The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) announced today the details of its popular Juno Awards Weekend Events, including the Juno Cup hockey tournament, Fan Fare and Songwriters’ Circle.
A noon time face-off at GM Place in Vancouver on March 26 will launch the four day confab, with 12-time Juno winner Jim Cuddy and former Vancouver Canuck Cliff Ronning announcing this year’s team rosters for the sixth annual Juno Cup game. The Keg sponsors, so be sure to stop by and have yourself one of their world famous Bloody Caesars.
The Juno Cup fundraiser matches NHL alumni with Juno artists and entertainers in support of MusiCounts, Canada’s music education charity that’s associated with CARAS. Juno Cup has to date raised more than $700,000 and placed woodwind, tympany, string and keyboard instruments in highschools across this fair land.
And, in n the Pro All-star locker room:
Bob Probert
Brad Dalgarno
Cliff Ronning
Dave Babych
Mark Napier
Mike Pelyk
Paul Coffey
Russ Courtnall
Pitted against them, the Rockers mucking men and women together:
Ian Thornley (Coaching)
Aaron Pritchett*
Alan Doyle (Great Big Sea)*
Barney Bentall
Brad Keller (Creaking Tree String Quartet)*
Brian Kobayakawa (Creaking Tree String Quartet)*
Cam Melnyk (State of Shock)
Craig Northey (Odds)
Dustin Bentall
Jay Bodner (Eagle & Hawk)
Jesse Wainwright (State of Shock)
Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo)* – Team Captain
John Dinsmore (NQ Arbuckle & Kathleen Edwards)*
Kathleen Edwards*
Luke Doucet
Mark Sasso (Elliott Brood)*
Matthew Barber*
Nathan Ferraro (Midway State)*
Peter Kesper (NQ Arbuckle)*
Rob Higgins (Dearly Beloved)
Sarah McLachlan
Sean McCann (Great Big Sea)*
Steve Dawson*
Tyler Stewart (Barenaked Ladies)*
Tyson Yerex (Acres of Lions)
Vince Fontaine (Eagle & Hawk)
TSN’s Off the Record host, Michael Landsberg, will announce the live play-by-play commentary during the game’s exciting two periods, as well as the skills competition. Media Partners for the game are: CTV, The Fox, Rock 101 and Vancouver 24 Hours. For more info go to junocup.ca.
Juno Fan Fare – Presented by Sirius Satellite Radio
Date: Saturday, March 28
Location: Granville Street Party (at Robson)
Time: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Tickets: Free public event
Nominees foolish enough to participate in this brazen and shameless marketing boosterism include: Aaron Pritchett, City and Colour, Crystal Shawanda, Divine Brown, Doc Walker, Elise Estrada, George Canyon, Kreesha Turner, Saint Alvia, Sam Roberts Band, Tara Oram and The Trews
The all-day “extravaganza” includes hanging out with musicians, pulling on their goodwill to snatch autographs, listening to the kinds of probing interviews Ben Mulroney has become famous for, and winning tchotchkey. And if this sounds too good to be true, the whole damned lot won’t cost you a nickel ’cause it’s free. Hell, most fans don’t pay for the music they have on their iPods so why start charging them to meet the musicians who selflessly provide the entertainment for below poverty line incomes?
Media Partners: CTV, The Fox, The Beat 94.5, TALK 1410, 93.7 JRfm, JACK FM and The Vancouver Sun. For more information, go to .junofanfare
Songwriters’ Circle – Sponsored by the CMPA and SOCAN
Date: Sunday, March 29
Location: The Centre in Vancouver for Performing Arts
Time: Noon – 2 p.m.
Tickets: $34.75/$39.75
Intimate, live and unscripted. At least that’s what the PR handout says. A select group of Juno nominees will take to the stage in an afternoon event where artists share songs, stories and reveal their creative processes to give audiences a first-hand narrative of inspirations (great drugs?)Â behind their lyrics.
Presented by the Canadian Music Publishers Association (CMPA) and the Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN), Songwriters’ Circle will be hosted by two-time Juno winner and current nominee, Hawksley Workman. He is to be joined by Chris Thorsteinson and Dave Wasyliw from Doc Watson, Jim Cuddy, Ndidi Onukwulu, Sarah Slean and Buffy Sainte-Marie.
CBC Radio 2 will broadcast the event live.
Media Partners: CTV, 103.5 QM-FM, and CBC Radio 2. For more information on Songwriters’ Circle, go to www.junosongwriterscircle.ca.
The weekend comes to its natural culmination with the Juno Awards broadcast on the 29th when the suits dress up like penguins, the women flaunt their engaging whatevers, and the musicians pull out their most crumpled up pair of jeans and mess there hair up to make it look as if they are busking in Gastown. A few winners might remember to thank FACTOR, no doubt God will be mentioned, along with auntie Vera, uncle Ned and someone’s hairstylist.
Tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster, or by phone at 604-280-4444. Tickets are priced between $69.00 and $189.00 (plus those infamous service charges) and are limited to four per person. For more information about the Junos go to www.junoawards.ca.
Sponsors of The 2009 Juno Awards include FACTOR, Canada’s Private Radio Broadcasters and the Government of Canada through the Department of Canadian Heritage’s Canada Music Fund, The Province of British Columbia, The City of Vancouver, Music BC and Radio Starmaker Fund.
Broadcast sponsors of The 2009 Juno Awards are Garnier, Pepsi, Pontiac and Rogers.
About CARAS:
The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences/L’academie canadienne des arts et des sciences de l’enregistrement (CARAS) is a not-for-profit organization created to preserve and enhance the Canadian music and recording industries and to contribute toward higher artistic and industry standards. The main focus of CARAS is the exploration and development of opportunities to showcase and promote Canadian artists and music through vehicles such as The JUNO Awards. For more information on The 38th Annual JUNO Awards or The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) please visit our websites at carasonline or junoawards.
