Flume, Troye Sivan and Violent Soho racked up the pointy awards and the Veronicas performed in body glitter on the 30th anniversary of the Australian music industry’s night of nights
11.41am GMT
He led the nominations and came out on top with awards, too – Flume won five Arias for his album Skin, including Album of the Year (“the one I really wanted”) and Best Male Artist.
11.18am GMT
Telstra Album of the Year: Flume – Skin (Future Classic)
Best Male Artist: Flume – Skin (Future Classic)
11.16am GMT
John Farnham’s on stage to perform “Australia’s unofficial anthem” – you know the one. Thirty years old this year, just like the Arias. (The Veronicas actually bowed down to Farnham as he took the stage.)
You’re the Voice, actually written by four British songwriters – Chris Thompson, Andy Qunta, Keith Reid, Maggie Ryder – began its life on 25 October 1985, the same day some 100,000 people took to the streets of London to march in support of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.
11.11am GMT
Bernard Fanning and Missy Higgins – past recipients of Album of the Year – have presented Flume with his fifth and final Aria award. Not a bad return from 11 nominations.
Flume says in his acceptance speech: “In a time of singles and songs, albums still matter.”
11.07am GMT
Flume – in case it’s his last award for the night – is thanking everyone with a peripheral connection to his career. There’s only album of the year to go, but he’s nominated for that, too.
11.04am GMT
And what do you know – here are Kylie Minogue and Joshua Sasse now, on stage to introduce Troye Sivan, who’s performing his Song of the Year, Youth.
Minogue and Sasse encourage the audience to get behind the campaign to Say “I Do” Down Under, with Sasse adding that 2017 could be the year that Australia is “back on the right side of history”.
Kylie at the #Arias calling for marriage equality. Get on with it, Australian government
Kylie Minogue in the green room repping for marriage equality. Pics only, but such a pro. #arias pic.twitter.com/rUM3CLVnsi
Related: Margot Robbie backs Australian marriage equality on Saturday Night Live
Best calls of the night - Acknowledgement of country from @JohnButlerTrio & showing solidarity with #StandingRock from @benleemusic #ARIAs
10.57am GMT
Sia, nominated for a handful of awards tonight, has won a big one: Best Female Artist for This Is Acting.
The notoriously private artist is not on hand to accept it herself, and there’s a moment of confusion when an unknown blonde woman takes her place at the podium. She introduces herself as Angie Greene, a campaigner for marriage equality in Australia – and receives one of the biggest responses of the night.
10.51am GMT
If you’re watching the Channel Ten broadcast, you just saw how the television event covers an awards ceremony that’s been going for more than four hours and is still underway – that is, at breakneck speed.
There was a little medley of smaller award presentations, in which One Direction – in the past, one of the Arias’ big tickets – followed Sara Storer.
10.39am GMT
After a lengthy acceptance speech from Neil Finn, as well as a few words from other members of Crowded House, their induction into the Hall of Fame has been marked by performances of Fall at Your Feet by Missy Higgins and Better Be Home Soon by Bernard Fanning.
They’re both lovely covers that do justice to the place this band occupies in New Zealand’s (and, I suppose, Australia’s) history. Higgins is on her first orchestral tour of Australia at the moment and if this performance – on grand piano, backed by string quartet – is a fair representation, it would be worth heading along to.
10.31am GMT
In mid-show break, we received reports that the vibe inside the event centre is “stilted” and “a bit bleak”, with quite a few leaving early to hit a nearby pub.
The Arias are a dry event this year, meaning there was no booze until half-time. If an hour and a half without a beer doesn’t sound like a downright tragedy to you, you are clearly not a member of the Australian music industry – as the break wrapped up and the second half began, there seemed to be a heap of empty seats.
Meanwhile, at the #arias. Half time means it's glasses half full... pic.twitter.com/Iuqbmd7cke
10.28am GMT
The Flight of the Conchords are on stage to welcome Crowded House into the Arias Hall of Fame. The “partially Australian, partially New Zealand” band is claimed by both countries, though that is obviously a cop-out because everyone knows that Crowded House would have been nothing without Neil Finn and he’s a New Zealander, so. (As am I.)
