Live Review: 2016 Gold Coast Music Awards @ Burleigh Brewing Co.

Last week over 300 industry professionals and fans gathered at Burleigh Brewing Co to celebrate the Gold Coast’s best musicians, bands, venues, and events.

Master of Ceremony Trevor Jackson said the Gold Coast is the heart of Australia’s cultural universe with a unique GC groove. “There’s so much to celebrate, so much to acknowledge. We even have artists making names beyond our shores,” Jackson said.

A few of those talented musicians include singer-songwriter Ella Fence, who was the biggest winner of the night, taking out the coveted ‘Best Song of the Year’ and the inaugural ‘Best Music Video of the Year’ category for her song Unknown Water. While globetrotting duo Julz Parker and Leesa Gentz of Hussy Hicks collected ‘Best Artist of the Year’, making their acceptance speech all the way from Germany via video.

Then there were newcomer to the Gold Coast music scene Nightquarter, being awarded ‘Venue of the Year’ for a combination of their unique outdoor covered space and their commitment to booking local music performers. While Blues on Broadbeach, which attracts in excess of 125,000 music lovers to the four-day free event, was crowned ‘Music Event of the Year’.

The prize pool for winners included career-boasting opportunities, such as performances at the country’s pre-eminent music showcase BIGSOUND 2016, plus the chance to perform at the Bluesfest’s busker’s stage and paid gigs at music events and venues across the Coast.

Organiser Samantha Morris congratulated the winners and highlighted her support of the Gold Coast’s music industry. “The Gold Coast Music Awards showed the exceptional calibre of musicianship that the Gold Coast has to offer audiences and it’s humbling to have sold-out the event for the second year in a row,” Morris stated.

After the ceremony the audience enjoyed beer and burgers to the sound of last year’s ‘Emerging Artist Winner’ Hanlon Brothers and their funky, soulful sound.

The Gold Coast Music Awards aim to stimulate interest in the city as a live music destination while celebrating the depth and diversity of talent found within it and this year was no exception. Whatever you play or like, there’s definitely something for you in the Gold Coast music scene!

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2016 Gold Coast Music Award Winners

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Hussy Hicks

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Leopold’s Treat

SONG OF THE YEAR
‘Unknown Water’ by Ella Fence

MUSIC CHAMPION OF THE YEAR
Guy Cooper

EVENT OF THE YEAR
Blues on Broadbeach

VIDEO OF THE YEAR
‘Unknown Water’ by Ella Fence

VENUE OF THE YEAR
Nightquarter