It was a busy Saturday night, Sept. 15. I only managed to hit three gigs out of numerous others.

 I was glad I stopped by the Wolf’s Den for the Lethbridge Folk Club’s first concert of their new season.

 Australian songwriter David Ross MacDonald was well into his set of stories, fleet fingered guitar and pleasing vocals by the time I arrived.

 He noted he seriously injured his hand and did irreparable damage to his index finger with a knife last year, and didn’t think he would ever be able to play again, which made his picking all the more impressive.

 He had the audience of approximately 30 people singing along to many of his songs including a new one called “Keeping it Going,” which he wrote while recovering from the knife incident.

 While there was plenty of fine finger-picking, his show was very mellow and laid back punctuated by a few jokes and stories which the audience ate up.

One of the highlights, a song about the tree in his backyard, called “Pepper Tree” came near the end. it painted a peaceful picture of hammock and a cool breeze beneath a shady tree. ‘Paper Crane,” was another laid back highlight with which he wound down his show.

Lethbridge showed their love for records and community radio station CKXU, Sept. 15. They had numerous vendors, lots of records and of course and some excellent live music. Hundreds of people wandered through Galt Gardens throughout the day to take in all of those things.

 The Hibikiya drummers got things going after 11:30 a.m. with some intense percussion.

 Innovative and expressive Lethbridge instrumental group Clockwork Towns were next with a lot of ambient guitars and keyboards easing everybody into the afternoon.

 Red Rum Triumph carried on in the laid back vibe with nice vocals from Steve Foord and Kelsey Jesperson and their usual strong set of songs about murder, zombies and even a touch of gospel.

 Big Jim and the Twins aka John Greenshields and Lustre Creame’s rhythm section Chris Lipinski and Geoff Orriss were in a a psychedelic mood, with a loud set of blues influenced rock music with lots of jamming and guitar solos.

There was a lot more percussion from the j.am.ani duo with Matt Groenheide and Jodi Bartell with Bartell playing Caribbean rhythm on steel drum while Groenheide sat on a cajon pounding out extra rhythm.

Meanwhile Lethbridge improv troupe wandered through the audience throughout the day playing some of their favourite improv games with the crowd including  The Irish Drinking Song, and DaDoo Ron Ron, for which they asked for suggestions form the audience.

 Edmonton‘s Bonspiel plugged in and turned it up for a raucous set of three chord roots tinged rock and roll. They had a lot of energy and a lot of catchy hooks.

A performance by local psychedelic rock band Cosmic Charley is rare treat, so I made a point of bringing a group of people to see them at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Sept. 14.

 Riley McKinnon opened the show with a solid set of acoustic rock including originals as well as a few ’90s rock covers including Soundgarden’s “Black Hole Sun,” and the Foo Fighters’ “Everlong.”

Lethbridge band Cosmic Charley were in a fun mood, as lead singer Nathan Kunkel sported a fake afro and sunglasses, which he took off mid set, while the other band members wore cowboy hats and sunglasses. Cosmic Charley’s freewheeling ’70s influenced sound don‘t sound like anybody else.

 Thomas Bird’s funk powered bass was a highlight as usual. Kunkel’s distinctively warbling voice made the band sound like Trooper’s Ra Maguire singing for the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
 They played most of the music from their latest CD “Wake Up,” including the catchy title track. They also played an upbeat cover of The Stokes “Last Night.”
They ended their show with a super version of Spacehog’s ’90s  hit “ In The Meantime.”

The blues is right up my alley, and Kelowna bluesman Poppa Dawg was happy to deliver at the Slice, Sept. 13.

“All I ask is that you dig the blues,” he told an audience of about 20 people. They were listening as most of them hung on every word and note.

Richard Arthur Halisheff, aka Poppa Dawg, was lost in his own world, beaming as he caressed the neck of his Stratocaster in a “Strat-tastic” set of beautiful blues music including original music from his latest CD  “What You Got,” as blues classics  including an exceptional version of Hound Dog Taylor’s “Give Me Back My Wig.”

 One of the highlights was a new song “What is the Matter With You,” which he hadn’t recorded yet.
Another highlight was a superb version of Duke Robillard’s “I May Be Ugly, ( But I Sure Know How To Cook.)
His drummer, Brian “Skip” MaGuire sang a stellar version of the Fabulous Thunderbirds’ “Why Get Up” while singing excellent background vocals.

Poppa Dawg shone on his own material, with down to earth lyrics and catchy “call-back” choruses. He sounded like Doug and the Slugs singing upbeat blues music.

 His second set was just as intense though the audience had begun to trickle away by then.
 He began by tackling rockabilly standard “Mystery Train.”

He caught everyone’s interest with a cool version of Lonnie Mack’s’s “Oreo Cookie Blues.” and sat on the edge of the stage to take a soulful solo.

 He also played a couple tracks from his latest CD  including “Blame Yourself,” and “Deepest Shade of Blue.”
He joked about his ex-wife before playing one of the CD’s highlights “I Ain’t Complaining ( I’m Just Explaining).