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The Western Australian Music Industry Awards (commonly known as WAMis) are annual awards presented to the local contemporary music industry, put on by the Western Australian Music Industry Association Inc (WAM). The WAMi Awards are Western Australia Music's night of nights, bringing together local music fans and members of local, national and international industry to acknowledge and celebrate another year of achievements for Western Australia.
History
WAM was originally formed as the Western Australian Rock Music Industry Association Inc. (WARMIA) in 1985, with its main aim to develop and run annual awards recognising achievements within the music industry in Western Australia. WAM first received project funding from the state government in 1989, and in the early 1990s the word "rock" was dropped from the title to give the organisation scope to take on a broader constituency.
In 1994 the inaugural Kiss My WAMi Original Contemporary Music Festival was held. Other programs that have been successfully undertaken include the Act of Youth series of all-ages shows, the WA Song Contest (now WAM Song of the Year), Women in Rock and an annual CD compilation of Western Australian musical artists (the first "The Western Front" was undertaken in 1992 and featured The Pink Fluffy Bunnies, Allegiance and Storytime amongst others.)
The First West Australian Music Industry Awards occurred in 2001.
Hall of Fame Awards
The Hall of Fame recognises those members of the industry who have made an outstanding contribution to WA contemporary music over their career. Various WAM Awards of similar focus acknowledged this before the official WAM Hall of Fame awards came into being in 2004.[1]
The following is an amalgamation of people who had been previously recognised through various WAM awards since 1985 and were inducted into the WAM Hall of Fame.
The 2001 WAMi Awards commenced with an opening party on Thursday 13 September 2001 and a closing party at the Globe Theatre on Sunday 16 September 2001.
Most Popular Local Original Recorded Release - Half Deserted Streets by Fourth Floor Collapse
Most Popular Female Original Guitarist - Tash Sayers (Local Pricks)
Most Popular Male Original Instrumentalist - Stevie C (Rollerskates)
Most Popular Female Original Instrumentalist - Mel Robinson (Myrtle/Gata Negra)
Best Reviewer - Julian Tompkin - X Press
Best Record Producer - Shaun O'Callaghan
Best Sound Recording Engineer - Shaun O'Callaghan
2003 Awards
WAM's annual original contemporary music festival celebrated its 10th birthday in 2003. The metro component of the Kiss My WAMi Festival ran from Thursday 4 September through to Sunday 14 September.
Most Popular Local Original New Act - Little Birdy
Most Popular Local Original Indigenous Act - Gina Williams
Most Popular Local Original Music Video - Downsyde - ("El Questro")
Most Popular Local Original Music Website - Perthbands
Most Popular Local Original Venue - Rosemount Hotel
Most Popular Local Original Music Event -In The Pines
Most Popular Local Original Indie Rock Act - The Fergusons
Most Popular Local Original Urban Music Act - Downsyde
Most Popular Local Original Jazz Act - Hip Mo Toast
Most Popular Local Original Male Vocalist - Nathan Gaunt
Most Popular Local Original Female Vocalist - Katy Steele
Most Popular Local Original Guitarist - Nathan Gaunt
Most Popular Local Original Instrumentalist - Stevie Callum (Rollerskates)
Most Popular Local Original Single or EP - "Let Your Love Be Love" by The Sleepy Jackson
Most Popular Local Original Blues & Roots Act - John Butler Trio
Most Popular Local Original World Music Act - B Movie Heroes
Most Popular Local Original Country Act - Pete Stone & The Assistance
Most Popular Local Original Electronic Producer - Soundlab
Most Popular Local Original Live Electronic Act - Rhibosome
Most Popular Local Original Heavy Rock Act - Karnivool
Most Popular Local Original Bassist - Matt Geary (The Nordeens)
Most Popular Local Original Drummer - Matt Maguire (Adam Said Galore)
Industry voted awards
Golden WAMi For Contribution to the Industry - Luke Rinaldi
Best Record Producer/Engineer -Shaun O'Callaghan
Best Act Management - Phil Stevens Management
Best Music Photographer - Chris O'Halloran
Best Reviewer/Presenter (Media Award) - Mark Genge
Best Live Sound Engineer - Ian Stuart
Best Lighting Engineer - Jared Hawke
2004 Awards
2005 Awards
The 2005 WAMi Awards were held on Tuesday 22 February, hosted by Triple J's Robbie Buck. The WAMi Awards were held in the beautiful outdoor setting of the Beck's Verandah, at the Perth Concert Hall. The stars were shining as award winners were presented their WAMi cakes. Jebediah, Carus, The Kill Devil Hills, Red Jezebel, Dom Mariani and the Majestic Kelp and The Panda Band performed live at the ceremony. Inductees into the WAM Hall of Fame were Bon Scott (AC/DC), Martin Clarke and Dave Hole.
