Eventful Capital’s Weekly Picks: From Skratch Bastid and Art Battle Ottawa to leMeow and Guga Rocha

This Monday, February 20, check out the second instalment of Robo Harb at Bar Robo. The new monthly hangout featuring music curated by Ali Harb is being held between 7 p.m. and midnight, giving you the chance to enjoy a night out without having to worry about losing sleep. Dress to express!

Ottawa’s Gongfu Boa Cart is doing a takeover at one of Ottawa’s best diners, Fontenelle Restaurant, this Tuesday night in collaboration with amazing local artisans & producers. Enjoy baos, noodles, dumplings and more either by eating-in or as take-out, and kungfu movies all night. No reservations.

From the creators of My Fair Zombie comes Ottawa’s next comedy musical sensation: Phantom of the Opry, a comedic take on an old classic written and directed by local cult filmmaker Brett Kelly. The production also features 10 original songs written by local artist Jumpin Joel Flash and will be presented at the Gladstone Theatre February 22-25.

Join One World Arts this Wednesday, February 22 for a special one-night-only screening of the award-winning Canadian documentary KONELĪNE: our land beautiful at the ByTowne Cinema. The screening will be followed by a discussion with Ugo Lapointe, Canada Program Coordinator at MiningWatch Canada, and Ben Powless, a Mohawk citizen and Ottawa resident with a background in human rights, indigenous rights and environmental advocacy. Proceeds ill go to support the 28th annual One World Film Festival, Ottawa’s longest running documentary film fest.

Toronto indie folk band Midnight Vesta will be performing at Live on Elgin this Wednesday night in an effort to to expand their audience as they prepare to release their first LP. The trio will be sharing the stage with Ottawa blue rock group Cold Capital and Toronto indie folk musician Brooklyn Doran.

The Mercury Lounge is cooking up a very interesting event for foodies and music lovers alike. This Thursday night, experience a fun evening spent tasting the warmth of tropical cuisine and learning a few cooking tricks from Guga Rocha, one of Brazil’s finest chefs and TV hosts. The event will include great live Brazilian music and an amazing stand-up cooking show. Sounds amazing!

If hardcore is your thing, you’re gonna want to head over to House of Targ this Thursday night to catch Montreal hardcore band Hopeless Youth, Ottawa metallic sludge group Opium Winter, Ottawa metal outfit Ooluu, Ottawa ritual industrial project Wychdoktor as well as visual artists Kaylie Seaver, Kathleen Axam and Squish Lessard.

If you enjoy visual arts, start your weekend at the Ottawa Art Battle this Friday night at Arts Court. The unique event organized across Canadian cities, brings 12 local painters together for a live painting competition held in front of an audience.

There’s a house show happening this Friday night that’ll feature live sets by London, Ontario electro mope pop project Shhh, Montreal ambient soundscape noise duo Intervention and Ottawa experimental synth star Lovecraft.

UK indie/folk musician Benjamin Francis Leftwich will be making a stop in our nation’s capital this Friday, February 24. The Dirty Hit Recs artist will be playing live at Zaphods alongside Sacramento ambient indie-folk project Brolly and Ottawa singer-songwriter and dedicated member of the local music community Amanda Lowe.

Toronto punk/post-hardcore? (they’re not sure) band Sparrows will rocking House of Targ this Friday night and they’ll be sharing the stage with Niagara emo/alt-rockers Heavy Hearts, KW post-punks Life in Vacuum and Ottawa rock band Old Rules. Gotta love the event poster.

This Friday night at City, AVA Recordings invites you to join them as they celebrate their 10-year anniversary. As one of the trance scene’s biggest labels, AVA Recordings has long been at the forefront of releasing top quality music and spearheading the Trance movement and this Friday they’re marking the occasion with guest DJs Somna and Sheridan Grout.

