Families are invited to celebrate the opening of new facilities at the Open Hearth Park with Soundscape 2014, a free, open-air concert featuring a variety of Cape Breton talent including children’s entertainer Duncan Wells and The Apple In A Tree Band, singer-songwriter Tess Carrigan, country-folk-bluegrass group Pretty Archie, alt-rock power duo The Town Heroes, and Cape Breton’s favourite cluster-rock ensemble The Tom Fun Orchestra.
Duncan Wells has been writing and performing with the Apple in a Tree Band for children and adults for more than 35 years. He is an ECMA children’s artist of the year award winner whose songs have entertained and inspired a generation of Cape Breton children. His original songs are thoughtful, educational and just plain fun.
Tess Carrigan is a young singer/songwriter from Port Caledonia. Her debut single “Rain On You And Me” is a lovely and honest country ballad that offers a glimpse into the future. Carrigan can be found performing at various events across Nova Scotia – her lyrics are captivating, melodies unforgettable, and her vocal tone soothes the soul.
Cape Breton based Country/Folk band Pretty Archie recorded their debut full length album in February 2013 with producer Bob Doidge at the famed Grant Ave. Studio in Hamilton, Ont. Steel City was released in March 2013 and the band has been busy touring Canada since. Pretty Archie’s honest, hard driving, fun loving, and at times heartbreaking, music finds common ground in the blurred genres of Country, Folk, Bluegrass and Blues got the album nominated for Music Nova Scotia’s 2013 Country/Bluegrass Album of the Year.
The Town Heroes are an alt-rock power duo crafting catchy, lyrical, hard-hitting and anthemic songs that sound like a party you wish you were at. Comprised of Inverness County natives, Mike Ryan and Bruce Gillis, the band was a big winner at the 2014 East Coast Music Awards earning trophies for Rising Star Recording of the Year and Fan Choice Video of the Year. The band has toured across Canada, Finland, performed at The Reepherbahn Festival in Hamburg, Germany, The Great Escape Festival in Brighton, UK, and have showcased their talent at Music Week in Toronto, Molson Canadian Nova Scotia Music Week, the East Coast Music Awards and were selected as the Nova Scotia Regional winners for the National Radio Star Song Writing competition.
The Tom Fun Orchestra is an eight-piece cluster-rock ensemble from Cape Breton Island whose unconventional lineup of violin, banjo, accordion, and trumpet married to a driving rock trio is redefining what people think of Canada’s East Coast music. With a live presence that borders on overwhelming, their variety of instruments compete for attention in the din. On the strength of their debut album, and outstanding live show, the Tom Fun Orchestra was named Entertainer of the Year and Rising Star at the 2008 Nova Scotia Music Awards, and Rising Star at the 2009 East Coast Music Awards. With their second album Earthworm Heart, they received numerous nominations and awards including Alternative Recording of the Year at Nova Scotia Music Week 2013.
The concert will be held Saturday, August 16 near the skating rink on the Sydney Harbour side of Ferry Street, Sydney. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring folding lawn chairs. The Bacon Bus and J.A.Smitty’s Chip truck will be on site for a snack while enjoying the music. This is a dry event. Open Hearth Park sits on the former Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens site, which the provincial government remediated over the past decade. The park features a football field, playground, skating area, bike and walking trails.
Disqus
Google + 
Facebook
