Winners of the 2009 SMAC Awards announced
Sydney's artistic fraternity came together in style on Tuesday night to reward and recognise the city's most creative and innovative artists and the Harbour City trailblazers to watch in 2010 at the second Time Out & FBi 2009 Sydney Music, Arts and Culture Awards.
Held at Helm Bar on a moonlit Darling Harbour and fuelled by almost 50,000 votes from the public, the 2009 SMACs proved even bigger, better and braver than in their inaugural year, with a fleet of big names and industry heavyweights in attendance, led by Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, Ocean's Eleven, The Informant!). They included ARIA-winning muso Kim Moyes from the Presets and INXS legend Kirk Pengilly, plus Archibald Prize winner Del Kathryn Barton and Sydney Theatre Company co-artistic director and Mr Cate Blanchett, Andrew Upton.
Muso-turned-politician John Wardle took out the coveted SMAC of the Year for killing the POPE (aka the tyrannical Place of Public Entertainment licence) and thus opening the floodgates for Sydney musicians to play ‘string free' in venues across Sydney and throughout NSW. Wardle's tireless campaign carried all the hallmarks of a SMAC hero. Like 2008 winner, former Sydney Festival director Fergus Linehan, Wardle displayed outstanding artistry, professionalism in energizing the cultural fabric of Sydney.
Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett was named Best Performer for her turn in the STC's A Streetcar Named Desire, but the play's current critically acclaimed New York run meant her award was instead collected by proud husband Andrew Upton, who toasted the victory with Soderbergh, with whom the STC is collaborating on Tot Mom from December 21.
In the music categories, electronic trio Seekae won Best Live Music Act whilst the Best Music Event went to Nick Cave's All Tomorrow's Parties. The Record of the Year award went to the Lost Valentinos for their debut album Cities of Gold, while Red Rattler was awarded Best Collective and Sherlock's Daughter picked up Next Big Thing – Music. Fergus Brown was awarded Best Sydney Song for ‘John, She Was Never Only Dancing.'
Sydney artist Wade Marynowsky was given the SMAC accolade of Best Artist. Semi Permanent, the annual design convention, won Best Arts Event, and Sydney Festival took out the SMAC for Best Major Festival. I Heart Kings Cross was awarded the Remix the City award for enlivening an already colourful suburb with a swarm of knitted tree socks that brought residents and visitors together like never before.
Time Out Associate Publisher Angus Fontaine said: "Only in a vibrant, cage-rattling city like Sydney could Brian Eno and Nick Cave go head to head in one category while Cate Blanchett and MySpace blogger Natalie Tran locked horns in another. Once again, the SMACs have proved themselves an awards night as cool, creative and trailblazing as the Sydney artists, musos and tastemakers they celebrate."
Meagan Loader, Station Director, FBi 94.5FM said: "Sydney would be a very dull city if not for the work of people like our SMAC nominees - the creators, makers and shakers who continue to rethink what's possible in our town. Congrats and thanks to all of them."
Winners of the SMAC Awards 2009 are:
· Remix in the City - I Heart Kings Cross
· Best Music Event - Nick Cave's All Tomorrow's Parties
· Best Live Music Act - Seekae
· Record of the Year - Lost Valentinos (Cities Of Gold)
· Best Artist - Wade Marynowsky
· Best Arts Event - Semi Permanent
· Best Performer - Cate Blanchett (A Streetcar Named Desire/The War of the Roses)
· Best Collective - Red Rattler
· Best Sydney Song - Fergus Brown ('John, She Was Never Only Dancing')
· Best Major Festival - Sydney Festival
· Next Big Thing - Music - Sherlock's Daughter
· SMAC of the Year (industry voted) - John Wardle
The SMACS are proudly supported by Unwired and City of Sydney. Extra big thanks to venue-with-the-most Helm Bar, beer of champions Coopers, and wine legends Firestick.
See more photos of the event on Time Out's Facebook 
SMAC Awards will be on AURORA TV on the following dates:
Sat 26 Dec - 9.30pm
Mon 28 Dec - 6pm
Thur 31 Dec - 1pm and 7pm
Look back at the SMAC winners 2008
