Most of the 235 attendees at the Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA) Celebration and Awards Gala were preoccupied Monday night in Toronto, as longtime players in the Canadian independent music sector were honored at the annual event.
While Pheremone Recordings and Revolution Recording Studio’s Kim Cooke received the Builder Award, Six Shooter Records’ Shauna de Cartier the Entrepreneur Award, Six Shooter Records and former FACTOR staffer Allison Outhit the Brian Chater Industry Award and concert booker and NXNE co-founder Yvonne Matsell the Unsung Hero Award at Toronto’s Lithuanian House Banquet Hall, less than 10 kilometers away downtown the Toronto Raptors were playing for chance to win the NBA finals for the first time ever in the franchise’s 24-year history. The team wound up losing by one point to the Golden State Warriors, but CIMA graciously had the game on at 10:15 p.m. for the post-award reception so guests could at least watch the last half. Game six is Thursday with the Raptors leading the series 3-2.
Impressively, those in attendance at the fifth annual CIMA Awards sat respectfully over dinner — many likely periodically checking the score on their phones — as their peers were feted with tribute videos and trophies applauding the lifetime career achievements of four worthy, beloved and inspiring recipients. All four, selected by CIMA, took the focus off of themselves by taking ample time to thank the people who were integral to their lives and careers.
“It’s really super-fun that we’ve created these awards to celebrate ourselves. The irony of that is not lost on me,” joked de Cartier, who sat on CIMA’s board for four years, at the end of the evening.
The two-hour show began with a performance from teen duo Moscow Apartment and four other artists selected by each of the four award recipients. Matsell chose Broken Social Scene’s Kevin Drew (who wrote a ballad for her); Cooke picked Joel Plaskett, who flew in for the occasion; de Cartier recruited Six Shooter signing Whitehorse; and Outhit chose powerhouse hip hop trio The Sorority.
The winner of the marketing award, submitted by the companies and determined by a jury, was announced at the event. The three nominees were Last Gang Records for Harrison’s Apricity; Arts & Crafts for Dan Mangan’s More or Less; and Endemic Marketing for Good Lovelies’ Shapeshifters. All three nominees were highlighted throughout the evening video reels about their respective marketing plans, though Arts & Crafts ultimately took home the award.
As much as the industry had to celebrate Monday night, it has been a tough time for the Canadian music industry with the recent deaths of five beloved executives — four in less than two months. All of them –executive Deane Cameron; radio rep Bobby Gale; publicist Darryl Weeks; songwriter and publisher Ralph Murphy; and last year’s Unsung Hero recipient, radio jockey Dave “Bookie” Bookman — were mentioned onstage and honored with a moment of silence.
CIMA is a not-for-profit national trade association, representing the English-language Canadian-owned sector of the music industry. It was originally created in 1975 as the Canadian Independent Record Producers Association (CIRPA).