Brett McKenzie and Jemaine Clement say they’ve been sent by the New Zealand government “to stop it from happening”, brandishing a letter to that effect from “John”. If you have any knowledge of the New Zealand government and its head, prime minister John Key, this is not unbelievable.
10.19am GMT
On the television broadcast, Violent Soho have just been named Best Group. They were presented with the award by three members of Sheppard, who are still coasting on their hit Geronimo!, now two and a half years old.
“We’re up to present the award for Best Group, which is probably Aria reminding us that we’re not up for any awards this evening,” says George Sheppard, flanked by his two sisters, dressed as 2010 Katy Perry, as they are every year.
10.10am GMT
In her acceptance speech for Breakthrough Artist, just aired on the television broadcast, Montaigne read quotes from her namesake 16th century philosopher off her phone and referenced her bowel movements – three times a week, apparently.
That, er – doesn’t seem like enough?
montaigne i love you but what was THAT
What the? Why would she say that! #montaigne #ARIAS #verbalvomit
AWKWARD!! AWKWARD!!! What are you doing Montaigne?! #ARIAs
If someone can translate what #Montaigne just said that'd be great #Arias
Montaigne is wearing a lovely dress. Is she talking about poo?
Montaigne! She's incredible - that voice! So deserved, even with the poo references in the speech. #ARIAs
9.55am GMT
Robbie Williams wore this green, satin (... sateen?) jacket to present Troye Sivan with Song of the Year, and said no more than 100 words total before legging it off the stage. Maybe not even that.
I don’t know if he’s been paid to appear here, but if so, that’s a good dollar-per-word rate.
MARRY US @robbiewilliams #ARIAS pic.twitter.com/8qwuoPXMdR
9.41am GMT
Another win for Violent Soho, and one they weren’t expecting. In fact they were drinking beers downstairs when the award was announced, and they had to weave their way back up to the main event while their partners took to the stage to accept on their behalf.
“How do you keep your hair looking so great?” is an excellent question posed in the green room.
9.38am GMT
Montaigne, the 21-year-old Sydney singer-songwriter was nominated for three awards tonight – and she’s just won one of them, with Best Female Artist and Producer of the Year still to be announced.
Montaigne, aka Jessica Cerro, was a Triple J Unearthed High finalist in 2012. She adopted the moniker in 2013, inspired by the 16th century philosopher Michel de Montaigne (whom she paraphrased in her acceptance speech and in the green room).
9.31am GMT
Ah, there we go, The Veronicas have their kit off on the TV. I quite like their song, In My Blood, but I was distracted by thoughts of the logistics of the body glitter. There is no way that body glitter that densely applied did not create an unholy mess in both application and removal. No wonder they opened the live show with the performance – this would not have been a quick costume change.
9.22am GMT
Backstage after his Song of the Year win, 21-year-old Troye Sivan says he has learned more in the last year than he has in his entire life.
“It’s been a roller coaster. Heaps of ups, heaps of downs, and I’ve come out the other side a much more well-rounded person,” he says.
Troye Sivan vows to keep 'pushing the envelope as far as the public goes' on marriage equality. #arias pic.twitter.com/mKDd9BBcRS
9.19am GMT
Robbie Williams, Millennium hitmaker and perennial lad, is presenting the Apple Song of the Year award.
“These are the songs that get stuck in your head, the ones that make you cry, the ones that make you want to get up and dance,” he says. “That’s what the auto-prompt says.”
9.09am GMT
After describing the Veronicas’ video clip with Ruby Rose as “hot hot hot” (wonder if that will make the Channel Ten broadcast), Dave “Hughesy” Hughes presented the Aria for Best Live Act to Hilltop Hoods.
They’ve won eight Arias over the years, and beat Flume (!), Courtney Barnett, Gang Of Youths, King Lizzard et al, RÜFÜS, Tame Impala, The Living End, Violent Soho and You Am I to this one.
