Eventful Capital’s Weekly Picks: From the Casino Lac-Leamy Sound of Light Fireworks and JamDay 2015 to the Ottawa Taco Fest and the Hintonburger Birthday Block Party

Another week, another slew of events happening in Ottawa-Gatineau in the days to come. Check out Eventful Capital’s weekly picks below for a glimpse into the number of events taking place in and around the National Capital Region in the next few days.

Staring this Tuesday, August 5, the Pipedream Tour will be making a stop in Ottawa. For the occasion, Toronto hip hop artist Luxe Taylor will be performing live at Pressed Cafe alongside Ottawa hip hop artists A-Dub, Juvi Da Gemini and Mo Illz. 

This Wednesday evening, PDA Projects is turning one already and to mark the occasion the gallery invites you to celebrate its birthday at the opening of its upcoming exhibition FACE/OFF, featuring over 30 Canadian artists. 

Over at House of Targ this Thursday, August 6, there’s going to be a live show featuring Ottawa funk/rock/ The Ven Dreddies. This time around, the trio, who’s nothing short of entertaining, will be sharing the stage with hometown indie rock group Muelkik and rock n’ roll.

UK Black Butter Records duo Gorgon City will be making an appearance in Ottawa this Thursday night at Barrymores. The guys will be giving a special 2-hour DJ set after their show as part of Motion and they’ll be getting support from Ottawa’s Iggy Smalls, So Durand b2b Sacha Foster to warm up the crowd. 

Anomaly Vol. 4 is happening at House of Common this Friday night. Audio sounds will be provided by Réservoir and André et Michèle while VJ, Cinetik and Mawt Trood will be handling the visual projections. 

This Friday night at Raw Sugar Cafe, there will be an intimate live show featuring sets by Peterborough band The Lonely Parade, Ottawa devotional punk project Weed Mom, Peterborough garage punk group BEEF BOYS, and experimental dream pop outfit Scary Movie Noah

Toronto power-punk band First Base will be playing live at Pressed Café this Friday, August 7. The group, who’s signed to Hosehead Records, will be performing alongside Ottawa garage punks Average Times and Toronto/Montreal garage surf punk rock trio Brat Kings who are back in the capital after playing Ottawa Explosion Weekend in June.

For the metal heads out there, there’s a show going town at House of Targ this Friday night as part of the summer onslaught of metal and this one will feature headliners Vancouver crossover thrash rippers The Golers, Toronto thrash metal band Thrashards, and Pisser, Saint Catherine’s newest and finest. What’s more,  DJ Valhalla will be spinning metal classic on the turntables before/after in between sets.

Looking for a night of dancehall, roots, foundation, and lovers reggae?  Look no further, DJs Magnificent and Select have just the party for you and they’re taking it to City Nightclub this Friday night. The two Ottawa friends have joined forces to bring you a solid dancehall/reggae dance party dubbed Higher Level and for the occasion, they’ve enlisted the help of DJ RayRay whose vinyl reggae collection knows no boundaries. 

JAMDAY is a one-of-a-kind event happening every year in August featuring the rich culture of Jamaica including live reggae music, folk dances, songs, traditional food, a children’s village, crafts and much more. Hosted by the Jamaican Community Association, this year’s edition will be held on Saturday, August 8 from noon to 10 pm at Mooney’s Bay and will feature live performances by headliners Gyptian, Fabian Marley, and Luciano among others.

Burgers, Bands and Beers, Hintonburger’s 5th annual birthday party is happening this Saturday as of noon and this year’s it’s turning into a full-on all day block party. On the menu, there will be live music from local bands and CKCU DJs, craft beer, great food and lots more. Happy birthday Hintonburger! 

This Saturday, August 8, Privé presents Ottawa’s second annual taco festival. The city’s best taco makers will unite under one roof at the Ottawa Shaw Centre to showcase their culinary take on this foodie favorite. All food is priced between 2 and 5 dollars and goes to support local businesses. 

Ottawa is home to a vibrant spoken word scene which has two top competing teams featuring super talented slam poets: Capital Slam and Urban Legends. This Saturday at Pressed Cafe, the two poetry slam teams will face off against each other before they face off against the rest of the country at the 2015 Canadian Festival of Spoken Word in Saskatoon. All proceeds from the event will help the teams pay for travel costs.

