Music

Symphony Nova Scotia announced today that applications are now open for its Maria Anna Mozart Award, an annual $10,000 prize that sees the symphony commissioning and performing a new piece of music penned by a Canadian woman. The first award of its kind in the country, it’s been celebrating the work—and raising the profile—of women […]

Classic Albums Live—the roster of A-List musicians who come together on stage in the name of re-creating a beloved LP on stage—announced two Halifax shows today. The ensemble will perform Billy Joel’s The Stranger on February 4, 2023 and The Beatles’ Let It Be on April 16. Both shows will be held at The Light […]

When the arrival of Hurricane Fiona caused its own flurry of cancellations, it meant concerts by both up-and-coming MC superstar JPEGMAFIA and singer-songwriter Can-con queen Sarah Harmer had to be cancelled. The former was slated to come to Halifax as headliner for Hopscotch, the largest hip hop festival in eastern Canada. The latter was landing […]

Toronto four-piece The Beaches are no strangers to Halifax: They’ve done high-octane sets at the low-ceilinged Seahorse Tavern, and have warmed the Scotiabank Centre stage for both Matt Mays and Avril Lavigne. Today, however, the band announced its return, with a headline show slated for Halifax on February 24 at The Light House Arts Centre. […]

Don’t get him wrong: Carleton Stone doesn’t consider himself famous-famous, a capital-C celebrity, or anything like that. When I ask him how it feels to be recognized on the street or, say, never being able to visit somewhere like North Street coffee shop Java Blend in peace, I hear his brow furrow over the phone. […]

Music Nova Scotia’s annual industry celebration slash music fest, Nova Scotia Music Week, just dropped news  that has me ready to battle the rental car crisis for passage to Sydney, Cape Breton (where this year’s event will be held). In a release sent this morning, the organization says that its annual awards show and brunch—the […]

Your fall playlist is about to get freshened up thanks to these local artists, who are bringing new, must-listen music from all corners of the genre map. No matter if you’re craving a tongue-in-cheek piano ballad (see Ben Caplan and Terra Spencer, below) or are a hip hop head looking for some serious bars (Owen […]

For two and a half decades, The Ennis Sisters have captivated audiences with their deftly woven sibling harmonies, amassing endless ECMAs and a Juno along the way. Known for the SOCAN best selling country hit “Take Me Home”, the Newfoundland roots trio announced today it’ll be heading to the mainland this fall, making a stop […]

Halifax-born, Toronto-based indie rock four-piece Sloan announced today it’ll play a hometown show in early 2023: The One Chord To Another band will hit the Light House Arts Centre stage on January 28 at 8pm. Not that you need an introduction, since we bet you’re already humming hits like “The Rest of My Life” or […]

The four-piece disco dominating Boney M. will come to Halifax on November 22, with original group vocalist Liz Mitchell on deck. The group—known for glittery hits like “Rasputin” and a Christmas album full of bops–will play the Scotiabank Centre. When Boney M. last came to town—in December 2019—Coast contributor Lezlie Lowe gave the ultimate sales […]

The province’s largest orchestra is celebrating its 15th annual symphony week, a fistful of shows held pop-up style in atypical community spaces. The free performances are a portal of community engagement—and they’re plain ol’ fun, too. Nova Scotia’s symphony is known for its free community programming and for working with local artists in a swath […]

If 2022 belongs to any of us, it’s Jody Upshaw’s: The singer-songwriter has been seriously serving this year—and her latest accomplishment, being crowned the 2022 artist in residence at Music Nova Scotia’s live competition this past Friday night, shows she’s not slowing down anytime soon. Upshaw has been winning at the fame game since her […]