Canadian Music Fest, part of the monstrous 2011 Canadian Music Week, is only a couple of weeks away from taking over Toronto with a blanket of live performances from bands all across the musical map. In case the news hasn’t made it to you, yet, check out the lineup and schedule at www.canadianmusicfest.com. For those unable (or simply too lazy) to click the link, how do live performances by the likes of Big Sugar, Janet Jackson, Mother Mother, Melissa Etheridge, Shad, Down With Webster, and Good Charlotte sound? Pretty darn good to me, which is why I’m heartbroken I’ll be missing the festivities.

For that reason, I’m hoping some of you folks won’t mind sharing your thoughts on the festival in the comments section of our upcoming blogs from ground zero. Several CM staffers and contributors, including Vivian Clement and Kevin Young, will be blogging from the conferences and clubs to share the experience with those of us that can’t make it, so check back often.

Oh, and our March/April 2011 cover boys in Protest The Hero are also on the bill. Check ’em out!

http://whoisarcadefire.tumblr.com/

Not a bad night for fellow Canucks at the Grammy Awards last evening. Arcade Fire took home Album of the Year for The Suburbs – a surprise indeed – while Neil Young and Michael Buble also took home some hardware. Add to that the fact that Beiber and Drizzy were both part of (relatively) impressive performances and I think we can call it a successful showing.

Congratulations also belong to The Stanley Clarke Band for their win. I mention this because the band’s namesake (and one of the most significant jazz musicians of the last several decades) is taking part in our 2011 Bass Feature, coming up in the March/April 2011 issue, so keep your eyes peeled!