Junos Insider: Rural Alberta Advantage's Paul Banwatt Freezes Meeting Anvil, Loses Awards, Misses Parties

Posted on Apr 4th 2012 11:00AM by Paul Banwatt
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Tasos Katopodis, Getty Images

Spinner enlisted special indie rock celebrity correspondent Paul Banwatt of the Rural Alberta Advantage to chronicle his adventures during this past weekend's Juno Awards celebrations.

Banwatt's band of Sheepdogs adversaries were nominated in the New Group of the Year category in addition to being proxy nominees in the Video of the Year category where director Jose Lourenco got the nod for Rural Alberta Advantages' "Stamp" vid.

After catching best new artist nominee Diamond Rings busking on their first day, this installment of the Juno Insider sees Banwatt acting as his own roadie, attending a fancy-pants gala and meeting the legendary Canadian metal band Anvil. Awkwardly.

Juno Awards Weekend Day 2: The Agony of Defeat

Saturday in Ottawa started and ended like a normal day on tour -- in the afternoon we loaded our gear into Maverick's for our JunoFest show, as one of over 100 bands playing in Ottawa over two days. People ask all the time if we have roadies to help us. We don't. I'm not sure when that transition happens, but it is apparently long after you get nominated for a Juno.

In between loading gear and playing a rock club was a swanky Juno Awards gala dinner at the Ottawa Convention Centre. In fact, both of the Junos we were up for were being handed out at this event (Best New Group, and Best Video for "Stamp" via our incredibly talented director José Lourenço). We lost both, but I think we lost them well. I told my band afterwards that we should feel empowered by this. Maybe next year we'll lose a Grammy. And after that, who knows? There are millions of awards out there that I know we're capable of losing.

(Disclaimer: That's a joke. The nomination was a major honour that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Dry humour is the Internet's enemy.)

Bagpipes! One of many scenes you never saw on Sunday's broadcast Junos... This is why they need 2 nights. (Paul Banwatt)

At the dinner we were sitting a few tables over from Anvil, who somehow lost the new Juno for metal that I'm pretty sure was created because of them. I walked over and asked drummer Robb Reiner for a picture. He was super-nice and said yes. Then, for some reason, I got nervous and went catatonic, leading to an awful awkward pause. After two years of silence, he asked where I was from and I basically ran away. To make it worse, I doubled down on the awkward when I saw him again the next day (video of that coming!).

Me awkwarding it up with Robb Reiner from Anvil (Julia Boone)

At midnight we played our show at Maverick's. People lined up for hours to get into the show, which always bothers me when I'm playing or attending a multi-venue music festival. If you're going to sell all-access passes for $30, then put bands in venues large enough to handle the demand, I say. Otherwise, just sell tickets to individual shows and don't screw people over. The show itself was awesome and Ottawa crowds are always unbelievably nice.

After the show there were afterparties. So where do the cool kids go on Juno weekend? Well, as your insider correspondent, let me tell you... I have no idea. It's like high school all over again. Other people seemed to know about parties. You overhear crazy things, like EMI is giving away Grey Goose and record contracts in a shack off the Colonel By, Deadmau5 is playing on the floor of the House of Commons, Stephen Harper is having dinner with nominees, the last of which was apparently true. (Editor's note: Deadmau5 said backstage the Prime Minister's daughter is a fan). I went to our hotel and drank beers, and you know what? I'm fine with that.

Stay tuned: My next post will feature: Celebrities! Actual after parties! Free sex toys for nominees! Yep.

2012 Juno Awards performance, red carpet and nominee galleries