Keith Urban, Kylie Minogue, Cold Chisel and Foo Fighters are among the nominees for this year’s live entertainment Helpmann Awards.
Nominees were announced last night. There are 41 categories, to be presented at the Helpmanns ceremony at the Sydney Opera House on September 24.
They cover music, musical and physical theatre, comedy, cabaret, opera and classical, among others, and are organised by the sector peak association, Live Performance Australia.
Up for Best Australian Contemporary Concert are Cold Chisel’s Light The Nitro Tour (promoted by John Watson Management & John O'Donnell), Keith Urban’s Get Closer 2011 World Tour (Keith Urban and Chugg Entertainment), Kylie Minogue’s Kylie Anti-Tour 2012 (Kylie Minogue and The Frontier Touring Company) and Kylie Minogue’s Aphrodite Les Folies Tour 2011 (Kylie Minogue and The Frontier Touring Company).
Nominees for Best International Contemporary Concert are Foo Fighters with Tenacious D Stadium Tour 2011 (Foo Fighters and The Frontier Touring Company), Prince’s Welcome 2 Australia (Prince, Van Egmond Group & Chugg Entertainment), Roger Waters' The Wall Live (Roger Waters and Live Nation Australasia) and Sade (Sade and Michael Coppel Presents).
The Foos’ concert was the only contemporary music show to be included in the Best Sound Design category.
Jostling for Best Contemporary Music Festival are Future Music (Future Entertainment), Tasmania’s MONA FOMA (Museum of Old and New Art), Byron Bay’s Bluesfest 2012 (Peter Noble) and Sydney’s Vivid Live 2011 (Sydney Opera House Presents).
The Australian production of the ‘80s glam-themed Rock Of Ages lead the overall nominations with seven gongs, followed by A Chorus Line (six) and An Officer And A Gentleman which, despite scathing reviews and poor ticket sales, got five.
- Christie Eliezer, The Music Network