The 2007 WAMi Awards were held on Wednesday 21 February co-hosted by Triple J's Robbie Buck and Rosie Beaton. The WAMi Awards saw a return to the Beck's Verandah, at the Perth Concert Hall and after years of presenting cakes to WAMi Award winners, 2007 sees the winners presented with a WAMington. Eskimo Joe gave a special acoustic performance with performances by Little Birdy, Dave Hole, The Stems and WAMi nominees Double Entendre. The Farris Brothers from INXS were inducted into the WAM Hall of Fame.
Best Hardcore/Punk Act - Eleventh He Reaches London
Best Hard Rock Metal Act - Karnivool
Best Commercial Pop Act - Eskimo Joe
Best Jazz Act - VOID
Best WA Record Label - Jarrah Records
Best Sound Engineer - Dave Parkin
Best Urban/ Hip Hop Act - Downsyde
Best Live Electronic Act - Pendulum
Best Funk Act - Bobby Blackbird and the Bluejays
Best World Act - Double Entendre
2008 Awards
The 2008 WAMi Awards were held at the Perth Festival Beck's Music Box (on the Esplanade, Perth) on Thursday 21 February. The event was co-hosted by Caroline Tran and Peter Barr. The WAMi Awards night included live performances by Jebediah, Birds of Tokyo, Blue Shaddy, Yabu Band with special guests Groovylips and the Yang, Felicity Groom and the Black Black Smoke and DJ's Dan the Man & Rok Riley. The WAM Hall of Fame, was not part of the ceremony, with the Executive Director of WAM, Paul Bodlovich, announcing that WAM were planning to hold a separate Hall of Fame event later in the year.[2] The winners of the 2008 WAMi's were:
Best Female Vocalist. - Abbe May (Abbe May and The Rockin' Pneumonia)
Best Drummer - Pete Guazzelli
Best Instrumentalist - Tristan Parr (Schvendes, Fall Electric)
2009 Awards
The 2009 WAMi Awards were held at the Metro City Nightclub on Thursday 7 May, with the event hosted by Tex Perkins. The WAMi Awards night included live performances by Drapht, The Kill Devil Hills, Djva, Project Mayhem and the Sneaky Weasel Gang. Dave Faulkner was inducted into the WAM Hall of Fame.
Best Record Producer/Engineer - Dave Parkin - Blackbird Studio
Indigenous Act of the Year - The Yabu Band
Best WA based Record Label - Good Cop Bad Cop Records
Media Award (Individual) - Bob Gordon
Media Award (Organisation) - RTRFM
Management Award - Jodie Regan
2010 Awards
The 2010 WAMi Awards were announced Thursday 20 May 2010 at Capitol Nightclub, Perth, with the event hosted by Lindsay McDougall and Peter Barr. The WAMi Awards night included live performances by Sugar Army, Will Stoker and the Embers, the Brow Horn Orchestra, Black Poet and Hayley Beth.
The 2011 WAMi Awards were announced on Saturday 28 May at The Bakery, James Street Northbridge, with the event hosted by Dylan Lewis and Dom Alessio. Record producer and engineer, the late Shaun O'Callaghan, The Waifs and Pete Carroll (former RTRFM manager and manager The Panics) were all inducted into the WAM Hall of Fame. The winners are listed below
Best Commercial Pop - Felicity Groom & Tim & Jean(First category tie in WAMi Award history **)
Best WA Based Record Label - Jarrah Records
Media Award - Individual - Aarom Wilson
Media Award - Organisation - RTRfm 92.1
Management Award - Luke Rinaldi
GOLDEN WAMi - Luke Rinaldi - winner
Craft awards
Best Live Sound Engineer - Luke Willott
Best Record Producer / Engineer - Dave Parkin
Best Male Vocalist - Sean Pollard
Best Female Vocalist - Abbe May
Best Guitarist - Kevin Parker
Best Bassist - Rob Stephens
Best Drummer - Todd Pickett
Best Instrumentalist - Glen Sarangapany
Best Electronic Producer - Tomás Ford
Best DJ - Rok Riley
2012 Awards
The 2012 WAMi Awards were announced on 2 June 2012 at The Bakery, James Street Northbridge, with the event hosted by Claire Hooper and Dom Alessio. Comedian Tim Minchin, the late Robert Hunter, and the former CEO of WAM, Paul Bodlovich, were inducted into the WAM Hall of Fame. The winners were:[3]