Eventful Capital’s Weekly Picks: From Lisa Leblanc and the Dragon Boat Festival to Moka Only and Escapade

Festival season is in full swing which means the National Capital Region is buzzing with events. If you’re in the area this week, be sure to check out some of the great shows and festivals taking place in and around Ottawa-Gatineau in the days ahead. Take a look at Eventful Capital’s weekly picks below for a glimpse into some of the noteworthy things that are scheduled to happen. 

If you’re into experimental electronic music, be sure to hit up The Daily Grind this Monday night to check out Ottawa/Toronto electro industrial project Antigen Shift, Winnipeg synth pop duo Ghost Twin and Ottawa ambient electro project Reservoir.   

Over in Gatineau, Francophones will be celebrating St-Jean Baptiste at Outaouais en fête happening from June 23 to June 27. This annual festival will once again feature a series of activities, rides, fireworks and live shows at the Des Cedres Park in Aylmer. This year’s lineup will feature headliners Lisa Leblanc, Radio Radio, Stefie Shock, and La Bottine Souriante among others.

For the metal heads, New Orleans sludge metal band Crowbar will be making a return to Ottawa this Wednesday, June 24 as part of their North American Tour. For the occasion, they’ll be sharing the stage with Detroit thrash metal band Battlecross, Portland metal formation Lord Dying and Ottawa metal/hardcore 5-piece A Darker Day. 

Over in the Hull sector of Gatineau this Wednesday, there will be a small St-Jean Baptiste celebration to mark Quebec’s birthday. As of 8pm on Laval Street, there will be live music featuring the Irish Bastards, Dylan Perron et Élixir de Gumbo as well as slam poetry. What’s more, it’s entirely free to attend!

Bars and Breakbeats is back for the summer with a special show happening this Thursday, June 25 at Cafe Dekcuf. This time around, the show will feature live performances by Ottawa singer-songwriter and guitar player Aaron Ray, Ottawa/Toronto rock band Stereoblastula, Brooklyn, NY rock group The Falling Birds, Gatineau rock newcomers gofargo and Ottawa experimental acid pop project Cosmo Doris.  

The Northeast Telethon is making a stop in Ottawa this Thursday night for a live show happening at Ritual featuring performances by Brooklyn soulful hip hop duo Tanya Morgan, Victoria, BC rapper and producer Moka Only and beat maker/producer Fresh Kils. The headliners will be joined on stage by Ottawa hip hop group Poetic Elements, Eric Mirk and Alex Lost who’ll take care of the opening sets.

Another hip hop event going down this Thursday night is Fresh presented by CKCU’s The Mix. Happening at Babylon, the event will feature live performances by hip hop artists Junia-T, Yusso, Kool Krys and Missing Linx among others as well as a beat showcase by Bix and CircaBeatz and art by visual artists Mique Michelle, Robbie Lariviere, Vincent B and more!

The Ottawa Dragon Boat Festival is celebrating it’s 22nd edition at Moonie’s Bay Park from June 25 to 28. 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 acts The Acorn, Kalle Mattson, Craig Cardiff and Jim Bryson along with headliners Mounties, Tokyo Police Club, Hey Rosetta, and Dan Mangan & Blacksmith among others. This is such a treat it would be a shame not to take advantage of all these amazing and accessible events!

If you’re looking for something more intimate and indoors, check out the show happening at Pressed Cafe on Friday night. You’ll get to catch live sets by Toronto singer-songwriter Lisa Marie Kruchak, Calgary/Toronto country folk musician Emily Jill West and Ottawa alternative folk group Black Dogs.

Local groups Monday I Retire and Harea Band are performing live at the beautiful Blacksheep Inn in Wakefield this Friday night to welcome the long-awaited summer season. Summer attire is strongly encouraged and there will be prizes for best summer gear. $10 will get you in at the door, but $20 dollars will get you a bus ride to the venue and back as well as admission.  To reserve your spot on the bus email to sayheytosummer@gmail.com.

