by WGO Staff
The East Coast Music Awards: Festival and Conference (ECMA) is celebrating a monumental 35th anniversary this year with a five-day, non-stop musical event showcasing and recognizing the best of East Coast artists and music, Wednesday, May 3 to Sunday, May 7 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
Kicking off ECMA 2023 is the Wije’winen (Come With Us) Cultural Circle. Together, the ECMA and the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre (MNFC) invite people to gather for an opening blessing at the Grand Parade on Wednesday, May 3 at 12 noon. Lit teepees, a sacred fire, and an on-site firekeeper and Elder will be present then and throughout the festival weekend. The Cultural Circle will also include a showcase of Indigenous dance, drumming and song on Saturday, May 6.
The opening celebrations continue at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront Hotel’s Nova Scotia Ballroom on Wednesday with the 35th Anniversary Kickoff Party, presented by Atlantic Lottery. This year, ECMA will host a classic East Coast Kitchen Party, led by the Kitchen Party King himself, Cape Breton’s Rankin MacInnis.
The artist showcases start on Thursday and continue through the weekend until Saturday nightwith the TD Connected Concerts festival showcase series hitting a variety of stages throughout Halifax and industry export showcases lined up for the Marriott Harbourfront Hotel Ballroom. Cape Breton will be well-represented throughout the ECMA with showcasing and featured artists including Dave Sampson, Villages, Brad Reid, The Town Heroes, Isabella Samson, Hearts of Kin, RG Schaller, Jordan Musycsyn, Shift from tha 902, Fiona MacGillivray, Andre Pettipas and The Giants, Rachel Davis & Darren McMullen, Pretty Archie, Electric Spoonful, Rawlins Cross, and Colin Grant performing with Newfoundland and Labrador favourites Rum Ragged.
Also starting on Thursday will be the Flocases, featuring the one and only Flo Sampson on piano in the lobby of the Marriott Harbourfront Hotel. The Flocases run Thursday to Saturday nights and will see Flo joined by a variety of special guests.
Of course, along with all the showcases come the annual awards shows.
“We have two incredibly exciting Awards shows planned,” says Andy McLean, CEO of ECMA. “We will hand out 14 awards at Thursday’s show and feature 13 performances, and at Sunday’s show, we will present 36 more music, industry, and honourary awards with four live performances. Both events will represent artists in multiple genres and the diversity of today’s East Coast sounds.”
On Thursday, the 35th Annual East Coast Music Awards and Red Carpet presented by Rogers will take place at the Scotiabank Centre. Recognizing the best and brightest of the East Coast’s artists and music, this year’s show will be hosted by comedian Trent McClellan of This Hour Has 22 Minutes and will feature performances by ECMA nominees including Cape Bretoners Madison Violet and Natalie MacMaster. The East Coast Music & Industry Awards Part II is slated for 11am on Sunday with Isabella Samson and Rawlins Cross among the scheduled performers.
Artists and industry professionals from the Cape Breton region racked up 20 award nominations this year. The list of nominees includes the Men of the Deeps, Carleton Stone, Madison Violet, Rawlins Cross, Pretty Archie, Gearl, Morgan Toney, Keith Mullins, Electric Spoonful, Dave Sampson, Isabella Samson, The Smokey Sessions Songwriters’ Circle, Eirinn Fraser, John Ellingbo, Mike Shepherd, Lakewind Sound Studios, and Matthew Ingraham. Cape Bretoners Natalie MacMaster, Fred Lavery, and Rawlins Cross (featuring Cape Bretoner Ian McKinnon) are also among ten 2023 Honourary East Coast Music Award recipients. Presented by ECMA’s Board of Directors, most of the Honourary Awards will be conferred during the East Coast Music Awards: Part II, while the Director’s Special Achievement Award will be presented on stage during Thursday’s show. Both Awards shows will be livestreamed.
ECMA expands its charity fundraising efforts through sport this year with Wednesday evening’s first annual ECMA All-Star Charity Basketball Game. Carleton Stone, Michael Ryan, and Andre Pettipas will be among the Cape Bretoners reliving their hoop dreams while Heather Rankin, Ian McKinnon, Jason MacIssac, Michael Ryan, Bruce Gillis, Wayne Bedecki, Rankin MacInnis, Craig Mercer, and Mike Shepherd are among the Cape Bretoners lacing up their skates for the third annual ECMA Cup charity hockey game on Saturday afternoon. Both games are free to attend with donations being accepted at the door. Wednesday’s basketball game is in support of Hot Cocoa Boys, a Halifax-based social enterprise within the Hope Blooms organization, and the ECMA Cup raising funds for Sound Minds, a named grant through the Mental Health Foundation of Nova Scotia directly supporting musicians and their mental health.
Rounding out the weekend will be the ever-popular SOCAN Songwriters’ Circle on Sunday afternoon with Cape Breton’s Breagh Isabel joining fellow songwriters Fortunate Ones, Adam Baldwin, Joce Reyome, O’Sound, Jason Benoit, Lisa LeBlanc, and Mo Kenney.
“We are delighted that this 35th Anniversary edition of the ECMAs is back to being fully in person – fully engaged with the community and putting music where it best belongs – on stage in front of enthusiastic fans,” adds McLean. “As music takes over Halifax for five days and nights this May, we are reminded how much it adds to our lives. With over 500 musicians, 40 shows, 25+ venues and a huge diversity of genres, I’m sure you’ll find something that suits your taste and maybe discover new favourites. Congratulations to all our talented East Coast artists and a huge thank you to everyone who has made this special ECMA possible.”
For more information on the 35th ECMA, schedules of events, or to tune in to the livestream, visit ecma.com.
