Stella Donnelly Cleans Up At 2017 WAMAwards

The West Australian music industry converged on the Gate One Theatre at Claremont Showgrounds on Thursday night to celebrate the state's rich creative tapestry at the annual WAMAwards ceremony, as part of this week's broader WAMFest event.

Already-decorated up-and-comer Stella Donnelly was the biggest winner of the night, earning five wins from across six nominations, picking up the awards for Best EP, Best Folk Act, Best Single, Best Female Vocalist and Most Popular New Act.

Also earning multiple prizes were well-regarded indie outfit Methyl Ethel (Best Album, Best Pop Act and Best Male Vocalist), in-demand performer Ziggy Ramo (Best Hip Hop Act and Best Indigenous Act) and the ever-eclectic POW! Negro (Best Urban Act and Most Popular Live Act).

The WAMAwards also let the public have their say through their crowd-voted categories, which this year saw Falls Festival take out Music Event Of The Year, with revered local haunt Mojos Bar earning another Most Popular Venue gong — its fourth consecutive win in the category — in 2017.

On the industry side of things, Phil Stevens (Jarrah Records) picked up the Management Award in recognition of his stellar year, while Caitlin Nienaber of RTRFM got the nod for the Industry Representative Of The Year.

Other awards handed out on the night included the Golden WAMi, which this year went to Nannup Music Festival director and Indigenous-performance advocate Phaedra Watts, as well as Hall of Fame inductions for Eurogliders and Graham Wood.

The affair was capped off with a raft of excellent live outings from Donnelly as well as San Cisco, Harry Mitchell & Daniel Susnjar, John Bennett & David Hyams, RAG N' BONE, Nerve Quakes and The Southern River Band, while The Babuseae Rhythm Section and a DJ set from Timothy Nelson kept the good times rolling into the night.

WAMFest continues through the weekend. Head to the WAM website for more information, and see the full winners' list below.

2017 WAMAwards — Winners

Industry

Best Album
Methyl Ethel — Everything Is Forgotten

Best Pop Act
Methyl Ethel

Best Blues/Roots Act
Old Blood

Best Punk/Hardcore Act
Nerve Quakes

Best Country Act
The Little Lord Street Band

Best Regional Act
Carla Geneve

Best Electronic Act (Live)
Tobacco Rat

Best Rock Act
Tired Lion

Best EP
Stella Donnelly — Thrush Metal

Best Single
Stella Donnelly — Mechanical Bull

Best Experimental Act
Furchick

Best Urban Act
POW! Negro

Best Folk Act
Stella Donnelly

Best World Music Act
Grace Barbe

Best Hip Hop Act
Ziggy Ramo

Industry Representative Of The Year
Caitlin Nienaber

Best Indigenous Act
Ziggy Ramo

Label Of The Year
Good Company Records

Best Jazz Act
Daniel Susnjar Afro-Peruvian Jazz Group

Management Award
Phil Stevens

Best Metal/Heavy Act
Tangled Thoughts Of Leaving

Golden WAMi
Phaedra Watts

Craft

Best Bassist
Sara McPherson

Best Guitarist
Axel Carrington

Best Brass/Strings/Woodwind Instrumentalist
Ricki Malet (Trumpet)

Best Keys/Synth Artist
Tom O'Halloran

Best Drummer/Percussionist
Nathan Sproule

Best Male Vocalist
Jake Webb

Best Female Vocalist
Stella Donnelly

Best Electronic Producer
Feels

Best Sound Engineer
Jeremy Beste

Best Sound Engineer/Producer (Studio)
Andy Lawson

Public Voted

Most Popular Act
The Waifs

Most Popular Live Act
POW! Negro

Most Popular New Act
Stella Donnelly

Most Popular Music Event
Falls Festival

Most Popular Music Video
Peter Bibby — Medicine

Most Popular Venue
Mojo's Bar