The lineup for this year’s Discovery Stage features a cross section of artists who have been making headlines with their music over the last year. The lineup includes Port Cities, Keith Mullins, Fire Valley Fire, Ben Miller & Anita MacDonald, and Dave Sampson. The event begins with an opening reception, including hors d’oeuvres and a meet and greet with the performers, at 6pm.
Having spent time at the Gordie Sampson Songcamp, Port Cities is the result of strong friendship and ongoing collaboration between members Carleton Stone, Breagh MacKinnon, and Dylan Guthro. Each recognized performers in their own right, the group is generating a strong buzz as they work on their debut album with master songwriter Gordie Sampson.
Renowned songwriter Keith Mullins has been playing music all his life. A multi-instrumentalist, Keith’s music defies categorization and instead focuses on finely crafting songs that have legs. His albums Localmotive Farm, The Wood Buffalo Youth Song Project, and Island Sol have been recognized with awards and nominations from the East Coast Music Association (ECMA) and Music Nova Scotia, while Mullins himself has been named Educator of the Year by Music Nova Scotia in 2012 and 2013.
Debuting over the 2015 holidays, Fire Valley Fire are already making waves in the local music scene. With a resume that includes bands such as Rock Ranger, The Tom Fun Orchestra, and The Yarnells, the members of Fire Valley Fire are crafting catchy rock songs with distinct vocals and uptempo arrangements.
Ben Miller and Anita MacDonald are each accomplished players in their own right. Both raised on music from a young age, Ben (pipes) and Anita (fiddle) came together after a chance meeting at the 2013 Celtic Colours International Festival. Since then, they have appeared on each other’s solo records and come together for 2016 ECMA Folk/Traditional Group nominated album A Day at the Lake while performing across North America and the UK.
St. John’s, NL took notice last April during ECMW 2015 that Dave Sampson is here! Sampson and his companions powered through showcase after showcase with his beautiful lyrics over dynamic melodies, catching the ear of many a music lover. Sampson’s songwriting has lead him to collaborate with renowned talent such as Mo Kenney and Steven MacDougall (Slowcoaster) while seeing his song “No Pressure, No Diamonds” sampled on a single from Classified featuring Snoop Dog.
Discovery Stage is an all ages event at Centre 200, 481 George Street in Sydney. Tickets are on sale now for $10 (all fees included) at the Centre 200 Box Office or online at tickets.capebreton.ca.