The new monthly dubbed Strange People dedicated to happiness, good times and curiosity is back this Friday night inside Mercury Lounge. Party people are invited to come as they are and enjoy the sounds of house, disco, techno and more. For the latest edition, resident DJs Mat Thibault and Teknobrat will be on the mix with Lock City Groove, and together they’ll take you on an eclectic musical journey that’s bound to stimulate your imagination.

Saturday, February 25, celebrate the rhythms and movement of Africa and the Caribbean with Kallaloo, a one-day festival of Afro-Caribbean dance and culture featuring three workshops and an Afrocentric Marketplace.

This Saturday afternoon, House of Targ is putting on a clothing swap for anyone and everyone who has used clothing and accessories to donate and exchange. Bring clean clothes, shoes and/or accessories you no longer wear and swap for something you want while DJs Ska Jeff and DJ Felix spin tunes.

Gatineau hip hop artist CZA will be releasing his album Pied de vent this Saturday, February 25 at l’Avant-Première in the Hull sector of Gatineau. The local rapper will be sharing the stage with guests Kode, Selekwa, Outside I’m a Giant, Anka and others.

Make no mistake: the absolute best party in the city to be at this Saturday night is TIMEKODE’s Special Patreon Launch Celebration going down inside D’Afrique Resto & Bar with none other than internationally-renowned DJ Skratch Bastid. Don’t miss your chance to get down up close and personal with one of the best DJs in the game, period. There’s a limited amount of tickets for this event so grab yours quick! (Full disclosure: I now take care of communications for TIMEKODE.)

If you’re in the mood to play pinball and arcades while you check out some live punk bands, then House of Targ is where you’ll want to be this Saturday night for the Voice of a Generation Punk Night Vol. 3 featuring Make No Gains, Toxic Thoughts, Cansoc and more.

If you’re a fan of the Souljazz Orchestra and enjoy the sounds of salsa, cumbia, disco and sambafunk, head over to the Petit Chicago on Saturday to check out a new collective called Tropikombo. The Ottawa-based 5-piece conjunto led by Phil Motion has given a few live performances around town since its inception, and although I haven’t caught their set yet, I’ve heard nothing but good things about this new project.

A monthly party dedicated to the 6 God? Drake fans, you read correct. The  Drake Night popular dance party, at which you can expect to hear nothing but Drizzy jams and tracks from OVO affiliates courtesy of DJs Max Zims and Laocapone, is now a monthly and it’s going down this Saturday night inside Babylon.

There’s an all-vinyl tribute to NYC’s CBGB going down at Bar Robo this Saturday night. The PWYC event will feature Showbox and Roadhaus DJs spinning Ramones, Velvet Underground, The Clash, Talking Heads, Patti Smith and lots more.

Ottawa-based soul-infused pop duo leMeow will be performing live at the always-fun Atomic Rooster this Sunday and they’ll be jamming out a mix of covers and originals. It’s an early evening show and a great way to end the weekend.

The latest instalment of the new WAVES series is happening at Overkill this Sunday night. The format for WAVES III is solely grip tape. What you do on your sheet is totally up to you. Submissions can be painted, stencilled, cut outs…whatever you want. E-mail falldowngalleryot@gmail.com to request your sheet ahead of the event. Skate videos will projected on the big screen and there will be music courtesy of DJ Laocapone.

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Eventful Capital’s Weekly Picks: From Adventure Club and Madchild to Switched on Synths and The Acorn

January can be a tough month to get out of the house considering post-holiday fatigue and unwelcoming cold temperatures, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make an effort to step out and encourage our local cultural scene. Artists need our support all year-round, so have a look at some of the things happening in Ottawa-Gatineau in the next few days and show them some love.

This Monday night, three great local acts are hitting the stage at Bar Robo. Jumpin Joel Flash and his Magic Machine will be playing live alongside Ottawa-Gatineau folk pop duo Moonfruits and comedic duo Rhythm and Burgundy.

PACE Magazine is a new Ottawa-based independent magazine featuring works curated from local artists and writers. The publication’s purpose is to promote the DIY arts culture of Canada’s capital. The team behind PACE invites you to the launch of their second issue happening this Monday evening at Club SAW. It’s free to attend and it’s all ages.

