There are a couple excellent shows this week as local independent music store Blueprint Records celebrates their fifth anniversary by putting on a couple shows.
The first one takes place at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Thursday, Sept. 22 with Brenna Lowrie, Reuben Bullock and Calgary’s Savk.
Their birthday carries on the
next day with a night of progressive rock/ metal from This City Defects and local power trio Lustre Cream, who play the Slice, Sept. 23. Admission is five dollars.
For classic rockers, the ‘Metal Queen’ herself, Lee Aaron, is going to rock Average Joes, Thursday, Sept. 22.
She had a string of mid-’80s and early ’90s hits including “Whatcha Do To My Body,” “Some Girls Do,” “Lady of the Darkest Night,” “Rock Me All Over, “Hands On,” and of course “Metal Queen.”
She is only playing a few shows on this quick tour including Lethbridge, Edmonton and Calgary.
She has a hot band with her including husband, drummer John Cody.
While she experimented with a jazz CD a few years ago, when she does tour, she brings the full rock show featuring all of the hits and a few new songs.
The show at Average Joes begins at 8:30 p.m., Sept. 22. Tickets are $20.
Another big show this week takes place Friday, Sept. 23 when the Promonium Jesters visit the Slice with Mona Mur and En Esch.
Mona Mur is a German sound artist who has worked with the likes of "Einstürzende Neubauten", "The Stranglers", "Yello" and the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra.
En Esch is best known as the charismatic frontman of U.S/ German industrial rock band KMFDM.
Tickets cost $10.
When most people think of Ottawa music, Alanis Morissette is the first name that usually comes to mind. Well now there’s a second — Amanda Rheaume.
She will be winding down her tour by the time she reaches Lethbridge, Sept. 24 when she plays the Slice with Marc Charron.
Rheaume, who had been writing poetry and diaries plus playing piano from an early age, had picked up guitar at age 12, but was blown away by Morissette’s “Jagged Little Pill,” at age 15.
Along the same lines, acclaimed Austin based country/ folk singer James McMurtry visits the Geomatic Attic, Sept. 27.
John Mellencamp produced his debut album in 1989. He has since won American music awards for 2006’s “Childish Things,” and one of the songs “We Can’t Make It Here.” While McMurtry, the son of author Larry McMurtry (Lonesome Dove and Terms of Endearment) receives more attention for his lyrics, he is also an accomplished guitarist.
His 2008 CD “Just Us Kids” received several other Americana Music Awards. His most recent CD is 2009’s “Live In Europe.”
Tickets cost $37.50 in adavance or $40 at the door.
The big event of the week is Word On The Street, which takes place on Sunday throughout the day at the downtown library. It will be a festival of words featuring a renowned authors and music from a number of talented folks like Karen Romanchuk, Shocked Standards, John Wort Hannam and Edmonton bluesman Marshall Lawrence.
Lawrence is on stage at 2:30 -3 p.m. in the main tent.
The free festival takes place from 11-5 p.m., Sunday.
Also on Sept. 24, Jimmy’s Pub is having a metal night featuring local bands Psychomantium and Lock N’ Load. The show will begin at 8 p.m.
