Music fans in Bragg Creek will get a taste of the East Coast Nov. 24, when the Nova Scotia-based band Port Cities will play a show at the hamlet’s community centre as part of the Bragg Creek Performing Arts 2018 fall series. Officially formed in 2015, Port Cities includes three musicians and singer-songwriters from Cape Breton Island, N.S. – Breagh MacKinnon, Carleton Stone and Dylan Guthro. The trio met four years earlier, however, at the annual Gordie Sampson Song Camp in Cape Breton. “We met there in 2011 and kind of hit it off as friends and collaborators,” said Stone, who sings and plays acoustic guitar. The musical chemistry between the three friends was apparent shortly after they met, according to Stone, and culminated in the formation of the band a few years later. “The three of us playing together was what seemed to be exciting people, so we decided to start Port Cities and start writing music for that,” he said. According to Stone, the band’s musical style is pop influenced, with a touch of the folk and roots tradition associated with the East Coast. Many of Port Cities’ tracks are acoustically driven, and most include vocal harmonies among the band members, who take turns singing and driving the songs forward. “We’re all big fans of pop music and pop songwriting, but we come from a folk, singer-songwriter world – and we pride ourselves on being good at our instruments and singing well,” Stone said. “It’s more like pop songs in a more organic, rootsy format.” Since releasing its debut, self-titled album in 2017, Port Cities has garnered five Nova Scotia Music Awards and earned a SOCAN No. 1 award for its track Back to the Bottom. According to its website, Port Cities’ music has had more than 1.5 million streams internationally, and has enjoyed spells at the top of CBC and Spotify charts. While Port Cities plays in Calgary “a few times a year,” according to Stone, the Nov. 24 show will mark the band’s first time visiting or performing in Bragg Creek. Stone added the performance will wrap up the band’s touring cycle for its first album. He said attendees can expect a high-energy show, with songs that appeal to people of all ages. “[There will be] a lot of singing, three-part harmonies, and we pride ourselves in writing great songs, we think,” he said. “When you come see our show, we have a lot of stories and jokes in between the songs that are all as important as the music we’re playing. I feel we’re continuing on the tradition of storytelling and the travelling-bard situation.” The Nov. 24 show is slated to begin at 8 p.m. at the Bragg Creek Community Centre. Tickets are $30 for adults and $28 for seniors. For more information on the band, visit portcities.ca Find out more about Bragg Creek Performing Arts’ 2018 fall series, and how to purchase tickets, by visiting braggcreekperformingarts.com
