The SA Music (SAM) Awards is set to take place at the Adelaide Town Hall on Thursday 8th November with legendary music journalist Zan Rowe as MC.
With almost two decades of broadcast experience under her belt, the Triple J, Double J, ABC TV presenter, and Bang On podcast co-host is looking forward to being part of the South Australian music industry’s gala awards evening.
“The Adelaide music scene always punches above its weight and like other great creative cities, shows an incredible sense of community amongst the legends who keep the fires stoked” Zan said.
“I can’t wait to get back to Adelaide, a place that is always brimming with fans ready to celebrate and recognise the year’s best music, and party until the wee hours of the morn!”
A stand out fixture on the UNESCO Adelaide City of Music’s calendar of events, the SAM Awards exist to recognise, promote and celebrate excellence in the South Australian contemporary music industry.
The award categories include both People’s Choice Awards as voted by the public, and SAM Awards selected by a judging panel of local and national industry peers.
The SAM Awards judging panel consists of both local and national industry experts including Triple J Music Director Nick Findlay, award winning musician Emma Donovan, Festival Programmer of Groovin’ The Moo Richard Moffat, Porch Sessions’ Sharni Honor and Ben Martin of Golden Era Records.
“The Adelaide scene is incredibly supportive of each other and amazingly diverse in sound there’s so much exciting new music coming out of South Australia right now that I can’t wait to discover even more of it by being a judge at the SAM Awards” Nick Findlay said.
The SAM Awards (formerly Fowler’s Live Music Awards) has been made possible since 2012, with a special grant from the government’s Music Development Office and the valued support of many sponsors.
This year for the first time, the prestigious awards will be presented at Adelaide Town Hall.
Lord Mayor Martin Haese welcomes the SAM Awards to the Town Hall and is looking forward to seeing local talent recognised and applauded for their contribution to the music industry.
“As an amateur musician and a strong advocate for Adelaide’s designation as a UNESCO City of Music, I enthusiastically welcome the South Australian Music Awards being held at Adelaide Town Hall. Adelaide is recognised worldwide for its vibrant music culture and its support for the music industry, and I look forward to celebrating our local music scene in November” he said.
Music SA General Manager Lisa Bishop said the SAM Awards gala ceremony on the 8th of November will provide well deserved national acknowledgment of SA’s contemporary music talent.
“We have an impressive community of exciting up and coming musicians and industry professionals, as well as local legends who have been contributing to the scene for many years.
The SAM Awards is a wonderful opportunity to recognise the hard work of the people dedicated to making our creative scene the rich and vibrant culture that it is” she said.
Alongside Music SA, this year’s SAM Awards are presented in conjunction with major partners Music Development Office, The City of Adelaide, Moshtix, Australian Hotels Association (SA Branch), beverage partners
Yalumba Wines, The Hills Cider Company and Young Henrys, plus AV partners Novatech and Nexstage. Public voting for the people’s choice officially opens August 16 through www.themusic.com.au/samawards with only four weeks to vote, closing Monday September 17.
Local judges
Alice Fraser
Ben Martin
Courtney Duka
Dan Rankine
Jade O Donohue
Jason North
Kelly Menhennett
Spoz Spozington
Sharni Honor
Motez
National Judges
Emma Donovan
Nick Findlay
Jess Beston
Grant Gillies
Rebecca Young
Richard Moffat
Early bird tickets to the SAM Awards (including food, drink and entertainment) are now on sale through Moshtix here>
