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Things are really starting to pick up with a lot of energetic roots music happening in Lethbridge this week.
Fernie-based ski bums, “stoke folk” bluegrass/folk band Shred Kelly bring their blend of claw-hammer banjo, accordion, keyboards, ukulele, harmonica and upbeat folk music to the Owl Acoustic Lounge on Jan. 20.
The band members recently quit their jobs to focus on making music.
“We like the Fernie ski bum thing. We want to make time to snowboard and to play shows and write music, but we need to find a balance between them,” said Sage McBride, Shred Kelly’s keyboardist/accordionist and vocalist.
“We said let’s really give it a try. We quit our jobs so we can focus on it. We still do odd jobs to make ends meet. A couple of the guys have jobs which let them come in whenever they can,” she continued.
“For me, I definitely made the biggest sacrifice. I was a teacher. But I’m doing lots of subbing and still help out in the daycare, just in case this doesn’t work, I can go back. But I’m not regretting anything yet,” she laughed.
A successful pre-Christmas tour all the way to Quebec and back, points to things working great for them.
“None of us are from Fernie, we are spread all over the country, so we have family or friends, grandmas or cousins, all over the country. We had warm beds and hot meals every place. So we aren’t the starving travelling band. We probably put on five pounds each, having three hot meals a day. But we’ll see how it goes next time,” she said.
There is no cover for the show, which will open with Kelsey Jesperson and Steve Foord a.k.a. Redrum Triumph.
Redrum Triumph also opens for Calgary folk singer Reuben Bullock and Gold at the Slice the next night, Jan. 21.
The Slice is the place to be for indie rock as well this week as The Utilities, Daydream Johnny, Jesse and the Dandelions and Michael Granzow will all play on Jan. 20.
The Slice also has a sweet reggae show featuring Brian Rosen and the Whatnow performing Jan. 19.
Harry Manx shares his love of unusual instruments
If you like a mixture of eastern and western music, Salt Spring island bluesman Harry Manx returns to Lethbridge to play the Geomatic Attic on Jan. 19
The Salt Spring Island-based bluesman adds an exotic flair to his music by using the Mohan Veena, a special 20-string instrument he picked up and learned to play while living in India.
Last year he released “Strictly Whatever,” his third album for Stony Plain records and third with guitarist extraordinaire Kevin Breit.
Breit won’t be joining Manx on this tour, but American multi-instrumentalist Hans Christian will be touring with him, playing a variety of instruments including a guitar and more unusual exotic instruments.
“We’re very different,” he said, adding while he is more laid back, Christian is more energetic on stage.
Tickets for the show, which is almost sold out, cost $45.
Robbie Burns Day and more
If you like classical music, Dale Ketcheson plays the Mocha Cabana, Jan. 20 and Jan. 21.
And if you want to bring out your inner Scotsman, check out a couple Robbie Burns Day celebrations.
The Galt Museum is looking forward to celebrating the celebrated Scottish poet’s birthday, Jan. 21 with their annual Scotch tasting and Haggis feast, Scotch and Burns
Scotch and Burns begins at 6:30 p.m., with Scotch tasting, drummers and a whole lot of pipers. The all ages program begins at 7 p.m..
Tickets cost $3 for the public and $1 for annual pass holders. It is free for children six and under to attend.
The Owl Acoustic Lounge is also celebrating Robbie Burns Day with the Junkman’s Choir, a Lethbridge band influenced by Tom Waits, Luke Doucet and Johnny Cash which included violin and saxophone. There is no cover for that show.
The week that was
This week was a little slower, which is to be expected for the middle of January, but there were some highlights.
Matt Robinson did double duty this weekend, opening for the Coal Creek Boys, Jan, 14 at the Slice, but also had his own laid-back show at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Jan. 13.
Robinson with Evan Eushenko playing lead guitar and singing vocal harmonies on a variety of slower-paced folk/ blues along the lines of more acoustic Neil Young. I thought I heard a relaxed version of Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer,” in their set.
On the other hand, it was time to rock at the Slice, Jan. 13 with Unzipped.
The Lethbridge classic metal band Unzipped played a variety of ’80s hard rock hits including Guns’ n Roses’ “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” The Tragically Hip’s “Blow at High Dough as well as selections from the Cult, “Roxy Roller”, “Johnny B Good,” and “Cocaine ” with a talk box solo. They also sang three rounds of "Happy Birthday,” for several people celebrating their day of birth. and CCR, which had a good-sized crowd dancing.
Their well dressed lead singer showed an impressive voice hitting all of the high notes of these well worn hits. And the band knew their music well.
