I never thought I’d say this, but the worlds of sports and music have finally collided. I know, right? Who woulda thought I, the most unathletic gal in the world who knows nothing about sports, would one day be covering a sporting event in THIS column?
Well, the day has come, my friends. The 2010 Winter Olympics is here and while most of you will be glued to your TV sets watching Cindy Klassen take home another medal in speed skating or Patrick Chan kick ass in figure skating, some of us may need a break from the intense competitive action for some good ol’ musical entertainment. And entertained you will be! This is a celebration after all, and what’s a celebration without music?
This year, our home and native land is not only showing the world that our athletes rock, but that our music rocks, too. As part of the 2010 Winter Olympics celebration, an exciting lineup of top Canadian acts will pay tribute to medal-winning Olympians with nightly performances.
But, the fun doesn’t stop there. There’ll also be awesome cross-country Olympic music festivals, city-themed performances, a crazy amount of Canadian bands performing (like Feist and Barenaked Ladies, as well as international acts like The Fray and INXS) and exclusive musical coverage from MuchMusic and CTV.
And if that weren’t enough, viewers can buy all the music they hear from iTunes. Phew! Viewers feeling particularly inspired by the athletes to get off their couch and frolic outside will also have a chance to actually see some of these FREE events in their nearest city. FREE!
Below is a music guide of televised and non-televised events to get you in the spirit of the 2010 Winter Olympics!
'MOD Live @ The Base'
In true MuchMusic style, VJs Sarah Taylor, Tim Deegan, Jesse Giddings and Liz Trinnear are heading to Whistler, B.C., to co-host MuchOnDemand smack-dab in the Olympic action. Airing twice daily, along with exclusive nightly concerts from the Vancouver and Whistler Victory Ceremonies, the hosts will bring fans the best stories and highlights of Vancouver 2010 along with appearances from celebrities, artists and athletes in town.
MOD Live @ the Base Afternoon Show airs 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT and MOD Live @ the Base Evening Show airs 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, both on MuchMusic.
'Vancouver 2010 Concert Series – Victory Ceremonies'
This year, when the athletes step up to the podiums to accept their medals, each evening will end with a provincial or territorial celebration concert in honour of the medallists.
The concerts will be held at Vancouver’s BC Place and Whistler’s Medals Plaza, and each night will feature a different provincial or territorial theme and an artist to coincide.
MuchMusic will broadcast this spectacular concert series every night at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT on MuchMusic. Below is a list of performers for each night.
Feb. 14 – British Columbia Night
Live medal presentations in short-track speed skating and ladies’ freestyle skiing moguls. Nelly Furtado performs.
Feb. 15 – Quebec Night
Live medal presentations in men’s freestyle skiing moguls. Performance TBA.
Feb. 16 – Nova Scotia Night
Live medal presentations in men’s and ladies’ snowboard cross. Barenaked Ladies performs.
Feb. 17 – Alberta Night
Live medal presentations in ladies’ 500-metre speed skating. Paul Brandt performs.
Feb. 18 – Prince Edward Island Night
Live medal presentations in short-track speed skating, men’s snowboard halfpipe and men’s and ladies’ 1,000-metre speed skating. Hedley performs.
Feb. 19 – Northwest Territories’ Night
Live medal presentation in ladies’ snowboard halfpipe. Theory of a Deadman performs.
Feb. 20 – Yukon Night
No medal presentations. Stereophonics performs.
Feb. 21 – Nunavut Night
Live medal presentations in short-track speed skating, men’s 1500-metre speed-skating and men’s freestyle skiing ski cross. Trooper and Loverboy perform.
Feb. 23 – Saskatchewan Night
Live medal presentations in ladies’ freestyle skiing ski cross and men’s 10,000 metre speed skating. Billy Talent performs.
Feb. 24 – Ontario Night
Live medal presentations in ladies’ 5,000-metre speed skating. INXS performs.
Feb. 25 – Manitoba Night
Live medal presentations in short-track speed skating and ladies’ freestyle skiing aerials. Burton Cummings performs.
Feb. 26 – Newfoundland and Labrador Night
Live medal presentations in men’s freestyle skiing aerials and ladies’ snowboarding parallel giant slalom. Great Big Sea performs.
If any of you happen to be in the Whistler area during the Olympics, be sure to check out the performers scheduled at the Whistler Medals Plaza, which include All American Rejects, Feist, Our Lady Peace, The Fray, The Roots and Usher.
Also check out LiveCity Vancouver for lots of free and ticketed music events, which include City and Colour, Wilco and Blue Rodeo performing at the closing ceremonies.
'CTV Olympic Celebration'
CTV is bringing together five Canadian communities in celebration of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto, St. John’s, N.L., and Quebec City will host a free (yes, FREE) community celebration featuring top Canadian musical acts and interactive sport zones. In a CTV press release, Keith Pelley, president of Canada’s Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium, said, “This is a unique endeavour that extends the Olympic Games experience beyond traditional media while simultaneously bringing communities together to cheer on Canada’s Olympians as they go for gold.”
