By Regina Sienra
Kaytranada, the electronic producer from Montreal, was the winner of the 2016 Polaris Music Prize for his album 99.9%. The gala featured performances by Andy Shauf, Black Mountain, Basia Bulat, Carly Rae Jepsen, Jessy Lanza, U.S. Girls and White Lung. Buffy Sainte-Marie, winner of the 2015 edition, announced this year’s champion alongside CBC’s Tom Power and Amanda Parris.
The gala started with Vancouver’s Black Mountain performing “Mothers of The Sun”, opening track of their Polaris shortlisted album IV. Unlike past editions, the endorsements the bands and performers receive were made on video, not live. Endorsing Stephen McBean and co. was former hockey player Boyd Deveraux.
Up next was Jessy Lanza, who landed her second Polaris shortlist nomination after her debut, Pull My Hair Back, received the same honour in 2014. “I wish we could split the $50,000”, said Lanza when Power asked her who she hoped to see as the winner.
Both Basia Bulat and pop star Carly Rae Jepsen performed with members of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, but Bulat had an even more special guest: Fellow nominee Meghan Remy joined her as a backing vocalist, and switched roles when U.S. Girls took the stage at the end of the night.
Andy Shauf performed “To You” and “The Magician”. The Saskatchewan singer-songwriter was endorsed by Jeff Tweedy. “I hope he comes to Chicago and makes some music with me someday”, said the leader of Wilco. Another surprising endorsement was U.S. Girls’, who were championed by Iggy Pop.
Kaytranada and Grimes didn’t perform but attended the gala. PUP missed the ceremony since they are in the middle of an European tour, but sent their parents to the party, which led to the creation of one of the most popular topics of the evening: #PUPsParentsAtPolaris.
During the ceremony, the nominees for the Slaight Family Polaris Heritage Prize were announced. This award celebrates the best Canadian albums released before the inception of the Polaris Prize. The voting is open now.
Relive the 2016 Polaris Music Prize gala below.
hello
Well, who stayed up last night and went to bed late? Regina, that’s who!
Hi garf. (I’m out this morning.)
So, garfield, did you get your 4-1/2 hours’ sleep?
Good morning!
Good morning! I’m not sure what happened, but our internet cut out shortly after the US Girls performance started, so I had to come here this morning (once Fios fixed the internet) to find out who won! Good on Kaytranada!
Speaking of the Polaris prize, I just discovered (quite belatedly) that the Stingray music channels I get with my cable subscription include a Polaris channel that plays all the longlist nominees. Not sure how much longer it’s going to be around now that the contest is over. I guess they’ll turn it into a Christmas music channel soon enough.
Good morning!
Good morning everyone!
Kaytranada!!! Never heard of them, I think that’s a good thing, maybe. And how much was the Our basement Polaris Pool? I am the “wynner” no?
For those curious about Kaytranada… here’s a link for Spotify. @Wynn, I had never heard of them either. https://open.spotify.com/album/1dZZh7PvVgce1DDsDPzy8Z
morning folks.
MW, you don’t know Kaytranada? I guess you’re not as cool as we thought.
how did it take 3 hours to get to the end of it? there were 8 performers, right?
Hi everyone. Have fun last night?
I think this is a good Polaris pick, certainly, in my mind more deserving than at least half of the short list and the other half was a coin flip/roll of the dice, so good on him for winning. Polaris might be called the “Look How Diverse Prize We Are” the last few years – not a bad thing.
mcflyer, last night was pretty fun for a Monday for sure, although I ran into a brick wall and effed up my neck/shoulder. And you?
After the shortlist came out I started listening to Kaytranada on Spotify. I didn’t think I would like it, but the more I listened the more it grew on me. I’m happy he won, and look forward to whatever he does next!
@FT haha! Did you know him beforehand?
Tom, how’d you run into a brick wall? That something ou do playing hockey 🙂 As for me, I’m in the hospital. A little bout of diverticulitis. Might get released today.
New music AND Lee Hower get released on Tuesdays.
wynn, yeah haha, sorry just quoting you there! Kaytranada came onto my radar last year, maybe it was two years ago, around this time. I have one friend who is very into certain things and he’s been a fan of Kaytranada for a while. I haven’t really listened to his stuff aside from a few things and stuff he’s collaborated or featured on but I had liked all that enough.
