A cornucopia of roots and blues shows mark an extremely busy week that begins with Charlie Jacobson and ends with the Lethbridge Roots and blues Festival in Legacy Park with late addition Little Miss Higgins.

 

Luke James Bruce hosts the open mic at Mojo’s Pub on Monday.

  

 You might remember guitarist extraordinaire  Charlie Jacobson from his outstanding set at Harpdog Brown’s memorial in May.

 

The Red Deer based guitarist returns to Lethbridge, Tuesday, Aug. 16 to play the Slice for a special show featuring Jolene Draper and the Inquisitive Few.

 The show begins at 8:30 p.m. Admission is a suggested donation of $10.

 

The Owl Acoustic lounge’s weekly open mic is on Tuesday, Aug. 16. 

 

If you’re in an alt country mood, Aug. 18 is a rare chance to catch Edmonton/ alt country duo the  Goddamsels, who kick off a quick Albertan tour at the Slice on Wednesday.

 The show begins at 9 p.m.

 

 It will be an eclectic Thursday.

 Staying in the alt-country lane, local favourites Starpainter play  Rotary Square outside Casa for Upside Downtown from 5-7 p.m. James Moore plays festival square outside    The Telegraph Taphouse  beginning at 6 p.m.

 

Impromptu’s Drunk Queer-prov returns to Good Times, Aug. 18.

David Gabert, Erica Barr, Mark Ogle, Jon Kirsch and Greg Wilson perform all your favourite improv games beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is $15.

 

The Slice features the Butch Sassidy Burlesque Cabaret with Ruffen Tumble, Easton West, Rip Em, Dayna Hart, Bitch Sassidy and Karla Marx performing all your favourite ear-worms. The show begins at 7 p.m. Admission is $15.

 

 For something little more mainstream, this is the last week to Catch the Lethbridge Shakespeare Performance Society’s performance of hamlet.  They are in Galt Gardens at 7:30 p.m., Thursday Aug. 18. They close their run at 7:30 p.m., Friday, Aug. 19.

 

 There are a heap of shows on Friday. Redhead Mack aka Kevin  Phillips, brings his Ale Trails tour to Spectrum Ale Works, at 4 p.m., Friday, Aug. 19.

Ribfest returns to the Enmax Centre parking lot with  live entertainment .

 New West Theatre‘s production of Decades continues at  the Yates Theatre, Wednesday through Saturday at 7 p.m. 

 

 

 Saints and Sinners opening Friday, Aug. 19 at 5 p.m. followed by  the Midnight Sons  at 6 p.m. and the JDs ending Ribfest at 7 p.m. 

Circle Ridge Country host Honkers Pub”s open mic on Friday at 7 p.m. 

 

 Lawless Murphy rock Casino Lethbridge Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. each night.

The Slice ha s good, loud rock show on Friday with in/Vertigo plus local bands Dead Levee and the Suit Jacket Society.

 

 It is all about festivals on Saturday, Aug. 20.

 Rotary Ribfest continues at  the Enmax Centre with the Mark hall band performing at 5 p.m. flowed by  Danalie at 6:35 p.m.

 

 The third annual Raymond music Festival is back at Victoria Park in Raymond, Aug. 20. A whole whack of Southern Alberta talent perform throughout the day with performances by Decadent Phase, Saints and Sinners, Coda , A Little Bit of Nothing , Sir Tashi and the Yeti, 21st avenue, Abracadabra, Parabellum  and Foe beginning at 11 a.m. 

 

The event also features  the Magrath Women's Choir, Collin MacKay, Shaun Cahoon, Taylee Barrill, , Ivory Rasmussen, Sammy, Angelina and Tiana Ivorson, Juran Greene, Lucy Steed, Heather Akuso, Mark Mitchell.

 Admission is $12 for students and seniors, $15 for adults or $40 for households.

 

The biggest event of the week is the Lethbridge Roots and blues Festival at Legacy Park, beginning at noon, Saturday, Aug. 20. There are two stages and a community room.

 

The Belvedere stage opens with Makiisma at `12:30 p.m., followed by Papa King at 2 p.m., Little Miss Higgins and Kris Demeanour at 3:30 p.m., Ryland Moranz at 5 p.m. and John Wort Hannam at 6:30 p.m..

 The Legacy Stage  features Dr. R Bar at noon, Bryan Bradfield at 1:3 p.m., Amanda Penner at 3 p.m. , Braden Gates at 4:30 p.m. and Magnolia Buckskin closing things off at 5 p.m.

Magnolia Buckskin also host a vocal harmony workshop at 4 p.m. in the Community room. Bryan Bradfield hosts a dobro workshop at 4 and Reid and Karen Romanchuk host a songwriting workshop at 5 p.m. Admission is free.

 

The Trippy Hippys host Honkers Pub”s afternoon open mic at Honkers Pub at 5 p.m.

 

 Kai Brooks  plays at Theoretically Brewing’s last night Market of the summer at 6 p.m.

 

 The Slice goes metal on Saturday with Calgary based pirate  inspired metal band Syryn who are supporting their new album “Heads or Tails”.

 They will be joined by Chernoff and Eons of Earth.

 

 The Slice has a huge punk show on Sunday, Aug. 21 with  Montreal punk icons The Ripcordz and Calgary’s the Motherfuckers and Ripperhead AB.

 Tickets are $15, $20 at the door. The music begins at 5 p.m.

— by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor