Australia’s fieriest live band The Drones was the big winner in the 2009 Jagermeister AIR Awards, announced last night at Melbourne’s Forum Theatre. The Awards honour the best independent music to come out of our wide brown land.

The Drones took out both – œBest Independent Album Of The Year’ for Havilah and Independent Artist Of The Year’. Capping off a stellar year, Philadelphia Grand Jury scooped – œBest Independent Single Or EP’ for rabble-rouser Going To The Casino, while Bertie Blackman was named the Breakthrough Artist.

As ever, the awards party was something of a musical celebration in itself, with performances from Midnight Juggernauts, CW Stoneking, Dappled Cities, Bridezilla and more.

Here’s who took home a statuette and a warm fuzzy feeling last night.

JAGERMEISTER BEST INDEPENDENT ALBUM OF THE YEAR AWARD
THE DRONES – HAVILAH (Independent / MGM)

INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR
THE DRONES (Independent / MGM)

BREAKTHROUGH INDEPENDENT ARTIST OF THE YEAR
BERTIE BLACKMAN (Forum 5 / MGM)

BEST INDEPENDENT SINGLE OR EP
PHILADELPHIA GRAND JURY – GOING TO THE CASINO (Boomtown Records / Shock)

BEST INDEPENDENT COUNTRY ALBUM
ADAM BRAND – HELL OF A RIDE (Compass Brothers / Shock)

BEST INDEPENDENT BLUES AND ROOTS ALBUM
C.W. STONEKING – JUNGLE BLUES (King Hokum Records / Shock)

BEST INDEPENDENT HARD ROCK OR PUNK ALBUM
THE NATION BLUE – RISING WATERS (Casadeldisco Records / Shock)

BEST INDEPENDENT HIP HOP/URBAN ALBUM
PEZ – A MIND OF MY OWN (Soulmate Records / Inertia)

BEST INDEPENDENT DANCE ALBUM
ART VS. SCIENCE – ART VS SCIENCE (Independent / Green)

BEST INDEPENDENT JAZZ ALBUM
THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JAMES – LINGUA FRANCA (Independent / Lamplight)