When one festival ends, another begins.
With things getting back to normal, more or less, after South Country Fair, things start cooking again downtown with The Geomatic Attic’s Wide Skies Music Festival, happening Tuesday, July 30 and Wednesday, July 31.
Wide Skies begins with a free out door show outside Southminster United Church featuring Danny Michel, Vancouver Island soul band Carmanah and Vancouver based rockabilly trio Cousin Harley, who were just at South Country Fair. The free stage is from 5 -10 p.m. There is also a side stage featuring the Steve Keenan Band, George Fowler and Megan Brown of the Junkman‘s Quire and more.
If that isn’t enough, all of them will be playing a songwriter’s circle with Sofia Viola and from 10:30 p.m. until midnight.
The next day, there will be a ticketed show on the Casa stage featuring Harry Manx and Monkeyjunk’s Steve Marriner’s new project Mainline and Argentinian Sofia Viola.
Tickets are $37.50 for the one show. Festival passes are $50.
The other big festival is the Rotary Ribfest, which takes place in Henderson Lake Park, July 26-28. There will be plenty of ribs, family fun and live music, though they haven’t announced the line up yet. Admission is free. It is not affiliated with Ribfest which takes place over Labour Day weekend in Galt Gardens. All proceeds go back to the community through the Rotary club.
Another big charity show is the third annual Green N Yellow Camp Chili Cook off, July 26 -28 at 2006 58 St South. There will be a fire pit, chili and ribs on Saturday night and live music from the Andi Roberts Band, Tyrants of Chaos , and Bryan Horvat and more. Tickets are $22 with all proceeds going to the Alzheimer Society.
Other than the two big festivals, there is a fair amount happening.
The Slice goes metal on Wednesday, July 24 with Vancouver based melodic death metal band Param-Necia plus Edmonton technical death metal band Omniarch and thrash metal band Rising Son. Admission is $10 for the show, which begins at 9 p.m.
Taylor Ackerman hosts the Slice’s Thursday open mic.
And Teri Petz and the Owl Acoustic Lounge’s poetry open mic celebrates one year with a big bash at the Owl.
If you missed them at South Country Fair, Jack Garton and Demon Squadron return to rock the Owl Acoustic Lounge, July 26. They are your cup of tea if you like your rock an roll with a touch of accordion and trumpet. I was really impressed by them at South Country Fair this weekend.
The Slice also has a big rock show with The Pits Planet Earth and local rock band 21st Avenue playing July 26. Medicine Hat’s Indifferent are also on the bill. Admission is $10.
The Smokehouse also has a big, loud rock show with Calgary sludge pop band Pill Crusher and noise rock band Geoff who just released a split CD.
Local band Shark Weak are also on the bill. Admission is $10.
There is still more metal at the Slice, July 30 with Calgary technical death metal band Widow’s Peak, Winnipeg technical death metal and Anomalism and local metal band Drearius performing beginning at 8 p.m. Admission is $10.
And Lethbridge’s music community says farewell to Adrian Sutherland, who is moving to Montreal. So there is a farewell show at Theoretically Brewing, Monday, July 29. He has played with lots of Lethbridge bands including Touching God, Advertisement, Clockwork Towns and Unbroken Circle.
Touching God will be performing at 8:30 p.m., followed by cyberpunk band Freak Dream at 10 p.m. Admission is a suggested donation of $10.
On another note, Lethbridge Shakespeare Performance society is back in
Galt Gardens with their production of Macbeth, Thursday and Friday,
July 25 and 26. The show begins at 7 p.m. Admission is by donation. They hit the road to High River for an afternoon show, Saturday.
