ECMA weekend kicks off with a bang in Corner Brook
Atlantic Canada's biggest party officially gets underway Thursday, as musicians from around the region pour into Corner Brook on Newfoundland's west coast.
The East Coast Music Awards will be handed out Sunday night in a nationally televised ceremony, but activities launch Thursday, as delegates from across the four Atlantic provinces gather for a four-day conference that will be filled wall-to-wall with music.
"It's going to show off Newfoundland, it's going to show off Corner Brook, and it's going to show off, most importantly, the marvellous musicians of Atlantic Canada," said chief organizer David Smallwood.
Earlier in the week, bars, hotels and even streets had become especially musical, with bands and performers joining in impromptu performances.
At the Greenwood Inn, as a musician played away in the lobby, general manager Peter Antle said months of preparation are coming to a head.
"We essentially gutted our lobby from anything that we had on the walls, from pictures to furniture. Now there's a radio station operating out there," said Antle, referring to ECMA Radio, which is streaming over the association's website.
The Greenwood has set up stages for performances, and the Crown and Moose pub will also host showcase gigs.
Antle said staff are preparing an around-the-clock event.
"Everybody's working overtime from a staff perspective. You just stock more items from everything from beer to food," he said.
"It's going to be pretty busy for our staff, but everybody's pretty excited right now."
The ECMAs will be handed out Sunday evening, with the awards show to be broadcast live at 8 p.m. AT, 8:30 p.m. NT, on Bold, CBC's digital channel, and over the web at cbc.ca/eastcoastmusic.
CBC's main network will carry the awards show later Sunday at 11 p.m. AT, 11:30 NT.
An army of volunteers have signed on to work with the scores of musicians and thousands of fans who will be coursing through various venues over the next four days.
"Volunteers are the core of the event, a huge part of the event, and without them it could not work," said co-ordinator Lori Coleman.