Flying Fox and the Hunter Gatherers are planning a more stripped down show for the South Country Fair this year when they close off the East Stage on Sunday afternoon.

“This time we’re leaving the drums and the masks at home,” said bassist Lindsey Collins, recovering from volunteering at the Winnipeg Folk Festival. The Winnipeg band is known for their rock opera of popular children’s book “Where the Wild Things Are,” during which they sport crazy masks based on the characters from the book and all jump in front of the stage in a massive drum off.

“We’re retiring them for now. We don’t want to be known as a gimmicky band. But we‘re working on something even more theatrical for the future,” he said.

“There’s a lot more room in the van now. We have pictures of it and it was just packed. It was just ridiculous. It was like a giant game of Tetris trying to fit everything in,” he said adding even the 45 some minute set they will be playing at South Country Fair will be enough to get the essence of the band.
“Our music is pretty theatrical on its own,” he said adding they don’t  want to be pigeonholed as a gimmick band, nor do they want to bore themselves or their audience.
“Especially for those who have seen us before.”

Punch Drunk Cabaret are making their first foray into Southern Alberta to close off Friday night at the South Country Fair, July 20.
 Their bio on their website notes frontman/ guitarist Randy Bailer “stumbled upon the curious notion that the same people that love Johnny Cash also tend to like AC/DC.”
He noted that does not necessarily describe the band but upon further reflection, e-mailed “It describes Punch Drunk Cabaret’s audience.”
The trio combines elements of outlaw country, rockabilly and steam-punk swing.

“ We play outlaw country, rockabilly and steam-punk swing, but we don’t have a horn section. That definitely covers a lot of territory,” Bailer said.
 The band’s influences are as diverse as their location.

“We say we’re from a fictitious town called Dustbowl, Alberta,” he said.

While he lives Wetaskwin, 12-string bass player Terry Sawbones Grant lives in Spruce Grove and drummer Reverend Robin Eklund lives in Camrose, so practicing together can be challenging.

“It takes some strategic planning. So each of us does a lot of woodshedding, so when we rehearse, it’s always a beautiful thing. It’s always a lot of fun when we do get together. It’s such a wicked experience,” he continued.
“If we’re playing regularly, there is a lot more rehearsing,” he said.

 The band members are very experienced musicians. Drummer Robin Eklund is in a popular Edmonton based indie-rock band Rake, which has opened for the likes of Nickelback and the Tragically Hip.

 They are looking forward to their South Country Fair debut.
 “ In the summer there is nothing better than getting in your van or truck and playing abroad,” he said.

Redrum Triumph is one of the most innovative new groups performing in Lethbridge.
 They will be performing at the South Country Fair this year, opening the east stage on Saturday at noon.

 The duo, comprised of  Steve Foord of the Necessities and Kelsey Jesperson actually formed because of the South Country Fair.

 “ We wanted to enter the South Country Fair Songwriting competition last year. We actually got to play on the South stage last year because (contest winner) Mike Granzow couldn’t make it,” Foord said.

He shuts down the Owl Acoustic Lounge during South Country Fair so he, his staff and most of his patrons can go to it.
“ After that we liked it so much, that we decided to form a band. We get along really well,” he continued.

“ I just like playing,” said Jesperson.

“I’d like to put violin on everything because that’s my number one instrument, but we experiment,” she continued. She provides the theoretical knowledge about music Foord admits he lacks.

The Wednesday jam at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, July 4 was packed, so Guernsey, Saskatchewan folk/ pop singer Meghan Bowman had a good crowd listening intently while chattering away.
 She played some pretty piano, noting “ I write a lot of sappy love songs so you will be hearing a lot of them.”

 While she had a Tori Amos/ Fiona Apple, girl with a piano vibe happening, her melodies were a lot more melancholy than the typical sappy love song they sounded like. One highlight was “Dare To Stare,” which she said was about  being addicted to money.

Throughout she sang pretty melodies and joked with the audience
Megan Nash was also on the bill, though I missed her set.