Live Review: South Australian Music Awards

10 November 2017 | 5:19 pm | Jonty Czuchwicki

"... The backdrop fell unveiling the stage and a surprise performance of 'Carry On' by Adelaide's Tkay Maidza."

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The 2017 South Australian Music Awards saw an increase in size, scale and grandeur in the year since the previous event.

It's the third year since Music SA took the torch from the Fowlers Live Music Awards and their vision for the event becomes more and more realised each year. Guests arrived to the brand new Thebby Lane via red carpet to an exceptional selection of wine from Delinquente Wine Co and delicious craft beers from Little Bang Brewing.

After an inaugural speech on behalf of the Premier and a humorous opening speech from MC Henry Wagons, the backdrop fell unveiling the stage and a surprise performance of Carry On by Adelaide's Tkay Maidza. The bass was pumping and her vocals were on fleek, with live drums adding nicely to the equation.

As for the awards themselves, it's a shame that AB Original were not scheduled to perform on the night, as the hip hop duo took out six awards in Best Song, Best Release, Best Group, Best Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Artist, Best Video and the People's Choice Hip Hop Award. Playback 808 founder Dyspora took out the award for Best Male, and his smooth and classy performance was one of the highlights of the evening. Tkay Maidza was awarded Best Female Artist and Heaps Good Friends scored Best New Artist.

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Fast-rising star Lonelyspeck captured the audience's heart with a performance of their track All The Air On My Skin. Full of lush electronic textures, gentle vocal sounds and epic guitar licks. Lonelyspeck was then joined on stage by Allume for a reinterpreted version of Bad//Dreems' Mob Rule, which resultantly has everyone screaming for subsequent collaborative efforts.