California post-hardcore/rock band A Skylit Drive will be performing live at Ritual this Saturday night. For the occasion, they’ll be sharing the stage with Ottawa post-hardcore group Of Reverie, Ottawa metalcore formation Violent Tides and Ottawa metal project Vesuvius. In case you didn’t know, Ottawa’s own Michael Labelle is the newest member of A Skylit Drive, and this is their first show in Ottawa since he joined the band so come give them a warm welcome to the capital. 

Over at Avant-Garde Bar this Saturday night, there will be a lineup of live music featuring a diverse mix of punk, metal, rock, and more. It’s the perfect show for those with musical A.D.D and/or those who like it heavy. The bill includes post punk/blues duo ONFIILM, Toronto experimental metal band Saprophyte and Ottawa punk newcomers Pistols At Dawn. 

This Saturday night at the Atomic Rooster, Samples From the Scene returns with special guests John Carroll and Birdie Whyte who’ll present the Frank & Birdie Show. The evening will feature music that is guaranteed to titilate your ears and pleasure your senses with a unique blend of folk and old school blues as well as live art from painter Adam F. Davidson. Mixing slide guitars, banjos and more, this is a well-known Ottawa duo that is not to be missed.

The Casino Lac-Leamy Sound of Light fireworks kick off this week along the banks of the Canadian Museum of History. The 20th edition of this annual event will feature four international pyromusical fireworks shows from Spain, Belgium, Greece, and Venezuela including a Grande Finale, which will offer an explosive ending presented by all four countries. If you plan on attending, why not arrive earlier to check out the Museum or have dinner on site? For more info, tickets and programming details, just click below. 

Eventful Capital’s Weekly Picks: From Nile and Steve Aoki to The Planet Smashers and Freak Motif

Easter Long Weekend has already come and gone, and you’ve hopefully all had a chance to recharge your batteries and enjoy time off with friends and family. The weather’s getting milder by the day and it’s encouraging to hear the birds chirping and to see the trees burgeoning because it’s a reminder that spring is finally here to stay and that summer is on its way. 

If you’ve got time to check out some events this week, there’s no shortage of things to do. Take a look at Eventful Capital’s weekly picks for a glimpse into the variety of events happening in and around Ottawa-Gatineau in the coming days. Who knows, maybe you’ll discover your new favourite venue or make friends with a local artist?

 For the first time ever, USA Technical Death Metal group Nile will be performing live in Ottawa this Wednesday, April 23. For the occasion, the trio will be giving a show at Mavericks alongside Gatineau Melodic Death Metal band Insurrection and Perth Metal project A Scar for the Wicked. 

Ottawa Indie Rock trio Tribe Royal will be performing live at Zaphods this Thursday, April 24. The local band will be playing the York Street venue with  Archy & Mehitabel and The Toques who are also of Ottawa. 

 The Up & Up Music Series presents Freak Motif live in concert this Thursday night. The Montreal afrobeat, funk and reggae musicians will be spreading their good vibes at the Mercury Lounge and giving a guaranteed high-energy performance that’s sure to warm you up. 

UK drum and bass/dubstep producer Edward “Seven” will be giving a live set in Ottawa this Thursday courtesy of Bass Pro Shoppe and The Pagoda Collective. Happening at the Green Room, the event will also feature live sets by local DJs Sarge and Disco-Nekt. If you’re into deep vibes, this might just be the thing for you. 

This Friday, April 25 at Ritual, Higher Learning Culture and Stolen From Africa, in association with HipHopCanada present The Higher Learning Experience, a show featuring live performances by hip-hop artists Shariq DeVonte, Jigz TheFlyer, Charley Moon, Homebased, SawBuck, DeeJay So Nice, & more.

 The ska fans will be happy to know that The Planet Smashers are going to be in Ottawa this Friday, April 25 as part of their 20th Anniversary Tour. Two decades, seven albums, one million records sold, and countless tours later, the Montreal-based 5-piece known for their feel-good ska/punk party music will be at Mavericks to perform live alongside Scally Cap Brats, Cardboard Crowns and Suits N’ Toques. 

