The Royal Foundry run away with three Edmonton Music Awards

Meet the new king and queen of the Edmonton Music Awards. 

The Royal Foundry — featuring singers (and married couple) Jared and Bethany Salte — took home three honours during Tuesday night’s ceremony at the Winspear Centre. 

“Thank you so much,” said Jared, after winning their third and final award, Group of the Year. “This is really overwhelming.” 

The electro-folk-pop group also won Single of the Year and Music Video of the Year for Running Away, a soaring number filled with synth squiggles and joyous vocals. The video features the couple and their cellist/drummer Robbie Szabo playing in various locations across Alberta.

 The awards cap off a stellar eight months for The Royal Foundry, including winning second place (and $75,000) in the Peak Performance Project, a talent contest sponsored by a Calgary radio station. The band’s song, Start This Fire, was also featured in a Purina Dog Chow ad. 

Twenty-three awards were handed out at the sixth annual EMAs. As well as recognizing Edmonton’s musical talent, organizers were also celebrating their first gala at the Winspear Centre — hosted by CityTV’s hysterical Bridget Ryan. The event used to take place at the 417-seat Royal Alberta Museum Theatre but moved to its new home to accommodate more fans. About 900 people attended Tuesday’s ceremony. 

Lucas Chaisson performing during the 2016 Edmonton Music Awards. 

The Provincial Archive and Lucas Chaisson were the night’s other multiple winners, each picking up two awards. 

The Provincial Archive, a folk-grunge trio, nabbed Album of the Year for their self-titled effort, and Indie Recording of the Year for their single, Bad Connection.

Chaisson, an Americana artist, went into the ceremony with a leading seven nominations. He won Singer/Songwriter Recording of the Year for My Lover and My Ghost and Country Recording of the Year for Start a Fire. 

Chaisson tripped on the stage as he walked to the podium to accept the former. “Yeah, I fell already,” he said, then thanked his family, band members and neighbours.  

The bearded singer-songwriter, who grew up in Cochrane, was also one of several performers during the two-and-a-half-hour gala. Others included Celtic rockers Captain Tractor, cow-punk veterans Jr. Gone Wild, and Female Artist of the Year winner Kimberley MacGregor. 

Country-punk-metal pioneers the smalls were honoured with the Legacy Award. The band, featuring a pre-country star Corb Lund on bass, broke up in 2001 and briefly reunited in 2014. All four musicians were in attendance, including guitarist Dug Bevans and drummer Terry Johnson, the only member to still live in Edmonton. 

“It didn’t matter where we were playing on any given night — what city, what country, continent, whatever — we never failed to tell the people, right at the beginning, where we were from,” said singer Mike Caldwell. “the smalls are from Edmonton, Alberta. We were proud of it. Thank you for your support then and I want to thank you for the recognition tonight.” 

“It’s an incredible music scene and there are still incredible bands coming out,” added Johnson. “We did it, you can do it, too. You just got to get in a van.”

Mohsin Zaman accepts his award.

While most EMA winners and presenters praised the warm embrace of Edmonton’s music scene, some made pleas for even more support. “We’re lucky and we’re blessed,” said Male Artist of the Year winner Mohsin Zaman, who was born in Pakistan.

“Unfortunately, it’s not the same for all of us. We have this luxury and not everyone has it. So I hope we find acceptance for everyone around us in all walks of life and I hope that we carry that with each other. All this is great but it’s very short term.” 

Like a true Canadian, The Royal Foundry’s Beth Salte felt the need to say sorry to the band’s fellow nominees in the Music Video category, including Concealer’s Place To Hide and Striker’s Too Late. 

“So we obviously didn’t have amazing production skills, so I apologize ‘cuz the rest of the music videos were just amazing,” she said. “AWWWW,” replied the crowd. 

“We broke an $800 neon sign for it, so hopefully that makes up for it,” she continued. “Thank you so much for this.”

“That was really depressing,” quipped her husband. “I’m the negative one,” she giggled. So did the crowd.

ssperounes@postmedia.com

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Bobby Cameron accepts his award.

OTHER EMA WINNERS

Male Artist of the Year: Mohsin Zaman, Ivy

Pop Recording of the Year: The Velveteins, Shimmy Shake

Rap/Hip-Hop Recording of the Year: Arlo Maverick, More ft. Oozeela

Metal Recording of the Year: Striker, Too Late

Blues Recording of the Year: Bobby Cameron, Sueanna

R&B/Soul Recording of the Year: TAT, Set Myself On Fire ft. Madi Allen

DJ/Electronic Recording of the Year: Concealer, Your Master’s Wishes

Jazz Recording of the Year: A/B Trio, What Happens Next

Steph Blais and Paul Cournoyer of Post Script.

Rising Star (18 and Under): Olivia Rose, Makeup to Mud

Roots/Folk Recording of the Year: Ken Stead, Oh Carolina

Adult Alternative Recording of the Year: Post Script, Dear Marie

Rock Recording of the Year: Rend, Skin and Bones

Artist to Watch: Colleen Rae

People’s Choice: Millenia