Oh yes – We’re packing our bags for a mid-week trip to visit our friends down in Melbourne for the Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards. We’ve ironed a few (collared) shirts, shined our shoes and made sure that our hairstyles are as slick as ever. After all, we’re going to be among some of the country’s finest talents, and we want to look the part.

The Carlton Dry Independent Music Awards are taking over Melbourne’s Meat Market for the first time, and we’re sure that the heritage-listed is going to look dazzling come tomorrow night. It’s a fine celebration of both the emerging and established Australian artists who have chosen the independent route, and deserve a fine applause for doing so.

Among this year’s nominees are our favourites like RÜFÜS, Chet Faker, Horrorshow, DMA’s, Thundamentals & more. Returning for the second consecutive year is the Carlton Dry Global Music Grant, which will award the winner with $50,000 to help pursue their music dreams. Handy!

Have a look at the nominees below, and stay tuned to Life Without Andy for all the results and wrap-ups from the event.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKa6nkmqHFQ

BEST INDEPENDENT ARTIST
Chet Faker
Courtney Barnett
John Butler Trio
Sia
Violent Soho

BEST INDEPENDENT ALBUM
Chet Faker – Built On Glass (Future Classic)
RÜFÜS – Atlas (Sweat it Out)
Sia – 1000 Forms Of Fear (Monkey Puzzle)
Total Control – Typical System (Independent)
Violent Soho – Hungry Ghost (I Oh You)

BREAKTHROUGH INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR
D.D Dumbo
DMA’s
Meg Mac
Remi
Sheppard

BEST INDEPENDENT SINGLE OR EP presented by Levi’s
Courtney Barnett – Avant Gardener (Milk Records!)
DMA’s – DMA’s EP (I Oh You)
Sheppard – Geronimo (Empire of Song)
Sia – Chandelier (Monkey Puzzle)
Violent Soho – Covered In Chrome (I Oh You)

BEST INDEPENDENT HIP HOP ALBUM
Allday – Startup Cult (ONETWO)
Horrorshow – King Amongst Many (Elefant Tracks)
L-FRESH The LION – One (IVienna People Recordings)
Remi – Raw x Infinity (House of Beige)
Thundamentals – So We Can Remember (Obese Records)

BEST INDEPENDENT COUNTRY ALBUM
Davidson Brothers – Wanderlust (Independent)
Halfway – Any Old Love (Plus One Records)
Sara Storer – Lovegrass (ABC Music)
The Painted Ladies – Play Selections From ‘The Loner’ (Plus One Records)
The Perch Creek Family Jugband – Jumping On The Highwire (Vitamin Records)

BEST INDEPENDENT BLUES AND ROOTS ALBUM
Dan Sultan – Blackbird (Liberation Music)
John Butler Trio – Flesh & Blood (Jarrah Records)
Little Bastard – Little Bastard (Four | Four)
Mia Dyson – Idyllwild (Black Door Music)
Paul Kelly – The Merri Soul Sessions (Gawd Aggie Recordings)

BEST INDEPENDENT HARD ROCK, HEAVY OR PUNK ALBUM
DZ Deathrays – Black Rat (I Oh You)
High Tension – Death Beat (Cooking Vinyl Australia)
King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard – Oddments (Flightless)
sleepmakeswaves – Love Of Cartography (Bird’s Robe Records)
Violent Soho – Hungry Ghost (I Oh You)

BEST INDEPENDENT JAZZ ALBUM
Andrea Keller Quartet with Strings – Wave Rider (Jazzhead)
Gian Slater – Still Still (Which Way Music)
Joseph Tawadros – Permission To Evaporate (ABC Jazz)
Julien Wilson Quartet – This Is Always (Lionsharecords)
Paul Grabowsky Sextet – The Bitter Suite (ABC Jazz)

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE, ELECTRONICA ALBUM
Andras Fox – Overworld (Homeloan Records)
Chet Faker – Built On Glass (Future Classic)
Guerre – Ex Nihilo (Yes Please)
RÜFÜS – Atlas (Sweat it Out)
Ta-ku – Songs To Break Up To (HW&W Recordings)

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE, ELECTRONICA OR CLUB SINGLE
Kilter – They Say (etc/etc)
LUCIANBLOMKAMP – Help Me Out (Yes Please)
Peking Duk feat. Nicole Millar – High (Vicious Bitch)
RÜFÜS – Sundream (Sweat it Out)
SAFIA – Paranoia, Ghosts & Other Sounds (Independent)

BEST INDEPENDENT CLASSICAL ALBUM
Anna McMichael and Tamara-Anna Cislowska – Close Your Eyes and I’ll Close Mine (Tall Poppies)
Gurrumul & Sydney Symphony Orchestra – His Life And Music (ABC Music / Skinnyfish)
Jane Sheldon & Nicole Panizza – Nature   (Phosphor Records)
Michael Kieran Harvey – Psychosonata (Move Records)
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra – Hush Collection, Vol. 13: The Magic Island (Hush)

CARLTON DRY GLOBAL MUSIC GRANT
Fractures
Remi
SAFIA
Saskwatch
The Smith Street Band