Local record company Attainable Records had a busy week of showcases of local and Southern Albertan music with a variety of showcases taking place  throughout downtown, Thursday through Saturday.
 I only caught the final showcase at the Slice, Nov. 28 and only caught a few of the acts performing at it. I arrived during a strong set from local progressive rock band Accalia, who have just released their new CD.

 They have shifted gears a little from progressive rock experimentation to more mainstream, traditional sounding metal.
They featured a lot less shredding and a more slower, stoner rock groove since I last saw them though they still had a massive bottom end due to an eight string guitar, and featured some solid playing, catchy riffs and  tasteful solos.

In addition to their own music they also played a few covers including a decent version of Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell.”

Calgary pop punk trio the Ativans completely killed it, bringing addictively catchy ’90s style pop punk along the lines of Green Day and Blink-182.

“Panic Drain” was one of many highlights of their set. Frontman/ guitarist  Billy Dixon sang lead vocals as bassist Corey Tapp shouted background vocals while  thrashing around. Adam Waddell was a machine on the drums adding subtle rolls in between laying down straight ahead rhythm. They played much of their new CD “Landlocked.”
 
 Fellow Calgarian the Detractions played a little more experimental punk along the lines of NoMeansNo and the Bad Brains.

They added a little bit of reggae influence and a touch of surf into their sound as well.

“Frankenstyle” was an immediate highlight of their set, full of energy and biting Fender guitars.
They thanked the Slice for “keeping us wobbly and full of pizza,” before ending the night just after midnight.

This week will drag you kicking and screaming into the Christmas season whether you like it or not with several big Christmas shows happening in the city.
 University of Lethbridge based community radio station CKXU celebrates Christmas at the Slice, Dec. 11 with Cosmic Charley, Ruby Plumes, Mosrite Holiday and Sparkle Blood. Admission is $15. The show begins at 9 p.m.

There are a couple of more mainstream Christmas shows beginning with the Lethbridge Symphony performing at the Southminster United Church featuring Ye Merry Men’s Christmas and 5 Singing Guys chorus. There are two shows — 3 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 13 and at 8 p.m. Monday, Dec. 14. Tickets range from $25-$75.

Beloved Christmas musical tradition The Holiday Train is in town at 135 1 ave S, next to the Lethbridge police detachment on Dec 12 at 6:45 p.m. Performers this year include the Jim Cuddy band and his son Devin Cuddy’s band the Devin Cuddy band plus country singer Kelly Prescott. Donations will be taken for the Lethbridge Food Bank.
Local funk/ R and B and disco band Hippodrome are sure to be in the holiday spirit when they play their annual December show at the Slice, Dec. 12 at 9:30 p.m. There is a $15 cover charge.

 In the spirit of the season, lots of live gigs this month are accepting food donations for the Food Bank for a discounted cover charge including Regina indie rock band Dagan Harding and local rock band the Mormon Girls plus local alternative rock band Fox Eyes at Inferno, Dec. 11. Admission is eight dollars or five dollars with a non-perishable food item. The show begins at 9 p.m.

And if you want to see a unique version of A Christmas Carol, local actor Andrew Legg performs his one man show “Dickens’ Own A Christmas Carol,” playing all 53 characters in the renown Christmas story. It takes place at the Geomatic Attic, Dec. 11. Tickets are $27.50. The show begins at 8 p.m..

Santa Barbara, California punk pop band Versus the World are excited to finally get back to Canada. So they are justifiably excited to not only just be here, but to be able to visit places they have never been before. Like Lethbridge, when they come to Inferno on their tour  with Authority Zero, Dec. 13 with special guests  The River Jacks and the Spacewolves.

“It’s so beautiful here. I’ve never seen that island before. Everything good that happened has happened here. We got drunk and shit happened. It’s been really good,” enthused frontman/ vocalist/ guitarist Donald Spence, after finishing the first date of the tour in Victoria and preparing to play Vancouver on a Friday night.
 The band includes punk rock royalty like bassist Mike Davenport (The Ataris), guitarist Chris Flippin (Lagwagon), drummer Bryan Charlson (Crooks and Liars) and guitarist Tony Caraffa, though Chris Flippin isn’t on this tour as he is touring Australia with Lagwagon.

“We haven’t been to Canada since 2006. You have the toughest border in the world to cross,” Spence observed.
“I’ve been to 18 countries and have only been turned away at the border at one — Canada. I’ve been turned away twice. So I just feel lucky to be here. It’s really cool. And I’m getting to go to places I never heard of before like Red Deer and Kamloops. Just being on the ferry today — It’s beautiful. Just to see a part of the world I never knew existed. The last time we were here we were touring with No Use For A Name and we only played the big cities,” he continued.

 They are excited to tour with Arizona punk band Authority Zero, who they go back a long way with.
“We’ve done like six tours with them. This one is a little different because we’re sharing a drummer, because our drummer (Bryan Charlson) owns a coffee shop and is opening another one in San Diego, so he couldn’t come. But Sean (Sellers) is amazing. He also plays in Good Riddance. So that’s been really cool,” he said.

Big John Bates is in the middle of his next evolution of his musical career. He started out playing metal in the ’80s with his band Annihilator, then moved on to psychobilly. And now the sound of his band is completely different again with the release of his latest CD “ From the Bestiary to the Leathering Room,” which was released in May.

“ It’s more desert rock and ’70s punk, Americana dark and a little bit of the je ne sais quois that comes from us,” said frontman/ guitarist John Bates who brings his new band and CD to the Slice, Dec. 9, noting they have left the rockabilly and psychobilly influences behind them.
 They band has changed since their last Lethbridge show with White Cowbell Oklahoma last December.
“Some of them played on half the album. But  that was the last tour for them,” he said.

The new band includes upright bassist Brandy Bones, cellist Justine Echo and drummer “Ty Ty the Saviour.”
“It’s because he  looks like Jesus. He’s a wicked drummer,” chuckled Bates, enjoying a day off in Kenora, Ontario, with a few friends.

“Brandy and I have been together since 2009.  She almost does more vocals than I do now. We all met through mutual friends. They’re really a top notch band. It’s the first time I’ve had a permanent band since we stopped doing the Voo Doo Dolls thing,” he said, adding he formed the new band in the spring after which he took them on a European tour.