Thanks, Russ, my first multi-night in a hospital since my university days
As for the Polaris, the changes to everything that happened at CBC and the sentencing, I’ve lost almost all connection to Canadian music. Really sad considering how much I used to care
mcflyer, indeed it was hockey – their defenceman #33 was a solid fella and I was on the wrong end of a rendezvous with him. Nothing a cold brewski couldn’t fix. We won though, 3-2. They were a bit of a dirty team, it felt good to beat them.
Hope the hospital stay is nothing serious, get well soon!
@FT good to know, I was planning on giving it a listen and now with your & a few others endorsement, that’ll be sooner than later
Canada vs USA tonight!
Who do you got?
wynn, If you like hip hop, then yeah, have a listen. He’s can have a mellow-ish drake-ish vibe I find at times, but I chalk that up to caribbeanism (is that a word?) and he definitely does some interesting things you don’t normally hear in mainstream hip hop.
I had a conversation on Friday about musical tastes and yada yada yada and my wife summed up what I didn’t know about myself – I like music with a beat. Makes sense, my go to’s are punk, rock, metal and hip-hop. Not to say I don’t enjoy classical, folk, country, etc, but what i generally gravitate towards is something with a beat.
@FT I think I like beats too!
a good read aboot Kaytranada from the Village Voice
http://www.villagevoice.com/music/new-albums-from-kaytranada-and-skepta-look-past-hip-hop-trends-8652133
One thing that has beats that I don’t like – EDM & club music and electronica. Can’t really stand that stuff!
Tom, what position do you play? It’s one thing about Canada that I enjoyed: seeing an ice rink in every town and how kids grow up playing it. Well, the back soothe $5 Bill illustrated it perfectly. I have a friend who lives in the cool named town of Lower Cloverdale, New Brunswick who would annually put in an ice rink in his back yard each winter. We put in pools, you put on ice rinks
For Kaytranada…. hmm… meh. Not really hitting the right buttons for me. More power to him for winning though.
ft, 8:20: damned well written. I’ve run across a few exemplary sentences. Thanks.
@Tom – That was pretty much what I was saying about my personal tastes. I like dem beats too.
mcflyer, I play Centre or Winger. I was reminiscing recently about a crappy old barn I used to play in as a kid that was so cold it would take 30 minutes afterwards in the car with the heat blasting until your toes had feeling in them again and the stands had a couple of space heaters to keep the families of the kids playing warm while they sipped hot chocolate that was literally scorching hot because the place was so cold. The rink had a modified old tractor to flood the ice too, no fancy zamboni there.
In Winnipeg, and most western cities, every neighbourhood has an outdoor rink with boards, nets and sometimes lights. They are either run by volunteers or the city – city ones are fewer but nicer. I have a community one a block away from my place, it’s great! In the East (maritimes anyway) of the country you don’t see outdoor rinks the same way you do in the West but you see a lot more of the backyard variety, which can be pretty awesome too. And then there are the lakes and rivers…
here is the streetview of said crappy old barn from my previous comment:
https://goo.gl/maps/rtqV3YGwBhk
FT – I watched many a cousin play hockey in that old barn you posted!
Hello!
Haha, Benoit. I always got to bed late-ish prepping the post for the next day. At least this had just happened and it was fresh in my mind. Besides, it feels cool to have it ready quickly while it’s hot!
I get the World Cup of Hockey on ESPN and I’m thrilled about that!
re: Polaris
Yay for Kaytranada but I stand by Andy, bahaha
janet athanasiou – crazy! hottest hot chocolate i’ve ever had.
I was rooting for Black Mountain myself…. amirite @DarBar?!
So hot! But necessary to keep my hands warm!
well, now I’m cruising rural NS
reg – nice. cheering for canada or usa tonight? Is North America “your” team (because technically mexico is in north america)?
