See you never, 2016, Happy New Year 2017, brace yourselves for Canada 150, and all that jazz. Hopefully you had an enjoyable holiday season and had time to go out and take in some of what the National Capital Region had to offer these past two weeks. After some days off here at Eventful Capital, it’s back to reality just in time for this week’s event picks, so see below if you’re looking for something fun to do in and around Ottawa-Gatineau.
Lindsday, Ontario indie pop rockers The Kents will be making a stop in Ottawa this Thursday, January 5 as part of their current tour. The four-piece will be sharing the stage with Ottawa bands Thrifty Kids and Missioner.
If you’re up for a little drive to Wakefield this Friday, you’ll be rewarded by a great show happening at the Blacksheep Inn. The night of live music will feature performances by Gatineau psych/heavy rock trio Gravelines, New Zealand electro pop duo Kaija and Ottawa indie rockers The Riot Police.
For Double Barrel, it’s a new year, new diggs: one of Ottawa’s funnest dance parties going on 8 years, is back after a short break this Friday night inside Babylon. Resident DJ Magnificent will be gracing the 1s and 2s as he does best and he’ll be joined by special guest DJs Bjorn Late and Trevor Walker. An all-vinyl funk, soul, Motown and vintage reggae dance party you don’t want to miss.
If you want to check out some live music this Saturday night, you have a few options. For one, Ottawa hard rock/ metal group Pitch Black Progress, Ottawa rock band Nebraska, and Gatineau punk rockers Splintered Fate will be hitting the stage together and playing live at Avant-Garde Bar.
If metal is your thing, you might want to make your way over to Mavericks this Saturday to catch Quebec City black thrash metal band Riotor. The 5-piece will be sharing the stage with Ottawa metal group Lycanthro, Ottawa glam rockers Thruster, Ottawa stoner rockers Opium Winter and Ottawa metal project Thunder Dome.
This Saturday night, Rocksteady Bookings presents Face the Blues, a night of music in support of mental health. Happening at Live on Elgin, the special event hosted by Amanda Lowe, aims at putting a face and name to metal issues that affect so many of us and help break the stigma associated with them. For the occasion, Brooklyn band The Falling Birds, Ottawa group Jessica Pearson and the East Wind, Ottawa outfit Neverfriend and Ottawa singer-songwriter Annie Martel. Proceeds raised will be going to the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa. 
Outaouais folk rock band Bonhomme Sept Heures is giving its first show of 2017 at the Petit Chicago this Saturday, January 8 and this time around, the four-piece will be joined on stage by local singer-songwriter Anne-Marie Charron.
At the Blacksheep Inn this Saturday night, you can check out the lovely Kelly Sloan live in concert. The Almonte-based folk pop singer-songwriter will be playing live in support of her latest album Big Deal and she’ll be sharing the stage with Ottawa experimental pop project Trails.
After a short absence, Hottowa is back for the new year and happening this Saturday night over at Bar Robo. The dance party will feature Seiizmik and Halpo (aka DJ Smiles) playing all sorts of stuff from funk, and tech-house to reggae, hip hop and more.
The BEY BEY dance party is back at Babylon Nightclub this Saturday night. This monthly event dedicated to the one and only Queen B will feature DJs Max Zims and Laocapone on the decks playing Bey and friends all night long. Let’s get drunk in love, yo ❤
This Sunday, there’s an all-ages show going down at Bar Robo and it’ll feature live sets by Ottawa-based artists Jad, Grace Note and Andrea MacWilliams.
David Bowie fans unite: Remi Royale is hosting a very special mixer at the Manx this Sunday, January 8, celebrating the glam rocker’s birthday. For the occasion, you can expect him to be playing strictly Bowie songs.
