It’s a great week to be in the National Capital Region because the next few days will be packed with a variety of great events that are sure to entertain. For one, hip-hop heads will be served as will be beer fans and lovers of drum & bass music.
To kick things off this Monday, May 20, 106.9 The Bear, Spectrasonic and punkottawa.com present One Bad Son, Eagleson, and The Wicked Mercy live at Cafe Dekcuf. This is sure to be a full night of live rock music performances for those who enjoy these three Canadian rock groups. For more information on this show, just click on the event poster below. 
On Tuesday, May 21, the Rainbow Bistro is hosting a Bob Marley & The Wailers Memorial Party featuring live performances by Jadah Band, Naky B, Blakdenim, and special guests. Bob Marley, who passed away on May 11 1981, will be remembered and celebrated through a variety of tribute performances meant to highlight his legacy. 
On Thursday, May 23, the Up & Up Music Concert Series presents Sound of Lions live at the Mercury Lounge. The Ottawa-based pop/trip-hop group will be performing some new material set to feature on their second studio effort along with songs from their first full-length album. If you haven’t seen Sound of Lions live yet, this is your chance to check them out! 
Also on Thursday, May 23, Ottawa’s own Claude Munson & The Storm Outside will be giving a live performance at Pressed Cafe alongside Delta Will. Claude Munson and his band, characterized by roots/alternative/folk/rock and experimental/ambient sounds, will be joining forces with folk/blues artist Delta Will for a great night of live music. 
There are some new-comers taking over Mugshots this Thursday, May 23 and they have one objective: to make you dance the night away until your legs hurt. They go by the DJ names of Total T and Soul Senga and they bring you Kontrast, a night dedicated to soul, funk, garage and psych. See for yourself!
On Friday, May 24, André M. Bluteau and Mike Dubue of the Hilotrons will be performing live at the Mercury Lounge. André M. Bluteau, a local folk-pop band comprised of five hard-working members, will be presenting songs from their first album Crooked Smiles along with some new material.
On Friday, May 24 and Saturday May 25, the 5th annual One World Awesome Arts Festival is taking place at York Street Public School and at Le Patro Parking Lot. This unique festival will feature live performances, artwork and videos created by the youth of Lowertown. The goal of the Awesome Arts program is to raise awareness about global issues through the arts. This is a great opportunity to encourage the youth in our community! 
From May 24 to May 26 the Gatineau Beer Fest, better known as the Festibière, will be taking over the Jacques-Cartier Park for its third annual edition. This year, 55 artisans and over 350 beers will be presented to the public. The event will also feature 20 shows and animations and 15 conferences on beer and beer-making. Make sure you check out this event if you’re a beer lover: you certainly won’t regret it! 
On Friday, May 24, Spectrasonic presents The Old Salts and The Richardson Band live at Raw Sugar Cafe. The Ottawa-based Richardson Band will be giving a farewell show while The Old Salts, a Toronto roots/rock group that is here to stay, will offer on-stage support.
Also on Friday, May 24, DNA Presents brings you Dubfire at LS Live for a pre-Escapade music festival event. The house/techno DJ from Washington DC will be giving a live set alongside Shaded and Ryan Labelle. 
For the May edition of Ottawa’s favorite dancehall, reggaeton and hip hop party, Grind goes bananas – literally – as it welcomes the Bananas Caribbean Grill and Take-Out to Babylon Nightclub. In other words, come hungry and ready to dance cause this is sure to be one helluva party! 
Hip-hop heads will be happy to know that Brooklyn, NY heavy-hitters M.O.P. will be performing live at Ritual Nightclub on Sunday, May 26. The world famous rap duo, known for their hits Ante Up and Cold As Ice will be in Ottawa with Wu-Tang’s Bronze Nazareth, beatboxer Scott Jackson, Philly Moves, Aspects and Missing Linx among others. I heard they give a really hype show, so if you don’t know, now you know.
Other events happening this week in Ottawa-Gatineau that are worth mentioning include the Urban Legends Semi-Finals featuring Britta Badour, a Toronto-based poet and spoken word artist. Unlike regular slams, this one will take place on Thursday, May 23 outside of Carleton University’s Patterson Hall weather-permitting otherwise it’ll be relocated in Room 282 of Patterson Hall.
On the Quebec side this week, Motel 72, an emerging americana rock band from the Laurentides will be performing live at Le Troquet in the Old Hull sector of Gatineau on Thursday, May 23.
Those of you who are fans of West Coast hip-hop will be happy to know that Tha Dogg Pound aka DPG will be giving a live performance at Ritual this Thursday, May 23. This will be Tha Dogg Pound’s first Ottawa appearance so be sure to represent our city to the fullest!
On Friday, May 24, Stamina will feature special guest DJ Andy C of the UK, the number one drum & bass DJ in the world, no biggie. This is huge and if you’re into drum & bass you know you ought to be at Ritual for this live set.
The Great Glebe Garage Sale is taking place this Saturday, May 25 in the Glebe neighborhood of Ottawa. The annual community event, which rises in popularity year after year, is happening between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm. Pro tip: if you’re hoping to get your hands on a hot-ticket item like a bike or a vintage piece of furniture, you want to be there at the crack of dawn, just sayin.
This coming Sunday, May 26, at St. Anthony’s Banquet Hall, check out the Idle Hands Arts, Craft and Vintage Sale. The event, taking place from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, offers a great opportunity to buy quality art, handmade and vintage one of a kind items.
So this is it folks, these are my event suggestions for the days ahead in Ottawa-Gatineau. I hope that you get to enjoy one or two of these exciting events in our wonderful national capital. Please feel free to share your opinions in the comments below if you attend something that you find worth mentioning!
Have a great week!
