I walked into the Algonquin Commons Theatre see the opener K.I.D, not really knowing what to expect. I hadn’t heard any of their music before, nor did I know their name.

It’s 2017, Canada is 150, the JUNO Awards are in Ottawa for only the 3rd time ever, and it’s an amazing year to be a woman in music. Tonight 8 awards were handed out at Canadian Tire Centre out which 4 were given to women and the rest to either the Tragically Hip / Gord Downie, Leonard Cohen or Shawn Mendes.

In true Canadian form Juno weekend kicked off with a snowstorm on Friday night. Thankfully if you didn’t like that, warmer kinder weather was in store for Saturday and the Juno Gala dinner at Ottawa’s Shaw Centre.

The lighting was stellar, the sound was amazing and the performance was no less than what you would expect from someone as big as Tom Cochrane and his Mad Mad World Tour. Even the opening act, Meghan Patrick was most welcoming.

Know anyone who attended one of Chase Rice’s SOLD-OUT shows in Ontario? Everybody We Know Does…

Award winning singer/songwriter Chris Stapleton brought his All American Road Show tour to the Canadian Tire Centre last night. It was there that Chris, alongside his wife and special guest Lindi Ortega were greeted by a packed house.

Last Friday, two of my favourite things about Canada came together in one venue, rock ‘n roll and hockey. Whether you’re a sports fan or not, there’s just something about hockey that bring all Canadians together. A collective sense of pride, if you will.

I had the pleasure of chatting with Joel Plaskett this week about “Solidarity”, his latest solo release, but this ones a little different, it’s with his father Bill Plaskett, and it is a wonderful musical tapestry that spans the generations.

JUNOfest 2017 lineup to include over 35 JUNO nominees, such as The Strumbellas, Silla + Rise, The Dirty Nil, Whitehorse, Tasha The Amazon, Holy Fuck, Bit Funk, Cold Creek County, Exco Levi, and more