This year’s Western Australia’s WAM Awards featured Stella Donnelly taking out five awards and Ziggy Ramo winning two, while Eurogliders and the late Graham Wood were recognised for their work and contributions to the WA music industry.
There’s something in the water in Western Australia that produces great artists such as The Waifs, who were awarded Most Popular Act, and their manager Phil Stevens who won the Management Award.
“This is one for all the roadies and the road crew,” Donna from The Waifs said as she accepted the Award for Most Popular Act, acknowledging they wouldn’t have achieved what they achieved without their roadies and road crew’s commitment throughout their careers.
Click here for photos from the Awards ceremony.
But the night belonged to honouring the late Graham Wood, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame and remembered in Bob Gordon's tribute to those from the WA Music Industry who’ve passed and left their legacy.
Graham was honoured for his work in the Australian music scene for initiatives such as founding the Perth International Jazz Festival, starting and co-owning the iconic Ellington Jazz Club in Perth, being appointed Dean of WAPA in 2006 and recording and touring nationally and internationally with many acclaimed artists and ensembles.
Stella Donnelly who cleaned up winning five awards: Best EP, Best Folk Act, Best Single, Best Female Vocalist and Most Popular New Act, acknowledged her fellow nominees and thanked the venues and promoters who supported diversity in artist line-ups.
Indigenous Australian artist Ziggy Ramo won Best Hip Hop and Best Indigenous Act, and in Ziggy’s absence his father shared Ziggy’s words of thanks to family and those who’ve supported him in his career.
Hall of Fame inductees Eurogliders gave us insight into tour life and their careers, which began in Perth at a time when there were many cover bands playing in the city and they were one of the few that played original music.
“It was a great honour to work and play original songs in Perth back then,” guitarist Bernie Lynch said.
But stand-out speech of the night went to Donna from The Waifs, who shared words from Henry Rollins on accepting The Waifs award. “Listen to the stage manager and get on stage when they tell you to.
“No one has time for the rockstar bullshit. None of the techs backstage care if you are David Bowie or the milkman. When you act like a jerk, they are completely unimpressed with the infantile display that you might think comes with your dubious status.
“They were there hours before you building the stage and they will be there for hours after you leave tearing it down. They should get your salary and you should get theirs.”
The Golden WAMi went to Phaedra Watts from the Nannup Music Festival.
Click here for photos from the Awards ceremony.
2017 WAM Award Winners
Industry Awards
Best Album
Methyl Ethel - 'Everything Is Forgotten'
Best Blues/ Roots Act
Old Blood
Best Country Act
The Little Lord Street Band
Best Electronic Act (live)
Tobacco Rat
Best EP
Stella Donnelly - 'Thrush Metal'
Best Experimental Act
Furchick
Best Folk Act
Stella Donnelly
Best Hip Hop Act
Ziggy Ramo
Best Indigenous Act
Ziggy Ramo
Best Jazz Act
Daniel Susnjar Afro-Peruvian Jazz Group
Best Metal/ Heavy Act
Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving
Best Pop Act
Methyl Ethel
Best Punk/ Hardcore Act
Nerve Quakes
Best Regional Act
Carla Geneve
Best Rock Act
Tired Lion
Best Single
Stella Donnelly - 'Mechanical Bull'
Best Urban Act
POW! Negro
Best World Music Act
Grace Barbé
Industry Representative of the Year
Caitlin Nienaber
Label of the Year
Good Company Records
Management Award
Phil Stevens
Golden WAMi
Phaedra Watts
Craft Awards
Best Bassist
Sara McPherson
Best Brass/ Strings/ Woodwind/ Instrumentalist
Ricki Malet [Trumpet]
Best Drummer/ Percussionist
Nathan Sproule
Best Electronic Producer
Feels
Best Female Vocalist
Stella Donnelly
Best Guitarist
Axel Carrington
Best Keys/ Synth Artist
Tom O'Halloran
Best Male Vocalist
Jake Webb
Best Sound Engineer (live)
Jeremy Beste
Best Sound Engineer/ Producer (studio)
Andy Lawson
Most Popular Awards
Most Popular Act
The Waifs
Most Popular Live Act
POW! Negro
Most Popular Music Event
Falls Festival
Most Popular Music Video
Peter Bibby - 'Medicine'
Most Popular New Act
Stella Donnelly
Most Popular Venue
Mojo’s Bar
