One of the most popular draws of folk festivals is the workshop, where several different songwriters share a stage and play their songs with the others either adding extra instrumentation, vocals, rhythms or just sitting back and listening. And while folk festival season is several months away, there are two opportunities this week to get a little taste of that experience.
The first one happens Dec. 9 at the Geomatic Attic when Edmonton songwriter Bill Bourne shares the stage with fellow Edmontonian Scott Cook and Lethbridge based songwriter Indio Saravanja.
The other “songwriter in the round,” event this week is the ever popular Highway 3 Roots Revue, also taking place Dec. 9 at the Slice. Leeroy Stagger, John Wort Hannam and Dave McCann are excited about beginning the fifth annual Highway 3 Roots revue which ends in Lethbridge they will be playing songs off their CDs and helping each other out on each other's songs. Both Leeroy Stagger and John Wort Hannam have been on the road for most of the year touring on new CDs.
There are several other excellent shows worth checking out this week.
The Geomatic Attic has another busy week because as soon as Indio Saravanja, Scott Cook and Bill Bourne clear the stage, Dec. 9, Multiple Juno award winning Canadian country/ roots musician Jimmy Rankin will be getting warmed up for his show, Dec. 10.
The multiple Juno award winning and ECMA award winning Nova Scotia born musician will be bringing the Christmas spirit with his new Christmas CD “Tinsel Town,” to town. He will also be playing songs from his family’s band the Rankin family as well as numerous solo hits during the show. The show begins, Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $32.50
If you like rap music, Cleveland based rapper Machine Gun Kelly or MGK performs at Pulse, Dec. 7. He is touring in support of his latest CD “Lace Up.”
Doors open at 7 p.m. for the show, which will begin at about 8:30 p.m. It also features Sin Sane and F-Bomb. Tickets are $40.
A couple other excellent shows this week include the return of Calgary based songwriter Wil, who plays the Slice with Ryan McMahon, Dec. 5. Tickets are $10 for the show. And Edmonton based folk/ blues musician Alex Vissia plays the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Dec. 7. Calgary blues/ folk singer Erin Ross returns to the Mocha Cabana, Dec. 7 as well.
And, it is funky Friday at the Mix Lounge at Ric’s Grill, Dec. 7. Gordon Leigh and Naked Ear will be playing jazz music with Lethbridge rapper Furious D. There is no cover for the show, which begins at 8 p.m.
The Lethbridge Folk Club also has a big country show this weekend. Calgary western swing/ country band the Hackamores play the Wolf’s Den, Dec. 8 at 8 p.m. sharp. the Hackamores combine several prominent faces from Calgary’s country, blues, jazz and gypsy jazz scene.
They include Allen Baekeland - rhythm guitar, lead and harmony vocals; Gordon Bregg - bass, harmony vocals; Garry Gelhorn - drums; Jonathan Lewis - violin; Charlie Veilleux - pedal steel guitar and Tim Williams playing lead guitar and singing lead and harmony vocals.
Charlie Ewing opens the show. Tickets are $20 for members, $25 for non-members.
The Mayor’s Christmas Concert also takes place, Dec. 8 at Southminster United Church. The Lethbridge Community Gold Band, Silver band and Chinook Singers will be performing a variety of Christmas music. Tickets are $15. Donations of non-perishable food items will be taken at the door for the Lethbridge Food Bank.
