There was no applause or wide angle camera shots of smiling, cheering audience members. Still, there was no shortage of noise at the 2020 East Coast Music Awards (ECMA's).
The pre-recorded, digital gala was originally scheduled for April 29 at Mile One Centre in downtown St. John’s, NL, but was shifted to online because of COVID-19.
The host this year was Newfoundland and Labrador comedy legend Mary Walsh. She started the show with a land acknowledgement before acknowledging, jokingly, the fear she has with the current state of the world.
These days, she said she looks out the window wondering which chapter of revelations we’re on, before moving on to introducing Matt Mays and his band to rock the house. Whose house it was, a viewer couldn't be sure.
The first award to be presented was the Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year. That went to Natalie MacMaster for her album Sketches.
An impassioned solo performance by NL’s Damhnait Doyle showcased her soaring vocals, vibrating up to the higher reaches of her range and hovering there, as if at risk of falling, but always landing gracefully.
Francophone Recording of the Year was announced next and went to Jacobus from Nova Scotia.
“Our next group, the pride of New Brunswick … Motherhood,” Mary Walsh said, before throwing to the three-piece band playing in a bowling alley.
Motherhood consists of guitar, keys and drums. They played a dark, slightly country-tinged, pop tune, with strange rhythms and a keyboard which sounded like marimbas. The song abruptly changed to an up tempo, organ inflected, gospel part, before switching back to a jumpier rhythm. As if that wasn’t enough, it shifted again, this time to a waltz, with the guitars becoming distorted for a moment, always accompanied by open and washy hi-hats at the same time.
Halifax’s Zamani, a producer, arranger, vocalist and writer, performed a song reminiscent of mid-90s R&B, with perfected vocal runs over a deep beat, stuttering hi-hats and organ sounds.
The seven-piece St. John's based Eastern Owl — a group that describes themselves as an Indigenous led, all nations, women’s drum group — performed a song layered with guitar, drum, lead vocals and backing vocals. A chorus of seven singers chanting, introduced in the middle and becoming more layered in the end, brought new energy to the performance. They would later win Indigenous Artist of the Year.
The CBC’s Tom Power presented the award for the Solo Recording of the Year, which went to NL’s Tim Baker, for his album Forever Overhead. Baker would also win Folk Recording of the Year. As well, the video for his song, All Hands, directed by Jordan Canning — also from NL — won Video of the Year.
Halifax duo, Neon Dreams, performed their take on danceable pop. Light whistling, simple melodies, both acoustic and electric drums and synthesizers, fleshed out their sound. Lead vocalist, Frank Kadillac, did some crowd work with the at-home audience before going into the song High School Dropout.
A brief foray into a faux commercial for a product called Never Happened At-Ol, which made fun of Canadian’s who marvel at the problems in America, without recognizing our own past, was presented by Walsh.
It can be taken as a suppository she said, but make sure to take the stick out first.
Shanneyganock performed before thanking the ECMA’s for the Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award they received this year.
Prince Edward Island’s, Rose Cousins, performed a solo piano version of her song The Benefits of Being Alone, her understated vocal delivery complimented by the light of several candles.
A socially distant, full-band performance from Tim Baker set the virtual stage for the Fan’s Choice Entertainer of the Year, which went to Cape Breton’s Jimmy Rankin.
Fan’s Choice Video of the Year went to Jason Benoit for his song Slow Hand, which featured Leah Daniels and was directed Tim Deegan.
Glenn Simmons, Joel Hynes, Shaye, Colleen Power and Lennie Gallant, paid tribute to Ron Hynes with a backing band that included former Wonderful Grand Band member, Sandy Morris. Ron Hynes, five years after his death, was inducted into the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. His nephew, Joel Hynes, accepted the award on his behalf.
“It’s just a breathtaking honour,” Joel said.
Last year’s winner, Classified, presented the award for Album of the Year to Halifax’s Wintersleep, for their album In the Land Of.
The members of NL’s The Once, Geraldine Hollett and Phil Churchill — as well as a hand puppet of bassist Andrew Dale — presented the award for Songwriter of the Year to Prince Edward Island’s, The East Pointers.
