Johnny Reid fires it up at Canadian Music Week. (Laura Thompson)

Johnny Reid is a melody-making, heart breaking, floor-shaking mega star. Nothing we didn't already know and it's nice that some things never change.

He headlined one of two Canadian Music Week kick-off shows Wednesday night at the Mod Club in Toronto. The Scotsman we claim as our own has an energy that can Fire It Up every time. The hands-down highlight was Let's Go Higher, a heart and soul-steeped tune that screams car commercial and can galvanize any crowd. He flings his arms open and Johnny's inner gospel pours out.

Higher experience at CN Tower

The true, "Higher" experience, however would have been Joel Plaskett and the Emergency making celestial rock magic up in the clouds at the CN Tower. This one I experience via Twitter only, with no shortage of amusing references to how "high" the band was. The air must've been pretty thin up there.

CMW boasts 900 music acts from something like 40 countries this edition. Of the intriguing draws, reunion performances by '90s indie pop posterbands, Treble Charger and The Inbreds. Another intriguing draw - as I spread the schedule out before me, I recognize maybe five per cent of the names glaring back. There are so many up-and-comers this year, it's time to discover some bands.

Knowing the potential perennial headache that CMW can be with venues packed to capacity, travel time between them taking longer than anticipated, and sets not starting on time (rock 'n' roll, baby!), I laid out three potential plans of attack for CMW day one. I chose the plan that was the best bang for my wristband. It started out something like this:

• 9-10PM JOHNNY REID @ MOD CLUB
• 10:30-11:30PM SAMANTHA SAVAGE SMITH @ HARD LUCK
• 11PM-12AM RUNNING RED LIGHTS @ SUPERMARKET
• 12-1AM CRAIG STICKLAND @ SUPERMARKET//or//
• 12-1AM LIFE BLOWN OPEN @ NEUTRAL LOUNGE

Shimmering sounds

Aussies Oh Mercy gave a lacklustre performance to a thin crowd. (Laura Thompson)

From Reid, I traveled in the direction of Samantha Savage Smith at Hard Luck. It turned out to actually be the opposite, as I entered to the shimmering sounds of Aussie four-piece Oh Mercy. Unfortunately, the crowd was thin and far from the warm reception they deserved, coming all the way from Melbourne with an Australian Music Prize under their belts. A discouraging start that resulted in a sombre stage presence and frankly, a lacklustre set.

Change of plan

After a careful game plan re-jig, I took brisk walk down to Cherry Cola's Rock N' Rolla Cabaret, but to disappointing consequence. I was hoping to have Mad Anthony blow my eardrums out with their head-banging rowdiness, but was instead met with - nothing. While fans stood by, speakers and stands littered the stage, obviously in transition and definitely off schedule. Back to Hard Luck it was, the irony not beyond me.

Samantha Savage Smith, a lovely girl she is. The epitome of geek-chic indie, her sweet, crisp voice cutting through the room as a Kathleen-meets-Sarah-meets-Amy hybrid might. The tri-named belle was confident and effortless in her delivery, despite yet more pitiful attendance - remainders from Oh Mercy's set, plus a few. Was it because it was Wednesday? Were people still burned out from SXSW? Or was Queen Street where all the hullabaloo was going down? Unless CMW is losing its sparkle, folks should get on the Savage Smith bandwagon.

Predicting great things for Craig Stickland. (Laura Thompson)

Next stop, Kensington Market. At this point, I clue in that the online CMW schedule and the hard-copy booklet don't quite match up. I sadly missed Running Red Lights, a retro pop outfit that features a fiery-haired, east coast singer named Scarlett. But no complaints over stumbling in on Craig Stickland, a happy revelation. A Toronto singer-songwriter with his heart on his sleeve who -- attention ladies -- looks kind of like Ashton Kutcher. He laid out his history of trampled emotions right there on the keyboard like a tortured soul who doesn't want saving. A sure-fire formula for success that I predict is coming and quickly. It was his birthday this week too, so give him a shout out - @Craigstickland.

CMW Day 1 wasn't without its bumps in the road. But when you get home with your musical soul satisfied and just in time to catch your next day's newspaper being delivered, you know it was a good one.

-- Laura Thompson