@FT I didn’t understand the North America and Europe teams at first (they are the younger players, right?) At first I thought “Europe” was good players from countries that didn’t make the cut, but then got really confused. Rooting for Canada. Also, it may be in my head, but I swear I heard a local sportscaster mention Auston Matthew’s mom is Mexican. Wuuuuut
Well, Matthews is from Arizone, so that’s a possibilty. Team Europe is players from the smaller (hockey wise, not necessarily size wise) European nations amalgamated into one – your Slovakia’s, Belarusses’, Slovenia’s, Germany’s, etc. No age limit whereas Team North America is all 23 and under players from Canada and USA (and if there were any from Mexico, them too. But I don’t think there’s ever been any “name brand” Mexicans that I’m aware of who play hockey. Scott Gomez is of Mexican lineage, but he is from Alaska.)
krib, 9:40 – sounds like an average weekend night in high school for me haha
@FT So I was right about Europe? I think there’s a Mexican now at the Rayside-Balfour Canadians, hahaha. It was all over the news “First Hockey player ever!!”
Yeah, check it out. Cool! Jorge Perez.
http://rbcanadians.com/player?playerId=3974&season=18
@justin – You know it!
*My top two were Black Mountain and Andy. PUP, White Lung and US Girls rounded out my top 5. Kaytranada and White Lung were who I was deciding on for the 5th spot. Should have gone with Kaytranada.
@DarBar… You should have seen my best friend who’s a huge prog rock fanatics stuck in the 70s. I showed him Black Mountain and he was blown away.
Of course he said.. “Well, this is modern prog rock!”… He just might be right.
He then went on a huge Black Mountain listening binge.
Roger Waters will be playing a free show of Pink Floyd stuff at the city’s main square in October.
Yet I trade for your club shows any day.
Reg – I wouldn’t miss that, sounds like it will be a major event. That kind of music needs to be played in large venues! But I do prefer smaller club shows as well
Speaking of large and probably bland shows in public spaces, I heard Green Day canceled their Toronto World Cup show and Lanny Kravitz is filling in instead. Barf!
(That said, I don’t mind Floyd. Have a couple LP’s, favourite being Animals. Wish You Were here is a classic too.)
@Wynn Those shows are massive. That square is like… 4 or 5 Yonge / Dundas squares. Bad thing is that you have to show up super early. Saw Paul McCartney there like 5 years ago and it was magical. (I had to get there by 2 to have a relatively decent spot, people camped for a couple days to be up front)
(Let’s see if I this works and I know how to use a computer)
Pics from the Paul McCartney show
Massive, I tell you.
(And there’s even a video of the full show!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZaIyT3nIzc
I have tickets to that show…. ugh. I am going to sell them.
@TIff Whaaaat? Why?
the dirty nil are playing tonight and millencolin is playing here tomorrow night but I have no money. If I can, I might go to millencolin if I can make it to either.
Oh – sorry I meant to the Lenny Kravitz show. I bought for Green Day, but they cancelled. I don’t care to see Lenny Kravitz. I’d rather do anything else lol.
@Tiff Aaah! I thought for a moment you talked about Paul McCartney. Wasn’t he going to Toronto?
btw.. day 10 of no smoking! I stopped using the patch after about 5 days. Now I use about 3 pieces of nicorette gum throughout the day as needed. I try not to though and just ride the craving out. But I’m dealing with some stressful situations now so I only use the gum when I am about to have a meltdown.
I would sell my plasma if it came down to it to see Paul McCartney lol.
heeelloooo you’ve seen my place. It’s a mini beatles shrine. I have alot of things not out on display either lol
Is samara around per chance?
Yay Tiff! You’re doing great! *hugs*
I’ll let you know if he’s ever here again. Great, great shows, and it’s relatively cheap. I paid like $15 for my nosebleeds and then I saw the free show. Wish we had known each other by the time he played here <3
I’ve been very stressed and scared the past week due to a job thing (which should be good, but it’s all new to me) and I’d highly appreciate a word with people who are more experienced in the uhm… adult world.
Reg – sounds good! I do plan on coming to visit you in Mexico City sooner than later.
BTW, tonight, Kirty (the chick from The Fast Romantics) is releasing a solo album, and the release party is tonight at the dakota. SO TEMPTED. It’s like 10 mins from my house….
