TORONTO -- A hot summer night provided the backdrop for a giant house party at MuchMusic headquarters, where acts like Our Lady Peace and Treble Charger took home hardware for the year's best videos. The two rock acts led the winners with two awards apiece. Our Lady Peace's hit single Innocent was honoured with best video and best cinematography.

Treble Charger's video for Hundred Million, which featured guest appearances by Sum 41, Swollen Members and Avril Lavigne, took best rock video and best director. Director Wendy Morgan took the same prize at last year's bash for her work with Swollen Members.

But more important than compliments and trophies was the annual blowout bash. The guest list included a Who's Who of Canada's musical elite as well as domestic and international film and TV heartthrobs.

Performers included Sam Roberts, Ashanti, Michelle Branch, Sean Paul and Lavigne.

Vancouver's Ryan Renolds from the In-Laws, Mekhi Phifer from 8 Mile and ER, Shane West from the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Gregory Smith from Everwood, Ray Romano from Everybody Loves Raymond, actor Fred Savage and Rachael Leigh Cook from Fearless were among the celebrities who attended. There were also representatives from the sports world; New York Rangers' Anson Carter, New Orleans Hornets' Jamaal Magloire and wrestlers Chris Jericho and Trish Stratus.

The night started early with a free pre-show performance by Our Lady Peace. That was followed by an out-of-control red carpet, where stars arrived en masse, signing autographs for excited fans.

Jericho ran up and down the carpet, playing up his macho wrestling persona. "I'm a little disappointed that Fozzy wasn't nominated," he joked, referring to his rock band. "But I'll be a professional."

"This is the craziest awards show I've ever seen," said Renolds, who came withoug girlfriend Alanis Morissette.

While most arrived by limo, a few found more economical methods of transportation; Sum 41 arrived on foot, eating hotdogs and carrying cans of beer, Roberts came in an old blue Chevy and the members of Sloan rode bicycles.

Lavigne took the first award of the night for best international video by a Canadian for Sk8er Boi. "Shooting this video was a lot of fun," she said.

The festivities sprawled over the music station's parking lot, three performance stages and two floors of the CHUM flagship building on Toronto's trendy Queen Street West. Screaming fans lined several city blocks hoping to catch a glimpse of their idols.

The awards themselves were fairly predictable with recognition for the country's biggest exports, Lavigne and Shania Twain, who nabbed the MuchMoreMusic award for her sexy video Up! Daniel Belanger took best French video for Dans un Spoutnik.

The best international artist video went to dance hall king Sean Paul for Gimme the Light, which coincidentally was filmed in Toronto. The White Stripes earned best international group video.

Directed by comic book artist Todd McFarlane, Swollen Members and Nelly Furtado's Breath won best rap video.

With litres of wine, platters of food, thousands of screaming fans but no seats for guests, the awards show is unconventional to say the least.

The inaugural MuchMusic Awards were held in 1989 during a train ride across Canada.

Awards are chosen by an in-house MuchMusic panel, except for the People's Choice Awards, which are selected by fans via an online and telephone voting system.

MUCHMUSIC AWARDS

Best international video by a Canadian: Avril Lavigne, Sk8er Boi

Best video: Our Lady Peace, Innocent

Best pop video: Shawn Desman, Get Ready

Best rock video: Treble Charger, Hundred Million

Best rap video: Swollen Members featuring Nelly Furtado, Breath

Best director: Wendy Morgan, Hundred Million (Treble Charger)

Best post-production: Mark Morton, Lovercall (Danko Jones)

Best cinematography: Tryan George, Innocent (Our Lady Peace)

Best independent video: Not By Choice, Now That You Are Leaving

MuchMoreMusic award: Shania Twain, Up!

Best French video: Daniel Belanger, dans un spoutnik

Best international video, artist: Sean Paul, Gimme the Light

Best international video, group: The White Stripes, Seven Nation Army

VideoFACT award: Sam Roberts, Brother Down