HITTING THE HIGH NOTES
Juno Awards full of surprises
The first Juno Awards broadcast was a single night event in 1975. Today, 43 years later, the annual presentation by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) celebrating excellence and achievement in the music industry is a behemoth.
Allan Reid, CARAS president and CEO, noted in his opening address at Saturday night’s Juno gala dinner that, after some rough years, the Canadian music business is bouncing back. In excess of 2,000 submissions for the 43 award categories was the most ever received. When that list includes such massive global acts as Diana Krall (vocal jazz album, Jack Richardson producer of the year), Arcade Fire (album of the year and the special international achievement) and Michael Bublé (adult contemporary album), it’s hard to disagree with Reid’s analysis of the Canadian industry.
Of course, the Junos isn’t where you bring up the parallel realities of declining artist revenues in the age of streaming, is it?
From bustling downtown venues to Sunday night’s big awards event at Rogers Arena, host city Vancouver more than made up for the 2009 awards, which were overshadowed by the 2010 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
Bublé was the perfect choice as host. This guy is to the Junos what Billy Crystal was to the Oscars.
In his opening statements alone, he managed to state how great he was, announce that he and his wife have a third child on the way and drop a brilliant line about the show being where you can see our rising talents before they become global phenomena and stop showing up. That probably got a passing smirk from Drake, Justin Bieber and The Weeknd if they were watching.
Those who were watching CBC caught the wave of excitement in the arena from the start with Arcade Fire’s rousing version of Everything Now. Known for its big sound and bigger member count, the Montreal group didn’t disappoint.
The night’s first tearful moment came from Jessie Reyez, the breakthrough artist of the year winner. The Colombian-Canadian Toronto artist is blowing up all over for her brilliant second album Kiddo and powerhouse performances.
From pop album of the year winner and B.C. resident Lights performing Giants to great turns from R&B/soul recording winner Daniel Caesar and The Jerry Cans, the broadcast was loaded with truly top-tier performances.
Once upon a time in 1998, Rascalz refused a Juno award in protest of rap music not getting fair representation. At Rogers Arena, they not only showed up, but pretty much sewed-up the highlight of the night.
Yes, the empty chair for artist of the year and adult alternative album winner Gord Downie was on everyone’s mind. The late Tragically Hip singer was honoured with a touching film montage of famous Canadians describing Downie’s artistry in one word. Then Sarah Harmer and City and Colour brought the room to a complete standstill with a version of Bobcaygeon.
Nothing that followed, from the Barenaked Ladies’ induction into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame to the bleeped version of Reyez’s smash hit Figures with Caesar could quite capture the vibe of the Downie sendoff.
He’s gone. The Juno Awards will be back next year in London, Ont.
It remains to be seen what advances have been made with the consistently repeated statements all weekend and at both awards nights about moving the entire arts and culture community in Canada into a new paradigm of gender parity, zero-tolerance policies at every level from government to the industry.
As Indigenous music album winner Buffy Sainte-Marie noted backstage at the broadcast, “How stupid is a world where 50 per cent of the brainpower isn’t being recognized by the other 50 per cent?” Here’s hoping that we see some really significant advances by next year’s awards.
Either way, there is little doubt that London has its work cut out for it as the Juno Awards appear to be upping their game in every way from the JunoFest events and lead up tours and concerts to the awards show. It not only exceeded expectations, it really showcased Canada’s unique and wonderful music community in a way that demonstrated clearly why so many of its artists are going gangbusters in the global market.