Walsh congratulated all the winners and nominees, before four-time ECMA winners, Wintersleep, danced the virtual audience out. Two of the members, drummer and pianist, performed together in the same room, placed between three tall screens on which the other members were being displayed, until the screens went dark.
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Full list of the winners:
Album of the Year:
Wintersleep - In The Land Of (Producers: Tony Doogan, Wintersleep)
Bucky Adams Memorial Award:
Jon Samuel
Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award:
Shanneyganock
Fans' Choice Entertainer of the Year:
Jimmy Rankin
Fans' Choice Video of the Year:
Jason Benoit - “Slow Hand” feat. Leah Daniels (Director: Tim Deegan)
Francophone Recording of the Year:
Jacobus - Caviar
Indigenous Artist of the Year:
Eastern Owl
Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year:
Natalie MacMaster - Sketches
Solo Recording of the Year:
Tim Baker - Forever Overhead
Songwriter of the Year:
The East Pointers
MUSIC AWARDS
Album of the Year:
Wintersleep - In The Land Of (Producers: Tony Doogan, Wintersleep)
Blues Recording of the Year:
Myles Goodwyn - Myles Goodwyn and Friends of the Blues 2
Bucky Adams Memorial Award:
Jon Samuel
Classical Recording of the Year:
Marc Djokic - Solo Seven
Contemporary Roots Recording of the Year:
The East Pointers - Yours to Break
Country Recording of the Year:
Dave Sampson - All Types of Ways
Dance Recording of the Year:
Famba - “Swear to God”
Electronic Recording of the Year:
Rich Aucoin - Release
Folk Recording of the Year:
Tim Baker - Forever Overhead
Francophone Recording of the Year:
Jacobus - Caviar
Group Recording of the Year:
Wintersleep - In The Land Of
Indigenous Artist of the Year:
Eastern Owl
Inspirational Recording of the Year:
Ian Foster and Nancy Hynes - A Week in December
Instrumental Recording of the Year:
Florian Hoefner - First Spring
Jazz Recording of the Year:
Florian Hoefner - First Spring
Loud Recording of the Year:
Spirit of the Wildfire - Bittersweet Nothings
Pop Recording of the Year:
Neon Dreams - Sweet Dreams Till Sunbeams
R&B/Soul Recording of the Year:
Laura Roy - Forte
Rap/Hip-Hop Recording of the Year:
Jacobus - Caviar
Rising Star Recording of the Year:
Dave Sampson - All Types of Ways
Rock Recording of the Year:
Wintersleep - In The Land Of
Roots/Traditional Recording of the Year:
Natalie MacMaster - Sketches
Solo Recording of the Year:
Tim Baker - Forever Overhead
Song of the Year:
Wintersleep - “Beneficiary” (Producers: Tony Doogan, Wintersleep)
Songwriter of the Year:
The East Pointers
Fans' Choice Entertainer of the Year:
Jimmy Rankin
Fans' Choice Video of the Year:
Jason Benoit - “Slow Hand” feat. Leah Daniels (Director: Tim Deegan)
INDUSTRY AWARDS
Company of the Year:
The Syrup Factory
Event of the Year:
Celtic Colours International Festival
Graphic/Media Artist of the Year:
Deep Hollow Print
Management/Manager of the Year:
Jones & Co.
Media Outlet of the Year:
The East
Media Person of the Year:
Bill Roach
Producer of the Year:
Daniel Ledwell
Studio Engineer of the Year:
Thomas Stajcer
Studio of the Year:
Soundpark Studios
Venue of the Year:
The Ship Pub
Video of the Year:
Tim Baker - “All Hands” (Director: Jordan Canning)
HONORARY AWARDS
Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction:
Ron Hynes
Directors’ Special Achievement Award:
Measha Brueggergosman
Dr. Helen Creighton Lifetime Achievement Award:
Shanneyganock
Industry Builder Award:
Tony Murray
Musician’s Achievement Award:
Kelly Russell
Stompin’ Tom Awards:
Kinnon & Betty Beaton (CB)
Chuck Teed (NB)
Wonderful Grand Band (NL)
Brent Williams (NS)
Paul Bernard (PE)
