NAMED AFTER FORMER CBC President Pierre Juneau, the JUNO Awards have been celebrating Canadian artists since 1970. Having taken place across Canada—aside from P.E.I, New Brunswick and Quebec—the JUNO Awards have come once again to the nation’s capital. Presented by the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Science, this year’s JUNO Awards will be at the Scotiabank Place on April 1 to acknowledge the many talented artists who call the true north their home. With the JUNOS less than a week away, the Fulcrum is giving the lowdown on events leading up to the star-studded, red carpet event.
Thursday, March 29
On Thursday, the University of Ottawa is holding its second annual JUNO Hoops—a celebrity basketball game featuring Canadian R&B artist JRDN, HOT 89.9 Host Kenny B, and DJs T-dot and Paq alongside Gees basketball players. The event will take place at Montpetit Hall; tip-off is at 7 p.m. and tickets will be available at the door for $5 for students.
Friday, March 30
Friday night brings on the partying, with Karl Wolf hosting a JUNO party at Mansion Nightclub (400A Dalhousie St.) andDown with Webster partying at Tila Tequila Bar (104 Clarence St.). As if the choice between the two wasn’t enough, Kardinall Offishall is hosting Mashup Friday at SKY Bar.
For those who don’t want to hit the town Friday night, head on over to the Nepean Sportsplex for the JUNO Cup—the annual celebrity hockey game where NHL greats are pitted against a team of Canadian artists. This year’s NHL team is comprised of Brad Dalgrano, Gary Roberts, and Troy Cowder among other former NHL players. The Rockers team—that’s what the celebs are calling themselves—is represented by Tyler Armes, Evan Cranley, Sam Roberts, Scott Remila, and others. Come cheer on your team when the puck drops at 7:30 p.m. (for ticket details, check out Ticketmaster.ca).
Saturday, March 31
This weekend continues with a bang on Saturday where the JUNO’s are concerned, giving fans a chance to meet Carly Rae Jepsen, Classified, Deadmau5, Down With Webster, Kardinal Offishall, Simple Plan, Jully Black, Mia Martina, Karl Wolf, JRDN, and Shawn Hook. The JUNO Fan Fare meet-and-greet will be hosted by Much Music’s Jesse Giddings and Liz Trinnear at the St. Laurent Centre. Go to the St. Laurent Centre Facebook page to get your free bracelet passes.
Spanning the weekend, JUNO Fest is being hosted at different venues throughout Ottawa. The concert series features a wide range of Canadian artists, including Amos the Transparent, Azari & III, David Gunning, Jim Cuddy, The Good Lovelies, Advantage, Harrison Kennedy, and many more. Starting at 9 p.m. on Saturday, venues hosting JUNO Fest include the Great Canadian Cabin, Mavericks, Ritual Nightclub, Club SAW, and Babylon (for event details, visit Ticketmaster.ca).
Sunday, April 1
To get your JUNO fix without attending the broadcast, check out the JUNO Songwriter’s Circle at Centrepointe Theatre on April 1 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Hosted by Dan Mangan, the Songwriter’s Circle will include JUNO nominees David Francey, Kardinall Offishall, Kiran Ahliwalia, Lindi Ortega, and Max Kerman (from The Arkells). Join them for discussion as well as performances by purchasing your tickets at Ticketmaster.ca.
Always dreamed of going to a red carpet event? Head to the 2012 JUNO Awards Ceremony at Scotiabank Place. The show starts at 8 p.m., but to be a part of the fan frenzy and red carpet event, make sure to arrive by 6 p.m. at the second gate.
—Emily Jackson
