by WGO staff
It’s only fitting that a heat warning is in effect this week, with the finale of Makin’ Waves presented by Sydney Credit Union the hottest show of the summer in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. The weekly concert series, held each Thursday at Wentworth Park in Sydney, is headlined by Juno Masterclass winners and best selling Cape Breton artists Port Cities and will also feature PEI’s Rachel Beck ft. The Atlantic String Machine and local songwriter Seth Williams.
Port Cities continue to be among the hottest rising stars in Canada, selling out shows across the country with acts like Steven Page and Rose Cousins, touring in Europe with Matt Andersen, and heading to the US with Crash Test Dummies. While their new album is set for an early 2020 release, their most recent single, “Montreal”, has been streamed over 2 million times on Spotify and has been remixed by acclaimed electronic artists Tep No and Famba.
“Port Cities have been the soundtrack to celebration here in the CBRM,” says Event Coordinator Joe Costello of CBRM Recreation. “We brought them in for North Sydney Canada Day in 2015 when they had been a band for just over six months, they’ve done New Years Eve and Canada 150 celebrations in Sydney, and Breagh and Dylan both played the first year of Makin’ Waves in 2015. We’re very excited to have these proud Cape Breton artists take us home for year five of Makin’ Waves presented by Sydney Credit Union, our most successful year yet.”
Attendance has been exceptional for the 2019 edition of Makin’ Waves presented by Sydney Credit Union. Over 8,000 people have attended the concerts thus far, with the July 18th show with the Joel Plaskett Emergency among the largest audiences of the event’s history. The event has had landmark support from corporate and public partners who have contributed greatly to the sustainability of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality produced event, while the Cape Breton Music Industry Cooperative (CBMIC) have continued to ensure Cape Breton talent is well represented throughout the lineup.
The finale on Thursday, August 1st, will kick off at 6pm with FACTOR/CBMIC Front Stage Contest winner Seth Williams. Seth is a 20 year old songwriter from Sydney who balances influences of pop, folk, and hip hop to craft catchy and well written songs. At 6:30pm, PEI songwriter Rachel Beck will take the stage accompanied by string ensemble The Atlantic String Machine. Beck hit the national spotlight in 2018 with her single “Reckless Heart”, which topped the CBC Radio Top 20 after having the most online votes for six straight weeks. Both solo and with The Atlantic String Machine, Rachel has dozens of dates throughout the Maritimes this summer and into the fall including her appearance at Port Hawkesbury’s Granville Green, the Larlee Creek Hullabaloo in New Brunswick, and Deep Roots Festival in Wolfville.
Rachel Beck will also be performing at the Sound Source Late Night Stage following the Wentworth Park show, starting at 9pm at Flavor on the Water and featuring free sampling from Breton Brewing Co., free snacks from official Makin’ Waves restaurant partner Flavor, and a donut wall. This event is 19+ and has an admission charge of $5.
Makin Waves presented by Sydney Credit Union is produced by CBRM Recreation and the Cape Breton Music Industry Cooperative. The event acknowledges support from the Government of Canada, the Province of Nova Scotia, and Destination Cape Breton. Event partners include Marco Hearing Health Centre, Protocase, Ultramar, Marine Atlantic, 101.9 the Giant, Sound Source Pro Audio, the Foundation to Assist Canadian Talent on Recordings (FACTOR), and Atlantic Lottery. Full event information is available at www.makinwavesfestival.ca powered by Novastream.
