Few people have the power to captivate an audience with their music alone, and Hamilton’s own blues legend Harrison Kennedy does it better than everyone else. Kennedy took home four awards at the 2013 Hamilton Music Awards: Male Artist of the Year, Blues Recording of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, and Male Vocalist of the Year.

Kennedy was also honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award for his work with Detroit-based pop band Chairmen of the Board in the 1970s, as well as other projects throughout his career. As he accepted the award for Male Vocalist of the Year, he said a great vocalist “doesn’t have to be athletic” and hit the highest notes, but simply has to “believe in what you’re singing”.

World-renowned conductor Boris Brott and broadcaster Lyman Potts were also presented Lifetime Achievement Awards. Brott sang a wonderful story about a missing French horn with the help of a string quartet.

Musicologist Alan Cross and comedienne Shelley Marshall hosted the awards show. Presenters included Mohawk’s own Sam Cook and Ken Wallis, beatboxer Hachey the MouthPEACE, Forgotten Rebels’s Mickey DeSadist, and many familiar faces from Hamilton’s music community.

Monster Truck was also a big winner, taking home awards for Rock Recording of the Year, and Recording of the Year. Although the band is currently on tour in Europe, they sent a video message to thank the people of Hamilton and introduce “Mom-ster Truck”, who accepted the awards on behalf of their boys.

Award winners like Yiannis Kapoulas (Ethnic/World Recording of the Year), Buckshot Bebee and the Secret Boyfriends (Female Artist of the Year) and Allotrope (New Artist/Group of the Year) shook the entire McIntyre Performing Arts Centre with their live performances. Dawn and Marra took home the Folk/Traditional Recording of the Year Award moments before they performed “Animals” from Teaspoons and Tablespoons.

“We were very unprepared to win that [award] because we were setting up to go play, and the sound guy just said, ‘you have to go on stage now ‘cause you just won’,” said Marra Koren, one half of the folk duo. “And we turned around and our name was up on the screen. It was totally a surreal, mind-blowing moment. It feels really, really good to be recognized for our folky album.”

Other winners include The Reason (Alternative Recording of the Year), TV Freaks (Punk Recording of the Year), and Jessy Lanza (Electronic Recording of the Year). Weekend Riot Club was nominated for Rock Recording of the Year for Psychotropia, but was beat by Monster Truck’s Furiosity.

“Losing to Monster Truck was pretty fun,” joked WRC drummer Paul Fontes.

“I would say losing to Monster Truck was the highlight of my year,” added WRC singer Melissa Marchese with a laugh. “I don’t think you could ask for a better night.”

It’s this kind of support and community that shines throughout Hamilton’s music scene. Although awards are handed out to a select few, the HMAs really show how tight-knit and vibrant the city’s music scene really is.