I only caught a few songs of the ailing Alyssa McQuaid at the Mocha Cabana, Jan 14.
She sounded in fine form, though recovering from a cold.
She sang a variety of originals and popular covers including Leonard Cohen’s “ Hallelujah,” and her superb folky version of “Sweet Child O’ Mine” for a good sized crowd.
Another good-sized crowd was at the Lethbridge Folk Club Wolf‘s Den for a fun show of “cow-jazz music,” with Back Porch Swing.
The four-piece band featured Penny and former Lethbridge musician JIm Malmberg. They entertained the audience with lots of stories, jokes and a variety of styles of music including a touch of fiddle powered western swing, jazz and a lot of bluegrass folk music.
their second set had the audience clapping and laughing along with entertaining songs about the Gladstone Mountains, for a touch of southern Alberta and runaway pigs.
Penny Malmberg sang sultry jazz and cracked jokes as her husband Jim Malmberg alternated between mandolin and guitar while adding excellent vocal harmonies. Seven Persons’ resident Cam Neufeld supplied a lot of fine fiddle playing.
He sang “Francis the Pig,” the catchy runaway pig song, which had the crowd laughing, while Penny sang a sexy song about butter, of all things, which has been getting a lot of airplay on CKUA.
They also put their own unique twist on three upbeat gospel songs about Jesus on the cross and another posing the question of “how do you get to heaven,” if you haven’t sinned.
A rare serious moment came on a touching tune called “Old Home Number,” about Penny wanting to call her mother one last time.
By the time I got to the Slice, Jan. 14, the Coal Creek Boys CD release party for their new CD “Hard At It in Old Town” was already going full bore.
Ryan Dyck from Treeline added pedal steel guitar to the upbeat country music of Johnpaul Smith, Dino Scavo, Devin Gergel, Dustin Gergel and Ali Stuart who got to shine on several songs.
It was packed with people, most of them on the dance floor during a slower song from he new CD by the time I arrived, but they picked up the tempo pretty quickly with a couple of my favourites from the CD including “Genie— Lose the Bottle.”
They invited Kelsey Jesperson on stage to add fiddle to some of my favourites “Ten Feet Underground,” and “You Ain’t Got To Like Everyone,” before they introduced a new, upbeat number “Brand New Summer Dress.” They slowed things down for a spell on “This Old Heart.” Then picked up the pace again by ending their set with another foot-stomper “Raspberry Mary.”
their second set included a variety of covers, beginning it with a cover of Neil Young’s “Ohio,” followed by Steve Miller’s “The Joker.”
Johnpaul Smith sang an excellent version of Bruce Springsteen’s “ I’m on Fire.” Stuart got to shine on a couple of songs including a cool version of the Ozark Mountain Daredevils’ “Homemade Wine” and a good version of Hank Williams Jr.’ “Outlaw Woman.”
Shaela Miller joined them on stage to belt out Johnny Cash’s “Going to Jackson.” And they were still going well into the wee hours with the crowd keeping step with them.
Jan. 18
Owl — L.A. Beat Open mic
Ric’s Grill — Ain’t Misbehavin with Bridgette Yarwood and Evan Schaaf
Black Tomato — Luke Bruce Double Jack
Slice — The Naked Ear Jazzerwocky
Jan. 19
Good Earth Coffee House — Renee Werenka and Friends
Geomatic Attic — Harry Manx
Slice — Brian Rosen and the Whatnow
Jan. 20
Casino Lethbridge — Ah Bee Normal
Average Joe's — Dueling pianos
Jimmy’s Pub — open mic with Cory Oryniak and Dave Tillsley
Ric’s Grill — Davidson Porter Trio
Slice — Jesse and the Dandelions with Daydream Johnny and the Utilities
Mocha Cabana — Dale Ketcheson
Owl Acoustic Lounge — Shred Kelly with the Redrum Triumph
Jan. 21
Mocha Cabana — Dale Ketcheson
Casino Lethbridge — Ah Bee Normal
Ric’s Grill — Cal Toth
Streatside Eatery — James Oldenburg and Paul Holden, 5-7:30 p.m.
Owl Acoustic Lounge — Junkman’s Choir Robbie Burns Celebration
Slice — Reuben Bullock with Gold and Redrum Triumph
Galt Museum — Robbie Burns Day
Jan. 23
Owl Acoustic Lounge — open mic
Jan. 24
Slice — open mic Bo Didlys open mic with Double Jack
Yates — Gerry Dee comedy
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