Arcade Fire, the Montreal-based indie rock band who introduced themselves to the world in February by winning big at the Grammys, cleaned up again early Sunday night at the Juno awards, winning two of the first three trophies, including songwriter of the year and group of the year.
"Thank you, we are so happy. . . we are so honoured," Arcade Fire frontman Win Butler told the audience in accepting the award for best group. Butler also paid tribute to other fellow Canadian indie bands such as Wolf Parade, Unicorns and The Hidden Cameras.
The Juno awards, Canada’s most prestigious music prize, were held Sunday evening at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto, with tickets ranging in price from $62.25 to $213.75. The evening’s host, hip-hop star Drake, was also the night’s most nominated artist with six. In an upset earlier in the weekend, Drake lost rap recording of the year to Shad during Saturday’s non-televised Junos dinner.
While Arcade Fire was the early story of the night, a Canadian icon also made his mark among the younger crowd. Neil Young, who released the album Le Noise in September, earned the adult alternative album of the year and was slated to be honoured with the Allan Waters Humanitarian Prize. Later in the show, Young was also poised to go up against Drake and Justin Bieber for the coveted artist of the year award.
It was the first time in 29 years that Young attended a Junos gala, making the show’s other big winner, Justin Bieber, minus-12-years-old the last time Young took a Canadian music award show’s stage. Bieber, Stratford, Ontario’s teenage phenomenon, was another early winner, He won the fan choice award for the record My World 2.0. Currently on tour in Rotterdam, Bieber was unable to attend the ceremony (which he attended last year, losing in all three of his categories), but thanked his fans in a pre-recorded video message.
Bieber also made his mark in a video segment to start the show, when Drake and the 17-year old pop star exchanged a mini-duet of Sarah McLachlan’s I Will Remember You.
The 40th-anniversary Juno festivities included a Canadian rock music tribute featuring an all-star band of Sarah Slean, Sarah Harmer, Jim Cuddy and many others performing hits by Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell and the Band. Also in the house for the evening was Shania Twain, who was ushered into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame by Bryan Adams, who called the country singer "beautiful" and "a Canadian treasure."
Twain accepted the honour in a striking shimmering white and black gown, also garnerning a quick kiss from Adams on stage.
"This is a beautiful moment for me – I am really so proud of Canada’s talent," an emotional Twain told the audience. "We should be proud of these people, they are just blowing me away. I have more pride of what the country has created musically than even of my own success. . . I feel like I just should be wearing the Canadian flag tonight."
The evening, however, wasn’t all about nostalgia, although best new artist winner, Meaghan Smith, does tend to write catchy throwback-era pop tunes. Smith, a native of London, Ontario, earned her prize for the album The Cricket’s Orchestra. K’Naan accepted the award for Single of the Year for the alternate take on his song Wavin’ Flag, recorded for Young Artists for Haiti in support of earthquake relief efforts.
Other big winners on the weekend included Johnny Reid for best country album and Matthew Good, who won rock album of the year for the record, Vancouver.
Juno Winners (televised):
Record of the Year: The Suburbs, Arcade Fire
Artist of the Year: Neil Young
Pop Album of the Year: My World 2.0, Justin Bieber
Single of the Year: "Wavin’ Flag," K’naan
New Artist of the Year: Meaghan Smith
Songwriter of the Year: Arcade Fire
Group of the Year: Arcade Fire
Juno Fan Choice: Justin Bieber
Juno Winners (non-televised):
International Album: Katy Perry, Teenage Dream
Adult Alternative Album: Neil Young, Le Noise
Rock Album: Matthew Good, Vancouver
Rap Recording: Shad, TSOL
Alternative Album: Arcade Fire, The Suburbs
Country Album: Johnny Reid, A Place Called Love
Vocal Jazz Album: Kellylee Evans, Nina
Contemporary Jazz Album: Christine Jensen Jazz Orchestra, Treelines
Traditional Jazz Album: John MacLeod’s Rex Hotel Orchestra, Our First Set
Instrumental Album: Fond of Tigers, Continent & Western
Francophone Album: Karkwa, Les chemins de verre
Children’s Album: Peter Lenton, Proud Like a Mountain
Classical Album, Solo and Chamber Ensemble: Gryphon Trio, Beethoven: Piano Trios Op. 70 No. 1, Ghost and No. 2: Op 11
Classical Album, Large Ensemble or Soloist with Large Ensemble Accompaniment: Lara St. John, Mozart: Scott and Lara St. John/The Knights
Classical Album, Vocal or Choral Performance: Gerald Finley, Great Operatic Arias
Classical Composition: Murray Schafer, "Duo for Violin and Piano"
Dance Recording: Deadmau5, “Sofi Needs a Ladder”
R&B/Soul Recording: Quanteisha, “Stars”
Reggae Recording: Elaine Lil’Bit Shepherd, “Likkle But Mi Tallawah”
Aboriginal Album: CerAmony, CerAmony
Roots and Traditional Album, Solo: Old Man Luedecke, My Hands Are On Fire and Other Love Songs
Roots and Traditional Album, Group: Le Vent du Nord, La part du feu
Blues Album: Jim Byrnes, Everywhere West
Contemporary Christian/Gospel Album: Greg Sczebel, Love & the Lack Thereof
World Music Album: Élage Diouf, Aksil
Producer: Daniel Lanois for “Hitchhiker” by Neil Young and “I Believe in You” by Black Dub
Recording Engineer: Kevin Churko for “Let It Die” and “Life Won’t Wait” by Ozzy Osbourne
Recording Package: Justin Peroff, Charles Spearin, Robyn Kotek and Joe McKay (art directors/designers) and Jimmy Collins and Elisabeth Chicoine (photographers) for Broken Social Scene’s Forgiveness Rock Record
Video of the Year: “Perfect,” Hedley (Director: Kyle Davison)
Music DVD of the Year: Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
Electronic Album: Caribou, Swim
New Group: Said the Whale
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