HAPPY CANADA DAY!!!

Man, I love this country so much. This photo was taken about eight weeks ago on the top of Blackcomb Mountain in Whistler, B.C. May skiing! How outrageous is that?! Even now you can go ski on the glacier through July. Blackcomb is a fierce mountain, take a look at the interactive map that compares the acreage to other ski resorts in North America.

Anyway, people were in sundresses and shorts at the base while my friends and I were hitting the slopes at the top. This country is incredible!

Today I saw that MuchMusic asked it’s Facebook fans: “If you met someone who had NEVER heard a song by a Canadian artist…what would you play them?”

The majority of the 700 responses were less than inspired: Avril Lavigne, Justin Bieber, Simple Plan, Marianas Trench, Hedley, and Drake seemed to get the most shout outs. Basically everything we already export.

For me, the first artists that came to my mind were: Stars, Mother Mother, Feist, Arcade Fire, and who I’m about to play, Sam Roberts. . Whether it’s on the top of a mountain or walking through the downtown streets of Montreal, the Sam Roberts Band always adds an extra feel of Canadiana to my day.

One of my favourite moments from last summer was during Sam Roberts’ performance at Montreal’s Osheaga Music Festival. It was a boiling hot day, nearing the end of his set, and he starts playing Where Have All the Good People Gone? The crowd goes wild for this well-known tune, then they start spraying the fans to cool us down. Hundreds of fans happily dancing and singing in the rain to Sam Roberts. So much joy, it was like it was happening in slow motion.

Every Part of Me by Sam Roberts Band