Boston-based acoustic folk punk musician Bryan McPherson is bringing his brand of music to Ottawa this Wednesday, January 11 as part of his 2017 Eastern Canada Tour. For the occasion, the artist will be sharing the Pressed Cafe stage with local musicians Jon Creeden and Rich Chris.

Canada is a country built from settler colonialism, which leaves the question of how the Indigenous peoples of this land are meant to participate in Canada 150 celebrations. KANATA 150?, presented from January 12 to February 18, will feature works by seven emerging Indigenous artists reflecting on the nature of “Canada 150”. The exhibition, curated by Rose Ekins, launches this Thursday at Studio Sixty Six.  

If you’re into metal, be sure to head over to House of Targ this Thursday, January 12, to catch Ottawa progressive metal band The Night Watch. The excellent local four-piece will be playing live alongside Guelph epic black metal group Unbowed and Montreal folk metal project Distoriam.

Canadian rap veteran Madchild will be making a return to Ottawa this Thursday night as part of his current Canadian tour with DJ Dow Jones and Joseph Rose. This time around, the Swollen Members hip hop artist from BC will be performing live at the Bourbon Room and sharing the stage with special guests C-Note, JR, and Project Mantra among others.

This Friday at the Montgomery Legion, PRISM is bringing you seven bands who’ll be performing live on the same stage. The stacked bill features Toronto’s Tashme, Montreal’s The Return of Total Bliss, Toronto’s Jockstrap, Ottawa’s DOXX, Ottawa’s CHUDs and Toronto’s Flem. If you’re into hardcore music, this is for you.

There’s an all-ages show happening at Bar Robo this Friday night featuring Montreal indie rockers Joe Rabbit, Ottawa neo-psych band Masters of Nothing and Montreal alt yatch rock project Crackers & Jam. I would personally go for the poster alone.

The first Switched On Synths of the year is going down at House of Targ this Friday, January 13. This latest edition of the electronic music series dedicated to all things synth will feature highly experimental cinematic synth from Jeunesse Cosmique Records including Montreal’s Hazy Montagne Mystique and Me Float, Montreal’s Flone and Toronto’s Big River Dream.

If you’re looking for a more intimate show to check out this Friday night, warm up from the cold at Black Squirrel Books with a night of live music by Ottawa experimental synthpop project Townes, Ottawa post punk/new wave project Potential Red and folk rockers Monotymes.

If bass music is your thing, you’ll probably want to make your way over to City this Friday night to vibe to the sounds of Toronto’s own Hydee. The drum & bass and dubstep DJ will be giving a live set alongside guest co-headliner DZ from Vancouver as well as DJd E.R.B and Just Cuzz.

Fans of EDM won’t want to miss Adventure Club live at Barrymore’s this Friday night. The Montreal-based electronic dance music duo will be making a return to the nation’s capital as part of their Made in Canada Red // Blue Tour. This time, the guys will be sharing the spotlight with special guest Young Bombs.

Ottawa’s own The Acorn recently released a beautiful and meditative video for the track Rapids, featured on the album Vieux Loup. The Paper Bag Recs signees will be playing live at Pressed Cafe this Saturday night alongside Halifax singer-songwriter Gianna Lauren.

Metal heads who are looking for a show this Saturday, January 14, should check out Ottawa-Gatineau death thrash group Deathrow Six live at the Petit Chicago in the Vieux-Hull. The local metal band will be joined by Trois-Rivieres thrashers Satanic, Gatineau metalcore outfit Hybridreams and Ottawa melodic death metal project Misshapen.

If you prefer rock, I recommend you go see Ottawa rockers Eagleson, Montreal rock band Mountain Dust and Ottawa alternative indie rock trio Elementals live at Cafe Dekcuf this Saturday night.

