In a brutally psychedelic awards ceremony, the 2010 ARIA Awards were handed out last night in haphazard and confusing fashion.

A "spectacular" awards night on the Sydney Opera House steps must have seemed like a visually stunning idea on paper. But as with the consistently rained on and poorly attended "genre" awards held in Sydney's Botanic Gardens throughout the week, the reality was far different. In a shockingly dislocated telecast, a revolving door of barely-comprehensible hosts and celebrities were shunted around a makeshift decking made to appear as a VIP bar risen amongst the sea of public. As cameramen scrambled to find the latest presenter, who in turn were scrambling to find the latest winners, there was little sense of occasion amongst those milling about on screen.

(Read our tweets of the event at MarcusTheVine)

Highlights were musical, especially Washington's 'Material Girl'-esque cabaret themed performance of 'Sunday Best', followed by her emotional speech whilst accepting the Best Female gong. As in previous years, John Butler stood out simply by displaying his guitar skills, while Dan Sultan appeared the only redeeming quality of a band featuring the remaining members of INXS, as well as The McClyrmonts; winners of Best Country Album - here, reduced to back up singers. Sia, Birds of Tokyo, Powderfinger, Guy Sebastian and Angus & Julia Stone rounded out the live line-up.


Washington - 'Sunday Best' live at the ARIA Awards 2010

Elsewhere, long-serving musical guests seemed to provide the only suggestion that there was, at least once, a modicum of history, respect and charisma attached to the awards night. The Church's Steve Kilbey attempted a brief rhapsody on the nature of the "album" before being given the wind-up, while Marcia Hinds seized the moment to reflect on the sudden passing of James Freud, frontman for The Models and whom had been inducted into the ARIA Hall of Fame only the week prior. Clare Bowditch spoke with poise, Tim Rogers asked Kasey Chambers "what the hell are we doing here", and Sia, who is bi-sexual, gleefully insinuated she might put the phallic ARIA award presented to her by the outspokenly anti-poof Independent Member for Kennedy, Bob Katter, up her bum. Whilst accepting the award for Album of the Year, Angus and Julia Stone quietly thanked their dog and cat.


Angus & Julia Stone Best Album acceptance speech

(Channel 10 have been pulling down videos. For obvious reasons. We'll try and re-post them where we can.)

Lowlights included the cringe-worthy opening comedy skit, Katter's applauding of the "ARARIAs", a frazzled Jessica Mauboy's mention of Tame Impala's "de-butt" album "Innerspeak" (aka Innerspeaker), Powderfinger asking a glassy-eyed US model Carmen Electra what they'd won, limp-wristed jokes directed at a shipped-in cast member of Modern Family, and innumerable camera cutaways to ill-prepared presenters, shadows or simply soundless shots of the Harbour Bridge.


Jessica Mauboy and Geoff Huegill present the award for Most Popular International Artist

Other anomalies? The Temper Trap winning Most Popular Australian Single for 'Sweet Disposition' despite it being released in 2008. Sia, who's Monkey Puzzle label is partnered with Universal Distribution and Hear Music, a joint venture with Starbucks, winning Best Independent Release. (Note: To be fair, while Sia is signed to Sony worldwide, We Are Born appeared on Australian shelves thanks to independent distributor Inertia - hence the gong. The opposite situation to our argument concerning the recent AIR Awards but prompting the same discussion). No hip-hop, hard rock or dance performances (including throughout the previous week at the genre awards). And the ever-growing, ominous sense that Channel 10's flagrant Fremantle Media-isation of the televised awards may have sunk the stricken ship for good.

Amongst the inferno some awards were recorded for posterity. Angus and Julia Stone, Washington, the Temper Trap and Powderfinger were the recipients of multiple statues on the night, whilst wins during the week's genre awards tallied up multiple awards for Sia and Dan Sultan. Other winners throughout the week - and mentioned in a brief montage during the awards ceremony proper - included Birds of Tokyo, M-Phazes, Yolanda B Cool, Crowded House, The McClymonts and Parkway Drive.

The full list of ARIA Award winners for 2010:

Album of the year
Angus and Julia Stone - Down the Way

Single of the Year
Angus and Julia Stone - 'Big Jet Plane'

Best Female artist
Megan Washington

Best Male artist
Dan Sultan

Best Group
Temper Trap

Breakthrough Artist
Megan Washington - I Believe You Liar

Best Independent Release
Sia - We Are Born

Most Popular Australian Single
Temper Trap - 'Sweet Disposition'

Most Popular Australian Album
Powderfinger - Golden Rule

Most Popular Australian Artist
Powderfinger

Most Popular International Artist
Mumford & Sons

Previously Announced Winners

Best Pop Release
Sia – We Are Born

Best Rock Album
Birds Of Tokyo – Birds Of Tokyo

Best Adult Alternative Album
Angus and Julia Stone – Down The Way

Best Country Album
The McClymonts – Wrapped Up Good

Best Adult Contemporary Album
Crowded House – Intriguer

Best Comedy Release
The Blow Parade

Best Classical Album
Paul Dyer and the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra - Taste Of The Baroque

Best Jazz Album
James Morrison & The Idea Of North – Feels Like Spring

Best Dance Release
Yolanda Be Cool and Dcup – 'We No Speak Americano'

Best Urban Album
M-Phazes – Good Gracious

Best Blues & Roots Album
Dan Sultan – Get Out While You Can

Best Children's Album
The Wiggles – Let's Eat!

Best Original Soundtrack/Cast/Show
Various – Before Too Long: Triple J's Tribute to Paul Kelly

Best Hard Rock/ Heavy Metal Album
Parkway Drive – Deep Blue

Best Music DVD
Various – Sound Relief

Best World Music Album
Mamadou Diabate, Bobby Singh & Jeff Lang

Best Video
Kris Moyes - Sia, 'Clap Your Hands'

Engineer of the Year
Wayne Connolly - Paul Dempsey, 'Fast Friends'

Producer of the Year
Angus & Julia Stone - Angus & Julia Stone, Black Crow, For You, Santa Monica Dream, Yellow Brick Road, Walk It Off, Hush (Original Matters)

Best Cover Art
Angus & Julia Stone - Angus & Julia Stone, Down The Way

Marcus Teague - Follow MarcusTheVine on twitter

(Pics: Edwina Pickles @ The Age)