Barnett, #1 Dads, among winners at Independent Music Awards

Courtney Barnett was on tour and stopped in San Francisco last night when she dominated Australia’s Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards in Melbourne.

No longer a rising star, the ARIA Award winner took out four awards for Best Independent Artist, Best Independent Album (for Sometimes I Sit And Think, And Sometimes I Just Sit), Best Independent Single (Depreston) and Best Independent Label (for her co-owned imprint Milk! Records).

In 2014 Barnett took out the coveted Best Independent Artist and Best Independent Single (Avant Gardener) Awards - the track she performed on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in April last year.

Tour mainstay Seth Sentry took out Best Independent Hip Hop Album for Strange New Past. The trophie was presented by the Award’s 2014 winner Remi.

The Breakthrough Independent Artist Of The Year Award went to #1 Dads (aka Tom Iansek of Big Scary), on the back of his record About Face, while the award for Best Independent Hard Rock, Heavy or Punk album went to King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, for their lauded LP I’m In Your Mind Fuzz.

A keynote speech was made by red Wiggle Murray Cook. According to Noise11, Cook advised artists to remain as independent as possible and hold on tight to their publishing rights.

Cook with Nova Breakfast announcer Dylan Lewis

Performers on the night included John Butler Trio, Airling, Bad//Dreems, Dead Letter Circus and Harts.

Dead Letter Circus

2015 also marked 10 Years of Awards, the milestone was celebrated with a highlights reel looking back at past Awards.

AIR CEO, Dan Nevin said: “What a fantastic way to celebrate the 10th Awards and AIR’s 20th year. It’s so great to see the independent sector come together and pay tribute to the great work that is seeing our artists find local and international success.”

View all the winners below:

BEST INDEPENDENT ARTIST – PRESENTED BY CARLTON DRY

COURTNEY BARNETT

BEST INDEPENDENT ALBUM

COURTNEY BARNETT – SOMETIMES I SIT AND THINK, AND SOMETIMES I JUST SIT

BEST INDEPENDENT SINGLE OR EP – PRESENTED BY RDIO

COURTNEY BARNETT – DEPRESTON

BREAKTHROUGH INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR – PRESENTED BY PPCA

#1 DADS

BEST INDEPENDENT HIP HOP ALBUM

SETH SENTRY – STRANGE NEW PAST

BEST INDEPENDENT COUNTRY ALBUM

FRANK YAMMA – UNCLE

BEST INDEPENDENT BLUES AND ROOTS ALBUM

C.W. STONEKING – GON’ BOOGALOO

BEST INDEPENDENT HARD ROCK, HEAVY OR PUNK ALBUM

KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD – I’M IN YOUR MIND FUZZ

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE/ELECTRONICA ALBUM

FLIGHT FACILITIES – DOWN TO EARTH

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE, ELECTRONICA OR CLUB SINGLE

HAYDEN JAMES – SOMETHING ABOUT YOU

BEST INDEPENDENT JAZZ ALBUM

BARNEY MCALL – MOOROOLBARK

BEST INDEPENDENT CLASSICAL ALBUM

AUSTRALIAN BRANDENBURG ORCHESTRA – BRANDENBURG CELEBRATES

BEST INDEPENDENT LABEL

MILK! RECORDS

Photo Credit: Aleksandar Jason