Polaris People For The Week Of June 8 ““ Dan Bejar Speaks, Julie Doiron Day Happens, Toads Get Licked, And More

One week. Actually less than that. Six days. June 14.

That’s when the 2012 Polaris Music Prize Long List gets officially announced in Vancouver, BC with the help of Dan Mangan, Hannah Georgas and Veda Hille. That night will also feature the official launch to arguing about said list with a Vancouver Polaris Salon. And after that? Dance party.

Meanwhile, those artists who’ve already proven their worth by hitting past Polaris Lists, the Polaris People, continued to do interesting things this week.

Here’s what some of them were up to:

Dan Bejar, who’s probably earned more Short- and Long List nominations over the years than any “main player” with five nods (1 Short, 1 Long as Destroyer, 1 Short, 2 Long as part of New Pornographers), has actually been doing interviews. Like here, and here, and here, and here, and here, and here.

If you’re from Bruno, Saskatchewan and you didn’t participate in the 3rd Annual Julie Doiron Independent Music Appreciation Day on June 7, well, shame on you.

In the Herculean task department, Spin’s Matt Korvette has attempted to give Damian Abraham of 2009 champs Fucked Up a makeover. Damian also has a new side-project going on that’s totally Crimsane.

Can someone tell us what Black Mountain song this is about? Or send us a copy? Or something? Because anything that can offend the East Hastings Business Improvement Association because of a lyric about getting high licking toads has immediately jumped to the top of the must-hear list.

Twice Short-Listed rapper K’naan has been named one of the top 25 immigrants in Canada. Also, his new lyric video for “Hurt Me Tomorrow (The Ballad of Smelly & Petunia)” is must-see puppet sex and violence stuff.

So Pop Montreal released its initial lineup for this year and pretty much every band playing qualifies at least in spirit as “Polaris People.” Also, Win Butler of 2011 champs Arcade Fire will be doing a feature interview with Talking Heads’ David Byrne, presumably about his excellent 2004 album “Funeral.”

Paper Bag Records have apparently declared they want to sign all of the Polaris People. They’ve just teamed up with Tim Hecker (2 Long List noms), The Luyas (1 Long List nom) and Moonface, featuring Spencer Krug of Wolf Parade/Frog Eyes (1 Short List, 1 Long List). (Updated… thanks Carl.)

The government may have no place in our bedrooms, but it apparently wants us to know that two-time Short Listers Hey Rosetta! will be playing a concert on July 21 in honour of tall ships.

Meanwhile, the folks of the Peterborough Downtown Business Improvement Area will be doing something called “Hootenanny On Hunter” in August and they’ll be bringing in past Short Listers The Dears and The Sadies. There’ll also be skateboard demonstrations. We’re anxiously anticipating that hot Murray Lightburn/Dallas Good grind off.

Finally, and of some note as we roll forward in our own awards season, past Short Lister Dan Mangan — who’s clearly not satisfied with cleaning up at this year’s Junos — is nominated for a bunch of things at the Western Canadian Music Awards, as well.