9.00am GMT
Bear with me, gentle reader, as I grapple with a liveblog vortex. We are now operating in three timezones: the awards themselves, of which we’re about three-quarters of the way through; ongoing interviews with award winners backstage; and the television broadcast.
At the Arias according to Channel Ten, Flume has already won one award and the Veronicas are wearing clothes, not body paint. (But for how long?!) And 20 minutes in, there’s already been an advertisement break.
8.50am GMT
“I used to play in a band that was accused of being a dad rock band,” said Bernard Fanning, ex-Powderfinger, who won in the adult contemporary category for his third solo record Civil Dusk. “We were never nominated for this award but I’ve brought it home tonight. Very proud.”
Speaking to the media in the green room later, he said he was really surprised for the win. “I thought Paul Kelly would win that,” he said. “I was hoping Robert Forster would win it actually.”
Bernard Fanning at #arias: 'Ben Lee and I had a normal conversation tonight. I didn't use the C word.' pic.twitter.com/sJMDYJ0ecL
8.47am GMT
Sarah Blasko, who took out the best adult alternative album, reveals she first came to the Arias with a friend as a university student, to review the Arias for Tharunka, the University of NSW newspaper. “We had a ball and a photo with Molly Meldrum. That was the most memorable [Arias]’”.
Sarah Blasko backstage at the #arias gives a big up to her local video store and for the keep Sydney open campaign. pic.twitter.com/zsT8EP8yZA
8.46am GMT
Looking back on 30 years of the Arias (apparently Elton John hosted the first!) “makes a bloody good mixtape”, according to the retrospective airing on Channel Ten.
The package did remind me of two Australian songs that still bang:
8.35am GMT
The broadcast is just getting started on Channel Ten, so join us as I juggle the television coverage from Guardian Australia HQ and the updates from my colleagues, Steph Harmon and Janine Israel, at the Star event centre.
Here’s a highlight reel of the red carpet appearances.
8.29am GMT
Steve Aoki and Charli XCX have presented the Aria for Best Dance Release to ... Hayden James! Just kidding, it’s gone to Flume again. (James was nominated, as were The Avalanches, L D R U and RÜFÜS.)
He’s getting a fair few opportunities to make acceptance speeches, and has gone for a political one this time.
8.28am GMT
Bernard Fanning won this award – for the most adult and contemporary – over Paul Kelly, Robert Forster, Tina Arena and Bob Evans for his album Civil Dusk.
Presenting the award, comedy duo Roy and HG roundly made fun of the category: “Each of the artists nominated tonight had their first gigs in a golf club!”
8.25am GMT
This has gone to the Melbourne psychedelic rock band for their album, Nonagon Infinity – their eighth full-length release since 2012.
Twelve Foot Ninja, The Amity Afflication, Parkway Drive and Hellions were nominated.
8.22am GMT
Like Best International Act, Best Video is voted on by the public – and this time it’s gone to Troye Sivan for the “Sydney session”, acoustic clip of his song Youth. You can check it out here.
so @troyesivan is literally the only person at the #ARIAS who looks even vaguely famous—the suit, the rain perfection pic.twitter.com/QjvaRi3Nzn
8.10am GMT
Having taken out Best Urban Album for Seven Mirrors, Drapht is speaking to the media in the green room backstage about the four-year break he took after releasing his fourth album, The Life of Riley.
He wasn’t feeling the music industry anymore, and need to re-spark the flame, he said.
8.07am GMT
Flume’s won another award!
Happy Flume Awards! #ARIAS
8.02am GMT
An update from Kurt Coleman: he has taken to social media to clarify that he is not taking a break from social media, he is in fact back online after having taken one a month ago.
