The annual FBi Sydney Music, Arts & Culture (SMAC) Awards recognise the musicians, artists, performers, restaurants and events that have shaped the city’s creative culture over the year. FBi Radio has recently announced the winners of the 2015 awards, joining the likes of previous winners Seekae, Flume, Hermitude and Sarah Blasko.
The awards bring together fifty finalists across eleven categories and after thousands of votes, the winners were unveiled at a ceremony held at Carriageworks. Broadcasted live on FBi Radio and hosted by Joyride and Raph Dixon, the awards also featured live performances from Big White, FLOWERTRUCK and Gordi.
Grabbing the title of Best Artist was Latai Taumoepeau. The Xena of the South Pacific uses body-centered performance to combat race, class and female body politics. Blending contemporary performance with her indigenous dance frameworks, her works are known to be honest and raw. Among the other winners were Underbelly Arts, taking out Best Arts Program and Scout’s Honour who took home the title of Best Eats, renowned for their chicken salad and potato chip sandwich.
Winning Best Song was Shining Bird with ‘Rivermouth’. With a “deep-voiced purr set to gentle” and “soothing guitar balladry” it’s no wonder they took home one of the biggest honours of the night.
Best Live Act was awarded to punk rock band, Royal Headache, boasting a front-man, Shogun, that proceeds expectations with every performance. The group also scooped up Record Of The Year with ‘High’. Next up was the winner of Best Music Event, House Of Mince. Inspired by the New York vogue scene, the group behind the event are supposedly ‘the coolest kids of the gay underground’. Best On Stage went to Force Majeure with ‘Nothing To Lose’, a dance theatre piece celebrating the richness and variety of fat bodies.
The FBi Click Best Producer was presented to Wave Racer and ‘Bankstown: Live’ by Urban Theatre Projects were given the Remix The City award. Taking home arguably the most exciting award was Sampa The Great, labeled the Next Big Thing. High quality production skills and a hip-hop flare with a”heavy dose of sass and soul” are just two of the many reasons the female artist was chosen.
For more information and to check out all of the winners, click here.
