London, Ont. –
It’s been a long time since the stage was rocking for a sold out event at the London Music Hall (LMH).
“We were closed for over 600 days between our last show, before the COVID -9 pandemic, until now so everyone is excited to get back to work,” says Demetri Manuel, LMH vice-president.
Recently reopened, LMH has hosted five shows over the past week-and-a-half. This weekend, they’ll host five more with the Canadian Country Music Association (CCMA) Awards in London, Ont.
“We are hosting the CCMA House this week,” says Manuel. “So we’ve got all the biggest names in Canadian country music going to be performing on our stage on Friday and Saturday.”
One of those artists is Lindsay Ell. The Calgary, Alta. artist received the most nominations across artist categories this year.
Multiple 2021 CCMA Award nominee Lindsay Ell speaks via Zoom on Monday, Nov. 22, 2021.
She earned five 2021 CCMA Award nominations (FORD F-150 Album of the Year, Female Artist of the Year, Interactive Artist or Group of the Year, Songwriter(s) of the Year, PRS Guitars Video of the Year).
“This week is so, so exciting because I think you know, a lot of us have have navigated through the past couple years in so many different ways,” Ell told CTV News London via Zoom Monday.
“The fact that this is the night we get to celebrate country music across the country, after everything that we’ve been through, to come together with music which is this incredible force that brings us together as humans on this planet and brings us together collectively to to celebrate each other and to to proclaim our messages of just loving country music and loving each other.”
Tourism London has posted a list of events on their website, with free concerts featuring big name artists beginning Thursday.
“It’s a perfect thing to kick off our recovery and our steps towards recovery coming out of COVID,” says Natalie Wakabayashi, director of culture and entertainment with Tourism London.
“To welcome the industry, the musicians — to welcome fans back to the Forest City is such a great thing.”
The festivities begin Thursday with a CCMA Launch Party which will give people a chance to win tickets to Monday’s live show at Budweiser Gardens.
There are concerts, a fan fest and other outdoor events by Tourism London which will shut down Dundas Place Saturday.
And action in the downtown core is good news for local business.
“With the Music Hall and the Budweiser Gardens, we sit in a key point to benefit from both,” says Mike McGonigle, manager of Fitzrays Restaurant next to Budweiser Gardens.
“They are key establishments in the city, and with the return of Knights games we have have gotten busier. More and more people are coming out and I think that Budweiser gardens has now got its groove on for the CCMA’s and we expect to get turnout.”
Tourism London feels landing this event for the first time since 2016 is massive, and is excited that London is the host of the first indoor major live awards in Canada. Boosting local business is a key strategy in bringing an event like the CCMA’s to the city.
“When you bring a big event here, you really are hoping that it draws in crowds,” says Wakabayashi.
“It feeds our restaurants, our events, music venues, entertainment venues and our hotel rooms. It takes courage by the CCMA team and it takes courage for Tourism London, our hosts organizing committee, and the City of London to want to invest in something like this during this time, so we are excited.”
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