I think you took what I said the wrong way, I mean social media isn't your real life. What I meant by it doesn't mean anything in the world https://t.co/dAI6MG0xiu
Do you realise that the break I had off social media was a month ago? Dunno if this chicks trying to be rude or? pic.twitter.com/bwGw61HNy8
Not the rain! ☔️@KurtColeman and his infamous hair #ARIAs pic.twitter.com/TP1fxfd1Sl
7.55am GMT
Jimmy Barnes and Jessica Mauboy are now performing Good Times, an Easybeats song that was covered by Barnes and INXS in 1987, and this year by Jessica Mauboy on her album, The Secret Daughter.
7.53am GMT
Flume’s number has just come up for the first time tonight in the Best Independent Release category – but with 11 nominations total, it’s sure not to be his last.
With this win, he beat out Jarryd James, King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Violent Soho and – impressively – Sia with his second studio album Skin, which has already won in all three of the artisan categories.
7.47am GMT
Tim Rogers, the You Am I frontman, is on stage to present the best adult alternative album. Among the nominees are Jarryd James, Matt Corby, Peter Garrett and The Temper Trap.
But it’s Sarah Blasko who has the most adult, the most alternative album of them all.
Her songwriting craft is so advanced, her grasp of pop so redolent, it is sometimes easy to forget how great a singer Blasko is.
Related: Sarah Blasko: There’s strength in taking songwriting away from your identity
7.42am GMT
One Direction has been named Best International Artist for the fifth consecutive year, setting a new record for the Arias – and against tough competition, too: Adele, Beyonce, Coldplay, Drake, Meghan Trainor, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Twenty One Pilots and the Weeknd.
It must be noted, at this juncture, that the award winner is voted on by the public. One assumes it can only help your chances to have a large group of highly motivated fans active online.
Don't stop voting @onedirection for best international artist !! #ARIAs #ARIASONEDIRECTION pic.twitter.com/0bYXg1H2d8
BREAKING NEWS: UNFORTUNATELY @taylorswift13 MISSED OUT ON BEST INTERNATIONAL ARTIST BUT CONGRATS TO @onedirection #ARIAs
7.36am GMT
This one’s gone to the multiple Golden Guitar award-winner now based in Darwin.
Adam Brand and the Outlaws, Bill Chambers, Fanny Lumsden, and the Wolfe Brothers were also nominated.
7.33am GMT
Drapht has beaten out Citizen Kay, Koi Child, L-FRESH The LION and Urthboy to win the Best Urban Album award for his fifth album, Seven Mirrors. Here’s his self-described party anthem, Mexico.
Congrats to the big bro @Drapht. Much love fam #ARIAs
7.30am GMT
Russell Morris has won Best Blues & Roots Album for Red Dirt Red Heart. He beat out Jimmy Barnes, Kev Carmody, Russell Morris, The Wilson Pickers and The Cat Empire to secure this, his third Aria in this category.
He thanks his “great mate, Ian Molly Meldrum”, who produced his debut single The Real Thing back in 1969.
7.27am GMT
We’re ripping through the awards now at a breakneck pace. Katie Noonan, singer-songwriter and self-described “very happy mummy”, has presented the Aria for Best Children’s Album to The Wiggles for Wiggle Town.
It’s their 14th Aria, and the 13th time they’ve won this category. You can’t help but feel for the other nominees: Justine Clarke, Pat Davern, Play School and Sam Moran.
7.18am GMT
Jimmy Barnes has just presented Violent Soho with the Aria for Best Rock Album.
Apparently made entirely of hair, the Brisbane quartet arrive on stage and promptly get down on their knees and start bowing to Barnes. They thank both their record executives and their wives and children, and they dedicate the award to Dean Turner, bass player of Australian indie rock band Magic Dirt, who died of cancer in 2009.
7.09am GMT
On Monday, Matt and Alex announced they would be leaving the Triple J breakfast slot on 16 December. For Alex, it marks the end of an elongated era – at 28 years, he’s been working at the station for over a third of his life.
“Things have been shook up at work,” he told Guardian Australia on the red carpet earlier. “There’s been tears. There’s been smiles –”
The #arias red carpet just got a bit drizzly @Drake @ARIA_Official pic.twitter.com/vR6xFERCLz
7.04am GMT
The Veronicas, wearing red latex pants and red body glitter, have opened the show with a performance of In My Blood – well, two performances. I’m told the first time, they couldn’t hear their mics, so they started over.
