Touring trends bringing bigger acts to smaller cities

The willingness of smaller cities to collaborate and shifting trends in the music industry are making it easier to attract big acts to Atlantic Canada, officials say.

British music icon Elton John is the latest musician to announce that he will be performing on Canada's East Coast.

Moncton, Halifax and Saint John, which often compete to lure big stars, decided to work together to bring the pop musician to the area, said Shane Porter, major event co-ordinator for Moncton.

"Basically it's a co-ordinated effort with all the venues in Atlantic Canada," Porter said. "This wouldn't be possible unless it worked for all venues. You know to have an artist of this calibre come to Atlantic Canada is a win for all of us."

John, a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer, will play at the Halifax Metro Centre on Sept. 26 and 27 before playing the Moncton Coliseum on Sept. 28 and Harbour Station in Saint John on Sept. 30.

He'll also go to Newfoundland and Labrador to play at St. John's Mile One Centre on Oct. 2 and 3.

Though it's the first time John will rock Atlantic Canada, it's not the first time major acts have come to the region.

Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan included Atlantic Canada on their tour schedules this year.

The Eagles are scheduled to perform in Moncton in July and Keith Urban will hit Halifax in August, while Canadian singer of international fame Avril Lavigne will rock St. John's.

The Rolling Stones also visitedMoncton in 2005 and Halifax in 2006,and the White Stripes hit small towns and cities across the country during their 2007 tour.

Smaller cities in Atlantic Canada are benefiting from changing trends in the music business, Porter said.

"The nature of touring right now is far different than it has been," Porter said. "Artists are touring longer, going into markets they wouldn't have a few years ago."

A stronger Canadian dollar has also helped smaller centres in Canada attract big concerts, said Jillian Somers, a spokeswoman with the City of Moncton.

Big names are usually paid in American funds and a strong Canadian dollar makes it more affordable for smaller cities to enter the competition to bring them in, Somers said.

When the big shows come to town it's also a big economic generator, Somers said.

"It's huge," Somers said. "I mean, in addition to actual events themselves, the economic spinoff Our hoteliers are just saying that we're having great experience restaurants, retail it's great for the community at large, and the region."