CBC Will Take Over Fredericton For ECMA Weekend Coverage

Barenaked Ladies singer/guitarist Steven Page will host Barenaked East Coast Music!, a one-hour CBC Television special focusing on the East Coast Music Awards weekend in Fredericton, N.B.

While the activities will take place from Feb. 7 to 10, the TV show will air at 7 p.m. (7:30 p.m. in Newfoundland) on March 2.

Page will act as a tour guide, taking viewers to various venues hosting performances by Ashley MacIsaac, Damhnait Doyle, Mary Jane Lamond, Hey Rosetta!, The Tom Fun Orchestra, Joel Plaskett Emergency, Jenn Grant, Wintersleep and others. Footage that isn't included on the show will be available to view for a year after the event on the CBC website.

"Although Steven isn't from Atlantic Canada, his candidly curious nature and his love for all things music will help Canadians discover east coast music," says Rick LeGuerrier, the executive producer of Dream Street Pictures, which will present the program in conjunction with CBC and the East Coast Music Association. "People rave about this annual east coast musical party, and our TV special is designed to share that great music and excitement with all Canadians."

CBC's involvement won't be limited to the TV special, however.

CBC Radio's Jian Ghomeshi-hosted Q will broadcast live from the Fredericton Playhouse from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 8. The show will feature performances by Plaskett and Wintersleep and will feature other guests. There will also be a Q ECMA wrap-up show from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Feb. 11.

CBC Radio listeners in Atlantic Canada will be able to hear the Paul Castle-hosted Shift program from the Fredericton Playhouse from 3:30 to 6 p.m. on Feb. 8. The show will feature live performances by David Myles, Meaghan Smith, Duane Andrews, Thom Swift and Doyle backed by members of Slowcoaster.

CBC Radio 3 and Sirius Satellite Radio's channel 94 will broadcast live from the Delta Fredericton Hotel from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m. on Feb. 8 and 9. The first night will feature Mark Bragg, Two Hours Traffic, Hey Rosetta!, The Tom Fun Orchestra and The Jimmy Swift Band. Night two will showcase Dwight D'Eon, Age Of Daze, Carmen Townsend, Slowcoaster and The Trews.

SOCAN will present songwriter circles on the afternoons of Feb. 9 and 10, and both will be recorded for future broadcast on CBC Radio One and CBC Radio 2. Myles will host the first one and be joined by Swift, Doyle, Jean-Francois Breau and Page. Lennie Gallant will host Sunday's circle with guests Christian "Kit" Goguen, Grant, Roger Howse and Martha Wainwright.

The Stephanie Domet-hosted Atlantic Airwaves program will broadcast from the Fredericton Playhouse from 5 to 6 p.m. on Feb. 9 with a hip-hop/jazz lineup featuring First Words, DJ JoRun, The Extremeties, MC Fizz, MC Ghettosocks, Jamie Gatti and Chris Mitchell.

CBC Radio 2's Canada Live will have a two-hour special edition featuring artist highlights from the weekend on Feb. 29 from 8 to 10 p.m.