While most of the city and a lot of visitors go to Whoop-Up days, most o the music community gathers just off of Research Road for the “an
ti-Whoop Up Days,” 
party — Bigwood.
The fifth edition of Bigwood was trimmed down affair, with fewer bands and a lot few people, but all listening to some of the hottest bands on the scene.
While I missed Death Pledge, the Dirti Speshuls and the New Weather Machine, I arrived in time to catch most of Jon Vornbrock’s alternative rock group The Void, who I haven’t heard in a while. I usually hear him screaming his head off in Berzerker.
They have just released a new acoustic CD, but they were all about plugging it in and turning it up Smashing Pumpkins style.
They definitely nailed the late ’90s Smashing Pumpkins alternative rock sound. Vornbrock played guitar and sang it very well.
He has a very strong voice and the band was very tight.
I also haven’t heard Darryl Düus Band in a while, though they have several gigs in September coming up including hosting the open mic at the Slice this week and next week. Lead guitarist Darryl Düus growled out vocals like Howlin’ Wolf, playing a variety of traditional blues songs like “Dust My Broom,” a punk song, a classic rock song “21st Century Boy,” and original material.
As always he played my favourite “Rolling and Tumbling.”
Around 2 a.m. Smokestack Jacks introduced an attentive audience to a set of mostly new material. Most of the new material is strongly blues influence, though there is also a lot of classic rock.
