The Scope

Juno Fest

For the past couple of nights I’ve been attending Juno Fest events.

On Friday night, I headed to the Delta for Metric. The line-up just to have your ticket ripped stretched around the hotel. Tales were told of people waiting three hours after walking forty miles in the snow.

I was quite looking forward to seeing Metric, having missed them the last time they were in town, but shortly after I got in I was kicked out. Well, asked nicely to leave. (I wonder if they read my earlier post.) It was a misunderstanding though, and I did manage to get in by the time Metric hit the stage.

The show was pure energy. Emily Haines jumped and bounced and swayed and then jumped some more. At first I was a bit put off that she never spoke to the crowd, but towards the end she apologized saying she’d like to talk to us but, “music first, words are everywhere.”

Hanging in the armory

On Saturday, I went to the all-ages show at the CLB Armoury. It said all-ages, but really it was one age. 14-year-old girl. Apparently that is the demographic my music taste lines up with because I really dug the New Artist of Year nominees Carly Rae Jepsen and Danny Fernandes.

They gave pretty standard short-set shows. Nothing spectacular. Though Carly is perhaps the cutest performer since sliced-bread. I left before the Stereos came out because the junior-high-dance vibe was giving me nightmarish flashbacks.

After leaving there I booked it down to Trapper John’s to see NQ Arbuckle, a band I had never heard of before. They looked to be having much fun on stage playing to the filled-to-capacity venue.

It wasn’t the only filled venue last night though. Juno Fest venues all over downtown had line-ups that got longer and longer as the night went on. The line at the Martini Bar, where I had hoped to see Jully Black, could’ve started it’s own country.

And now, the awards

Most of the awards were given out last night at a gala dinner. A full list of winners can be found on junoawards.ca. Not to spoil it, but Bublé beat Beiber in an alliteratively-delicious defeat.

For the remaining awards, tonight’s the night.

Police are lining the streets as the crowds begin to gather

The red carpet is down, the stadium and George Street are undergoing last-minute preparations and foolishly-parked cars are being towed. The broadcast will open on George Street at 8pm with a performance by Classified, singing his song “Oh… Canada.” Deadmau5 goes on before the broadcast. They expect 4000 people to flood the street. Giant screens are erected opposite the stage and in front of the Martini Bar to watch the show.

There’s gonna be a party tonight.