And talking about Canada, which we also were, there is reportedly some resentment in Canada's independent sector about the number of international acts that have been booked to play at the upcoming Juno Awards, the Canadian equivalent of the Brits.
Some indie labels reckon the Canadian TV network that screen the awards show are dictating too much what happens at the event - with particular resentment that bands like Coldplay and Black Eyed Peas dominate the live line up, while the inclusion of showbiz names in the show mean that many of the Juno awards that indie and niche labels have a chance of winning aren't even presented at the televised ceremony.
Jam Showbiz quote Fred Litwin of Ottawa-based indie label NorthernBlues Music as saying: "A lot of people are talking about it. A lot of people are very upset", while Trevor Larocque of Toronto's Paperbag Records told the website sarcastically: "Coldplay's playing, I hear. They're an amazing Canadian band."
Meanwhile Marco Raposo of Toronto based hip hop group Pocket Dwellers, who are nominated for Best New Group, said: "Our award isn't going to be presented [on TV] because Coldplay and Black Eyed Peas have to play".
However organisers of the awards have been quick to defend their line up - pointing out that indie performers like Broken Social Scene, Bedouin Soundclash and Massari are all set to play, while home grown rapper Buck 65 will compose and perform the show's theme music. Executive producer John Brunton, meanwhile, says that because of the global names and showbiz guests the Junos can demand worldwide coverage which, he says, is to the benefit of the whole Canadian music industry. He told Jam: "Can we not start behaving like a world-class country and not be shy about sharing our stage with the biggest bands in the world? The small town thinking makes me insane."
If it's any consolation to the Canadian indies, I'd have much rather had Broken Social Scene or Arcade Fire play the Brits than home grown Coldplay. Actually, Celine Dion would have been better than Coldplay.