This marks the first time a cross-country Olympic-themed festival event has been organized in this manner. As part of each event, CTV Olympic Celebration will provide on-site entertainment activities, which include live screening of Olympic events and an opportunity to sign a congratulatory card for Canada’s 2010 Olympians and Paralympians. Pretty cool.
Below are the headlining musical acts for each event. More will be announced.
Calgary
Saturday, Feb. 13 – Simple Plan and The Dudes perform at Olympic Plaza at 2:30 p.m.
Winnipeg
Saturday, Feb. 13 – The Waking Eyes and Sierra Noble perform at the Forks at 1 p.m.
Toronto
Saturday, Feb. 20 – Barenaked Ladies, Justin Hines and Fefe Dobson perform at Nathan Phillips Square at 1 p.m.
St. John’s
Friday, Feb. 26 – The Sam Roberts Band and Joel Plaskett perform at Mile One Centre at 1 p.m.
Quebec City
Saturday, Feb. 27 – Annie Villenuve, Les Trois Accords and David Usher perform at Place de l'Assemblé nationale at 1 p.m.
Please click here for airdates, more activities and information about this cross-country event.
Olympic soundtrack
If after all the Olympic celebrating is over you’re still jonsin’ for some great Canadian music, head to iTunes for the CTV Vancouver 2010 soundtrack, featuring inspiring tunes by Canadian artists like Chantal Kreviazuk, Sloan, Stars, Billy Talent, Bedouin Soundclash, Bryan Adams and many more.
Go, Canada Go!
Will you attend one of these Olympic-themed music events? Any thoughts or questions? Email me at jessica.russell@tvguide.ca.
For more Olympic concert news, check out this photo gallery courtesy of inMusic.
JESSICA’S JUKEBOX: FRESH TUNES YOU GOTTA HEAR
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The HotRats – Turn Ons (Fat Possum)
Supergrass’s Gaz Coombes and Danny Goffey could be havin’ a laugh with this covers side project named after a Frank Zappa album, or maybe it’s some sort of celebratory one-off to mark the end of their contract with EMI. Either way, I am totally digging it. THIS is the way to do a covers album! I would expect nothing less than danceable fun from this English group that brought us six amazing albums, including its near-perfect ’95 album I Should Coco. Turn Ons is an easy album to love. The song selections are clearly plucked from the lads’ personal library. Gaz’s bluesy rock ‘n’ roll vocals cruise through peppy renditions of Elvis Costello’s “Pump It Up,” the Cure’s “The Lovecats” and David Bowie’s “Queen Bitch.” This album only makes me quiver in anticipation for Supergrass’s upcoming album, Release the Drones.
Recommended if you dig ... The Rolling Stones or Elvis Costello.
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Various Artists – Valentine’s Day Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (Open Road)
Rom-coms like this make me gag. I can’t see it. I won’t see it. Nope. No. I didn’t like this movie when it was called He’s Just Not That Into You, so there’s no way it will be getting my money at the box office this romantic holiday season. But, since it’s that time of year for heartfelt ideas, what you should invest your movie bucks in instead is the flick’s surprisingly good soundtrack. I can already tell the movie’s music will be its only redeeming quality. Great tracks from Amy Winehouse, Jamiroquai, Joss Stone, The Bird and the Bee and my new favourite female soul singer, Diane Birch, are just some of the solid singers gracing this playlist. Skip the movie, buy the soundtrack.
Recommended if you dig ... Maroon 5, Taylor Swift or Jewel.
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Yeasayer - Odd Blood (Secretly Canadian)
Dance music seems to have undergone a renaissance of sorts in the past five years. Groups like Animal Collective, Hot Chip, Junior Boys, !!! and MGMT have made it unnecessary for club DJ's to keep pumping out the same ironic, retro kitsch, even though they will no doubt continue playing “Video Killed the Radio Star” again and again. But, thanks to a lot of Brooklyn-based groups like Yeasayer, dance music has become much better. Yeasayer has the eclectic sound of Brooklyn brethren Animal Collective and Gang Gang Dance, but the group's new romantic vocals recall Hot Chip instead. Tracks like "O.N.E" and "I Remember" gently drift from melodic ambient psychedelia into tightrope walking beats and Peter Gabriel-like vocals. There is a magnificent collision of styles on this record, from New Order dance-pop to Middle East world beats that doesn't seem forced or awkward, and is more of a testament to the variety these New York bands can absorb. Discerning dance fans will love Yeasayer and when club goers mature, no doubt they'll embrace them too.
Recommended if you dig...Animal Collective, Hot Chip or Gang Gang Dance. |
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