That’s right — Fast Forward braved the throngs of paparazzi at the 2008 Juno Awards (Clockwise from top left: pop-punker Avril Lavigne, BC rockers Faber Drive, five-time Juno winner Leslie Feist, R&B singer Jully Black, Canadian musical institution Anne Murray and opera-pop sensation Sarah Brightman)

The Junos came to town last weekend and Calgarians perked up their ears. Local music followers expecting a smarmy, insular, broadcast-focused weekend were pleasantly surprised by the rowdy, brash crowd drawn by the event, a group unashamed to throw a huge party to celebrate Canadian music. With venues filled to capacity for many of the satellite shows and more high-end parties than anyone cared to shake a stick at, the Junos gave an unusual non-Stampede injection to the city’s social scene.

Although the main event was characterized by the same tacky trappings as any other award show — from the tasteless ad-libs of host Russell Peters to the extravaganza of red carpet sycophancy — most would-be detractors were more than willing to pinch their noses and enjoy the positive aspects of the festivities. While most of the broadcast performances were decidedly (and perhaps deliberately) bland, Leslie Feist’s play on a Nina Simone classic was the diamond in the rough. The Calgary-raised pop chanteuse had plenty of chances to address the city that likes to call her its own, walking off with a whopping five awards.

“Being in the Saddledome, it’s just two blocks away that we used to rent out the community hall at Victoria Park and put on our own shows, all DIY 16-year-old scrappy kids in crinolines and Doc Martens. Actually, probably in dresses like this, too,” mused the songstress, gesturing to her own vintage frock. Later, she mused about coming back to her birthplace. “I actually kind of strategically came here three weeks ago to hang with my family undisturbed and to give some serious mom time,” she said. “I come as often as I can, like a good daughter.”

Many see Feist’s dominance of the ceremony as a reminder of the dwindling importance of the old guard of Canadian musicians. Indeed, the weekend was dominated by young, talented performers like soprano Measha Brueggergosman, who hosted the Saturday night gala where the vast majority of the awards were distributed, and Michael Bublé, whose enthusiasm upon receiving the Fan Choice Award was nothing short of infectious.

“I’m thrilled that I won this, and of course it’s a huge honour, because the fans choose it,” exclaimed the ecstatic performer, having already discussed his snacking habits in a wry jab at the Doritos-sponsored prize. “Truly, it was a great change to my night because I just kept kicking the shit out of myself for not writing [Feist’s] “1-2-3-4.” Really, I just love that song. I could’ve crooned it.”

While the awards ceremony was surprisingly tolerable, the real success story of the Junos was the magnificent JunoFest. Featuring four bands per night per venue at 17 rooms all over the city, the concerts drew huge crowds on both Friday and Saturday. Remarkably well-organized, these events managed to fill rooms with a healthy mix of out-of-towners and local music lovers, even at venues like the Shamrock Hotel and the Stetson Village Inn, where shows tend to be woefully under-attended.

“Calgary’s an amazing place to play, we really enjoy it,” said Paul Murphy, front man of New Group of the Year Award winners Wintersleep, who played to a capacity crowd on Friday at the Republik. “I’m not just saying that because we’re here, there are a lot of great places to play in Canada and Calgary is definitely a really good one for rock music. There are so many great bands from Calgary... Jane Vain and the Dark Matter played after us on Friday, and they were amazing.”

Chances are, the Junos broadcast will always be a bit of a bore to watch, but it’s difficult to deny the positive impact of encouraging up-and-comers like Wintersleep and bringing talented acts like Julie Doiron and Luke Doucet to town. With a vast complement of events, the importance of the actual prizes and the gaudy awards broadcast has dwindled altogether. So, in response to the question posed in last week’s cover story, it is OK to like the Junos — as long as you’re able to recognize the good bits.