Canada’s biggest night. Or week. Or something.

On Sunday March 30, CTV brings its massive concert masquerading as an awards show to Winnipeg’s MTS Centre - complete with the spawn of Dr. Jason Seaver and hosted by Canadian Rod Stewart, Not Buck 65 and Canada’s musical answer to Anne Hathaway. Preceding the televised JUNO Awards (consisting of performances from nominated Canadian artists and the handing out of less than a dozen of the 40+ awards) are a slew of Juno-related events, beginning officially on March 22 with a free concert at the Forks starring high school bands and choirs covering Canadian artists (1-3pm).

Hockey fans (because all Canadians are) can watch the JUNO Cup on March 28 ($20 at Ticketmaster) at the MTS Iceplex. Consisting of local musicians and media personalities in addition to such celebrities as Beard Guy from Walk Off the Earth, NHL greats Thomas Steen and Carey Wilson, and three whole women - 2014 gold medal winners Natalie Spooner and Rebecca Johnston, as well as JUNO nominee Amanda Rheaume - this charity event is in support of MusiCounts.

Everyone’s favourite blind date, Jian Ghomeshi, brings guests Team Jones and shoulda-been awards hosts Tegan and Sara to Q Live at the Juno Awards at the Burton Cummings theatre on March 27 at 7pm ($39 at Ticketmaster). On March 29 at noon, St. Vital Centre hosts JUNO Fan Fare, at which you can get your digital downloads signed (don’t just show up - the website says you need to “stay connected via social media for ticket giveaways”) by such hit makers as Gord Bamford and Jacynthe, while on March 30 at noon, Randy Bachman (ironically?) hosts a songwriters’ circle at the Burton Cummings Theatre ($25-39 at Ticketmaster).

Then there’s JUNOfest, which takes place at such WTF spots as McPhillips Station Casino and Whiskey Dix, in addition to such actual venues as The Windsor, Ozzy’s, Le Garage and more. There are some decent locals playing these shows, including Atlass, Chica Boom Boom, Dead Ranch, Mobina Galore, Rayannah and Mariachi Ghost, and they happen March 28/29 (wristbands are $30 at Ticketmaster providing access to all shows, with individual shows set at $10-20). Other than the locals (some of which I didn’t realize are still around, including Dreadnaut, Mad Young Darlings, The Ripperz and Keith & Renee), the JUNOs are bringing in some big guns in Ron Sexsmith, The Darcys, Mounties, A Tribe Called Red, Daniel Romano and Lee Harvey Osmond. There’s also a band from LA called No that’s signed to Arts & Crafts, but on what planet that makes them CanCon is unknown.

90% of the awards are handed out at on March 29 at an un-televised event taking place in a super secret basement bunker, so there’s little chance for any of you to actually see KEN mode, Mahogany Frog or Royal Canoe take home a JUNO in front of a hometown crowd.

If you haven’t already guessed, there is a lot of talk within the Winnipeg music community about how JUNO Fest missed the mark and how the Year of Music isn’t actually representing the people that celebrate music year round - the bands that play the DIY venues and dive bars, the people that watch the shows and review the records (many local media outlets did not receive accreditation to various events, as CTV possibly wants to make room for visiting national press, with The Uniter receiving word via JUNO publicity that “CTV manages the red carpet and unfortunately they’re at capacity at this time”). Local hype-machine Deafwish has stepped up to the mic to respond.

From March 26-29, O(h) NO FESTIVAL happens at The Windsor, The Osborne ANAF 60, under 333 Garry and The Garrick Hotel, featuring the likes of Vampires, Beefdonut, Flesh Lite, The Perms, Atomic Don & The Black Sunrise, a comedy night hosted by Dan Goldberg and so much more - visit deafwish.com for full details.

When a host city receives national exposure, what should happen? Should the industry dictate who they let in the door, or should the city itself stand up and say “here we are, this is the noise we make, and this is how we do it every single night, not just when Toronto’s cameras are rolling?” It’s an opportunity to put the spotlight on something new and exciting, not the same old radio-ready/industry savvy safe bets. For me, what it comes down to is that as a lifelong CanRock fan, raised on the Sloan and Pluto of ‘90s MuchMusic, the Weakerthans and Sarah Harmer of 2000s CBC and the Chad VanGaalen and Fucked Up of present day YouTube premieres, I just don’t feel like my music (underground, mainstream or otherwise) is represented, and that’s a problem. 

Perhaps the real question is - why do they even bother taking the JUNO Awards on the road, if it’s just going to be Toronto patting itself on the back?

Published in Volume 68, Number 24 of The Uniter (March 19, 2014)