Arcade Fire at the Pacific Coliseum, Sept 28 2010. Ashley Tanasiychuk photo
Arcade Fire wins 2011 Polaris Music Prize
-by Shadi Maceac
Montreal’s Arcade Fire were crowned winner of the 2011 Polaris Music Prize despite a very talented list of contenders in the short list. The band took home the $30,000.00 prize, provided by sponsor SiriusXM Satellite Radio while the short list nominees, including Austra, Destroyer, Braids, Galaxie, Hey Rosetta!, Ron Sexsmith, Colin Stetson, Timbre Timbre and The Weeknd, were awarded $2,000.00 by Slaight Music.
Raphaelle Standell-Preston at the Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, March 28 2011. Robyn Hanson photo
A gala ceremony at The Concert Hall at Toronto’s Masonic Temple hosted the sixth annual Polaris Music Prize ceremony and included performances by six of the short list nominees, as well as members of Arcade Fire. The Grand Jury was comprised of 11 journalists, selected from the 213-member Polaris jury.
Austra at the Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, July 21 2011. Anja Weber photo
The Suburbs marks the bands nostalgic return to the landscapes of their youth. According to the press release, the album features songs that draw on “themes of loss and renewal, of drawing inspiration from scarcity, of generations past and future, of responsibility and maturity, of hoping that something pure can last.”
Lisa Ladouceur, who oversees the Grand Jury, said the following of the judging and Arcade Fire’s victory, “There’s no such thing as a guaranteed winner with Polaris. As always, this year, there was a long and thoughtful discussion about the merits of all the Short Listed records. In the end, The Suburbs was recognized by many jurors as the most accomplished and complete artistic statement.”
Destroyer at the Commodore Ballroom, Vancouver, March 17 2011. Ashley Tanasiychuk photo
Arcade Fire has said the following about their win, “We feel very emotional to receive an award based solely on artistic merit. We really believe in records and we are thankful to the Polaris for recognizing our work and the work of so many great Canadian artists!”
More Arcade Fire photos:
Arcade Fire at the Pacific Coliseum, Vancouver, Sept 28 2010
