Music
The Polaris Prize Gets Fucked Up
Fucked Up surprised everyone by winning the 2009 Polaris Music Prize last night for The Chemistry Of Common Life album.
Emerging from perhaps the most talented collection of 10 short-list nominees yet, the hardcore band becomes the second group from the Toronto area to win the Polaris Prize, following in the footsteps of inaugural victor Final Fantasy, who just so happened to join the band on stage in the night's most memorable performance.
The evening started innocuously enough with a tame but commanding acoustic two-song set by Metric in front of a packed room of music industry insiders, media, fellow nominees and their friends.
Patrick Watson engaged the audience in his performance, wading through the crowd wearing a backpack contraption of lights, his band enthusiastically following in tow.
I liked K'naan's chances of winning the Polaris Prize this year. He was the favourite of many, including CBC's Jian Ghomeshi, who introduced him on stage.
But as the night grew longer the booze started to have its effect. While $6 Steam Whistles kept the frugal media somewhat at bay on the mezzanine, those on the main floor were plied with endless beer, vodka and Red Bulls, providing the impetus for a mini food fight with Patrick Watson, Malajube and Chad VanGaalen as the central participants.
So when the clock struck midnight and it was time for the final act to take the stage, everyone was in the right mood to be blasted by the expected shrieks and mini-strip tease by Fucked Up lead singer Damian Abraham (previously seen trashing MTV's bathroom).
Based on the crowd's reaction, I can only guess they were surprised how much fun it was; a reaction eclipsed only by the shock when Caribou's Daniel Snaith announced the winner.
Prior to the show it was anyone's guess who among the top 10 on the 2009 Polaris Music Prize Short List would be crowned the king (or queen) of Canadian music this year.
Upstairs at the Masonic Temple, blogTO cornered a number of the nominees and asked them who they thought would win. Check out the uncut video interviews below.
Fucked Up (Apologies for the slightly out of sync audio on this one)
And here are some photos taken in the press room prior to the gala:
Photos by Roger Cullman.
Discussion
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The worst band won.
A hardworking and musically talented band won. The one I was rooting for. Their live shows are energetic and frantic and their music is contributing something new to an old form of hardcore. I listen to all genres of music and find myself returning to this album over and over again. They're making waves and not kissing exec ass to get the recognition from audiences that can't be ignored. I really respect Polaris and their voters for seeing this.
Metric were nominated so the worst band didn't win.
I would have preferred Joel Plaskett but I will agree that Fucked Up are deserving.
Jian Ghomeshi is a douche and Metric are crap, and FuckedUP are boring at best. Keep it comin, Kanada
Novelty hardcore.
They shoudl do a show with weird al.
Jian Ghomeshi & Emily Haines...the best Canada has to offer.
'nuff said.
Fucked up, Novelty Act, that is all.
Congrats, FUCKED UP.
my mom is fat on September 22, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Jian Ghomeshi is a douche
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Really? What's your problem with him?
That he conducts fucking awesome interviews?
That he does his homework and intelligently engages his guests?
Yeah, stuff like that sure makes him a douche.
People will hate on anything that achieves in a moderate amount of success. The best band won. And Jian Ghomeshi is solid.
I adore Patrick Watson.
Why is MuchMusic there? The only time most of these bands would get on air is in the middle of the night to fulfill CanCon rules.
Not that I'm a huge Fucked Up fan, but I don't understand how you can call them a novelty act?!!? They have, in either this band or previous bands, been doing this for years. I find this comment incredibly strange...
I was hoping Plaskett would win. Thank God Metric didn't win - that totally affected singing voice of Emily Haines makes me want to rip my ears off.
it's funny how muchmusic hosted it considering what they play on their station
dg you are kidding right? Are there really people in the world who think popunk is anything novel, rebellious or musically interesting? Wow. Welcome to the nasty world of irrelevance, Polaris Prize. Maybe next year you can pick a Guess Who cover band. It would be just as relevant a choice to the modern music scene.
Yo, F--ked Up, I'm really happy for you and Imma let you finish. But Hey Rosetta had one of the best albums of all time. One of the best albums of all time!
Welcome to the world of irrelevance... no doubt. This feels like a real slap in the face to the other more deserving artists who should have won.
I love how all of the Jian Ghomeshi haters come out of the woodwork at every possible opportunity.
The dude is an incredible interviewer. He'll be around for a long time because he's very good at what he does. Like him or not. Get used to it.
And to knock Fucked Up saying that there were more 'deserving bands' is just as fucking stupid. More deserving?? How so? Because they put out more albums? Because they wrote chords that sound better to your ears? Maybe the album or genre isn't your cup of tea, but to call them undeserving is a totally weak statement.
Oh Canada, how we love to rip our own.
I think all of the albums nominated had their merits. And I'm more proud than anything that our country puts out the amount of quality music that it does.
quit yer snivelin' and go listen to some music!
the bands not here man...
Watch Jian Ghomeshi's interview with Fucked Up on Q the morning after they won the Polaris Music Prize.
That thing you like? It sucks.
So much negativity
Congrats to Fucked Up, well deserved.
I'm thrilled for Fucked Up. To call them a novelty band is bizarre, and to call them a "pop-punk" band just indicates you've never heard them. Their record was adventurous and impassioned. I love Great Lake Swimmers and Plaskett and all of them, but Fucked Up blew them away this year.
I don't know if anyone else listined to the broadcast on radio 3, but Listining to Sarah Taylor was paticularly painfull. "WHEN WE RETURN WE'LL FIND OUT WHO TAKES HOME 10,000 DOLLARZZZ". Wow, way to cheapen a great award that honours honest hard working bands.