This November 3rd, the 2020 South Australian Music (SAM) Awards will be celebrating the achievements of musicians, producers, videographers and venues from what’s been a decidedly unpredictable 12 months. Today, the SAM Awards reveal their nominees for this year’s event, along with the all-important venue and event details for the November ceremony.
With COVID-19 affecting how many events are being executed around the country, the organisers of the SAM Awards are delighted to announce that they’ve been able to confirm a greenlit roll out of a physical event with an audience for their November event.
In accordance with South Australia’s current restrictions and COVID-19 safe protocols, the SAM Awards will take place at the University of Adelaide’s Cloisters and Lawns alongside the UNIBar. Moving the event from its usual seated dinner format, to a larger semi- outdoor one, not only provides safety for everyone involved, but it also gives attendees a chance to take advantage of a warmer climate, laidback energy and celebratory vibe.
Excited to be one of the only awards ceremonies that can take place with an audience during Australian Music Month, the organisers of the SAM Awards are looking forward to celebrating with the South Australian music community, while looking forward to 2021. As a UNESCO City of Music, Adelaide has become a hub of creativity for musicians in recent years, with national and international attention being drawn to the amount of artists who have been taking their art beyond SA, out to the world.
Minister for Innovation and Skills David Pisoni said South Australia was in the fortunate position to be able to celebrate its brightest stars in this format.“The music industry has suffered more than most this year, and I’m very pleased we’ll be able to get together safely to acknowledge South Australia’s incredibly talented musicians,” Minister Pisoni said.
Today’s announcement sees a broad range of genres represented in the major/ industry award nominees that were decided by the local judging panel before they go to the nationally inclusive panel to now decide the winners, reflecting the incredible diversity that is South Australian music right now. While there’s plenty of familiar names amongst the nominees for the 2020 SAM Awards, there’re plenty of first time entrants such as EAST AV3, J-Milla, and SEABASS points towards the exciting time South Australian music is currently experiencing at present.
The People’s Choice Awards finalists are also announced today after again hitting over 8,000 votes, with finalists including a host of winners from last year including TOWNS, Jess Day and Horror My Friend, along with plenty of fresh faces.
General Manager of Music SA, Kim Roberts has said “In such an uncertain environment, we weren’t sure if we would be able to hold an event this year. I’m thrilled that we can catch up in person for a COVID-safe SAM Awards. While the eligibility stretches back to last August, it’s lovely to be able to acknowledge great music, events and achievements during such a rough year. To highlight the resilience within our community and celebrate a wider variety of industry roles, we’ve also included some new awards, including Best Innovation, Best Live Technician and Best Educator. It’s such a diverse spread of talent – I don’t envy the judging panel and the public voting on such excellent nominees.”
As always, the SAM’s Industry and Major awards will be decided by a panel of 15 national and local judges who represent and work across various facets of the industry and are valued members of the overarching Australian music community.
Tickets for the 2020 SAM Awards are available now via Moshtix for an incredibly affordable $40; entry and drinks inclusive. Food will be available to purchase throughout the event.
Capacity is limited, so get in early.
Tickets available HERE
Watch the 2019 highlights below:
2020 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES
INDUSTRY VOTED AWARDS
BEST STUDIO (Presented by Adelaide Music Collective)
Adelaide Recording Studios
Ghostnote
Island Recording Studios
Spare Second Studio
Stone Shed Studio
Wundenbergs Recording and Rehearsal Studio
BEST STUDIO ENGINEER (Presented by SAE Institute Adelaide)
Chris Panousakis
Kiah Gossner
Jimmy Balderston
Lewis Wundenberg
Mario Spate
BEST LIVE TECHNICIAN (Presented by Novatech)
Lisa Lane-Collins
Luke Hancock
Noni Espinosa
Patrick Lockwood
Peter Wing
BEST MAJOR FESTIVAL/EVENT (Presented by Pirate Life)
Day of Clarity
Porchland
St Jerome’s Laneway Festival – Adelaide
Thebartonia
BEST SMALL FESTIVAL/EVENT (Presented by UniBar Adelaide)
Field Good Festival
Freefall Festival
PAK: Live at Wundenbergs
Stonecutters
The Porch Sessions
BEST VENUE (Presented by AHA – SA Branch)
Crown and Anchor Hotel
Grace Emily Hotel
Jive
Lion Arts Factory
The Wheatsheaf Hotel
BEST COVER ART (Presented by Version Design)
Dave Court (DyspOra)- AUSTRALIEN
Jack Fenby (Cat Lucky) – Pressure (Everybody Wants To Know You)
Jack Fenby (The Empty Threats) – $2
Julie Thornberg-Thorsoe (Kaurna Cronin) – Glitter or Dust
Todd Fischer (Lost Woods) – Shaping Distant Memories
BEST MANAGER (Presented by Association of Artist Managers)
Alex Karatassa
Diana Sautelle
Matthew Khabbaz
Planet shhh!