What’s up Reg?
well done, Tiff!
thanks kirb.
@Tiff You’d make my life if you ever visit. It would be SOOO awesome if you could check her out and stay in touch! Music contaaaacts. I think she’s been properly pushed and outlets talk about her. Good for her.
I was contacted by a cool mag and pretty much offered a good position. Way better than the current. I’m being called to a third interview –the boyfriends says that must mean I’m pretty much in–, but I have some stuff scheduled at the current (going to a film festival, since already had the press accreditation, or my boss’ scheduled holidays) so I don’t know how yelled I can be at, or how much time I can ask for to change jobs. This is my first job ever, but I need to move. People my age are entering the company at way better positions, and I’ve never been considered. I should be excited but I’m just very stressed and scared.
what’s the general standard for giving notice there? here it’s usually between 2 weeks and a month
I think two weeks, but her vacations are mid-october and the festival is late october. I’d expect them to find a replacement quickly. but lots of drama anyway
@Tiff… Kick M’fin Ass! On the 10 days so far of not smoking!
I’ve quit every job I’ve ever ad, except the one or two I got fired from.
@FT… I’ve had my ass canned three times … and those gigs, so F’in glad I’m not there anymore! Conversely, where I’ve been happy, I kick butt and do well.
I’ve had a lot of jobs… a lot. I try not to burn bridges when I quit, because I’m usually leaving on good terms. Only a couple have I told them to go fuck themselves (in not quite so many words).
Ok everyone…. what is the oddest, strangest, weirdest job you’ve had?
Me, flight attendant for 5 months. I got to fly to places like… Butte, Montana.
Although I did tell Steve the Pool Guy He was a shitty racist fuck when I quit that job. Being a pool boy was NOT as glamorous or sexy as I had been led to believe.
Wow, Justin, Butte Montana! You were living the dream, eh?
All of my jobs have been fairly straight forward, but when I was an RA at university I got to help with crowd control when the Stanley Cup made a visit at my residence hall.
Reg – don’t worry about the drama. You only owe them a certain amount of time to finish up your job when you resign. I know that you don’t want to ‘get in trouble’ but business is business and they’ll be fine. You need to take care of yourself. Definitely don’t put anything in the way of you moving forward to this next position.
@Janet…. the crowd control must have been interesting… did you have to deal with beer vomit?
That flight attendant gig… the pay was God awful, 7 flights a day usually, and some customers grumpy. Another rumblin’ place was Wenatchee Washington, yeah!
Reg, I think tiffy’s right, at 13:17.
@Reg…. you are solid with two week notice, a month is nice, but two weeks is good. For good will be sure to get as many things wrapped up neatly as possible before leaving and leave a clear report on all projects you are working on for management and the next person to fill the role.
I once made pizza’s for a living. I was 14.
I ran a coffee shop in a small town in AB, and worked in a bakery at the same time, and had a newborn baby.
I almost died of exhaustion
And if the coffee shop had been a Tim’s instead of good coffee, I’d probably be retired
@Krib… are you saying Timmy’s not good coffee?…. bwahahhahahah! OK… yet I still like it, a lot… with a donut.
@Krib… what town in AB?
who hasn’t worked at a pizzeria would be the better question? I’ve worked in restaurants, bars, retail, day camps, construction, painting, agriculture, newspaper editor, youth facilitator, tree planting, grocery stores, call centres, delivery driver, distribution manager, surveying & mapping… which is what I do now, and have for the last 5 years and hopefully plan to do until I can’t take it anymore and open a greasy speakeasy liquor dive to take me to retirement (aka the grave). I’m sure I’m forgetting something along the way in that list, but it’s kind of a general clump, not specific jobs. I’m not sure I could make a list of all the specific jobs I’ve had in my life so far.
@Justin, beer vomit every weekend, not just because the Stanley Cup was there!
@Reginula I’m with Tiffy, Benoit, and Justin. Two weeks should be plenty of time for you to finish up your current tasks, drama free. Good luck with the third interview!
@Tiff @justin Thank you, it means a lot. They should be able to find someone but I’m scared of being blamed of them not having someone to do this or that. I can even smell the “you’re so ungrateful”. I’m hoping for the two weeks at least, *sigh*. It would be so awesome if I did leave. I feel like a failure.
