May begins with a little something for almost everyone from rap to classical music and whole lot of roots.Right out of the gate, on Wednesday, May 3, there are a couple big shows.
The Slice features a big rap show featuring Red Deer rapper Blazeon3 and Windsor rapper Geoff English touring on the the Road to the Reign tour. They will share the stage with Brayden Blieve Bonnettt and Sevan Bannayan plus local support lRev, Heavy Knowledge, Urban Voyce and TreyMark. The show begins at 8 p.m.
The first big punk show of the Spring/ summer is also May 3 with Calgary Celtic tinged punk band the River Jacks at the Moose Hall. Chief Mountain and the Scallywags are also on the show which begins at 8 p.m. There is a $10 cover.
The complete opposite to all that happens at the Yates Theatre where the Ukrainian dance club presents Vesna, their annual celebration of spring. It will feature performances with the Filipino Dance Club as well as Mexicanos Sin Fronteras. Tickets are $15 for adults, $12 for seniors, It begins at 7 p.m.
A highlight of the week is sure to be Hamilton based roots quartet Elliott Brood who return to Lethbridge to play Average Joes, Thursday, May 4. They are going to give people a taste of their upcoming CD “Ghost Gardens” as well as old favourites.
Tickets are $25 in advance, $20 at the door. The show will begins at 8:30 p.m.
The weekend will cook with a cornucopia of different entertainment happening.
It begins at 6 p.m. with Rigo the Latino performing at the Mocha Cabana.
The Slice has a great roots rock show with Vancouver singer songwriter Rodney DeCroo, who brings his band back to Lethbridge in support of his new CD “Old Tenement Man.” Bryce Jardine and Sean MacPherson are also on the bill. There is a five dollar cover for the show, which begins at 9 p.m.
For the complete opposite to that, local punk band J Blissette kick off their tour at the Owl Acoustic Lounge with Saskatoon based psychedelic country band Snake River and feminist punk the Shiverettes. Admission is by donation.
If you want to hear some classic rock, Steel Cut play Coyote Joes, May 5 as well.
Just out of town, if you want to hear some roots and country music, Louisiana Hayride play the Empress Theatre on Fort Macleod at 7:30 p.m.. Tickets are $45.
There are a lot of chances to laugh this week too.
Yuk Yuks comedy returns to Average Joes with Kerry Unger, Dion Arnold and Randy Webb taking the stage at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $15.
And if you are a Trailer Park Boys fan Randy and Mr. Lahey will be making you laugh, May 6 at Soundgarden. Dan Hymus will be making you laugh first at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25.
The weekend is a great night for roots and country music.
On Saturday, May 6, there are several great shows.
The Lethbridge Folk Club presents western Canada string band Back Porch Swing swinging back to the Lethbridge College Cave beginning at 8 p.m. Poet and storyteller Ken Sears opens the show.
On the other side of town, The Geomatic Attic presents the CD release party for local roots rocker Leeroy Stagger’s new CD “Love Versus.”
The show begins at 8 p.m. Ticket are $30 in advance, $32.50 online and $35 at the door.
The Slice has a big blues show on Saturday as well with Toronto raised/ Texas based “Texassissippi Soul Man” Danny Brooks and Lil Miss Debbie, who make their first visit to Lethbridge.The show begins at 9 p.m.
For fans of more pop country, Thomas Rhett , the son of ’90s country star Rhett Akins, comes to the Enmax Centre on Sunday, May 7.
The Valdosta, Georgia born, Nashville based Rhett was an instant hit when he moved to Nashville blending elements of country, rock and hip hop music, getting a cut “I Ain’t Ready To Quit” on Jason Aldean’s ‘My Kinda party” album and scoring a variety of solo hits including “Something To Do With my hands,“ and “Whatcha Got In That Cup.”
Brett Young will be opening the show, which begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $54, $74 and $84.
The other hotly anticipated big event takes place at the Slice on Sunday, where the South Country Fair Songwriting Competition finals will be happening. A variety of performers will be competing for the chance to play their song at this year’s South Country Fair. The finalists are Raven’s Bairn - George Fowler; I Will Love You - Jay Bowcott; Run Girl Run - Emily Triggs; My Baby’s Gone- Michael Granzow; The Whiskey Song- Chris Drew; The Tortoise and the Hare- Maddie Conrad; The Mountain Song- Amy Nelson; Ain’t Got Time For That- Carter Felker; Steal Away- Megan Brown; Living in Pictures- Jon Martin; Guzzolene in My Veins- Chris Gheran and Winter Skies- Cathy Hawley.
There is no cover for the show, which begins at 7 p.m. sharp.
The fun doesn’t end there. The Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra winds up their season at Southminster United Church , Monday, May 8 with their fifth concert of the season “Hymns of Praise.”
Special guests for the concert are soprano, Madison Craig, soprano; mezzo-soprano, Erinn Roberts, mezzo-soprano and tenor Jason Ragan, plus Cox Musica.
Tickets range from $25 -$75. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.
And the Owl Acoustic Lounge has a really special show on Monday as well as Shotgun Jimmie returns to Lethbridge with Mathias Kom and Ariel Sharratt of the burning Hell. Admission is by donation.
And, if you want to rock on a Tuesday night, the Slice features local hard rock band Outrun the Arrow with Waterloo,Ontario based alternative rock band Amberwood and Vancouver’s Larissa Tandy along with local post-rock band Field Holler.
