Empire Strikes Back At ARIAs
News posted Friday, November 27 2009 at 09:00 AM.
Related: Luke Steele, Empire Of The Sun, ARIA Awards.
Despite cutting a European tour short to jet back for last night’s ARIA Awards, The Temper Trap walked away empty handed from Sydney’s Acer Arena at the industry’s so-called “night of nights”.
The band had been nominated for four awards for their debut album Conditions, but were trumped on most occasions by Empire of the Sun, the dance-pop project for PNAU’s Nick Littlemore and The Sleepy Jackson’s Luke Steele. With Littlemore pursuing other projects in the UK, it was left to Steele to accept the awards – and he did so looking like an extra from David Lynch's Dune.
“Obviously Nick's disappeared, he's overseas,” said Steele after accepting the award for Best Pop Release. “So tonight he's invisible Nick.”
Other winners included AC/DC (Best Rock Album and Highest Selling Album), Sarah Blasko (Best Female Artist), C.W Stoneking (Best Blues & Roots Album), Bertie Blackman (Best Independent Release), Sia (Best DVD), New Zealand transplant Ladyhawke (Best Breakthrough Album and Best Breakthrough Single), Hilltop Hoods (Best Urban Album), Josh Pyke (Best Adult Contemporary) and The Presets for, well, just showing up.
While all the pre-ARIA talk focused on Idol runner-up Jessica Mauboy, she only walked away with one award – the dubious Highest Selling Single – after being nominated for seven. Predictably, she thanked God. Meanwhile, Dappled Cities and The Drones also missed out in their respective categories. Must not be praying enough.
Hosted by former child stars Kate Ritchie (Home and Away) and Gyton Grantley (the kid from those ’90s Sorbent ads), the night featured live performances by The Temper Trap, Sarah Blasko, Kate Miller-Heidke, Lisa Mitchell, Empire of The Sun, Ladyhawke and ex-boy band singer Robbie Williams (wonder what he’s been up to since leaving ‘N Sync?).
The proceedings were tweeted live for M+N by A.H Cayley from the comfort of her lounge room (you didn’t think we’d actually send someone to this, did you?). You can read about her action-packed night on the couch here.
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You need a better pun for the title.
Or a pun.
Something
think of a good one and we'll put it up. all creativity was expended on those witty one-liners in the copy.
Luke Steele's the show with Four for Empire.
Aside from the hosts, I enjoyed this for once.
C.W Stoneking made me real happy with his speach.
Seemed like the only honest one up there.
''Four for the fruitcake''
The Cat Empire? What did they win?
Nsync or take that?
The Drones film clip footage stuck out like a sore bum in amoungst all the other big budget clips, kinda looked dumb.
Boyzone? Backstreet Boys?
“Price of Steele Skyrockets”
I'd go with what the voiceover went with last night: ''Empire of the Sun will blind you with their sound''...
True that!
Gold.
Also, Presets singer guys speaking voice has the same inflections as his vocals
His acceptance speach sounded like he'd changed the words to that ''I'm all in love with the people, AAAAAaaaaa'' song.
He sounded like a friend of mine... Why did they win anyway? Did they win those awards last year?
I kind of felt sorry for Gyton Grantley.. How does that regurgitator song go again?
I think the people's choice award should go to Invisiable Nick.
Carl Williams was HORRIBLE.
I think the people's choice award should go to unvisored Nick.
''Australian Music ROX!''
probably only has the Underbelly soundtrack.
I'm upset that no one thanked Sydney's drug dealers. God's contributions seemed pretty minimal in comparison.
''Jackson Sleeps During Empire's Revenge, Little Birdy Ladyhawke Likes It AC/DC''
Kinda thought CW and Blackman could have thanked community radio.
Kinda of thought CW could have thanked black men.
racist
Don't feign ignorance jones, you love that shit.
Isn't he banged up in the big house for murder? I'm so out of touch with young people's music.
ahhh...runs away from life
looks like the tele might have got the jump on M&N in the witty title contest
how bout ' here comes the Sun king'?
what about 'Empire state of mind at ARIAs'?
i would have preferred being sorry for Matthew Krok
Jet must be disappointed. Their 3rd album was ignored. Guess that it didn't sell enough?
...it charted higher than the emprie of the sun album.
I guess Jet would have a loyal fan base... maybe 20,000 or so, who will race out and get their album and therefore giving Jet a good chart placement for that first week or two. .. And then it disappears into thin air. However Empire of the Sun was new, and would have gradually gained in popularity and over the past year and therefore selling more and giving them the aria gong.
luke steele and littlemore are hardly ''new'' and without an established fan base ...
I agree Scullywag... but im pretty sure the combined pnau/ sleepy jackson fanbase would only be a fraction of Jets who have sold a few million records and hence achieve a good chart position with new albums that will quickly bombs because it sucks.
oops
http://www.jayjays.com.au/