Post ARIA's

I’ve never been one for awards ceremonies, they always seem so forced. There are some people who love them. I have one friend who is the star of awards ceremonies. She wears a frock like a second skin, sashays around the room being her normal charming self and dances til the wee hours of the after party. I envy that woman! Despite all of the well wishing from friends, fans and family, when the ARIA’s rolled around on Sunday I can say in all honesty, I was feeling pretty anxious. Being nominated was cool but frocking up, making small talk and cracking industry jokes has never been my strong point.

There are always those moments amongst the glorification and artifice that stand out. Those exhilarating little windows where the world seems ‘right’ again and music justice is served. ARIA highlight 2005 was watching my friend Mia Dyson take out the best blues and roots album. This years ARIA highlight was watching Taasha Coates and the lads from The Audrey’s win the very same award. These moments are the musical equivalent of man landing on the moon. One small step for The Audrey’s, one giant step for independent music making…

Other moments that had that same taste of goodness were; Bernard, Clare and Kasey’s harmonies alongside Bedge’s sublime fiddle playing, mention of the now sadly defunct Arts Victoria Music for the Future program in Clare’s acceptance speech, The Oils getting a thunderous welcome into the Hall of Fame and (undoubtedly the most entertaining) hearing my elderly mother Dorothy, after a few glasses of bubbly, declare that Wolfmother needed some speech writers and that The Veronica’s parents were ‘very irresponsible to allow them out that late at night - they should be in bed!’

But my most treasured moment was at the very beginning of the night. As I was approaching the end of the red carpet a young woman called me over to the side and asked me to sign a beautiful piece of art she had painted on wood. It was dedicated to the song ‘Rain’ and it reminded me why, as music lovers, we do what we do. It’s not to be exclusive and famous. It’s not to wear the best dress or know the most people in the room. It’s not to win or to lose. It’s about keeping our hearts open, hearing our truth in the words of others and remembering that in this industry and in this world – there is room for EVERYONE.