TORONTO - Plenty of tickets are still available for Sunday's 40th anniversary Juno Awards bash and organizers acknowledge the show is a harder sell in a big city filled with other entertainment options.
When the Junos were held in Vancouver two years ago, the show also didn't sell out as fast as usual, noted Ed Robinson, chairman of the Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and MusiCounts.
"Most of the other markets that we've been to tend to sell out very quickly," he said Thursday.
"And I think that's a reflection of all the concerts that come through town in Toronto and/or Vancouver, where there's lots of choice.
"The show is going to be a terrific show ... with a whole variety of acts, but I appreciate that some people choose to spend their concert money on a specific act as opposed to the Juno Awards."
Passes for Sunday's star-studded show, to be hosted by Toronto rapper Drake at the Air Canada Centre, went on sale Feb. 5 through all Ticketmaster outlets.
Robinson said about 8,000 tickets had been sold for the event by Thursday afternoon, and another 2,000 -- in every price point and on every level at the venue -- were still available.
Prices range from $55 to $189, plus tax, which has been the same price point for the Junos for the last few years.
Robinson expected another 500 or so tickets (probably in the $55 range) would become available in the next day or so as producers finalized the floor-and-stage plan and figured out where cameras will be positioned in the venue.
"It's been a steady sale and a rising sale in the last week or so, so it seems to be a realization that tickets are still available," he said.
"There have been some media reports that we've been sold out. Well, we're not, so it concerns me that people may want to go but think they can't get tickets."
Many empty seats have also been noted at Juno events earlier this week, including Tuesday's "Ovation" classical concert at Roy Thomson Hall and Wednesday's "Songwriters' Circle" show at Massey Hall.
Robinson didn't expect Friday's Juno Cup celebrity hockey game at Ricoh Coliseum would be at capacity either, as the venue is the biggest one ever used for that event. Still, with 6,000 of the 10,000 seats already sold for the Juno Cup by Thursday afternoon, the event surpassed its attendance record.
For years, the Juno celebration was held exclusively in Toronto before organizers moved a few shows to Hamilton and Vancouver in the 1990s. In 2002, the show started travelling every year, beginning with St. John's, N.L.
Robinson said despite this year's sluggish box office sales, he doesn't feel it was a mistake to bring the festivities back to Toronto.
"I don't think it's a mistake, and particularly for the 40th (anniversary). I mean, it's where the Junos started," said Robinson.
"Toronto is a huge music city and a music scene that started the careers of many international stars, be it rock 'n' roll or folk music or whatever.
"So it's not in any stretch a mistake to bring it here -- it's appropriate to bring it here -- but it's a challenge because as I said, there's a lot of choice in this city for concertgoers."
While selling out is not necessarily the No. 1 objective, the revenue is always positive for CARAS, he noted.
"It's a non-profit organization and we have to cover our costs, so we're close to doing that. But it would be nice to have a total sellout."
Drake has a leading six nominations heading into Juno weekend. Presenters lined up for Sunday's broadcast (CTV at 8 p.m. ET) include Bryan Adams, Buffy Sainte-Marie and K'naan. Performers include Arcade Fire, Sarah McLachlan, Broken Social Scene and Johnny Reid.