You’ll have to wait for the television broadcast to see the show for yourself, but in the meantime you can familiarise yourself with the number-one single.
6.54am GMT
6.50am GMT
Montaigne has a message for the masses. She’s nominated for Breakthrough Artist and Best Female Artist for her album Glorious Heights.
6.34am GMT
Missy Higgins has recently opened up about her obsession with apocalyptic climate fiction, by the way.
Related: Missy Higgins: how an obsession with apocalyptic climate fiction changed my life
6.34am GMT
The television broadcast will be worth watching tonight for performances by Flume, Troye Sivan, Jimmy Barnes, Illy, Missy Higgins, Bernard Fanning, Violent Soho, Vera Blue and Jessica Mauboy.
Many of them are nominees – and surely Crowded House won’t make it into the Hall of Fame without a singalong?
6.29am GMT
6.25am GMT
Allowing herself a reprieve from a pair of painfully tall shoes, Megan Washington promised her third album will be out in the first half of 2017.
There There, her previous album, debuted in the top five of the Aria charts in 2014. This next one “is about sex and death,” she said. “It’s quite meaty.”
6.23am GMT
Ben Lee, looking resplendent in a yellow suit, is presenting an award tonight. He lives in the US with his actor/director wife Iona Skye and their two children, but is back home in Australia to promote his 11th solo album Freedom, Love and the Recuperation of the Human Mind – values which, it seems, are sorely missing in the world right now. Does Lee, a Los Angeles transplant, feel the urge to leave the land of Trump and move back to Sydney?
“Here’s the thing,” says Lee, warming instantly to the subject. “Dostoevsky used to write his books in the village square. Gurdjieff, who’s a philosopher I like, used to travel to countries in political upheaval in order to be inspired within that. I think we can have a very positive attitude and whatever comes stay very focused on emanating love and emanating joy and positivity and find solution-based thinking in the midst of all the insanity.”
Ben Lee back home from USA for a visit and sprinkling his new album about peace n love in the trump age #arias pic.twitter.com/SbgfHibMpQ
6.20am GMT
The stars have left the red carpet, meaning the awards themselves will be underway at the Star event centre within the hour. My colleagues, Steph Harmon and Janine Israel, are in the media room poised to bring you the latest from the winners as they’re announced.
A quirk of the Arias that causes headaches for Australian arts journalists every year (or is it just us?) is that the television coverage of the event doesn’t begin on Channel Ten until 7:30pm when the awards are in fact midway through.
Related: Aria awards 2016 – in pictures
6.09am GMT
Here’s more from your new favourite social media influencer, Kurt Coleman. He expanded to Guardian Australia on his alleged “break” from social media (already called into question by his three Instagram posts in a day).
“I just feel like, I don’t know, I need to know what’s real in the world, you know? So I just took a break just like, to see the real life,” said the Gold Coast’s professional selfie-taker famous for his catchphrase “killing it, babe”.
Superstar at the #ARIAS pic.twitter.com/suBF5ucRKe
6.01am GMT
There go the gods. Crowded House arrive for the #arias pic.twitter.com/SAQlf8mUNw
It’s a big couple of days for Crowded House – they’re being inducted to the Aria Hall of Fame tonight (including drummer Paul Hester, who died in Melbourne in 2005). Tomorrow, they perform at the Opera House forecourt, a full 20 years after their Farewell to the World concert.
I believe the detention and mistreatment of asylum seekers is completely unacceptable but tonight I celebrate music with my friend Paul
5.55am GMT
Peking Duk make a detour on their dog walk.
