Calgary based Pink Floyd tribute Pink 4Freud know how to put on a show. I only caught the end of their  show at Average Joes, Saturday, July 15. As expected for any Pink Floyd related show, there was plenty of smoke, lights and lasers firing all over the room, as a good sized audience  sat enraptured.

One lady even laid down on the dance floor to snap some pictures of a well renditioned guitar solo during “Comfortably Numb. They played plenty of Pink Floyd’s trippy bass heavy,  ambient hits, several from  Pink Floyd’s epic “ the Wall.”  like Run like Hell” and “Comfortably Numb” There was plenty of delay laden guitar, some apt keyboards and sweet saxophone solos

Lethbridge girls have been learning how to rock for the past five years with a little help from Lethbridge Girls Rock Camp.

 For a week girls aged 17 and under are put together in bands, learn an instrument, learn how to write songs, create merch , rehearse and perform together at the end of the week.

 The fifth annual camp takes place at the Gate, July 24-28  with the band showcase on July 29.

 This year’s camp is the biggest yet, which comes as a pleasant surprise to organizer Silvana Campus.
“This year is our biggest ever, we have 31 campers. In previous years we have had around 20,” enthused Campus.

“This year we are getting sisters whose big sisters have been here in previous years,“ she continued, adding more campers means they will be able to form eight different bands, who will be guided by around 20 volunteers helping throughout the week in various capacities from instructing to helping haul gear.

“Some will be volunteering a full day , others will be volunteering for a half day,” she said,noting volunteers include some familiar faces from local bands including Aaron Trozzo, Rebecca McHugh and Hope Madison of local band Wint, Bailey Horton from new local band the Sad Mango, Jackson Tiefenbach of the Ruby Plumes and J Blissette and Bente Hansen, who, among many other projects, performs with New West Theatre.

After last week’s slower week punctuated by  South Country Fair, July 21-23, things pick up steam in a big way early this week with the Wide Skies Music Festival at Southminster United Church.

A variety of bands  (5:15:Shaela Miller; 5:50: 24th Street Wailers; 7:55: Ryland Moranz; 8:50: Deep Dark Woods; 8:15: Mariel Buckley; 9 :15: Alex Cuba) play a free outdoor show on Wednesday.

While the Wednesday event is free, festival  passes cost $60, which include preferred seating for Thursday night, swag as well as a transit pass. Organizer Mike Spencer noted there will be a suggested donation of $10 for Wednesday night to help cover expenses.

 The next night, Thursday, is a paid concert inside Southminster United Church featuring roots and blues duo Dave and Phil Alvin. Lindi Ortega opens the show at 8 p.m. Tickets cost $60.

After that, there is a big indie rock show at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Thursday, July 27 featuring Toronto based singer songwriter Charlotte Cornfield and the Provincial Archive, Edmonton indie rock band Jesse and the Dandelions and local Indie rock band the Utilities.
The Owl Acoustic lounge also brings back Montreal singer songwriter Bobby Dove, Friday, July 28 with special guest Joey Only.

Country singer/ songwriter Lindi Ortega was feeling a little lost in the music business after releasing five recordings, that is until she moved to Calgary in February after meeting a man and started listening to songwriter Townes Van Zandt, which rekindled her love for music and songwriting, which lead to her new  EP “Til the Going Gets Gone.”
 She will be playing the Wide Skies Music Festival at Southminster United Church, July 27 with at least her guitarist Champagne James Robertson.

“ It wasn’t really inspired by Townes Van Zandt, but it was inspired by me  thinking of getting out of the music business and getting a job,” she said.

“ I’m in my late 30s and I’ve got a lot of bills to pay, which is difficult to do in the music business,” she said.

“I’ve retooled how I do things. I’ve learned a lot like not to overspend on tours, which has helped,” she continued.