Mike Spencer is cautiously optimistic about bringing in live music beginning this summer.

“Covid isn’t over, even though the Alberta government says it is,” said Spencer, who is dipping his toe into the volatile water of hosting live events in the middle of a pandemic beginning with a reimagined Wide Skies Music Festival, Wednesday, July 28.

He has several outdoor shows and collaborations planned for the summer.

 

“We can’t have the Wide Skies Music Festival this year, but we have Wide Skies Re-imagined,” he said, adding on Wednesday, July 28 there will be a beer gardens and food trucks and the music of Ryan “Skinny” Dyck and Evan Uschenko warming up for MonkeyJunk and Leeroy Stagger and the Rebeltone  Boys performing across the street on the roof top of the new parkade.

 

“ We got some encouragement from the City of Lethbridge who want to utilize outside spaces,” he said.

 

There’s a bus station on the bottom floor and nothing on the next two floors, so we thought it would be fun to do something a little different,” Spencer said.

 

“We’re still encouraging people to wear masks and be safe,” Spencer said.

 Admission to the show is free but you need a ticket due to limited seating. There is a suggested $20 donation.

“MonkeyJunk will perform while it’s still light out and Leeroy Stagger and the Rebeltone Boys will play when it starts to get dark, so we’ll have to light the stage,” Spencer said.

 

The Geomatic Attic’s next big show is part of New West Theatre’s Arts in the Park series on July 31 at Henderson Lake Park from 1 - 5 p.m.

 Performers include Ryland Moranz, Bailey Kate, Jolene Draper and the Inquisitive Few and Ghost Woman.

“We’re keeping things local for this show,” Spencer said.

 

In August the Geomatic Attic will be collaborating with The Lethbridge Jazz Society for another Arts in the Park Show at the Civic Centre Field on Aug. 28.

“It’s the Coulee Blues Festival. We’ve picked three acts and they picked three,” he continued.

 

“Our picks are Satellite and the Harpoonist, who is Harpoonist (Shawn Hall) from Harpoonist and the Axe Murderer and a rhythm section who play blues and soul music. We also have Kat Danser who is a blues musician from Edmonton and Paul Kype and Texas Flood,” he said.

 Saskatchewan blues musician Jack Semple and soul/ reggae/funk band the Rondel Roberts band are also on the bill.

 

Last year’s shows which were postponed have been postponed of cancelled.

 Fred Eaglesmith is definitely cancelled, but Shane Koyczan has been rescheduled for Oct. 16 at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre.

 Spencer is looking forward to having indoor shows again, but safety comes first. Bookers and artists are still playing it safe before booking tours.

“We should be able to open the flood gates with four or five shows between between November, December and January,” he said, adding he plans to announce the line up in mid-August.

- by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor