From February 2-5, 2016, Ottawa will host the 2nd annual MEGAPHONO music festival, showcasing the nation’s capital’s burgeoning music scene to fans and industry professionals alike. The festival will feature a packed schedule of club gigs, free shows in the Centretown & Hintonburg neighbourhoods, and daily panel discussions beginning February 3.
On Thursday February 4, the Ottawa Music Industry Coalition (OMIC) presents the panel In Search Of The Music City: What Does Local Business Have To Gain? at Live On Elgin (230 Elgin, 2nd Floor). The discussion will be moderated by Music Canada Live‘s Erin Benjamin and will feature panelists Mark Garner (Downtown Yonge BIA), Councillor Jeff Leiper (City of Ottawa), Amy Terrill (Music Canada) and Tim Potocic (Sonic Unyon / Supercrawl).
The discussion comes at a crucial point in Ottawa’s push towards growing its thriving music scene, an effort panelist Councillor Jeff Leiper has shown favourable support for. At MEGAPHONO 2015, festival director and Kelp Records’ Jon Bartlett revealed the Ottawa music reportConnecting Ottawa Music: A Profile of Ottawa’s Music Industries.
“It’s an exciting time to be working in music in Ottawa,” said Jon Bartlett at the report’s launch. “It’s like nothing I’ve felt in 15 years of living here. We are in the middle of a musical boom here in Ottawa.”
Panel attendance is open to delegate pass holders and MEGAPHONO artists. Delegate badges are still available for $100, as well as general festival passes for $50.
Yesterday, London Mayor Matt Brown delivered his 2016 State of the City address to the London Chamber of Commerce, which outlined a number of initiatives aimed at moving London forward.
Among the initiatives aimed at benefiting London’s culture and tourism sector, Mayor Brown cited the City of London’s Music Strategy.
“We set a goal to become a Music City and this began to take shape in a big way this year,” said Brown. “To lead the way, the City of London developed a Music Strategy that will make London a Music City and a music attraction.”
The event kicked off with a performance from Canadian country music artists Autumn Hill, a nod to Country Music Week and the Canadian Country Music Association Awards, which London will host for the first time this fall. The pair of events are expected to directly benefit the local economy with the booking of approximately 2,000 hotel room nights and an anticipated economic impact of $6-8 million dollars. The CCMA & JUNO nominated duo performed acoustic versions of their hits ‘Anything At All’ and ‘Blame’, which were a highlight for many in attendance.
Mayor Brown also referenced live music in regard to plans to reinvigorate London’s downtown core. The Downtown Plan builds on the success of previous investments in Budweiser Gardens, the Covent Garden Market, and Central Library, and looks to make downtown London “an irresistible destination and an exciting place to live,” said Brown.
“It’s time for Dundas Street to become Dundas Place – a transformational project that will see the creation of a flexible street between Wellington Street and the Thames River,” said Brown. “A space for cars during the day and a people-first space on evenings and weekends; a place to stroll, shop, or visit with friends. A place to be entertained, a place where services spill out onto the street and we can enjoy live music, culture and great food.”
The East Coast Music Association (ECMA) Awards will return to Sydney, NS, this spring as part of the 2016 Eastlink East Coast Music Week (ECMW), happening April 13 through 17. Today, the ECMA announced nominees and performers for the 2016 Awards show, which takes place Thursday, April 14, at Centre 200, and will be hosted by Ashley MacIsaac and Heather Rankin.
“We are thrilled to announce this year’s East Coast Music Awards nominees, which once again demonstrates the incredible musical talent coming out of our region right now,” said Andy McLean, ECMA Executive Director in a release. “Adding to the excitement is the first round of East Coast Music Week (ECMW) showcasing acts, which features both upcoming and established musicians, as well as the diverse styles and sounds that the East Coast is known for. With a wide array of events happening at iconic venues throughout Sydney, and our Industry Conference taking place at the Membertou Trade & Convention Centre, the 28th edition of ECMW will truly be a memorable event!”
Leading the list of nominees with seven nominations is indie rock band Hey Rosetta!. Folk singer/songwriter Jenn Grant earned six nods, while Amelia Curran and Fortunate Ones both earned five. From now until March 16, 2016 at 5pm AST, fans can visit the Cape Breton Post website to vote once a day for the East Coast Music Awards Fans’ Choice Entertainer of the Year and Fans’ Choice Video of the Year.
In addition to the Awards Show, East Coast Music Week will feature an industry conference and a number of showcase performances. An estimated 500 musicians are expected to take part, in addition to more than 1,000 industry professionals. Approximately 13,000 people are expected to attend all of the ECMW events, which McLean says will drive approximately $3 million in the local economic impact.
The ECMA and TD are also encouraging Nova Scotia high school students to show their musical talent through the Music Moves Me contest. Students can enter by posting a video of themselves on YouTube performing an original or cover song and sharing it using the #TDMusic and #ECMW2016 hashtags. The winner receives $1,000 for their school’s music program, two passes to the ECMW Awards Show along with return travel and overnight accommodations. The winner is also invited to perform their song as part of the TD Pop-Up Concert at Sydney’s Mayflower Mall on Saturday, April 16, 2016.
Tickets and passes for the ECMA 2016 Award Show and ECMW Festival are on sale now.
UK rock trio Muse were in Toronto over the weekend kicking off a Canadian leg of their world tour in support of their 2015 album Drones. Prior to their Air Canada Centre concert on January 16, the band were presented with Platinum award plaques for Drones by Warner Music Canada. It is the fourth Canadian Platinum album certification for the band, joining 2006’s Black Holes And Revelations, 2009’s The Resistance and 2012’s The 2nd Law.
Muse will play Quebec City tonight, followed by 2 nights at the Bell Centre in Montreal January 20-21. Judging by their Instagram posted below, the band is certainly making the best of the winter months in Canada!
2016 is now, officially, the Year of Music in Calgary. Mayor Naheed Nenshi issued a proclamation outlining the multitude of music events taking place in Calgary this year, as well as recognizing the talents of Calgary musicians and the economic benefits of the music sector, at an event in the observation deck of the Calgary Tower yesterday.
“Calgary is home to a vibrant music scene. Each year our city produces hundreds of festivals, events, concerts, shows and performances in venues ranging from elegant concert halls to local parks to vintage clubs filled with character,” the proclamation reads. “This year we celebrate the extraordinary talents of musicians who make their living here, the burgeoning music economy and all those whose efforts contribute to the musical vitality of our community.”
Cited among the reasons that 2016 will be such a remarkable year for music in Calgary are:
The 45th annual JUNO Awards, taking place April 3rd at the Scotiabank Saddledome
The launch of Studio Bell, home of Canada’s National Music Centre, opening in East Village this summer
The 60th Anniversary of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra
The 50th Anniversary of the Alberta Ballet
The 30-plus musical festivals that take place in Calgary annually and enrich the city’s cultural environment
The announcement coincided with the launch of this year’s One Yellow Rabbit High Performance Rodeo, Calgary’s International Festival of the Arts, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2016. The event runs from January 7th through 31st, at 14 venues across Calgary.
The event also revealed the songs that make up the Calgary Songs Project, which compiles 30 songs released by Calgary artists over the past 30 years, in celebration of the High Performance Rodeo’s 30th anniversary. The list, compiled by the High Performance Rodeo, songwriter Kenna Burima, and the Calgary Cassette Preservation Society, can be heard in a variety of ways during the Rodeo:
As part of the Year of Music celebrations, Tourism Calgary has launched a new website, www.pushplaycalgary.com, which features live music listings and markets Calgary as a destination for music tourists. The Year of Music could bring an economic boost to Calgary’s tourism economy, said Tourism Calgary’s Jeff Hessel in MetroNews.
“What makes next year special is that we have the Junos, and the opening of the National Music Centre definitely makes it a very special year,” said Hessel. “We’re here to increase the economic impact of tourism for Calgary. If we can do anything that increases incremental visitation and spending for Calgary, then we’ll do that.”
Mayor Nenshi also touted the economic and city-branding benefits of music in an address at the Calgary City of Commerce last month.
“At a time when the Canadian dollar is low, it’s an opportunity to attract tourism right now. I love music, but it’s also a marketing opportunity to rebrand ourselves to a national and international audience about the culture, the vitality and the life here in the city,” the mayor is quoted as saying in MetroNews.
In the same article, the National Music Centre’s Andrew Mosker backs up the mayor’s statements on music’s economic impact, pointing to the Alberta Music Cities Initiative’s Fertile Ground report, which outlines a strategy for a stronger provincial music sector. Music Canada authored the report in 2014 after being commissioned by the NMC to take a critical look at Alberta’s music landscape.
The Year of Music celebrations continue tonight, with the launch of Music Mile, which recognizes the stretch of Calgary’s 9th Avenue from the Blues Can in Inglewood to Studio Bell in East Village as a music mecca. Home to live music venues such as Ironwood Stage & Grill, The Lantern Church, Festival Hall, and Vagabond Calgary, Music Mile brands the area as a formal music district where fans can find live music any day of the week.
Invoking the success of music districts such as Nashville’s Broadway and New Orleans’ French Quarter, Music Mile organizers spoke of the value of branding the location of Calgary’s music scene in an interview with Global Calgary.
“All over the world there’s this notion of a place where you go for music, not just a venue,” said Bob Chartier.
”Everybody sees this as a place-making project – having a district, rather than just a club to go to,” added Meg Van Rosendaal.
With all of the action happening in Calgary in 2016, it’s clear that Year of Music is more than a slogan. It’s a reflection of Calgary’s rise as a cultural hotspot and live music destination. For more on all the events happening in Calgary this year, see the video below, and visit www.pushplaycalgary.com.
2015 was a landmark year for Canadian artists dominating the international pop music spotlight. Within Canada, Canadian artists saw an increase in Gold/Platinum certifications over 2014, with many of the 2015 releases expecting further certification milestones in 2016.
70 albums were certified Gold in Canada this year, 30 of which were released by Canadian artists (up from 20 in 2014). 31 albums were certified Platinum, 11 of which were by Canadian artists (up from 9 in 2014).