This Saturday night, join the battle to defeat the forces of winter blues with leMeow and The Powergoats. The two local bands have teamed up to play live at The Blacksheep Inn to give you the chance to shake off the cold and swing and dance the night away with original soul, rock, and bluesy beats. Bonus: there will be horns ♫♪

Maybe the Blacksheep Inn is a bit too far and you’d rather stay in Ottawa for something more low-key. If  that’s the case, head to Bar Robo on Saturday night and you’ll be treated to a great night of live music featuring Gatineau indie folk trio Okies, Gatineau acoustic folk project Outside I’m a Giant and Montreal indie alternative band Videoman.

There’s a big Ukrainian New Year party going down at House of Targ this Saturday, January 14 and it will feature live performances by Ottawa polka rockers Ukrainia and Montreal polkabilly/gypsy punks Bad Uncle. Sounds like quite the party!

Get On Up is an all-vinyl dance party featuring music selections from DJ Breakthru. If you need to warm up by dancing the night away this Saturday, you should definitely hit this up at Bar Robo and enjoy all sorts of great funk, soul, Motown, r&b, and disco jams.

This Saturday night marks the return of Deep Therapy at Mercury Lounge. This dance party showcases the sounds of deep and cutting edge house music in a unique and inviting atmosphere that defies the ordinary. This latest edition will feature live sets by guest DJs Adam Husa and Philip Chedid alongside residents Sergio Pari and Trevor Walker. It’s your remedy from the mainstream, so let loose and dance.

Eventful Capital’s Weekly Picks: From House of PainT and Les Deuxluxes to LaVolley and the Ottawa Craft Beer Fest

So it’s basically the last week of August. I don’t know about you, but it feels as though summer has just gone by in a flash. That alone should be enough to get you out of the house and into some of the coolest events happening over the next few days in the National Capital Region. Here’s a selection of fun things to check out in Ottawa-Gatineau in the days ahead.

If you’re in the mood to start your week with some loud music, check out Brazilian metal band Hibria live at House of Targ this Tuesday night. The heavy metal group, who’s currently on a 20th Anniversary World Tour, will be performing live in Ottawa alongside local metal band Death Wish and local glam rock band Thruster.

Mi’kmaq hip hop artist Shift From Tha 902, from the We’koqma’q First Nation in Nova Scotia, will be performing live at the Rainbow Bistro this Wednesday night. For the occasion, the up and coming rapper, producer and DJ will be sharing the stage with L’Nu Joker, Devon Paul and Kloud n9.

Over at Avant-Garde Bar this Wednesday, dance the night away with Charlie The Kid, Balaclava, The Nighttime, Right Shitty, and Holy Christopher.

Not Normal, the new experimental music series launched this Spring, is going down this Thursday night at Pressed Cafe. For this latest instalment, there will be a live set by Intangerines as well as DJs Jason Skilz of Low Noise Productions and Pierre Richardson of Bruised Tongue Recs.

On Thursday, August 25, head out to Bar Robo for an intimate night of live music. Presented by the good folks at Ottawa Showbox, the show will feature sets by Ottawa synth pop collective Scary Bear Soundtrack, Regina electro pop band Moonriser and Kingston folk project Slow Man Tofu.

If you enjoy experimental sounds, be sure to make your way over to House of Targ on Thursday to catch Toronto dark industrial post gaze project Odonis Odonis, Ottawa bedroom r&b artist PIPPA and Ottawa analogue techno musician Ruth Grader. It’s bound to be different and perhaps a bit unsettling, all in a very good way of course.

When it comes to celebrating urban culture in the Nation’s Capital, no one does it better than House of PainT (HoP). The annual festival, which serves as a vehicle to elevate and celebrate urban arts and culture, has become instrumental in bringing forward the four elements of hip-hop to audiences who are curious about the culture and for those who simply want to be a part of the movement. For its 13^th edition dubbed “Decolonize”, HoP organizers invite everyone and anyone with a love of hip-hop and community to join together between August 25-28, and take in graffiti art, breakdancing, emceeing, slam poetry, deejaying and more under Dunbar bridge in Brewer Park as well as other venues across the city. Legendary hip hop duo EPMD will be headlining this year and we’ll be giving away a pair of VIP festival passes this week on Indie City Madness so be sure tune in to tomorrow’s show on CKCU 93.1 FM for your chance to win.