Three great Ottawa rockabilly bands are taking the stage for some rockin’ and rollin’ this Friday night. Featuring the sounds of Dang Guilty, The Kingmakers and The Lonesome Devils, this fun night of music happening at the Rainbow Bistro is sure to get you dancing. 

The third edition of Lounge Elements is happening this Friday night at The Daily Grind. Join Kway Sway, host of CKCU 93.1 FM’s Dem Tings Dey for a special night of music featuring lounge tunes, positive energy, good vibes, and great food. For the occasion, there will be special guest appearances and a pop-up table with Babes & Gents merchandise.   

Those of you who enjoy EDM may want to head over to the EY Centre this Friday night to check out Steve Aoki. The founder of Dim Mak Records, who’s no stranger to Ottawa, will be giving a live set following a great roster of producers namely DJ Duo Rebecca & Fiona, AutoErotique, Nause and Stefano Lasne. 

This Friday, April 25, DJ Magnificent invites you to a the monthly edition of Double Barrel with special guest The Gaff. The Saskatoon-based DJ, who graced the Double Barrel decks around the same time last year, will be making his Ottawa return with an all-45s set featuring the best in Funk, Soul, Motown, and Vintage Reggae. Needless to say this is sure to be another great Double Barrel dance party. 

This Saturday, April 26, celebrate the grand opening of the new Flava Factory location with an Open House between 10am and 2pm. The festivities will also include the annual Jack of All Styles breakdancing competitions featuring two different dance battles: a 2 vs. 2 Breakin’ Battle and a 2 vs. 2 Freestyle Dance Battle. If you’re into street dancing, you should definitely be a part of this! 

The Maru Spring/Summer 2014 Collection release party is being held this Saturday at Antique Skate Shop. If you attend the launch, you’ll also get to see the premiere of  “They Come in the Night”, a short film shot and directed by Jordan Wiens featuring some local skateboarders who found some interesting skate spots amidst the coldest winter Ottawa has experienced in the last 20 years. 

Toronto thrash metal band Thrashards will be performing live at Luneta Bistro this Saturday, April 26. The 5-piece will be joined on stage by Montreal-based group Whiskey Tax, Ottawa-based street punk band Whiskey Shits, Montreal thrash project Mutank and Ottawa thrash punk 4-piece Regret. 

Montreal indie/rock group Solids will be performing live at the newly opened House of TARG on Saturday night. They’ll be joined on stage by Ottawa punk band Big Dick and Toronto mathrock trio Life in Vacuum. 

This Saturday night, join local musician Tariq Anwar at the Atomic Rooster for the release of his debut LP “Split Perspectives”.  After working on this debut album for a year, the grunge, soul and folk-inspired  artist will be performing new material live with special guests Dynamite Motel, Matt Francis and DJ Gerd, who’ll be spinning tunes between sets.

This Saturday, April 26, secret agents and femme fatales will gather at the Canadian War Museum for Spies & Dolls, the 10th annual Ottawa Gala, in an effort to raise funds for the Ottawa Network for Education’s School Breakfast Program. Presented by TELUS and featuring HOT 89.9, the Ottawa Gala is the city’s premiere event for young professionals and has raised over $700,000 for local youth initiatives since its inception in 1993. The 2014 edition will feature live entertainment and performances by the Hornettes and DJ ACRO among others and will include a silent auction with many prizes to be won. 

Local artists NDMA and City Fidelia have been working on their separate projects for over a year. They’ve decided to take time to show their appreciation to supporters by showcasing new material before its officially released. For the occasion, NDMA will be performing and showcasing the video for his highly anticipated single ” Burn Slow ” off his new EP ” PANACHE ” and City Fidelia will be performing songs off his unreleased EP “OLD NEW FASHION : A PISCES WORLD”. He will also treat his peers to a preview of a creative visual for his hit single “Evening Show”. All of this is happening this Sunday from 8 to 11 pm at Mercury Lounge. 

This Sunday, April 27, Ottawa hip-hop artist KING invites you to attend the release of his debut EP “Hail the KING” at the Rainbow Bistro. In celebration of his new album, the local lyricist will be joined on stage by Natchez/Guelph psychedelic hip hop artist Noah23 , Ottawa hip hop group The Adding Machine and Ottawa hip hop trio Poetic Elements among others.