Sue Germein
BEST MUSIC VIDEO (Presented by Channel 44)
Bottleneck Studios (Uomo) – All I Hear
EAST AV3 – Le Labo
Harry Nelli (Venice Queens) – Punchdrunk
Lonelyspeck – My Angel Goes Before Me
Motez, Pilot Studio, Mapped Design, Daggers Production, Kelsee Pedler (Motez) – Soulitude
BEST SONG (Presented by APRA AMCOS)
EAST AV3 – Le Labo
Stellie – How Do We Look So Good?
Jess Day – Affection
St Jacques – In Faith
Naomi Keyte – Travelling Woman
BEST NEW ARTIST (Presented by WOMADelaide)
Cat Lucky
EAST AV3
SEABASS
Siberian Tiger
Slowmango
BEST GROUP (Presented by Derringers Music)
EAST AV3
Slowmango
SEABASS
TOWNS
Venice Queens
Wing Defence
BEST ABORIGINAL/TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ARTIST (Presented by Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music – CASM)
J-Milla
Jessica Wishart
Nathan May
Sonz of Serpents
Tunu
BEST SOLO ARTIST (Presented by Adelaide Festival Centre)
Jess Day
Kaurna Cronin
Lonelyspeck
Motez
Ollie English
Stellie
BEST RELEASE (Presented by themusic.com.au)
EAST AV3 – Rugrats
Lonelyspeck – Abyssal Body
Motez – Soulitude
Ollie English – Reality of Love
Wing Defence – Friends
BEST MUSIC EDUCATOR (Presented by SAMII)
Grayson Rotumah
Kultar Ahluwalia
James Alberts
Naomi Keyte
Nick O’Connor
BEST INNOVATION (Presented by CityMag)
Mosaic Audio Visual
Play/Pause/Play
Space Jams
Sunny Side Uploads
Thursday Night Knock Offs – Sparkke at the Whitmore
WheatyLIVE
PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDS FINALISTS
BLUES & ROOTS (Presented by Radio Adelaide)
JimmyBay
Lucky Seven
Ollie English
Rat Tamango
The Streamliners
COUNTRY (Presented by Grace Emily Hotel)
Cassidy Rae Gaiter
Cookie Baker
Jessica Wishart
Matt Ward
Nathan May
ELECTRONIC (Presented by Moshtix)
Hartway
Jethro
Lonelyspeck
Motez
Zac Eichner
EXPERIMENTAL (Presented by Ancient World)
Heinous Crimes
Slowmango
SODA
Sons of Zoku
The Empty Threats
FOLK (Presented by The Wheatsheaf Hotel)
Katie Pomery
Loren Kate
Naomi Keyte
Siberian Tiger
Tom West
HEAVY (Presented by Enigma)
Alt.
Dirty Pagans
Hidden Intent
NO NO NO NO NO
Terminal Zero
HIP HOP (Presented by The Gov)
DyspOra
East AV3
Laitisi Diesa
Outside Lines
We Move Like Giants
JAZZ (Presented by Elder Conservatorium)
Alex Taylor
Django Rowe
Er@ser Description
Nick Pennington & Angus Mason
The Boys Club
POP (Presented by Jive)
Ashton Fraser
Germein
Jess Day
MANE
The Montreals
PUNK (Presented by Three D Radio)
Bitchspawn
Chelsea Manor
Collateral Damage
The Lizards
Wing Defence
ROCK (Presented by Crown and Anchor)
Horror My Friend
Oscar the Wild
SEABASS
TOWNS
Venice Queens
SOUL/FUNK/R&B (Presented by Woodville Town Hall)
Elsy Wameyo
Isaac Thomas
Legs of Ivar
Leni
Wanderers
2020 SOUTH AUSTRALIAN MUSIC AWARDS
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2020
UniBar Adelaide, Cloisters and Lawns
Kaurna Land
Entrance from Victoria Drive
Tickets available via Moshtix
The SAM Awards is looking ahead to the future in continuing their commitment to celebrating the thriving community of musicians that really make SA Great.
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