The 2016 Canadian DMC Battleground is presenting the Ottawa regional DJ competition in partnership with and as part of House of PainT this year. Going down at Brewer Park under Dunbar Bridge this Friday, the competition will see some of Ottawa’s top DJs battle it out for a chance to represent the Nation’s Capital in the next DMC rounds.

Beer lovers won’t want to miss the 5th Ottawa Craft Beer Festival taking place this weekend at the Aberdeen Pavillion at Lansdowne Park. The annual festival, which has grown into the largest craft beer festival in Ontario, allows you to discover the wide selection of craft brewed beers available across the National Capital Region. The programming also features culinary creations prepared by artisanal eateries, a speaker series focusing on craft beer and artisanal food, and live musical entertainment presenting regional talent.

Montreal garage rock/rock n’roll duo Les Deuxluxes will be making a return to the National Capital Region this Friday night and this time around they’ll be playing live at House of Targ. For the occasion, the power couple will be rocking the stage with Boston garage rock band Muck & The Mires and Ottawa folk punk solo artist Patrick Shanks. A guaranteed good time when Les Deuxluxes are on the bill!

The August edition of Hip Hop Karaoke is going down this Friday night at the Elmdale with your usual hosts DJ So Nice and Atherton. If you want to perform and impersonate Eve by rapping that track you spent hours memorizing in front of the mirror, now’s your chance to show the world Ottawa what you’re capable of.

An urban beach in the heart of downtown Gatineau? That’s essentially what LaVolley promises to deliver this weekend in the Vieux-Hull. The free annual event will feature outdoor sports like beach volleyball and dodgeball as well as games, contests, and DJs in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. Check it out if you’re in the area!

This Saturday, August 27, Makerspace North is having an open house that’ll take the shape of a community showcase of makers. The all-ages free event will highlight the projects, interest groups, tech, tinkering and creative happenings that abound in the National Capital Region in an effort to celebrate the local community of makers, shakers, creators and innovators. Makerspace North is opening its doors and will also be launching a new Community Membership as well as announcing new programming.

Montreal/Ottawa Brazilian musician Rommel Ribeiro is back in the region following a year studying abroad and travelling and he’ll be performing live at the Mercury Lounge this Saturday night. The composer/singer-songwriter, who’ll be joined by a full band, will be presenting music from his latest album “Nada Direito” as well as other material from his repertoire. Phil Motion will be warming up the night with a special DJ set featuring rare Brazilian grooves.

Over at Pressed Cafe this Saturday night, there’s going to be a pretty sweet bill of live music presented by Debaser. You ca catch Victoria experimental electronic/ambient noise project Psychic Pollution play alongside Ottawa garage noise formation Slow Dawn, and Ottawa synthpop project Lovecraft.

Monday I Retire invites you to join them as they celebrate the release of their new EP this Saturday night. The Ottawa-based pop/blues/jazz/soul 5-piece will be playing new material live at the Rainbow Bistro and they’ll be sharing the stage with local pop/soul group Harea Band.

Kitchen Party is bringing the fun to a new location this month: Bar Robo. The monthly dance party presented by DJs Hobo & Sweet Cheeks will feature nothing but the best in funk, soul, disco, hip hop, electro, techno, house and everything in between. A little bit of this and a little bit of that for your dancing pleasure.

If you’re into electronic music, don’t miss the Outdoor Electronic Music Festival happening this weekend at the Parc des Portageurs in the Vieux-Hull sector of Gatineau. It’s a great occasion to check out free electronic music live. Friday will feature a vinyl DJ party, Saturday will be all about the dance party and Sunday is reserved for an experimental picnic.

