THE ARIA AWARDS WERE ON LAST NIGHT, CELEBRATING WHAT HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE YEAR OF AUSTRALIAN MUSIC.
You have to admit, with the likes of Empire of the Sun, Hilltop Hoods, Ladyhawke, Kate Miller-Heidke up for nomination, we haven’t done too badly this year. Empire of the Sun, Ladyhawke and AC DC were the top scorers of the night. Not a bad combo.
Though I was disappointed that the Hilltop Hoods’ performance was spoiled by distracting circus performers – yes, hula hooping and sitting on a bed of nails (not at the same time…) IS cool, I like the Hoods alone, baggy T’s and all. And one more thing – since when is RAdelaide an acceptable term for the South Australian capital??
For a full list of winnings and a wrap up of the night, visit the official Aria website.
A Harry Potter Fan to the core, I will admit I was marginally excited to see the next installment of the Twilight Saga, New Moon this week.
That excitement promptly declined within the first few scenes of the ridiculous thing. I just don’t get it folks. Annie Stevens, a staff writer for The Age, however, writes today that it is time to embrace our ‘love’ of Twilight and other such fantastical stories and leave the associated ‘Twi-Hard’ embarrassment behind.
In an article in Vanity Fair magazine earlier this year on cultural snobbery, James Wolcott wrote about the unfounded snap judgments we make about people according to what book they are reading on the train.
“Single women in their 30s and 40s gripping a teenage-vampire tale or a Harry Potter,” he said. “They seem to be hanging out a surrender flag.”
Let’s forget about Harry and Co for a minute, because let’s face it; wands are out, fangs are in. If we go by Wolcott’s analysis, it would appear that the crazy cat lady has become the crazy Twilight lady.
She might have replaced her framed photo of moggy with a “Team Edward” coffee mug, but her fate is still the same: certain spinsterhood, doomed to be the “family example” and a gnawing fear that you will die alone in your bed-sit and nobody will find you for days.” – Annie Stevens, “Don’t Judge a Twi-hard by their cover”, Nov. 27 2009
I actually remember being on the train to school once, a naive little year 8 or 9, and thinking it were utterly ridiculous that the grown man sitting next to me was reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. I feel infinitely snobbish now, especially given my advancing age. So whilst I haven’t caught on to all the hype, if you’re a Twilight fan, at least be a loud and proud one.
The Australian has walked away with a Gold Walkley this year, the “most prestigious award in Australian Journalism”.
What I resent the coincidental fact that this leading media story in The Australian is about how good The Australian is. Wow – no editorial slant there!
I’m all for honouring the work of exceptional journalists, but this piece is nothing short of a “look at us – we’ve won awards!” PR stunt.
Not. Impressed.
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