Hometown heroes Nickelback, shaggy-haired rocker Sam Roberts and the graceful Sarah McLachlan walked away with some Prairie fan fire at Sunday's Juno Awards.
Nickelback kicked off the evening with a pyro-filled performance of their current single Figured You Out.
Just minutes later, the band, originally formed in Hanna, Alta., about 200 kilometres northeast of Calgary, returned to the stage to collect the first of two awards.
"These always feel so incredible but if feels so much more to receive one of these at home," said frontman Chad Kroeger.
The band also won the fan choice award.
With three statuettes - all in major categories - Roberts was the biggest winner of the night. The Montrealer won every category he was nominated in, including the top prize of artist of the year.
His debut record, We Were Born in a Flame which included the hit songs Brother Down and Don't Walk Away Eileen, took album of the year and rock album of the year.
Sporting a shorter, cuter hair cut, host Alanis Morissette entertained the crowd with pre-recorded skits during which she had to fight her way inside the building and audition Canadian-Idol-style for the emcee job.
In front of the crowd she took on a more serious tone.
"Canadians are a very passionate and expressive people. It only makes sense that some of the most profound and conversational music comes from here," she said.
McLachlan had the happy task of making room in her suitcase for the songwriter of the year trophy alongside the award for best pop album, which she collected Saturday at a pre-Juno ceremony where the majority of awards were announced.
Nelly Furtado's Powerless was named single of the year, while rock outfit Billy Talent from Toronto was crowned best new group.
The government city with a reputation for being a little staid compared to honky-tonk Calgary was whipped into a frenzy by the Juno festival, which turned bars and restaurants across town into standing-room-only concert venues. Parties raged late into the night Friday and Saturday.
Sunny skies and mild temperatures made it easy for fans on the prowl for celebrity sightings. Tour buses and limos crowded streets near downtown hotels and along trendy Whyte Avenue's popular eateries and shops.
Juno buzz grew all week and prompted fans to snap up a remaining thousand tickets for the show at the 16,000-seat Rexall Place, despite a high price tag of between $57 and $91.50.
The support wowed Juno organizers who reported it was the largest crowd in the show's 33-year history.
In addition to international superstars, political figures were in town to take advantage of the hipster scene, including Prime Minister Paul Martin, NDP Leader Jack Layton and Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan, who is an Edmonton MP.
In all, 38 Junos were awarded over two nights of awards. During a four-hour dinner and ceremony Saturday, Shania Twain's Up! was named best country recording. Michael Buble won best new artist, while Buck 65 was awarded best alternative album of the year.
Holly Cole took home best vocal jazz album for Shade. Her technicians Mike Haas, Dylan Heming and Jeff Wolpert were named recording engineers of the year.
Winnipeg will play host to next year's fest.
- Single: Powerless (Say What You Want), Nelly Furtado.
-
Fan choice: Nickelback.
- Album
: We Were Born in a Flame, Sam Roberts. Artist: Sam Roberts.
- Group: Nickelback.
- New group: Billy Talent.
- Songwriter: Sarah McLachlan, Pierre Marchand for
World on Fire, Fallen, Stupid.
- Rock album:
We Were Born in a Flame, Sam Roberts.
- R&B/soul recording:
The Master Plan, In Essence.
- International album:
Get Rich or Die Tryin', 50 Cent.
- Francophone album: Wilfred Le Bouthillier, Wilfred Le Bouthillier.
- Instrumental album:
Italian Love Songs, I Sorenti.
- New artist: Michael Buble.
- Country recording:
Up!, Shania Twain.
- Rap recording:
Flagrant, Choclair.
- Pop album:
Afterglow, Sarah McLachlan.
- Vocal jazz:
Shade, Holly Cole.
- Contemporary jazz:
Blow the House Down, Great Uncles of the Revolution.
- Traditional jazz album:
Lost in the Stars, Guido Basso.
- Children's album:
A Duck in New York City, Connie Kaldor.
- Classical album, solo or chamber ensemble: Murphy, Chan, Hatzis, Kulescha: Canadian Premieres, Gryphon Trio.
- Classical album, large ens
emble: Concertos:
Music of Jacques Hetu, Andre Laplante, Christopher Millard, Robert Cram, Joaquin Valdepenas, CBC Radio Orchestra, Maria Bernardi, conductor.
- Classical album:
Azulao, Isabel Bayrakdarian, James Parker, Cello Ensemble.
- Classical composition:
String Quartet No. 8, R. Murray Schafer.
- Alternative album:
Talkin' Honky Blues, Buck 65.
- Dance recording:
Something About You, The Sound Bluntz.
- Reggae recording:
Rent a Tile, Leroy Brown.
- Aboriginal recording:
Big Feeling, Susan Aglukark.
- Roots and traditional album, solo: Skating Rink, David Francey.
- Roots and traditional album, group: Maudite Moisson, Le Vent du Nord.
- Blues album:
Painkiller, Morgan Davis.
- Contemporary Christian/gospel album:
Jill Paquette, Jill Paquette.
- World music album:
Beyond Boundaries, Kiran Ahluwalia.
- Producer of the year: Gavin Brown (
Try Honesty, Billy Talent; I Hate Everything About You, Three Days Grace).
- Recording engineer of the year: Mike Haas, Dylan Heming, Jeff Wolpert (
Heat Wave and Something Cool, Holly Cole).
- Album design: Garnet Armstrong, Susan Michalek, Andrew MacNaughtan,
Love is the Only Soldier, Jann Arden.
- Video: Floria Sigismondi,
Fighter by Christina Aguilera.
- Music DVD: Rush in Rio, Rush.