The Roundhouse was packed out, brimming with men in sharp suits and bright green shoes, women in long dresses and chunky trainers, and a bemused The Libertines in matching headgear. The cream of the independent music crop had come together for the annual AIM awards, celebrating the work of the sector over the past year.
The AIM awards are hosted by the Association of Independent Music, a not-for-profit aiming to represent the UK’s independent music sector. The awards celebrated the best of the independent artists the UK has to offer, from Nova Twins to Walt Disco. Nights like this are important in recognising the success of independent artists and labels, and in bringing to the foreground the next generation of music-makers.
This year, AIM created a new award category – the Music Entrepreneur of the Year. This recognises individuals who had made a difference behind the scenes – started a distribution company, carried a label through hard times, or made a successful business within the independent music community. Nadia Khan, Chairperson of AIM and manager to Lethal Bizzle, spoke about this award, saying it showed how AIM is “growing with the times and reflecting what the industry is made up of”. Winner Corey Johnson, CEO and Founder of Defenders Ent., used his speech to talk about the need for investment and support for new talent in the industry, and given the quality of tonight’s acts, it’s clear that AIM are doing a stellar job to ensure that artists and producers get the support they deserve.
On the red carpet, artists talked often about how supportive the independent scene as a whole had been on their musical journeys. Dave Okumu spoke about the connotations of the word independent; “the word carries a lot of power” in the artist doing things from an internal motivation rather than being pushed from the outside to make certain choices. At the same time though, it was clear to see the impact that community had had on many of the acts nominated, many artists greeting each other like old friends and singing the praises of each others’ work.
The background of the red carpet revealed a bit more than one might expect. Behind the stars sat the logos of the awards’ somewhat eyebrow raising sponsors such as Spotify and Amazon music. There is controversy about streaming and how artists are paid, given that artists are sometimes given as little as $0.003 per stream.
But this isn’t the whole picture, as producer Barry Can’t Swim, who had been nominated for the One To Watch award, told us on the red carpet. He discussed how supportive his label Ninja Tune had been, but also how Spotify had championed him, being “the ones who put me on playlist and covers and stuff like that, and that just sort of springboarded everything”. Spotify’s role in showcasing new artists is important, and hopefully pressure from groups like AIM will ensure that they continue to do so in a manner that helps new artists as much as possible.
The awards show was a celebration of the diversity and talent of the sector, with awards like Best UK Independent Breakthrough and Most Played New Artist (won by Wet Leg and D.O.D respectively) demonstrating AIM’s commitment to uplifting new talent. At the same time, the show was a celebration of the success of major players on the scene, from Stormzy to Rina Sawayama, who won the Diversity Champion award and the Innovator Award.
The evening was rounded off with energetic performances from Pixey, Lethal Bizzle, and The Libertines, a line-up reflecting the diversity of the musicians present in the audience.
We began with a blast of sunshine and breezy guitar from Liverpool multi-instrumentalist Pixey. The music’s psychedelic twinge suited the venue well, the layered guitar and synths floating up and getting lost in The Roundhouse’s elegant arches. Pixey’s voice sounded older than her years, self-assured and undaunted by the acts succeeding her. At four songs long, Pixey’s was a short but sweet set, but her excitable grin and infectious, 90s-twinged riffs got the roundhouse dancing and excited for what was to come next.
Arguably the highlight of the night was a stellar performance by Lethal Bizzle, fresh from winning the Outstanding Contribution to Music award. In his first show since the pandemic, Bizzle treated us well, bringing out JME and Giggs and spurring an audience mosh pit in the cavernous space of The Roundhouse. We heard tracks as far back as ‘Oi!’, the debut single from More Fire Crew, which shot Lethal Bizzle to fame. We also heard a new, unreleased track, written during lockdown, which was markedly reflective and sombre.
Bizzle went big on the pyrotechnics, bathing the stage in a smoky red glow. His set was powerful and assertive, a celebration of independent music, as well as how far it has come regarding diversity and representation in recent years.
Our headliners were also the winners of the Special Recognition award, as well as being legends of the independent scene. The Libertines strolled out to rapturous applause, taking the crowd of adoring fans in their stride, as ever.
After complaining that the red carpet was in fact blue, and revealing on the red carpet that frontman Pete Dougherty was wearing odd shoes, it was no surprise that The Libertines set was riotous and rough round the edges – how could it be anything else? The band turned up the volume and the atmosphere, proving that there is no age limit on great songs. Their classics sounded as fresh as ever – perhaps even better given the obvious happiness that the band got from each other’s company. Given the tumultuous history of the band, seeing them so obviously enjoying playing together warmed the heart, almost as much as the ballad ‘You’re my Waterloo.’ Perhaps the epitome of DIY and indie music, The Libertines were the perfect way to end a joyful night and celebrate the diversity and strengths of indie music today.
The awards show was a true celebration of the success of independent music, despite the challenges presented by the events of recent years. And the nominees and winners suggest that the industry will continue to thrive, no matter what challenges are thrown at it.
Words by Martha Storey
All images by Connie Burke
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