Shaela Miller is giving back to the community by hosting  a two-day youth songwriting workshop at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Jan. 22 and 23.

 The workshop has a capacity of 20 and was half full as of  Jan. 17.

The camp is for youth aged 12-18.

 Numerous local business sponsored the event so admission is pay what you can.

 Long and McQuade is providing  complimentary instrument rentals for the camp's duration.

“Students need to have an interest in  songwriting and music,” said Miller’s manager Jessica Marsh, noting ideally they should have   familiarity with a musical instrument and  or their voice.

Shaela Miller, Amelie Patterson, Biloxi Parish’s Zach Passey and Lethbridge Girls Rock Camp’s Silvana Campus will be mentoring the students.

 Amelie Patterson has taught songwriting workshops at the Banff Centre.

The other mentors are familiar faces on the Lethbridge music scene including Starpainter’s Joel Stretch, Mercedes Fawns, Makiisma’s Megan Brown, Steven Foord, Taylor Ackerman and Bailey Kate.

 The morning sessions feature the mentors playing their songs and explaining the stories behind them and  the techniques they used to create the melodies and the moods of the songs.

With the Covid of it all, it’s tough to write a week’s preview without anything changing during the week.

 But so far, it looks like another busy week beginning with the Owl Acoustic Lounge’s open mic on Tuesday,  Jan. 18.

 On Jan. 20, The Watertower has a jazz night. Trumpet player Don Robb and pianist Randy Epp’s ’s Standard Time Jazz Duo performs Jan.19 from 6-9 p.m.

 Scott Davidson returns to the Slice with  mid week live music, Wednesday, Jan, 19. This week’s performers include Davidson, John Matthews, Nebula, Brett Jones and Megan Schritt. The music begins at 7:30 p.m.

 There is a lot of comedy this week, beginning with So You Think You Can Comic returning to the Owl Acoustic Lounge stage Wednesday, Jan 19.

 Good Times cancelled their shows last weekend  due to Covid, but  are making up for it this week. Nigerian Canadian comedian Ola Dada performs a special Thursday night show at Good Times, Jan. 20  with Faris Hytiaa and Miles Greenway beginning at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15.

On the weekend, Good Times brings back Todd Ness who will be performing at 8 p.m., Jan. 21 and 22 at Good Times. Tickets are available through Showpass for $16.67.

As usual, the Slice has an open mic on Thursday.

 Honkers Pub has a ticketed show this weekend instead of their usual open mic on Friday.

 Cal Toth and Anna McBryan bring dueling pianos to Honkers Pub beginning at 7 p.m., Friday, Jan. 21. There is a $10 cover for the show.

 The Mark Hall band host Honkers Pub’s afternoon  open mic on Saturday, Jan. 21.

Yes Virginia, touring musicians still exist.

 I was delighted to see Winnipeg Folk punk musician Greg Rekus return to the Owl Acoustic Lounge to host their open mic, Tuesday, Jan. 11 for an intimate audience spread all over the room.

 As usual he played solo, bouncing atop a raised platform adorned with  tambourines, which rattled as he leaped, which added extra percussion.

 His energetic hour-long- set  featured lots of rhythm and percussion from Rekus stomping , impassioned, raw vocals and a lots of kazoo solos. He sounded like a mix of Elvis Costello and Blink -182.

 Most of his set came from his most recent CD  “Death And Taxes,” which he released in 2020, but for which touring had to be postponed due to Covid. 

He got the audience to sing along with a couple of catchy, tribal choruses and asked for requests. “Preferably my songs,” he quipped.

So I requested “Oil in the Ground”  from Punkcoustic, which featured a familiar chord progression, which he used to segue into “16 Tons” and “Hit The Road Jack.” The song also featured a quick, classical/Latin music inspired lead riff.