Being a courier at 19 was fun. I drove around delivering stuff and between calls I could go visit friends or watch city workers. It was how I learned street names in the city. Before that I just went by landmarks.
@justin from way back at 11:07 or so – The dude is a big prog rock guy and loves Black Mountain. He introduced it to his band mates and at least one of them is hooked and can’t stop listening to them. It pushes the right buttons for them.
@FT… good point. My first job ever was Pizza Hut at 3.85/hour as my first job, it sucked. Then I got a job at Mom n Pop pizza place called Big Tomato. Worked with a bunch of my buddies there, loved it. And got a free large pizza to take home every night, my family was quite happy about that. The owner was a penny pincher so I had to walk across the street to the Elks club every night to get buckets of ice to bring back to fill our own ice machine. Interestingly most of us went onto work in journalism.
I didn’t work at a pizza joint. I did work at Bonanza. I couldn’t eat there after that. Yuck.
reg, your sensitivity honours you, but it handicaps you too. Tell yourself that you can only do your best in the circumstances, and that it’s impossible to satisfy everybody. You’ve got to do what’s preferable for you professionally, you’re at a right age to do that. (Also, the worthwhile people may not *like* losing you, but they’ll understand, I think.)
I have never worked in the food sector but I did work at a couple of call centres the last one being as a telephone bank clerk for Barclays
@BfO, To answer your question from way up there I got over 6 hours of sleep, but nut until after 1pm my time because I am expecting some packages in the mail
@Benoit Thanks, I appreciate. And I’m thankful you say “sensitivity”, although much of it is sheer fear and a massive guilt trip. I know it’s the best for me (even there are a few dumb things I don’t like about it, like the even longer commute and not having vacations right away) ’cause it’s about time. I’ve been here for over four years and not much has happened. I can’t even rehearse the conversation in my mind without feeling panic.
Buck up, Reg.
if it’s a good opportunity, go for it. It’s what is sometimes the curse of longevity at a place. The internal people get overlooked and they hire externals for more money and then wonder when they start losing people who’ve been there a while.
It happens everywhere.
Dinosaur Jr. on KEXP. Loving it.
@krib I guess that’s exactly what’s happening here. I’ll try my best. It’s not entirely sure but I guess it says a lot that a) they found me b) I’m down to like the third interview. It’s scary, but it would be very, very good if it did happen.
I am really bad at staying in things for longer than is good for me.
Fingers crossed for you reginula.
@Darbs Thank you so much. I think I’ve been here waaaaaay too long. Even the guy who interviewed me was surprised I’ve been here for over four years.
(My mom has been at the same place for 35 years, although the company has changed a lot)
I think you should be a whole lot more confident than you’re sounding, girl.
as you said, they found you and asked you to come in and interview, and you’re now to the third one, which is a good sign.
Moving on happens. If you get yelled at for quitting, that’s a lack of professionalism on your boss’s part. It’s got nothing to do with you.
“Confident” tends to be an antonym for “Regina”, hahah.
I’ll have that in mind. She may yell, but I’ll try to stay calm and think she’s the one that’s wrong (my brain has issues processing that (._. ) kind of “imposter syndrome”). Thanks, krib.
Impostor. It’s like that in Spanish too, so I wasn’t sure it could be the same, haha.
Afternoon,
My first job was working for a busy seafood restaurant, owned by a family member. It was after school and weekends and I don’t think I was old enough to be there in the beginning. I worked there a long time, right through the first year of high school. Started out doing dishes, peeling shrimp, graduated to working the wrapping the takeout boxes in newspaper station, then eventually waiting on tables and making the real money….tips!
@reg – you won’t be blamed for them not having you to do things. That’s just how it works. People move on from jobs all of the time.
Reginula,
Don’t stay were your not happy. I say go for it and best of luck with your third interview!
The OurBasement Professional Consultation Group is unanimous.
@Shonica Thanks!
@Tiff Aaah, I guess. At least it gives me peace that most people won’t mind.
@Benoit hahaha, yay!
@Reg… we are excited to hear about your next step!