Music: {allcanada} Karkwa, The Sheepdogs rock in Ottawa

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

{allcanada} Karkwa, The Sheepdogs rock in Ottawa

OTTAWA - Canadian bands Karkwa and The Sheepdogs rocked the national capital Wednesday night for an intimate audience of Ottawa who's who.

Politicians, media and music moguls descended on the National Arts Centre for the second Canadian music showcase hosted by Heritage Minister James Moore and sponsored by Quebecor.

Music Canada - a trade organization launched by the country's major record labels - also pitched in to host the show, as did TD Bank.

Polaris music award-winning Quebec rockers Karkwa took centre stage for the event after Juno Award darlings and Saskatoon natives The Sheepdogs warmed up the crowd with their vintage sound.

Serge Sasseville, Quebecor vice-president of corporate and institutional affairs, said this country's musical talent "can conquer not just the hearts of Quebeckers and Canadians, but the hearts of the world."

The concerts are a chance to showcase that talent and - along with Canadian movie nights also hosted by Moore - have become must-attend events on the political social circuit.

Music-loving MPs spotted in the crowd included Treasury Board President Tony Clement, Saskatoon Tory MP Kelly Block and Liberal MP Scott Simms.

EMI Music Canada president Deane Cameron and Warner Music Canada president Steve Kane also attended.

Kane called Canadian musicians this country's "cultural ambassadors."

Public Works Minister Rona Ambrose was the event MC, pinch-hitting for Moore who was unable to attend.

Karkwa drummer Stephane Bergeron told QMI Agency he was proud to have the chance to play at the 300-seat venue to promote Canadian culture. "Supporting culture is so essential," he said. "We believe in it strongly and it's worth the government's support."

The band, which hasn't played a show since last December, was in fine form entertaining the Ottawa crowd.

Quebecor is a parent company of QMI Agency and the Sun Media chain.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his wife Laureen made an appearance on the first Canadian music night hosted by Moore last December to take in the set by the Jim Cuddy Band, but they were in Europe this time around.