Our love for @pekingduk just went next level...rockin' le sausage dogs on the #ARIAS red carpet #DogGoals #Stranger @SonyMusicAU pic.twitter.com/P6JaYsH5im
Here we are at the @ARIA_Official #ARIAS pic.twitter.com/vrqkIOalHI
Okay @pekingduk brought puppies. Puppies! #ARIAs pic.twitter.com/EPBol4u46h
5.53am GMT
There was a time in England in the late 1990s when it seemed that there was nothing that Robbie Williams couldn’t do. I was a child at the time, and my dad used to drive around the block when Angels or She’s The One came on the radio so that we wouldn’t reach our destination before it ended. He was so beloved, so front-of-mind in the public consciousness, that he could probably have stood for prime minister, had he wanted to. (In light of recent events, doesn’t seem that far-fetched, does it?)
Anyway, here he is on a red carpet in the rain in Australia.
5.46am GMT
As I just said, Flume is set to clean up at tonight’s awards, with 11 nominations – the most nominations of any group or individual.
Real name Harley Streten, he is a record producer, musician and DJ who’s had a banner year since the release of his sophomore album, Skin, in May.
In his #keepsydneyopen pin, Flume sees a rise in illegal warehouse parties as Sydney nightlife fades, "but the sound systems are shit". pic.twitter.com/NEo6USL3ff
5.26am GMT
5.23am GMT
Peking Duk have reportedly brought dachshunds onto the red carpet. If they were worried that no one would want to interview them, this is a smart move. I go out of my way to talk to people with dachshunds all the time.
While I scour the internet for photos of them, here’s Tove Lo. She is a Swedish pop star who’s had a few big hits, including a collaboration with Flume, the Australian electronic music producer who’s nominated in 11 categories tonight.
Tove Lo's dress has ovaries on it. #arias pic.twitter.com/mkaMvLyZhl
5.14am GMT
"Social media doesn't mean anything in his world," says Kurt Coleman, selfie star who has taken a break from social. "Live your life" #Arias pic.twitter.com/xL9LR5ZQvT
I am willing to bet that Kurt Coleman’s departure from social media means nothing to you, but allow me to endeavour to interest you in it. An Australian teenager addicted to spray tan, he is best – only – known for having inexplicably large followings on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.
5.03am GMT
Megan Washington working the hell out of salmon-pink frills and that umbrella. Seriously, the whole ensemble looks styled.
Megan Washington looks amazing. #arias pic.twitter.com/Tp6rLNPnd5
5.02am GMT
Here is Simon Pryce, identified by Steph only as Red Wiggle.
Red Wiggle confirms: he will not be wearing a red wedding suit. Children around Australia are deeply disappointed. #ARIAs pic.twitter.com/J9sdRi7brq
Things are getting very Wiggle-y on the sodden red carpet #arias pic.twitter.com/rgd9y4GWju
4.52am GMT
Here’s Steve Aoki, an American electro house musician in Australia ahead of his performance at MTV’s Beats & Eats festival in Wollongong on Saturday.
Steve Aoki a big fan of Flume and Rufus. "Electronic music in Australia has a sunny, happy, tropical quality." #arias pic.twitter.com/tGOEsI4pvz
4.46am GMT
Good afternoon to all you Australian music lovers and celebrity-spotters, and welcome to our liveblog of the 30th Australian Recording Industry Association awards.
My colleagues, Steph Harmon and Janine Israel, are at the Star casino in Sydney, ready to report back from the red carpet, which has just got underway, despite a storm setting in. Crowded House, this year’s Hall of Fame inductees, can look forward to lots of opening lines about having brought the Weather With Them. (Or there being Four Seasons in One Day.)
4.45am GMT
Writing the liveblog from the office is usually the short straw in covering events like these – you get the long day with none of the red carpet action or perks backstage (like last year: spagbol in a plastic cup). But this year I’m feeling pretty good about it.
According to AAP, the red carpet is “very wet” and the rain has “poured down”. Olympia, the singer-songwriter from Melbourne, and electronic artist KLP were among the first to make an appearance earlier this afternoon.
Each square represents a media outlet. Success at this red carpet is going to be all about the elbow strength... #Arias pic.twitter.com/66heLphm46
4.21am GMT
Some early pictures from the red carpet ...
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