The Maple Blues Awards will stream live from 4 cities this year
Hat’s off to the Toronto Blues Society for taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to innovate on the awards show format.
Like many arts awards and programs, this year’s Maple Blues Awards will be held virtually, but unlike other awards, they’ll be streamed from four cities across Canada on each Monday of the month of February.
Multiple artists will host and perform for the awards events beginning with Alana Bridgewater and Johnny Max hosting from Toronto on Feb. 1 with a performance from Dione Taylor, who has been nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, new Artist/Group of the Year, and Songwriter of the Year. Also performing is Jack de Keyzer, who has been nominated along with his bandmates for Entertainer of the Year, Electric Act of the Year, Male Vocalist of the Year, Recording/Producer of the Year, Guitarist of the Year, Horn Player of the Year (for Richard Thornton), and Bassist of the Year (for Alan Duffy).
On Feb. 8, Angelique Francis and Matt Sobb will be hosting the stream from Ottawa, and the evening will feature a performance from JW-Jones, who has been nominated along with his bandmates for Entertainer of the Year, Electric Act of the Year, New Artist/Group of the Year (for JW’s other project, HOROJO Trio), and Recording/Producer of the Year. Also streaming a performance from Ottawa is Nashville-based Indigenous artist Crystal Shawanda, who has been nominated for Female Vocalist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, and Recording/Producer of the Year.
On Feb. 15, the Maple Blues Awards will be streamed from Montreal and hosted by Dawn Tyler Watson and Ben Racine with performances from Durham County Poets, who are nominated for Songwriter of the Year and Recording/Producer of the Year. Matt Andersen, who has been nominated for Acoustic Act of the Year and Male Vocalist of the Year will also be performing.
The final night of the Maple Blues Awards will come from Vancouver Island on Feb. 22 and will be hosted by Dalannah Gail Bowen and Jim Byrnes, with performances from 13-year old New Artist/Group of the Year nominee Liam Docherty and Drummer of the Year nominee Lindsay Beaver – who will be streaming from Halifax for a true coast-to-coast MBA experience.
The 24th Annual Maple Blues Awards will be streamed each Monday at 8:00 p.m.ET via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TorontoBluesSociety
