This week is a good long weekend for the blues.

 Not only is Wild T and the Spirit coming back to the Slice, Aug. 2,(see Music Beat for an interview with Wild T) but Edmonton garage rock/blues duo the Pack A.D. hit Henotic the day before with local blues rock duo Smoke Stack Jacks. And another talented Lethbridge blues band has a weekend run at the Lethbridge Casino. Darryl Düus  and the One Shoe Blues band play Friday and Saturday night.

Mike Grabow, who has a new regular Thursday night gig at Ric’s Grill, will be hosting a new open mic at the 1010 Pub Tuesday nights beginning at 9 p.m. It will be running until the end of August. Tuesday’s (July 28) had a packed house full of musicians and listeners. Grabow is leaving Lethbridge on Aug. 19 for Nevada, but said he is looking at a couple of options to keep the open mic going after he is gone.

Everybody is welcome to bring their instruments and perform. He has been a familiar face around Lethbridge over the past month, playing both Henotic and the Slice this past week. So check him out. He has a powerful voice and adds a cool Mexican / Caribbean feel to his original music.

Another cool show happening at Henotic  this week is the Greg Cockerill band who will be playing his original country pop music with the Necessities and Consonance, JUly 31.

 And one of my favourite singers, Bridgette Yarwood will be performing at the Mocha Cabana, July 31 as well.  Alyssa McQuaid is performing at the Mocha Cabana the next day. So there’s lots to do, once again, in Lethbridge.

—Richard Amery, L.A. Beat editor