2009 Melbas - Announced!!

After much debate and consideration (we don't rush important decisions about quality here) the VMA committee have come to some conclusions.

Firstly we would like to thank everyone who supported the Melbas in our inaugural year, and what will be sadly our only year.
The VMAs would be nothing without everyone who has gotten behind it.

We'd also like to acknowledge our detractors, who help "keep the bastards honest". Thanks. Hope we turned out honest enough.

While the the VMAs will not run in 2010, we trust that Music Victoria will be able to support Victorian musicians in meaningful and positive ways.
Although Music Victoria have not contacted us, so we don't know what their integrity is like, we hope that they will be able to recognise the wheat from the chaff, the good shit from the bullshit, and not get suckered by any form of corporate sway.

The standard of our Victorian artists in 2009 have been very high. Artists such as Lucie Thorne, The Temper Trap, Black Cab, Mum Smokes and Kid Sam have all received critical acclaim for their efforts in 2009. The 2009 Melbas however have spent a little more time considering the year's releases, and so we have awarded Melbas to the following for being outstanding in 2009.



Best Album - 5 way tie
Magic Dirt - White Boy EP
HTRK - Marry Me Tonight
Rowland S Howard - Pop Crimes
East Brunswick All Girls Choir - Dead Air
Truth From Facts - 2009

Best Song
Summer High - Magic Dirt (feat. Rowland S Howard)


Best Vinyl Release
UV Race s/t LP

Best Live Band - 2 way tie
Eddie Current Suppression Ring
My Disco

Best Live Solo Performer
Purple Duck

Best Male Vocal

James Grim - Brothers Grim


Best Female Vocal - 2 way tie
Linda J - The Dacios
Adalita - Magic Dirt

Best Instrumentalist - 2 way tie
JP Shilo - Rowland S Howard band
Evelyn Morris - Pikelet

Best Album Artwork
Brain Children - Brain Children

Best Video Clip
Graveyard Train - Ballad of Beelzebub

Best Band Photo
Warwick Baker - Brain Children - Ferrari photo

Best Live Photo
(Not awarded due to poor nominations)

Best Gig Review
Meredith ’09: “I Think I'm Going To Die” by A.H. CAYLEY - http://www.messandnoise.com/articles/3826937

Best Gig - 2 way tie
Black Arm Band - Dirtsong @ State Theatre (feat. Archie Roach, Ruby Hunter, Paul Kelly, Jimmy Barnes, Kucha Edwards, Dan Sultan, Shane Howard, and many more)

ATP (Mt Buller) - Primitive Calculators, The Stabs, Bad Seeds, Rowland S Howard, Saints (not Vic, but worth a mention)

Best Live Sound Engineer
Clint Sigmund

Congratulations to all Melba winners, as well as everyone else who produced some music in 2009. You are all ace!