Serena Ryder, Johnny Reid set for Juno Awards show in Winnipeg

The stage is almost set for the most important night in the Canadian music industry and co-hosts Serena Ryder and Johnny Reid say they're ready.

Ryder and Reid were part of a Juno Awardssneak-peak for the media at Winnipeg's MTSCentre, where the show will be broadcast live on Sunday evening.

Reid is a platinum-selling three-time Juno-winningartist and Ryder is amulti-platinum sellingfour-time Juno Awardwinner.

"This might be the only time, Serena was telling me backstage, that we'll have to use subtitles at the Junos, when I speak," laughed Reid, who was born in Scotland.

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Among the performers in town for the show are Walk off the Earth, SarahMcLachlanand Classified, a platinum-selling hip hop artist and 2013 Juno Award winner, who is also co-hosting with Reid and Ryder.

Reporters and cameras were allowed to listen-in on a sound check from multiple Juno nominees,Teganand Sara.

We're optimisticwe are going to blow the roof off this place.-John Brunton, Juno Awards executive producer

In addition to hosting, Ryder is one of the evening's marquee nominees with five nods including artist, album and single of theyear.

Montreal's Arcade Fire, whose expansive fourth albumReflektortopped charts upon its October release, leadsthe waywith six nominations.

Bubl an 11-time winner and last year's host earnedfive nominations including album, single and artist of the yearwhile Calgary-reared pop outfit Tegan and Sara scooped up four nominationsfor their slick pop reinventionHeartthrob.

Other four-time nominees include Celine Dion (a 20-time winner),Hedley (now 25-time nominees) and Drake, now a 20-time nominee.

Winnipeg-born Chantal Kreviazuk and husbandRaine Maida will receive the Allan WatersHumanitarian Award, while classic Winnipeg rock outfitBachman-TurnerOverdrive will be ushered into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.

Tickets still available

As of Friday evening the Juno Awards show wasn't sold out.

Executive producer JohnBruntonsaid he blames the cold and competing ticket sales with the Winnipeg Jets hockey club.

"On Sundaynight, we will have at least 10,000 fans," he said. "They are continuing to sell tickets non stop. We're optimisticwe are going to blow the roof off this place."

Eastbound lanes of Portage Avenue will be closed for Juno activities starting at 9 p.m. Friday.