ONLINE JUNOS
Cara hosts unique event
Well, it wasn’t the night out at the Sasktel Centre that many in Saskatchewan’s music industry had planned.
Even so, Saskatchewan artists made their mark at the 2020 Juno Awards, which were broadcast and live-streamed Monday evening.
This was 3 ½ months later than anticipated: Saskatoon was buzzing to host the Juno Awards in mid-march, but the weekend-long celebration became Saskatchewan’s first major event cancelled due to COVID-19.
The scaled-down version of the show was pre-taped mostly in Toronto, with a few videos submitted from across the country.
That included Regina bluegrass band The Dead South, who performed their song “Diamond Ring” for a video as part of the Junos show.
Nate Hilts, Danny Kenyon, Colton Crawford and Scott Pringle simply played and offered no message during their segment, performing to an empty Broadway Theatre in Saskatoon.
The marquee sign outside the would-be Junofest venue touted “keep your distance and stick together.”
The Dead South’s performance, sponsored by Creative Saskatchewan, was introduced by CBC radio host George Stromboulopoulos, who said the band was “keeping Saskatchewan — and really all the Prairies — proud.”
That was true as the band won the 2020 Juno for traditional roots album of the year for 2019’s Sugar & Joy.
Saskatchewan’s other nominees were shut out.
Regina visual artist Terri Fidelak shared a nomination with Saskatoon photographer Carey Shaw and artist Regan Fraser for album artwork of the year; they collaborated on Belle Plaine’s record, Malice, Mercy, Grief & Wrath. That award went to Chad Moldenhauer, Ian Clarke, Warren Clark and Lance Inkwell, for Selections From Cuphead – Kristofer Maddigan.
Regina-based four-piece Foxwarren was a first-time Juno nominee for alternative album of the year; Pup won that award.
The band features singer-songwriter Andy Shauf (who now lives in Toronto), brothers Darryl and Avery Kissick, and Dallas Bryson.
Shaunavon country band of brothers The Hunter Brothers had been nominated for country album of the year (which Meghan Patrick won) and breakthrough group of the year (which Neon Dreams won).
JJ Hunter had been looking forward to performing at and attending Junofest events in Saskatoon.
He expected the live-stream to be “obviously very different” than a live show, but told Postmedia, “I think it’s special that they’re still recognizing all of the nominees and announcing the award winners … it’s going to be a great celebration. It’ll be different, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.”
Pop musician Alessia Cara, who was nominated for six Junos and was supposed to host the show in Saskatoon, had similar sentiments.
“It would have been so cool to be in Saskatoon this year but I’m happy we’re still able to acknowledge our peers for the amazing art they’ve made over the last year,” said Cara during the digital broadcast, introducing the award for international album of the year.
The show was still ongoing at the time of the Leader-post’s print deadline.