Born and raised in the rich musical culture of Eastern Ontario, Marco Belanger has built a reputation as one of those rare performers who can shift effortlessly between fiery lead guitar work, crowd-pleasing singalongs, and multi-instrumental versatility — all while keeping the room laughing and engaged. 

Best known for his work with East Coast Experience, Belanger channels the kitchen-party spirit of Atlantic Canada with a polished stage presence that blends East Coast tradition, classic rock energy, and the kind of quick wit only seasoned live performers develop after years on the road. Whether he’s trading stories between songs, jumping between instruments, or getting an audience clapping in rhythm before the first chorus even hits, Marco brings the feel of a maritime ceilidh to every venue he plays — making audiences feel less like spectators and more like part of the band. Let’s have another Mudder of a Time at The Cove Inn on Saturday, June 13, 2026 with his band East Coast Experience! Details and reservations here.

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Seamus Cowan: You’ve played enough live shows to probably write a survival guide for musicians — what’s the strangest thing that’s ever happened to you onstage that somehow ended up making the night better?

Marco Belanger: One of the most memorable shows I ever played took place in Drummondville, Quebec, years before East Coast Experience. A major winter storm had hit the day before, turning what should have been a three-hour drive into a stressful five-hour journey through snow-covered roads and near whiteout conditions. When we finally arrived, we discovered that only about 20 people had made it out to a venue that could hold 400.

Rather than playing to a mostly empty room, we embraced the situation.

We invited everyone to bring their chairs to the front, arranged them in a semicircle, moved our equipment off the stage, and performed the show acoustically. What could have been a disappointing night became one of the most special concerts I've ever experienced. The small crowd created an intimate, kitchen-party atmosphere, and the connection between the audience and performers was unlike anything a packed venue could have provided. It was a powerful reminder that great shows aren't defined by the size of the crowd, but by the spirit of the people who are there.

Q: East Coast music is famous for turning complete strangers into lifelong friends by the end of the night. What’s your secret weapon song when you absolutely need to win over a crowd fast?

Marco: We have several crowd-pleasers in our arsenal, and our shows tend to be high-energy from start to finish, but if we absolutely need to win over a crowd fast, "Excursion Around the Bay" is usually a good one to pull into the set. This beloved Great Big Sea classic has a way of bringing people together almost instantly. The energy builds throughout the song until that unforgettable moment when fists shoot into the air and the entire room lets out a loud, unified "HEY!". It's impossible not to get caught up in it. Whether people arrive as strangers or longtime friends, by the end of the song they're singing together, laughing together, and fully immersed in the experience. That's the kind of connection East Coast music creates, and it's one of the reasons we love playing it.

Q: As a multi-instrumentalist, is there one instrument you secretly think gets all the glory while another one does all the hard work?

Marco: I think the electric guitar often gets a lot of the spotlight because it’s visually and sonically very upfront—people notice riffs, solos, and melodic lines right away, and it naturally cuts through in a live mix on most songs. But in reality, I don’t think there’s a true ‘glory vs. hard work’ divide in a well-functioning band but from my side of the stage, I would say that the acoustic guitar is my go-to workhorse instrument that does a lot of the heavy lifting on most songs and doesn’t get nearly the credit it deserves.

Q: If you could build the ultimate Ottawa-East Coast Experience supergroup using any Canadian musicians — living or dead — who’s in the lineup and who’s the most wild on tour?

Marco: I feel like I need to answer this from the band’s perspective—because the top of the list isn’t random. It usually comes down to the artists we all keep circling back to over the years, even if we each connect with them for slightly different reasons. That includes Alan Doyle for energy and crowd connection, Geddy Lee on bass for pure musical mastery, Neil Peart in the rhythm section for precision and dynamics, Natalie MacMaster on fiddle for East Coast fire and drive, and Rik Emmett on guitar for technical skill and melodic rock edge.

As for being wild on tour—there’s probably a good reason Alan Doyle has endless road stories…

Q: After all these years of performing, what’s more dangerous: a rowdy Friday-night crowd, a badly requested encore, or a bandmate saying, “Hey Marco, just fake it in G”?

Marco: All three are dangerous in their own special way, but they’re not equally survivable. I’d say the real hazard is always: “Hey Marco, just fake it in G.” because that’s not a musical direction—it’s a leap of faith with no landing. Suddenly you’re doing mental arithmetic, scanning faces, and wondering if “G” means G or “G-ish… and in most cases it signals to your bandmates that you'll hopefully meet them at the finish line when the song wraps up!

Posted: Jun 2, 2026