TheUniBrain crashes: the ARIA #1 Chart Awards

Popstars! Gongs! Booze!

Winners are grinners

Because I am selfless to the end, yesterday I schlepped along to the 7th ARIA #1 Chart Awards so that you, lovely reader, wouldn’t be left socially awkward and left out of the loop.
It was NOT so that I could chase after Jessica Mauboy, catch up with mates and down copious amounts of free alcohol by sunny Sydney Harbour during the day.

I stole Pete Murray's award. Hey, you snooze, I booze, you lose!

The awards were cleverly invented to recognise people who have sold lots of records, as opposed to the normal ARIA awards that only award records that are deemed good.
As The Presets said as they (gratefully) accepted their award, “We got a No.1 and now we get an award for it? It’s just silly!”

Sunrise's Nuala Hafner: said I had to pay her if I used this shot. Come and find me Hafner!

Presented by MTV’s Darren McMullen and Maz Compton, other winners included Natalie Bassingthwaighte, the aforementioned Jess, Wes Carr, Gabriella Cilmi, Gyroscope, Cut Copy, Kasey Chambers and Shane Nicholson, Pete Murray, Sneaky Sound System and AC/DC.
Rudely AC/DC didn’t even turn up to accept their awards (for album and DVD).
Jess, Wes, Gyroscope, the Sneakys and Dash and Will performed and Jess was especially amazing, showing off her impressive vocal chops.

I ate all the pies. I'm not saying Wes Carr gave me the pies. But who else is there?

Conveniently alcohol was served throughout the presentation – props to you ARIA! All such presentations and showcases should take note.
Ed St John, the ARIA chairman, was also on hand to let us know that despite the fact the Ten Network have dumped the telecast, the awards will happen, and they will be on TV.
“We're a matter of days away from finalising an agreement with a major sponsor and TV network,” he pipped. “We'll also be letting people know what city we're doing it in and what venue.”
Lucky that.

MTV's Darren "funny accent" McMullen: champion!

Awards over it was time to drink more beers and chat to Jess, who was thrilled by her win and is about to head OS to launch her awesome album, a rather overwhelmed Wes, banter with Sunrise's Nuala Hafner, get avoided by super-thin NatBass and then talk lots of rubbish with the very funny Darren (to be honest I haven’t the slightest idea what we were talking about by this stage).
Congratulations to all the winners and congratulations to me for another amazingly professional day of “work”.

Scott Keenan
I've got the music in me o'clock