LiveBlog at the 2009 Juno Awards

The eTalk Red Carpet program is running from 3:30pm until 4:30pm (Pacific) and I’ll be heading down to GM Place to liveblog the 2009 Juno Awards this afternoon as well. I won’t be backstage in the media room like at last night’s gala dinner since I’ll be up above the set in the press box catching the whole show.

Performances during the CTV broadcast tonight include: Bryan Adams, Great Big Sea (with Hawksley Workman and Eccodek members Andrew McPherson, Les Hartai, and Jason Shute), Kathleen Edwards, City and Colour, Crystal Shawanda, Divine Brown, Nickelback, Sam Roberts, Sarah McLachlan, Serena Ryder, Simple Plan and The Stills.

John will be there as well, helping out in a CHUM radio capacity as The Beat‘s morning crew will be on the red carpet (and I hear that they might be live-tweeting). I’ll start my liveblog when I get settled in around 4:30pm and will have photos and updates galore throughout the night.

Update: There was a bit of confusion at the media gate(s) about certain passes however everyone was pleasant, helpful, and they knew who I was (and read my site) so things were sorted out. Shout out to all the ladies working the media tables – they’re holding up well amidst all the chaos. I’m just waiting to head up to the press box for tonight’s performance and can already see folks heading down the red carpet at GM Place. Note: Abbott between Expo and Pacific is closed and don’t even think about heading to Costco for that flat of mayonnaise tonight because SUV limos are out in droves.

Update: Arieanna and I are setup inside GM Place way up in press row on level 500 looking down on show, which will begin at 5:00pm Pacific.

Update: John‘s down on the red carpet and said as Russell Peters (host of tonight’s show) approached he was flanked by two RCMP officers and said, “don’t taze me, bro!” Also, BC Premier Gordon Campbell tweeted from the red carpet: “Red Carpet for Junos was both fun and a lot of noise. Glad SAM ROBERTS is in music not politics.”

Here’s a quick list of feeds I’ll be following tonight, Junos and Canucks, that is all. Arieanna is right beside me with her camera and she will also be liveblogging this evening, and Derek & Airdrie Miller are out there in the crowd somewhere and have apparently spotted us already with our glowing MacBooks.

Update: Things are almost underway and they’re just prepping the crowd. It’s a 2 hour show with no intermission but there are “commercial breaks” and winners will have 30 seconds for acceptance speeches before the exit music starts. “The fireworks can get pretty hot,” the crowd up front is warned. I think the crowd’s reaction to the announcement for Russell Peters was just louder than the one for Bryan Adams. Looking down on the audience I see so many LCD screens – either for cameras (hence all the flash bulbs bursting) or mobile phones and they’re all on Twitter.

Update: Wow, okay Nickelback’s fireworks explosion at the top of the show almost made me drop my camera. “You look so much cuter with something in your mouth” kicks off the awards show… stay classy, Nickelback.

Russell Peters enters with Bhangra dancers and takes the mic, “I know this is Vancouver but what’s the grow up on stage.” He walks over to chat with Elvis Costello and Diana Krall, followed by Bryan Adams, a fist bump from Michael Buble, then climbs through the crowd to sit next to Divine Brown.

Songwriter of the Year: Dallas Green for Waiting from Sleeping Sickness

The Sam Roberts Band takes the stage – sounding great and not needing fireworks and explosions to add to their performance at all.

Group of the Year: Nickelback. “Let’s smoke some of the stage to celebrate.”

Rap Recording of the Year: Kardinal Offishall for Not 4 Sale, who also took home a Juno for Single of the Year last night for Dangerous.

Sarah McLachlan, who was presented with the Allan Waters Humanitarian Award last night just did a beautiful performance.

New Artist of the Year: Lights. A very pretty young lady but so, so tiny.

The Stills are on stage next (wonder if their pants are as tight as last night) playing their single Being Here. They are actually opening up for Kings of Leon on tour – that is one show I would love to see.

City and Colour just performed Sleeping Sickness with Gord Downie – unbelievable. Bob Rock is up next to introduce the tribute to Loverboy as they have been inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

Now performing is Crystal Shawanda, looking lovely and quickly followed by Divine Brown and the last of the bunch, Serena Ryder with tons of energy. Three genres, three women, all with lots of talent – this was a fun showcase to watch (though could have been a bit longer).

The Pepsi Juno Fan Choice Award: This one goes to Nickelback although the arena was going bonkers when Feist and Hedley were announced as nominees.

Simple Plan performed and now the crowd is being kept warm during the commercial break ahead of a few more awards. Russell Peters then chats with some Olympic athletes that are in the crowd (representing North Vancouver and Fernie, BC) – they seriously look like rock stars – while Jeremy Witherspoon and Melissa Hollingsworth-Richards introduce Bryan Adams.

Artist of the Year: Sam Roberts – presented by Jim Cuddy and Feist, looking stunning. Sam Roberts got the hook as the “your speech is going on too long” music started to play, but congratulations to him, well-deserved. I’m hearing an air horn in the crowd here at GM Place… really?

Elvis Costello and his wife, Diana Krall are the next presenters for the Album of the Year.

Album of the Year: Dark Horse, Nickelback. I think if Hedley would have won it the crowd would have gone ballistic, and we would have heard that strange air horn again. “I’d like to thank my mom for giving birth to half the band.” They also get the “you’ve used up your 30 seconds for an acceptance speech” music.

The final performance of the night is a huge one from Great Big Sea with Hawksley Workman and and Eccodek members Andrew McPherson, Les Hartai, and Jason Shute. Very energetic way to end the show although I was still missing some Russell Peters comedy throughout the night, seems like we hardly saw him.

I’m off now to find food and hit the Vancouver Fashion Week closing gala party/Junos afterparty with Arieanna. By the way, check out this photo that Derek was able to capture of us blogging from the Junos… way, way up in the rafters.

Update: Went to the Fashion vs Rock party, supported David Suzuki Foundation, saw BNL, K-OS, and met Strombo – good times.