Justin Bieber had the highest certified Canadian album released in 2015 with his album Purpose earning a Double Platinum certification, as well as it’s accompanying singles “Sorry,” “What Do You Mean?” and “Where Are U Now?”
Canadian tracks released in 2015 also certified Double Platinum include The Weeknd‘s tracks “The Hills” and “Earned It,” as well as Shawn Mendes‘ “Life Of The Party.”
Bruce Cockburn‘s classic 1993 holiday album Christmas is the highest certified Canadian album in 2015, joining Taylor Swift‘s 1989 and Josh Groban‘s Noel as the year’s highest certified albums at 6X Platinum.
117 tracks were certified Gold in Canada this year, with 42 being Canadian artists (up from 21 in 2014). 19 Canadian tracks were among the 76 Platinum certifications, up from 10 in 2014.
The highest certification for a song in 2015 was Mark Ronson ft. Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” at 9x Platinum, while OneRepublic‘s “Counting Stars” was the second highest certified track at 8X Platinum. Ellie Goulding “Love Me Like You Do,” X Ambassadors “Renegades” and Wiz Khalifa “See You Again” (ft. Charlie Puth) hold the highest certifications for songs released in 2015 at Triple Platinum.
Some of 2015’s Canadian Gold/Platinum certified artists were presented with awards plaques and a collection of photos of these artists can be viewed below:
What is music’s place in our heritage? How important is its preservation? In Making Music History Work For The Present, Music Canada’s first article published on Huffington Post Canada, Amy Terrill (VP Public Affairs) discusses music’s importance in honouring a city’s cultural heritage as well as ensuring a healthy and vibrant future, citing specific examples from Music Cities around the world like London, Nashville, New Orleans, and Toronto.
For further information on the topic of Music Cities, you can download Music Canada and IFPI’s 2015 report The Mastering Of A Music City.
The submission highlights the benefits of a vibrant music economy to Ontario communities, including job creation, talent retention, economic growth and diversification, tourism development, brand building and artistic growth, as well as music’s role in connecting communities and building a bridge across cultures, languages, and income levels.
Drawing from the results of our research, the submission identifies opportunities to strengthen the cultural sector, including:
Provincial and municipal coordination
Music tourism promotion
Preservation of cultural heritage
Investment in music education
We look forward to seeing the Ontario Cultural Strategy build on the creation of the Ontario Music Fund and the Ontario Music Tourism Strategy which were both launched in 2013.
This year, the UNESCO City of Music designations have more than doubled the list of cities to be recognized by the organization. 10 cities around the world have received new designations as cities of music under the UNESCO Creative Cities Network. These include:
Adelaide, Australia
Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal
Katowice, Poland
Kingston, Jamaica
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo
Liverpool, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Medellín, Colombia
Salvador, Brazil
Tongyeong, Republic of Korea
Varanasi, India
UNESCO’s Creative Cities program was started in 2004 as an initiative to unite cities from across the globe through creative industries. This policy-driven initiative involves stakeholders at all levels of government. The larger network currently includes 116 cities, covering seven creative fields — crafts and folk art, design, film, gastronomy, literature, music, and media arts. Cities apply for their specific field, and cannot hold a designation in more than one category.
According to UNESCO, this network aims to “stimulate and enhance initiatives led by member cities to make creativity an essential component of urban development, notably through partnerships involving the public and private sectors and civil society.” This can be done through sharing best practices and knowledge, pilot projects, artistic exchanges, or research, among other things.
The network is designed to encourage cooperation among cities that value investing in creativity. Applicants prepare detailed proposals that commit their municipalities to sustained programs that assist in developing these creative industries both within their home territories, and through international cooperation. Some factors that are included in applying for a designation include: historical importance of the city, potential contribution of the cultural and creative assets of the city, and expertise of the city in organizing events and initiatives at the local, national, and international level.
As this list has grown, it is noticeable that there are currently no North American cities holding a music city designation. In the wider network of creative cities, no Canadian cities have been designated, and only three US cities have qualified in other sectors: Austin for Media Arts, Detroit for Design and Tucson for Gastronomy. As a result, the field is wide open in North America to claim this UNESCO designation.
“Undoubtedly one of the hottest artists in music right now, Alessia embodies why Canadian music is dominating the charts internationally,” said Randy Lennox, President, Entertainment Production and Broadcasting, Bell Media. “With more performers to be announced in the coming weeks, this talented, young artist is setting the stage for what is guaranteed to be a spectacular show.”
“With a soulful voice heard around the world, Alessia Cara is one of Canada’s brightest young artists,” said Allan Reid, President & CEO, CARAS/The JUNO Awards & MusiCounts. “We’re extremely proud of her global chart topping success and we can’t wait for her JUNO stage debut.”
In 2015, the Brampton, ON natived released her debut album Know-It-All (Def Jam/Universal Music Canada) and has made appearances on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Ellen, and The Streamy Awards performing her Gold-certified viral hit “Here”.
A limited batch of tickets will go on-sale for the 2016 broadcast Friday December 11 at 10 AM MST.
Music Canada