CKXU is reaching out to the community— literally.
 As a build up to their annual CKXU (88.3 F.M.) show at the Slice, Feb. 11, the University of Lethbridge based community radio station is hosting “hug booths” at Lethbridge College and the University of Lethbridge.

“We’re raising money so we can buy a new hamster to power our transmitter,” deadpanned Matt Valgardson, one of the organizers of the popular  annual Valentines Day themed fundraiser.

CKXU Loves You VI features local bands The Ketamines, Arcanis, Andrew Scott, the Photoshop Jerks and DJ Shane the Librarian, who will be playing a mix of love songs and anti- love songs.

“Arcanis is a metal band, so I can’t wait for them to put  their spin on romantic classics,” said Valgardson.
“I’m also interested in the Photoshop Jerks. I’m hoping for some Adobe related puns.”
There will also be some impressive  door prizes donated by businesses like Sexxy Kitty, Showcase Comics, an $80 gift certificate from Jaded Body Arts and many others. There will be comic books and even a candy bouquet, not to mention a beer basket from Andrew Hilton.

It’s the beginning of February, so it is a good time of the year to sing the blues.
 Fortunately there are a few excellent blues shows happening this week.
 Steve Dawson, who not only produces a lot of Canada’s top roots and blues acts, is also a  multi-instrumentalist and a huge fan of  the Mississippi Sheiks. So he will be bringing a tribute to the the latter to Lethbridge, Feb. 2 at the Southminster United Church.
Dawson, a backing band plus Del Ray, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Jim Byrnes will all be playing their favourite Sheiks songs. The Mississippi Sheiks mostly recorded during the 1930s, but influenced many a blues musician with their blend of delta blues, ragtime, jazz and several other genres.
 Tickets for the show cost $47.50. The show begins at 8 p.m.

 The other big blues show is  the Todd Wolfe Trio, who play the Slice, Monday, Feb. 6. The New York raised, Los Angeles based guitarist  is best known for play with Sheryl Crow and writing several of her hits with her before she hit it big, but he has a hot new psychedelic blues trio, which make their Lethbridge debut  this week. He will be playing an array of originals, blues classics and psychedelic jams.
Tickets are seven dollars in advance or nine dollars at the door for the show which begins at 9 p.m., Feb. 6.
 There are several other very cool shows this week including Del Barber, who plays the Slice, Feb. 2.
And if you like modern rock, Hedley and guests play the Enmax Centre, Feb. 2 as well.
 In a similar vein, there will be an excellent hard rock show at the Slice, Feb. 3 featuring Mr. Personal, Berserker, Milwaukee Talkie and the Dirti Speshuls.
 There is even a rockabilly show this week as Buzz Elroy and his Hayseed Rockets rock it at the Slice, Feb. 4.
For something completely different, The Lethbridge Symphony presents the Magic Flute at Southminster United Church, Feb. 3-4 featuring members of the University of Lethbridge opera workshop.
 

Todd Wolfe hasn’t been to Lethbridge since the early ’90s when he was playing in Sheryl Crow’s band, but he is looking forward to showing off his more psychedelic blues side when he stops by the Slice, Feb. 6, with bassist Justine Gardner and drummer Roger Voss.
 He will be coming to Lethbridge hot off a beautiful five day gig at Edmonton’s Blues on Whyte.
“No I won’t be singing any Sheryl Crow songs. I don’t think I can do them justice, though one time a guy  wanted to sit in with us and wanted to play one of them and I hadn’t played it since the early ’90s,” he said.

He met Sheryl Crow through mutual friends when she was singing in Michael Jackson’s band.
“ In 1987 she would come and visit us in New York where I’m from. We started writing. We did a five song demo, and by 1989, she was in Don Henley’s band, and she said ‘why don’t you come out to Los Angeles and do some writing,’” Wolfe related.
He ended up playing in her band along with former Textones member Carla Olson in the early ’90s as Crow’s career started taking off.

“ I played in her band for about five years. She’s a hard worker and she could be a task master. She liked things done her way,” he said.