Sparkling performance from The Veronicas
Jess and Lisa Origlasso had the audience glued to their performance. Photo: Getty
Twin singing duo The Veronicas made up for a slow start as hosts of the 2016 ARIA Awards by mesmerising the crowd with a show-stopping performance wearing nothing but sparkling body paint from the waist up.
The pair hosted the awards’ 30th anniversary edition, which included performances by newcomer Troye Sivan, Flume, Violent Soho and iconic band Crowded House.
The big winner of the night was 25-year-old electronic musician Flume, who took home an incredible eight awards for his album Skin.
One of the youngest winners was Sivan, 21, who took home the coveted Song of the Year award for his track Youth, while rockers Violent Soho scored Best Group.
Meanwhile, golden oldies Crowded House were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame.
Scroll down for a full list of winners
Kicking off the ceremony, sisters Jess and Lisa referred to themselves as “loose cannons”, but only really pushed the envelope with their costumes during a rendition of their new single On Your Side.
WOW, what a performance from @TheVeronicas 👏👏👏 #ARIAs https://t.co/FRybni0z3B
— Channel Ten (@channelten) November 23, 2016
The body paint, matched with red spandex pants the tiny singers appeared to have been sewed into, predictably lit up social media.
*Shane Warne desperately searches for the Veronicas Instagram accounts* #arias
— Michael Beveridge (@mickyb273) November 23, 2016
#arias #veronicas I didn't even hear them sing #glitter
— Aussie Gozie (@AussieGozie) November 23, 2016
But the performances that really got the crowd on its feet came later in the show – from a band that did some of its best work in the 1980s, a 67-year-old singer and a performer who was born after their biggest hits.
After paying tribute to late drummer Paul Hester, Crowded House was honoured by a Missy Higgins and Bernard Fanning rendition of the 1991 hit Fall at Your Feet, before the band took the stage to perform 7 Worlds Collide.
A spine-tingling rendition of a @CrowdedHouseHQ classic by @missyhiggins and @bernardfanning 🙌 #ARIAs https://t.co/mfOAcQBLR2
— Channel Ten (@channelten) November 23, 2016
Mesmerising the younger crowd was 21-year-old Troye Sivan, who had the teenagers in the front row screaming the words to his hit song.
Sivan took home Song of the Year for Youth, dedicating the award to “every gay Australian kid who wants to make music”.
.@troyesivan brings the house down with an incredible performance of Youth 🔥😍 #ARIAs https://t.co/g8WhdBpC9S
— Channel Ten (@channelten) November 23, 2016
John Farnham, meanwhile, was coaxed back to the microphone for yet another encore as he performed his 1986 hit The Voice – complete with bagpipes – as a memorable finale.
"You're the voice, try to understand it." What a way to end the night, thank you @johnfarnham! 🙏🎤#ARIAs https://t.co/krEpIK5yM4
— Channel 10 (@Channel10AU) November 23, 2016
The winners
There was a sense of deja vu as Flume collected his eight awards, including for Best Male and Album of the Year for his record Skin, while Sia took home the award for Best Female.
True to form, Sia was not there to accept her award at the ceremony in Sydney but she asked an advocate for marriage equality to accept her award calling for the country to legalise same-sex marriage.
Perth singer Troye Sivan won the publicly voted awards for Best Video and Song of the Year on the night, which was presented to him by Robbie Williams.
Australian legends Crowded House were inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame by New Zealand comedy duo Flight of the Conchords.
“We must stop this, you’ve got enough bands in the Hall of Fame,” Jemaine Clement from Flight of the Conchords joked.
“We really need Crowded House, our Hall of Fame is more of a doorway,” Clement’s comedy partner Bret McKenzie said.
Missy Higgins and Bernard Fanning performed two of the band’s biggest hits, Fall At Your Feet and Better Be Home Soon.
Crowded House themselves then played out their big moment with a performance of their hit Distant Sun.
Other winners included:
Album Of The Year: Flume – Skin
Best Male Artist: Flume – Skin
Best Female Artist: Sia – This Is Acting
Best Dance Release: Flume – Skin
Best Group: Violent Soho – WACO
Breakthrough Artist: Montaigne – Glorious Heights
Best Pop Release: Flume – Never Be Like You
Best Independent Release: Flume – Skin
Song of the Year: Troye Sivan – Youth
Keep Sydney Open
A number of protests cut through an evening of otherwise fluffy proceedings, including multiple calls to “Keep Sydney Open” – a reference to NSW Premier Mike Baird’s notorious lockout laws.
Rising star Montaigne won the Breakthrough Artist award, and took the stage with the message “People over profits” emblazoned on her chest in black marker.
Singer Montaigne made a stand – just not a very specific one. Photo: Getty
But despite a rambling speech read straight from her iPhone, the Sydney singer neglected to expand on the message.
Enigmatic pop songstress Sia won Best Female Artist, but sent Angie Greene, the CEO of anti-sexual and gender discrimination charity Stand Up Events to accept the statue.
“People’s lives should not be up for debate,” Ms Greene – dressed in an “Equality” t-shirt – told the audience.
“No-one’s lives and the people they love should be up for debate” – Angie Greene accepts @Sia‘s award. #ARIAs https://t.co/vjJnPOxrID
— Channel Ten (@channelten) November 23, 2016
Another protest of sorts came from outgoing Triple J hosts Matt Okine and Alex Dyson, who took their opportunity to take a tongue-in-cheek dig at the ABC while presenting an award.
“We have taken a redundancy package, which at the ABC consists of a packet of chips and an STD,” Okine said.
– with AAP