Ottawa-based soul-infused pop duo leMeow will be performing live at the Blacksheep Inn in beautiful Wakefield this Sunday and they’ll be sharing the bill with local rockabilly surf/country band Dang Guilty. It’s an afternoon show and a great way to end the weekend.

Ottawa garage punk/psych/lo fi project Pet Defective will be live at Pressed this Sunday night and they’ll be playing alongside local alternative folk rock musician Claude Munson and Halifax synthpop/r&b/soul band Loveland. So what if you don’t know any of these bands, get out there and discover something new.

 

Indie City Madness Episode 138: leMeow Live in Studio

Episode 138 of Indie City Madness, hosted by Elly, featured the following tracks and artists:

Program Indie City Madness: Ep. 138: leMeow Live in Studio Hosted By Elly Laberge Date 5:00 PM on Jun. 20th, 2016

Artist	Album	Track
Danielle Allard	Single	Little Demons
leMeow	York St	That’s My Man
leMeow	York St	York St
leMeow	York St	Beg Borrow or Steal
Michael Feuerstack	The Forgettable Truth	Clackity Clack
D-Track	Abris-Tempo	J’ai un fils
Loon Choir	Single	Bug
Fuck The Facts	Desire Will Rot	Everywhere Yet Nowhere
In Heat	Thrillborn	Just A Sip
The Superlative	In Love & Debt	Breaking The Bond
The Heavy Medicine Band	Conduit EP	Trailing
Canadian content		New release

Indie City Madness is a weekly radio show that airs Mondays from 5 to 6 p.m. on CKCU 93.1 FM and features everything local that Canada’s National Capital Region has to offer.

Eventful Capital’s Weekly Picks: From the Ottawa Jazz Festival and La P’tite St-Jean to the Dragonboat Fest and Tropikalo

Another week, another jam packed lineup of shows and events happening in and around the National Capital Region. Make the most of this busy time and catch some of the fun over the next seven days.

Over in Gatineau, Francophones will be celebrating the Saint-Jean Baptiste from June 23-26 with a series of activities, rides, fireworks and live shows at the Des Cèdres Park in Aylmer. This year’s lineup will feature headliners Jean-Pierre Ferland, Ariane Moffatt, Les Cowboys Fringants, Louis-Jean Cormier, and Dumas among others.

This Thursday starting at 5 p.m., House of Targ and CHUO present the Wizard Werks Craft Show featuring some of Ottawa’s craftiest vendors selling unique and handmade and repurposed items.

The popular Ottawa International Jazz Festival kicks off this Wednesday, June 22 and continues until July 3. One of Ottawa’s longest running festivals and a recognized household name that’s been around since 1980, Jazz Fest will present another eclectic lineup for festival-goers. This year’s bill includes headliners Sarah McLachlan, Brian Wilson, Michael Franti, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Trombone Shorty and the SFJAZZ Collective among others. Organizers have also included a handful of local acts to the programming namely LeMeow and The Mackenzie Rhythm Section. As per usual, all of the performances taking place on July 1 offer free admission. Check out Eventful Capital’s Top 10 must-sees here.

This year again, the Ottawa Jazz Fest has teamed up with the Mercury Lounge to bring you a series of nightclub shows including Toronto-based calypso/reggae-inspired band Kobo Town. The Juno Award and Polaris Prize nominees will be performing live at the club this Thursday, June 23 and you can expect nothing but feel-good tropical vibes.

This Thursday night marks the return of Open Air Social Club at 73 North Resto Lounge on Sparks Street. The summer outdoor dance party will feature musical selections from resident DJ Matt Tamblyn as well as DJs Foster and Laocapone.

The Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival is celebrating it’s 23rd edition at Moonie’s Bay Park from June 23 to 26. North America’s largest dragon boat festival will feature a children’s area filled with family-friendly entertainment, the classic dragon boat races and a free concert series. This year, festival-goers will have the chance to see local faves A Tribe Called Red along with headliners July Talk, Mother Mother, and Alvvays among others. This is such a treat, make sure you take advantage of all these amazing and accessible events!

