Ready to rock

Canadian acts Big Sugar and One Bad Son to headline new festival in Truro

TRURO

A new music festival is bringing the rock to downtown Truro in September.

Rock The Hub is a new two-day music festival bringing a lineup of well-known Canadian rock acts to the Civic Square from Sept. 2223.

Hosted by the Salty Dog Brewing Company, the festival was in the idea stage for a few years and only became a reality after owner Derek Forsyth noticed a demand for live music in the area.

“Rock The Hub has been an idea of mine for the last three or four years,” he said.

“Ever since the Dutch Mason Festival left Truro, I have thought it would be cool to start up something again. Truro really has an appetite for live music, and since holding a few good block parties and hosting The Trews, people have been asking for more.”

The Dutch Mason Blues Festival was an annual three-day music festival held in Truro every year, but in 2015, the festival moved elsewhere after the Truro Raceway announced it would no longer be holding the event at their facility.

Rock The Hub will be a test of sorts to see if a music festival, especially a rock festival, is sustainable in Truro.

“I thought to myself, why not hold a two-day festival to see if it is doable, and see if we can expand upon it later on? So this is kind of a test run to see if we can successfully hold a rock festival in Truro. If we can, we will be discussing some bigger things to roll out in 2018,” said Forsyth.

The festival will be headlined by Ontario band Big Sugar on Friday, and Saskatchewan rockers One Bad Son on Saturday.

A handful of local bands are also on the bill to open for the

two headliners, including Antigonish band Andre Pettipas and The Giants, Yarmouth’s Rain Over St. Ambrose, and Moncton’s The Motorleague.

“I like to support a lot of what I call Maritime acts,” said Forsyth.

“We will have six acts from around Nova Scotia, who are just a bunch of great musicians. We’ve got some awesome local bands that don’t get enough support. They work their butts off for almost nothing, which is why I want to support them.”

Set up at the Civic Square downtown, the 19+ festival will feature beer tents, a cocktail station, and a few other surprises yet to be announced.

“It is about being outside in what we call the coolest spot in town, the Civic Square,” said Forsyth.

“It is the best spot in town, and is revitalizing downtown Truro. So the festival will allow us to celebrate the square and Truro while having a cold beer and enjoying some cool music.”