It’s back to school, so there will be huge parties at Lethbridge College and the University of Lethbridge this week as they introduce 
new students to university fun and live music.
The Lethbridge College Students’ Association opens the year with a free barbecue and beer gardens from 4-9:30 p.m. featuring live music from Medicine Hat based cover duo Mahoney and Calgary rockers Copper. It will be followed by an outdoor screening of the movie Bridesmaids.
On Wednesday, Sept. 7, there will be a carnival complete with cotton candy and rides plus hypnotist Scott Ward.
Thursday, Sept. 8 features Rave in the Cave featuring DJ Soprano.
And the big event for frosh week at the college features the Steadies, a reggae-rock band featuring Earl Pereira from Mobadass and Wide Mouth Mason. It takes place in the Barn, Sept. 9.
The University of Lethbridge features Fresh Fest 2011 beginning Thursday, Sept. 8 with the Fresh and Breezy Luau as well as Fresh Fest, followed by the Lemon Party in the Zoo on Friday, Sept. 9.
But the big event is the Fresh U Jamboree from 4 p.m.- midnight, Sept. 12 which features a variety of acts including the Vancouver punk/ blues duo the Pack AD, Smalltown DJs, Ubiquitous Synergy Seeker plus local acts the Necessities and Jesse and the Dandelions. Unfortunately those events are only open to students or guests of students.
But there is a lot going on in the rest of the city.
Tonight, the New Weather Machine hosts the open stage at the Slice.
The Lethbridge Folk Club is back with their first open mic of their new season at the Wolf’s Den on Friday. Anybody is welcome to get up on stage and perform to one of the most supportive audiences in the city. Sign up is at 8 p.m. with the music beginning at approximately 9 p.m. The two dollar admission fee covers the cost of keeping the lights on. Open mics take place at the Wolf’s Den on the second and fourth Fridays of the month. There are also bluegrass jams on the first and third Fridays. Their first show of the season is Bill Bourne on Sept. 17 with opening act Leon Barr.
But this week, if you like authentic, outlaw country, don’t miss the return of Winnipeg’s Andrew Neville and the Poor Choices, who play the Slice, Sept. 7.
Also from Winnipeg, the Perpetrators are back in town to rock it blues style, Sept. 9 at the Slice.
The Perpetrators, featuring vocalist / guitarist Jay Nowicki, original drummer Ken McMahon plus bassist Ryan Menard don’t tour much. But Nowicki, who was just here a week ago with Romi Mayes, took advantage of a break in Mayes’ stiff touring schedule to come back to Alberta with the Perpetrators to play Calgary, Edmonton and Lethbridge.
On the other hand, if you want to dance and experience innovative world music, Delhi 2 Dublin may be just your ticket at Average Joes on Thursday, Sept. 8.
If you haven’t experienced Delhi 2 Dublin before at several Southern Alberta gigs including at South Country Fair a couple years ago or at their performances at Henotic last year and the Slice earlier this year, Tarun Nayar said to expect an upbeat dance party featuring electronics, tabla, electric sitar, guitar, dhol and lots of fiddle playing.
Advance tickets for the show are $20 from Average Joes or $25 at the door.
If you like old school, ’90s rap, Warren G brings his tribute to Nate Dogg to the Stone, Sept. 13.
City Real, Dilemma, Struck, StrongV and DJ IFM will be performing at the Stone as well.
Tickets for the Sept. 13 show cost $20. It is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m.
On the other hand, if you like the Eagles, Average Joes brings in Hotel California — the original Eagles tribute $25 9 p.m. Sept. 10.
