The great and the good of the music industry turned out in force for last night's Artist And Manager Awards in London.
The 2018 event, organised by the Music Managers Forum (MMF) and Featured Artist Coalition (FAC), was held in the Bloomsbury Big Top at 93 Guildford Street.
Modest! Management trio Richard Griffiths, Harry Magee and Will Bloomfield received the prestigious Peter Grant Award, presented by SJM Concerts MD Simon Moran.
"I recently read [Legendary Led Zeppelin manager] Peter Grant's book and what came through loud and clear to me is that our job as managers is to support our artists whatever the personal consequences," said Griffiths. "So I think that the job that managers do is not understood by everybody but we, all in this room, know that without our artists there would be no business. So I thank every manager and I thank every artist for doing what we do because we couldn't do what we do without you."
Current Modest! artists including the Spice Girls, Little Mix, Niall Horan, Olly Murs and Katherine Jenkins delivered video tributes, while performances on the night came from fellow clients Alexis Ffrench, MNEK and Alison Moyet.
Team @ModestMgmt pick up the Peter Grant Award, presented by @SJMConcerts Simon Moran after video testimonials from @spicegirls @LittleMix @NiallOfficial @KathJenkins @MNEK & @ollyofficial, among others #AMAwards pic.twitter.com/BV6FjlHR4p
— Music Week (@MusicWeek) November 14, 2018
The Manager of the Year award went to Closer Artists, led by Paul McDonald and Ryan Lofthouse, who represent George Ezra, James Bay, James Morrison, John Newman, Lily Moore and Michaela. "It's always about the artists," said McDonald. "Thankfully, they trust us, they work with us, they allow us to take care of their lives – that encompasses their career. They only get one of those, we can work with more than one artist.
"We have to hold their careers very, very specially in our arms and work carefully, tenaciously and with as much power as we can wield for them. It's always a team effort."
Elbow frontman Guy Garvey received the Artists' Artist Award from Blur drummer Dave Rowntree and FAC board member Lucy Pullin and paid tribute to his manager, Phil Chadwick. "We nearly ran out of money before we finished our most successful record and the only thing that kept us in the studio working together and moving towards where we are now is Phil Chadwick's dedication and belief in what we were doing."
Here’s @Guy_Garvey to collect the last honour of the evening, the Artist’s Artist Award #AMAwards pic.twitter.com/TMyoG4IRqb
— Music Week (@MusicWeek) November 14, 2018
Ed Sheeran UK tour co-promoters Kilimanjaro Live and DHP Family were also recognised with the FanFair Alliance Award for Outstanding Contribution To Live Music, in recognition of their high profile anti-touting initiatives.
Kilimanjaro chief Stuart Galbraith thanked Ticketmaster for closing its controversial resale sites Get Me In! and Seatwave before turning his attention to Viagogo, indicating the site had not followed through on its threat to sue him over Kili's move to cancel thousands of tickets bought through the site for Sheeran's 2018 stadium tour.
Kano received the Pioneer Award from a merry Damon Albarn, while Dirty Hit/All On Red management boss Jamie Oborne picked up the Entrepreneur Award, which he dedicated to his wife Jane and his former label collaborator, the late footballer, Ugo Ehiogu. Revered producer Nigel Godrich presented Solar Management’s Carol Crabtree with the Writer/Producer Manager and Dua Lipa won Artist Of The Year.
#AMAwards Artist Of The Year @DUALIPA can’t be here tonight, so sent in this message pic.twitter.com/InfX6UwfPy
— Music Week (@MusicWeek) November 14, 2018
Announced on the night, Anne-Marie manager Jazz Sherman took Breakthrough Manager, Mabel claimed Breakthrough Artist and Small Green Shoots founder Natalie Wade was named Unsung Hero.
