The SA Music Award nominees were announced this week, check out the list of talented artists and industry heads that made the cut.

As the annual SA Music Awards quickly approach on 8 November, the finalists have been announced.

Adelaide-based band and staple in CityMag’s Best New Music column, The Empty Threats are nominated across six categories this year; Best Song, Best Release, Best Group, Best New Artist, Best Cover Art and Best Music Video.

Other multi-category nominees include Molly Rocket, Coldwave and Alana Jagt.

Within the Industry Award categories, the behind-the-scenes talent is celebrated, like best studio and live technician, as well as major festivals and live venues.

The Caltowie Chilled Out n’ Fired Up Festival is one of the smaller but mighty up for Best Major Festival or Event.

Caltowie is about two and a half hours out of Adelaide, in SA’s mid-north and their festival has been running for 4 years.

Event organiser Ben VanBoekel says it started out as a bunch of friends with a passion for music, good food and brews.

“It’s kinda surreal to think that our little town of 50 people is now on the map for a Major Festival Award…. just goes to show you that with a great supportive team around you anything is possible,” Ben says.

There’s also a people’s choice award category open now, so you can cast your vote for your favourite local artist.

The South Australian Music Awards will take place at the Woodville Town Hall this year, on Wednesday, 8 November.

To see if your favourite band or your mates have been nominated, read on.

MAJOR FINALISTS

BEST SONG

Coldwave – Buster
Kultar Ahluwalia – Pen Pals featuring Jack Vaul and DJ Hob G
MANE – Breathing Again
Molly Rocket – Rabbit Hole
Nathan May – It’s Gotta Start Somewhere
The Empty Threats – Evil Eye

BEST NEW ARTIST

Coldwave
DEM MOB
Molly Rocket
The 745
The Empty Threats

BEST REGIONAL ARTIST

Alana Jagt
Brave Mistakes
DEM MOB
Germein
Stokes

BEST GROUP

Bad//Dreems
Coldwave
Molly Rocket
Slowmango
The Empty Threats

BEST ABORIGINAL OR TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ARTIST

DEM MOB
Electric Fields
Eskatology
Nathan May
Rob Edwards

BEST SOLO ARTIST

Alana Jagt
Alexander Flood
Lucas Day
Nathan May
Ryan Martin John

BEST RELEASE

Alexander Flood – Oscillate
Bad//Dreems – Hoo Ha!
Carla Lippis & Mondo Psycho – Carla Lippis – Mondo Psycho
Molly Rocket – Syrup
Nathan May – It’s Gotta Start Somewhere
Slowmango – Hypercolour Miscellaneous
The Empty Threats – Monster Truck Mondays
The Shaolin Afronauts – The Fundamental Nature of Being, Parts One – Five: Limited Edition 5 x LP
West Thebarton – Victory EP

INDUSTRY FINALISTS

BEST STUDIO

Cactus Cactus Sound
Forest Range Studios
Interim Recording Studios
Wizard Tone Studios
Wundenbergs

BEST STUDIO ENGINEER OR PRODUCER

Lewis Wundenberg
Lucinda Machin
Mario Spate
Matthew Schultz
Ryan Martin John

BEST LIVE TECHNICIAN

Luke Hancock
Michael Wickens
Nathan D’Agostino
Ryan Martin John

BEST SMALL FESTIVAL OR EVENT

Big Easy Blues
Some Shine Festival
Space Jams (Alma’s Hem)

BEST MAJOR FESTIVAL OR EVENT

Adelaide Beer & BBQ Festival
Caltowie Chilled Out n’ Fired Up Festival
Froth & Fury Fest
Nice Day To Go To The Club Festival
Vintage Vibes Festival

Best Live Music Venue

Crown And Anchor
Hindley Street Music Hall
The Gov
The Grace Emily

BEST REGIONAL VENUE OR ACTIVATION

Adelaide Guitar Festival – On the Road 2023
Big Easy Radio
Murray Delta Juke Joint
Space Jams

BEST COVER ART

Alana Jagt (Goodbye Grote Bollen by Alana Jagt)
Jonathan Van Der Knaap and Henry Jarman (Hard To Make Plans by Naomi Keyte)
Kaspar Schmidt Mumm & The Bait Fridge  (Hypercolour Miscellaneous by Slowmango)
Gaz Kanata (Monster Truck Mondays by The Empty Threats)
Ashley Giles (When We Are by Tonix)

BEST MANAGER 

Bianca Nilsson (Renegade Records)
Hannah Louise
Rachel Whitford (27 Music)
Sebastian James (27 Music)
Tayla Carlaw

BEST MUSIC VIDEO

Conor Mercury Movies (Evil Eye by The Empty Threats)
Capital Waste Pictures (Soul of the Lion by DEM MOB)
The Bait Fridge (Blob Funk by Slowmango)
Conor Mercury Movies (Bill’s  by Carla Geneve)

BEST MUSIC EDUCATOR

Adrian Whalland
Allye Sinclair
DEM MOB’s Kurunpa Kunpuntjaku
SA Youth Guitar Ensemble (SAYGE)
Naomi Keyte