Ok, so let’s be honest, it’s been a brutally cold winter in the National Capital so far this year, but let’s not despair, it seems to finally be getting milder and spring is just around the corner. On the up hand, it’s also been one of the best season in years for skating on the Rideau Canal as ice conditions have been consistently stellar. As we await the arrival of spring, let’s keep warm by enjoying the many events happening in and around town this week.
Ottawa Francophone indie rock trio Mastik will be releasing its debut album “De sol et d’Ether” this Tuesday, February 24. The happy hour launch party, happening at the Mercury Lounge, will start at around 5pm and feature live music as well as locally sourced cheeses and pâtés courtesy of Mariposa Farm.
Indianapolis progressive metal band The Contortionist will be performing live at Mavericks this Wednesday night. For the occasion, the eOne/Good Fight Music affiliates will be sharing the stage with Boston death/thrash metal band Revocation, San Francisco death metal group Fallujah, New Jersey progressive metal formation Toothgrinder and Ottawa progressive metal project Antlion. 
The 21st edition of the Virée Blues Boreale, is continuing at the Petit Chicago this Wednesday, February 25. For the occasion, the team that’s been sharing its passion for blues in the National Capital Region, presents a live performance by Harrison Kennedy, a living legend of blues and Motown who’s worked with The Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye among other giants. If you’re a blues lover, there’s no better place to go this week.
If you’re into contemporary jazz music and improv, don’t miss the intimate show featuring Joe Morris on guitar, Mark Molnar or cello and Craig Pedersen on trumpet happening this Thursday evening at Black Squirrel Books on Bank St. For the occasion, the trio will be joined by David Broscoe on reeds, and Laura Kavanaugh and Ian Birse both manipulating electronics and objects.
Another show for the metal heads, this time happening at Ritual this Thursday night. Catch Montreal metal band The Agonist tear the stage alongside Ottawa hardcore/metal group Obyrne, Ottawa/Brockville metal project Ominous Eclipse and Gatineau metal band Accretion.
East Coast hip-hop group City Natives will be making a stop in Ottawa this Thursday, February 26 as part of the Red City Tour. The award-winning aboriginal group will be giving a live show with Drezus and special guests Mistah Jayohcee, Aspects and Redd among others.
If you’d like to catch a rock n’ roll show this Thursday night, you want to head over to House of Targ to check out Ottawa-based rock n’ rollers Saint Clare, Chops & The Holics and Fire Antlers. Plus, you get to eat perogies, drink beer and play arcades while you take in the live music. Win-win!
If punk is more your thing, Mavericks is the place you want to be this Friday, February 27 to see South Carolina horror punk/ska band The Independents. The duo will be sharing the stage with Oshawa horror punk group Black Cat Attack, Ottawa hardcore/punk project Sketchy Poutine and Ottawa garage rockers Capital City Carnage.
Over at Leaky B’s this Friday night, you can catch the excellent Hull-based heavy rock duo Muffler Crunch perform live alongside Belleville garage rock band Carpenteers, Montreal alternative rock duo The Van Arks, and Ottawa garage rock trio Elementals.
In need of punk rock in your life? Winchester, ON punk rock trio The Tenenbaums will be giving a live show at Mugshots this Friday night. The Ottawa/Kingston based band will be kicking it with Montreal punk rockers Lost Love and Montreal punk rock four-piece Oh my snare.
This Friday night, Beau’s All Natural and House and Targ present The Golden Dogs live in concert. The high-energy power pop band, who’s currently on an album release tour for their new effort 3 1/2, will be performing alongside Ottawa garage punk rock band Ornaments and Robots! Everywhere!!
The monthly edition of Party Pack is going down at Ritual this Friday night. The February instalment will feature a live set by Fools Gold DJ/Producer Shash’U of Montreal. Shash’U’s sound, dubbed power funk, is a combo of distinct drums, ubiquitous bass and 70s-80s funk-influenced melodies, revisited with an urban/vintage-hip-hop street beat flavour. He’ll be joined by J-Lah of Toronto.
This Friday night, DJs Zattar, Memetic and Trevor Walker bring you the return of Timekode. The wildly popular funk and soul dance party will once again be held at the fresh new Maker Space North spot, conceived by John Criswick, owner of the Mercury Lounge.
Montreal’s Snails will be giving a live set inside Ritual this Friday night. The DJ/Producer who pushes a forward-thinking brand of dance music combining hip-hop rhythms, dirty bass lines and off-kilter souond design, will be joined by So Durand and Shake Music.
Zipcode is a basement dance party and it’s going down this Friday night below Black Squirrel Books & Tea featuring sets by Ottawa’s RIOHV, Munich/Montreal’s Rosewater CTZ, Ottawa’s Cabaal, and Toronto’s Sir Ett.
R.A.P.S.Ody is Ottawa’s new monthly event where urban artists compete in a classic “cypher” hip hop format. Happening at the Flava Factory this Saturday evening, the first edition is meant to be inclusive and open to all and will feature spoken word artists, rappers, dancers, beatboxers, singers and a live performance by Ottawa emcee G.Grand.
Saturday night at Leaky B’s, The Diamond Mine Agency presents post hardcore band Something You Whisper. The Cambridge-based group will be sharing the stage with St. Catharines post hardcore band Bitter Kids, Ottawa rock outfit Missioner, Ottawa hardcore/punk/metal project Footsteps to Gaia and Ottawa punk rockers Below 6. 
The Instruments of Death Tour will be making a stop in Ottawa this Saturday night. For the occasion, New York metal band Extinction A.D. will be giving a live show at Club SAW alongside Ottawa noise/hardcore group Sombre, and Ottawa headbang metal project Iron Golem. Update: due to unforeseen circumstances, this show has been cancelled. Organizers will work on bringing Extinction A.D. back soon and apologize for any inconvenience.
If you’re into the garage scene, you might want to show your face at Gabba Hey! this Saturday night to check out Ottawa freak-out surf punk band Tropical Dripps, Montreal lo-fi garage rockers Tang Soleil, and Toronto garage group King Creep.
CKCU FM’s The Mix presents a night of live hip-hop at the Daily Grind this Saturday, February 28. The show will feature live sets by hip-hop artists Poetic Elements, Just Poets, Circa Beatz, Jessica Anbara and more and it’s only $5 at the door.
Montreal-based blues/soul singer-songwriter Cecile Doo-Kingue will be performing live at the Petit Chicago in Hull this Saturday night in an effort to promote her recently-released new album “Anybody Listening”.
Do you like to dance? Do you like to party? Do you like glitter? If you’ve answered yes to all of these questions, do yourself a favour and make your way over to Mavericks this Saturday night for Framework Music’s German Sparkle Party 2. If you plan on attending this shiny annual affair, you’re encouraged to wear over-the-top sparkly and flashy party gear to dance the night away with DJ Martin Waslewski from Germany and local DJs Rick Laplante and Sergio Pari.
Beyoncé fans unite: The BEY BEY dance party is back at Babylon Nightclub this Saturday night. This party dedicated to the one and only Queen B will feature DJs Foster and Max Zims on the decks playing Bey and friends all night long.
