To be honest I don’t think Regina was built to hold that many people.
About halfway through the show, we were informed that just under 8000 tickets were sold to the televised Juno gala – the largest event that has ever been held in Regina’s Brandt Centre.
Trying to get into the building was like being in a Discovery Channel documentary on migration patterns. Women teetered by in bright satin and stilettos like exotic birds, showing an insane amount of skin for the below-zero temperatures. Tuxedos, suits and cashmere scarves crowded together in the cold, inching closer to the doors step by step.
To be frank, having a media pass to the Junos is not a glamorous experience. We had a designated area with wifi, power outlets and a live stream of what was happening on stage, but no access to the arena itself. Tables and tables of media representatives from across the country sat quietly together, many tapping away at laptops and cell phones, with recorders and cameras at the ready.
There was a hot, almost cauterizing smell to the room, and it eventually dawned on me that it was the rows and rows of television lights, waiting patiently for celebrity faces to illuminate for the cameras.
Going to the washroom or fetching a drink meant picking your way around and between television cameras and make-shift studio sets, where music celebs would be interviewed. Winners and performers were kindly herded our way for a Q and A press conference after finishing their duties onstage. Anyone could ask a question – as long as you were quick enough sticking your hand up.
The media room was the functional side of the Junos, rather than the glamorous.
We knew in advance who to expect; PR personnel handed out lists of who would win what before the show even started. It’s amazing what information people will give you in exchange for a promise not to tweet about it.
We knew what was going to happen before the winners did, which didn’t seem fair. We knew Carly Rae would score a Juno hat trick, and we knew that Adam Cohen would accept Songwriter of the Year on behalf of his father. They were excited, speechless and proud on stage, but the novelty had already worn off on us.
It was a lot like attending a scholarship dinner when you know you won’t be winning anything.
That being said, we had the chance to ask music celebs anything we wanted.
“If you could win any award other than the Junos,” one blogger asked Michael Bublé, “what would it be?”
“Best body,” Bublé replied with a beautiful smile. “Truly.”
