Mat Hughes’ Halifax

This is my favourite venue in the city - both as a performer and an audience member. The staff are wonderful, it sounds like a million bucks in there, and the talent that comes through the place is unbelievable. They foster a connection between artist and audience that I think is singular and unmatched in Halifax. The Carleton was the first venue in the city that I ever sold out, so it will always have a really special place in my heart.

The Osney has my favourite breakfast sandwich in HRM. I’ve tried ‘em all. I’ve done the research. This one is the best. I like to go there with a few pals and hope that the big sunny table by the window is free. But usually I go there alone to read. I love that even if it’s full, folks are always cool if you join them at an empty seat at their table (or at least they’re too polite to say no).

You don’t always have time for a full Tour de France down in the valley. Sometimes you only have time for a quick rip to Sackville. And that’s okay - because this Frenchy’s is top notch. I’ve found 3 of my favourite pairs of pants there. You’ve gotta check it out. Unless you wear the same size pants as me, in which case stay the heck away from there and go to the Mission Mart across the road.

Every time I go to a Sadie Skinner show she sings something that makes me go, ‘dang, I wish I thought of that’. She is one of my all-time favourite songwriters. I think I listened to Electric Blue maybe 500 times this year. I was looking for a special guest to set the tone for my album release show and it was a total no-brainer. Come see Sadie Skinner’s opening set on October 24!

I make a point of popping into Egghead any time I’m walking on Agricola with a few minutes to spare. Their selection is wonderful, their staff picks don’t miss, and they’re always able to order books quickly if they don’t have them on the shelf. I really love this place.

I couldn’t pick just one musician’s tires to pump. I first saw Toledano perform in my attic at Allan Good Fun and I was so blown away that I vowed never to miss another show of hers for as long as I lived (so far my record is clean). Blanche puts on the most immersive, transportive, and cathartic performances that I have ever seen. No one is doing it like her. She is playing at Bus Stop Theatre in November if you want to see for yourself!

A bit of a drive, but definitely worth it for a day trip. Stop for breakfast at the Rose Bay Store & Bistro, go for a walk on Hirtle’s Beach (maybe hike Gaff if you’re feeling ambitious), admire the horses up on the hill (shoutout Sea Horse Farm!), take the cable ferry over to the LaHave Bakery in the afternoon, come back and catch a show at the Old Confidence Lodge in the evening. This is my favourite corner of the province.

Tucked into the mansions along the Northwest Arm, there are a handful of not-so-secret spots that are open to non-land-owning plebs like myself. There’s one spot in particular that I swam at almost every day this summer. You don’t have to drive 30 minutes to a beach, you don’t have to buy a 10 million dollar home, you’ve just gotta hop on google maps and figure out where they are (I’d tell you, but I don’t want to doom the spot).

If you haven’t been, you’ve just gotta go. The band is absolutely foolish, the special guests are heroic, you’ll see at least one person you went to high school with, and Rankin might even throw some bagpipes on a song if you peer pressure him enough (don’t forget to transpose into A first though). Then it’s over by supper time. Go to bed early or splash some water on your face and carry on.