What a week. Last week there was a  least one gig and usually more happening  every single day including Sunday. But this week will be a little slower.

 The Owl Acoustic lounge’s regular  weekly open mic is on Tuesday, Aug. 15.

 The Galt Garden party this week features the Bridge Brass Quintet performing plus Angelique Simon in Galt Gardens from 11 a.m-2 p.m. 

 For something funny, Megan Windle hosts  Pro Amateur Night at Good Times.

Later on, the Slice  embraces  metal with local  melodic death metal band Balrogath, plus death metal trio Stench of Death, Winnipeg death metal band  Entity and  B.C  dissonant death metal band  Crown of Madness performing beginning at 8 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 16.

 The Bridgette Yarwood Band plus special guest Eric Braun return to the Owl Acoustic lounge on Aug. 16.

 Eric Braun plays the Owl Acoustic lounge again on Saturday, Aug. 19.

 Thursdays are always busy  in the summer.

 Bailey Kate plays Upside Downtown outside casa  from 5-7 p.m. in Thursday.

 Down the street  the Tom Price Band will be playing some country music, in Festival Square outside Telegraph at 6 p.m.

The Slice has a big rock show on Friday, Aug. 18 with  Alec Arms, Sunderer and Ol’ Ben performing  at 9 p.m. Admission is by donation.

 Dust off those poodle skirts because Rebel Angels will be playing all your ’50s  favourites at Casino Lethbridge for the weekend.

Midnight Channels will be playing some jazz music at the Owl Acoustic lounge, Friday, Aug. 18.

Scott Davidson returns to host Honkers Pub”s open mic on Friday, Aug. 18.

 If you’re hungry,  the Rotary Ribfest returns to the Enmax Centre, Aug. 18-20 from 11-9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11-6 p.m. on the Sunday.

 Fill your stomachs with ribs and your ears with  live music all weekend long. There will be a beer garden and a 50. 50 draw. All proceeds go to  the Ukrainian project.

CKXU shows they love you with a hip hop show at Theoretically Brewing, Saturday, Aug. 19 at 7 o.m. With Calgary rapper Tea Fannie, Calgary based soul  and R and B singer Malaika Hailey and Bem performing beginning at 7 p.m. Admission is $10.

Local craft brewery Spectrum  Ale Works  celebrated their fourth anniversary with live music.

 I was disappointed to miss Steve Loree and Lance Loree aka Skunk Trap  on Friday, but made a point of catching Skinny Dyck and his band Saturday afternoon, Aug. 5.

 As expected, his show was all about twangy, vintage country music and Dyck’s heartfelt, down to earth vocals with just a touch of twang.

Skinny Dyck  played  songs on his blonde Telecaster from throughout his career including new single “TV Blues.”

He went back a few years for one of my favourites “Timing” and played a couple from his 2020 album “ Get to Know Lonesome,” including “Running Kind ” and “Dreaming.”

They were called back for an encore of  Jimmy Buffet’s “ Margaritaville.”

— by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor

I always seem to miss Calgary musician Amy Nelson, but  caught the second set with Nelson and her band at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Aug. 5.

 For lack of a better pigeonhole,  Nelson counts as traditional style country, but backed with a band, she is a lot weirder— in a good way.

 There was plenty of spooky ambience courtesy of  Keith Rodger’s  bowed upright  bass that was alternately haunting and groovy and sighing steel guitar.

 Nelson’s voice sounded like a mix of Margo Price and Molly Tuttle, as she picked unusual bluesy, vintage country licks on her guitar.

 She had borrowed her partner Carter Felker‘s band including bassist Keith Rodger and steel guitarist JJ Mayo for the quick tour that ended in Lethbridge.

“ I don’t usually get to play two sets, so we’ll see what happens,” Nelson quipped before embarking on said set.

“ Good Natured Man with a Short Attention Span,” a song she wrote about Felker, who was at home watching the cat, was a quirky highlight of the varied and experimental set.

“ See My Pony,” was hypnotic.

 She ended with a cover of Hank Williams “ Glory— I’m gonna sing.”

— by Richard Amery, L.A. beat Editor

It’s different not seeing Big Sugar frontman Gordie Johnson front and centre belting out reggae, blues  and whatever else comes to his mind with Big Sugar, but he was happy to sit back and anchor the band while Harpoonist Shawn Hall writhed, bleated and blew some hot harp to wind up the Geomatic Attic’s Wide Skies music Festival, Aug. 3 on top of the parking garage downtown.

  Johnson held down the rhythm playing Moog bass pedals and locked in with drummer Jonas Shandel and keyboardist Geoff Hilhorst.

They played a hypnotic set of blues mixed with soul and a touch of electroinica music including several Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer songs.

 Johnson grinned, sporting bright red pointy cowboy boots and a neatly combed mohawk as he shook the parking garage with his pedals while  playing some shimmering slide guitar on the twelve string half of his double necked Gibson SG that sounded like a theramin in places.

 Johnson laid down a solid goove on bass pedals and a  mesmerizing ambient mood that kept the audiences attention rapt .

 He was there for the band,  leaving solos up to Hilhorst on his  organ and keyboards and Hall on his harp, though  he added the occasional wah wah tinged solo.

 I was surprised it took until the last few songs before the enraptured  audience got up to dance for the “disco country” of  Harpoonist anf the Axe Murderer favourite “ Watch What You Say.”

 A few other songs had a strong gospel influence, but it was the gospel of the blues and a little bit of rock and roll. Johnson added some reggae to the proceedings reflecting some of  Big Sugar’s more  experimental music.

 They wound down their set with a jam on my favourite Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer song “ Hard on Things.” They were called back for an encore.

 Juno Award nominee and CBC Searchlight competition winner Shawnee Kish was happy to open the show.

 She and a guitarist Stu played an array of covers and original music. She just looked happy to be there.

 “ The Sky is Crying ” was a highlight. Jolene Draper jumped on stage with her to belt out the chorus to 4 Non Blondes’ “ What”s Up.

 Kish broke out her new single “ No Evil,” which was a wonderfully heartfelt,  bluesy number that reminded me of Crystal Shawanda. I was hoping to hear more originals like that.

She asked they audience if they wanted to hear another original or a Tina Turner cover. They opted for a cover of  “Proud Mary” and jumped into the audience to let Jolene Draper and  Heidi Sherman sing along, before making way for the Harpoonist and Gordie Johnson.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor