wright-Smith
Casey Barnes
Hard Times
Cheap Fakes
Just In Case
Chloe Styler
Sweden
City Over Sand
Look For Me
City Over Sand
Smith Street Turnoff
Crown The Humble
Granville St Sidewalk
Dave Cavanagh
On the Gold Coast
Eleea Navarro
Cigarette
Ella Fence
Unknown Water
Evol Walks
Without Me
Hanlon Brothers
Cant Wait
Hanlon Brothers
Diamonds
Hussy Hicks
That Old Heartache
Indigo Parade
Bend The Light
IVORI
Mess
Jacob Lee
Chariot
Jenna Dearness Dark
Good bye Aria
Jesswar
Jelly
Jodie-Joy
Naked
Jodie-Joy
True Heart
John Mcalpine
Have A New Drug
Jordan Merrick – Fugitive & The Vagabond
The Wild
Kirsty Abrahams
Fly Away
Klubknight
Ephadream
Lecia Louise
Individual
Leopold’s Treat
Houndogs & Bullfrogs
Leopolds Treat
Cold River
Mescalito Blues
Catfish Queen
Phil Barlow and The Wolf
Bold Sea Eagle
Redstarborn
Electricity
ROMY
Wild Heart
Saint Barae
Nightmares
The Goldhearts
Heres the Thing
The Goldhearts
On the Run
The Maslows
Curtain Call
The Wrath
Misgivings are Through
Versus Fate
Save Me
Versus Fate
Seventeen
Finalists will be announced on Friday 20 May and the winners announced at a #verygc awards presentation on Thursday 16 June at Burleigh Brewing Co. Tickets are on sale now and include a free beer, dinner, entertainment by house bands Hanlon Brothers and friends, free transport to the after party at Hard Rock Cafe, entry to the after party and a free cocktail on arrival.
Hearty congratulations to all nominees. Good luck to the judges. What a job!