Early starting shows can be a blessing and a curse. A blessing for people who have to get up early to go to work, and a curse for people like me, who rushed back from Calgary to catch some upbeat country fun with George Canyon at Average Joes, Sunday, May 14.

 The show was pretty much over by the time I arrived to a packed bar, with most of the crowd gleefully  two stepping.

 Canyon was telling the story behind his hit  “Good Day To  Ride,” when I got settled in and played a hot version of it.

 I also arrived in time for a couple of newer hits including “I Got This” and “Daughters of the Sun.”

He dedicated “Somebody Wrote Love” to his wife before introducing his next single “Better Off in Love,” which he described as “a great two stepping song” and which is the one I really wanted to hear after hearing him talk about it during my interview with him last week.

He is known for playing excellent covers and wound the show down with his hit cover of Crowded House’s ’80s hit “Better Be Home Soon” from back in the day when “I wanted to be the lead singer of an ’80s rock band.”
He was called back for an encore after “I Got This,” and showed he is a pretty good guitarist by picking up an electric guitar and playing the lead on Eric Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight.”

He ended the show at 10:20 p.m. with a great cover of Johnny Cash’s “Ring Of Fire,” which showed off keyboardist Mike Little’s prowess on accordion, who was a blur behind three keyboards and backing vocals throughout the show.

Edmonton born, Toronto based folk punk musician Eamon McGrath and his band bassist Lee Klippenstein who also plays in the Slates; pedal steel/ electric guitarist Darrek Anderson - who also plays in The Dungarees, and The Guaranteed and drummer Jerf Sebastian who played in early-2000s Vancouver punk band The Doers, played a hot show at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, May 13 which was heavy on the punk, with just a touch of folk.

Mickey Hayward of the Mormon Girls and Cope opened the show with a set of loud, electrified rock punctuated by his plaintive voice and lyrics.

 Eamon McGrath began their set with straight ahead, amplified punk rock sound which sounded like  Neil Young jamming with Husker Du and Bob Mould.

McGrath donned an acoustic guitar and a harmonica for  a couple slower songs like “Cold Alberta Nights,” which were more like Jr. Gone Wild meets Tom Petty.

 He switched back to electric guitar after that  for more punk before calling it a night with the rocking “I Am The Deer, which he quickly followed with a cover of Neil Young’s “Fucking Up.”
 That got the band calls for an encore.

Edmonton based blues/ funk band the Boogie Patrol always bring the party with them wherever they go. So they already had a hot, sweaty and frothing dance floor by the time I arrived to their show at the Slice, Friday, May 12. I arrived in the middle of a whole lot of funk filled jamming on “Whole Lotta Gravy” from their new Cd “Man on Fire,” just in time for them to take a set break. Long, funk fuelled jams were the hallmark of the show.

The band, frontman / harp wizard Rott’n Dan Shinnan, guitarists Yuji Ihara and Chad Holtzman , bassist Nigel Gale and drummer Emmet Van Etten were tight, tight , tight, effortlessly switching time tempos mid song. Holtzman and Ihara seamlessly took turns playing hot leads and funky breakdowns VanEtten and Gale  were locked in with each other whole Rott’n Dan blew mind and ear bending harps while howling like he was alternately possessed by the spirits of James Brown and Joe Cocker.

I’ve been looking forward to this show for weeks ever since getting a copy of their new CD “Man on Fire,” and I was not disappointed. I caught most of their three set though they seemed like they were ready and willing to play until dawn.

 They ended set two with an extended jam of “Shaker Down Below” from the new Cd, which had most of the room shaking what their mama’s gave them.

 Their sets included much of the new Cd, some old favourites and funky covers including a medley of James Brown in set three including “Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag.” They also played a funky version of blues classic “Shake Your Moneymaker.”

Another slower week also features some very cool shows.
Blues legend Amos Garrett plays a special show at the Mocha Cabana, Wednesday, May 24 with Julian Kerr from 5:30-10:30 p.m. The $78.75 tickets also include at three course dinner.

That same night, Peterborough musician Kayla Howran returns to Lethbridge  to introduce the Slice to her new CD.

The Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra features “Feel The Beat,” Thursday, May 25. They will be introducing young folks to children with four shows during the day and finish it up with a public performance at the Southminster United Church at7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for adults, nine dollars for children.

 If you want to laugh, Rotary Mosaic  are hosting a fundraiser at Average Joes featuring Rotary members doing improv. The show begins at 6 p.m. There is a $20 cover.
It is a good week to rock out.