Have you ever wondered what some of Ottawa’s most creative men can do with jewellery? Well this Friday, June 24 is your chance to see some of their original works. Hard Metals, happening at Heist Jewellery, is an art show of sorts exploring wedding ring designs and concepts by some of the 613’s favourite contemporary artists that will give centre stage to their completely unconventional rings. Sounds interesting!

Over in the Hull sector of Gatineau this Friday, there will be a small Saint-Jean Baptiste celebration to mark Quebec’s birthday. As of 8 p.m. on Laval Street, there will be live music featuring Funk-A-Tron 5000 as well as a headlining performance by Rap Queb supergroup Alaclair Ensemble. What’s more, it’s entirely free to attend!

Over at Zaphods this Friday, there’s going to be a fundraiser for Fort McMurray. The live music show will feature performances by local bands The Superlative, Metronome Jones and Missioner.

In beautiful Wakefield, at the Blacksheep Inn this Friday, you can catch Toronto/Kingston indie folk band Wild Rivers, who’s self-titled album came out earlier this Spring. For the occasion, the four-piece will be sharing the stage with Toronto/Kingston indie rock group Lost Cousins and Ottawa funk/pop/soul outfit Harea Band.

Ottawa duo leMeow invites you to join them for their York St debut album release party this Friday night at the Rainbow Bistro. For the occasion, the group will be performing two sets: one of original material found on the album and another one featuring a mixed bag of fun tunes. Check it out!

Tropikalo’s back baby! This super fun dancefloor affair, that had gone into hiatus, made a long-awaited return in January and good times are bound to roll once again this Friday night at Happy Goat Coffee. Tropikalo is the perfect dance party if you’re looking for afrolatin caribbean vibes. Just put on your dancing shoe and let DJs Zattar and Trevor Walker take care of the rest.

Double Barrel, one of Ottawa’s funnest monthly dance parties, is going down inside Mercury Lounge this Friday night. Resident DJ Magnificent will be gracing the 1s and 2s as he does best and this time around he’ll be joined by special guest DJ Ruby Jane. An all-vinyl funk, soul, Motown and vintage reggae dance party you won’t want to miss!

This Friday, June 24 and Saturday, June 25, Amnesia presents the 11th annual Rockfest in Montebello, Quebec, just 45 minutes away from downtown Ottawa. The festival promises performances by 150 groups including headliners Blink 182, Rise Against, Korn, Limp Bizkit, Ice Cube, NOFX, Billy Talent and many others. The organizers offer an on-site camping option for those who wish to attend both days and stay overnight.

The Ottawa Makers Market is back and this time around it’s happening this Saturday at the Rideau Curling Club. The modern craft fair will feature 75 local makers, artists and entrepreneurs. It’s not your nana’s craft fair, trust. Dare I say better? Yes way better!

The House of PainT festival is having a community jam at the Science and Technology Museum this Saturday. It’ll be fun-filled day of breakdancing, skateboarding, music, science, art and food to celebrate the completion of the largest joint mural ever painted in the nation’s capital.

This Saturday night, the Ottawa Jazz Festival and the Mercury Lounge present  NYC DJ Hector Romero live. The internationally-acclaimed DJ/Producer will be giving a set inside the club alongside guest DJs Trevor Walker and Luke McKeehan. On top of that, Matt Cameron will be there to take care of visual projections.

The Escapade Music Festival, dedicated to highlighting electronic dance music in its many shapes and forms, is being held on June 25 and 26 beside the Rideau Carleton Raceway. Now in its 6th year, this 2-day festival attracts electronic music enthusiasts from the National Capital Region and beyond. Headlining acts this year include Diplo, Martin Garrix, DVBBS, Dash Berlin, Bassjackers, Borgore and more.

Forest will be having their Flow EP release show at Live on Elgin this Sunday, June 26. To mark the launch of their project, the Ottawa-based experimental progressive rock band will be playing alongside special guests Nessie and Nighttime in Kansas.