The Island Music Awards come of retirement June 23 in Courtenay.
It will be the seventh annual Vancouver Island Music Awards, but it will be the ninth anniversary of the inaugural 2002 ceremony.
The reason for the incongruity: a hiatus from 2008 to 2010 while the event producers re-grouped and searched for the ideal circumstances for revitalizing the event. Enter the Vancouver Island Music Business Conference (http://www.vimbc.com), a music education-based conference now in its fourth year in Courtenay which features high-profile music industry professionals as well as live performance showcases. It was the ideal fit for both parties, and after much anticipation, the collaboration between these two exciting events will come to full fruition before you can say “Wasn’t that a Party?” …
And speaking of the Irish Rovers, the 40-year veterans and four-category nominees will be honored in a special moment during this year’s ceremony at the Sid Williams Theatre June 23. Rovers frontmen George Millar and John Reynolds have lived on Vancouver Island for the past two decades, and they record their music these days at Rick Salt’s studio in Nanaimo.
The special moments won’t end there. Twelve of the island’s hottest acts will perform Juno-style – one song each – intermittently with the presentation of twelve awards, in categories such as Artist of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, Youth Artist of the Year, and Best Live Act, to name a handful.
The performers will consist of 11 nominees and Island icon Todd Butler, who will perform “Home,” an inspirational song written about settling on Vancouver Island.
Other higher-profile Canadian musicians will be involved in the ceremony as well. Grammy and Juno Award winner Dan Hill and Juno winner Sue Medley will be presenting awards during this grand musical gala. Hill is best known for his hits “Sometimes When We Touch” (1977) and “Can’t We Try” (1987), and Medley is best known for her hit single “Maybe the Next Time” (1991).
Also presenting at the ceremony will be Canadian singer-songwriter Ralph Murphy, who has penned songs for Crystal Gayle, Ronnie Milsap, Shania Twain, Kathy Mattea, Cliff Richard, and Don Williams.
Nominees performing June 23 include Artist of the Year Nominees Annie Nolan of Victoria, Emily Spiller of Courtenay, Aegis Fang of Victoria, The Kerplunks of Gabriola Island, Christian Bergen of Victoria, Helen Austin of Courtenay, and Katie Schaan of Victoria, among several others.
The 2011 Vancouver Island Music Awards will be hosted by Victoria’s Donnie Black, host of “The Rock ‘n’ Roll Breakfast Show” (CFUV 101.9FM) and frontman for Victoria stalwart rockers Zappnin Black. 97.3 The Eagle’s Bob Johnstone will co-host.
As always, this event is open to music fans from all over the Island and beyond, and tickets for the gala are now on sale through the Sid Williams Theatre in Courtenay by calling 250-338-2430.
The 2011 VIMAs are presented by Long & McQuade and 97.3 The Eagle.
Further information on this event can be found at www.islandmusicawards.com.
— Vancouver Island Music Awards