The Escapade Music Festival, dedicated to highlighting electronic dance music in its many shapes and forms, is being held on June 27 and 28 beside the Rideau Carleton Raceway. Now in its fifth year, this 2-day festival attracts electronic music enthusiasts from the National Capital Region and beyond. Headlining acts this year include Armin Van Buuren, Carl Cox, Knife Party, Laidback Luke, Markus Schulz and Mark Knight. 

Another show to check out for the metal heads this week, this time happening at Cafe Dekcuf on Saturday, June 27. The show will kick off with Quebec death thrash beast Sans Amertume, followed by Gatineau’s own Greta Knights, Trois-Rivières metal trio Outlying, Toronto death metal band Blastomycosis, and Gatineau deathcore 5-piece Beyond Deviation. 

Over at the new Live on Elgin this Saturday night, catch Ottawa roots/folk/rock band Silver Creek live alongside special guests The Pick Brothers Band, a group of rock n’ rollers from Toronto.

Did you love attending the Latin Sparks outdoor dance party last year? Well this summer, organizers are only presenting one edition of the popular event on Saturday, June 27 along Sparks Street. The latin-themed block party promises to offer a night of dancing under the stars with complimentary workshops, music, cuisine and live percussionists and entertainment. Again, there’s only one being held this year, so don’t miss out if this is your thing.

David Monks, of Tokyo Police Club, will be giving a live performance at House of Targ this Saturday night in an effort to promote his solo material. The Newmarket musician will be sharing the stage with Brooklyn indie group Fort Lean for the occasion. If you can’t catch Tokyo Police Club at the Dragon Boat Fest on Sunday, this is a nice opportunity to catch one of the band member’s solo project.

Yeezy enthusiasts are invited to join forces and get down to Babylon this Saturday night for Yeezus Night, an event entirely dedicated to the music of Kanye West and affiliates from G.O.O.D. Music, the ROC & more. DJs Matt Tamblyn and Laocapone will be taking care of the beats while the Yezzus army basks in the glory of their favourite rap artist. If this sounds like a party for you, be sure to get there early as it’ll probably reach capacity.

Right before the Yeezus Night at Babylon, there will be a hip hop trivia hosted by Bender of Flight Distance and Matt Tamblyn to test your knowledge of the genre. If you’re a rap fanatic, it’s time to show off your skills at Cap City’s first official hip-hop trivia night. Winner gets a pair of Bluesfest tickets to see Kanye West in July!

Oyster lovers rejoice: the 8th annual Bytowne Oyster Festival is being held this Sunday, June 28 at Whalesbone. The best darn Oyster Festival Ottawa has ever seen is back with live music, competitions, tasty snacks, kid-friendly activities and of course, oysters galore. Feast up!

All the way from France, black metal group Seth will be giving a show in the national capital this Sunday, June 28. For the occasion, they’ll be tearing up the Cafe Dekcuf stage alongside Montreal black metal band Hollow, as well as Ottawa black metal groups Endemise, Accursed Creation and Dissentient. 

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Eventful Capital’s Weekly Picks: From The Plot In You and the Ottawa Food Book Launch to The Mounties and Hucci

It may be Halloween week, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t other unrelated events happening around our National Capital. If you are looking for Halloween-related events, please visit Eventful Capital’s 2014 Guide to Halloween Parties. Otherwise, take a look at the weekly picks below to help plan the days ahead.

First up this week, Ohio metalcore trio The Plot In You will be performing live at Mavericks this Tuesday night. The group will be joined on stage by Chicago metal band Barrier, New Orleans nu-metal formation Cane Hill, Ottawa metal project Skies Beneath and Gatineau metalcore 5-piece Standing On Oblivion. 

This Tuesday, October 28, Megaphono presents HAMBURGER HELPER: Biting into the German Music Market at the Novotel Hotel – Albion A. Germany boasts the 3rd largest music market in the world. With scads of huge cities short distances apart and rabid fans with a reverence for music who don’t mind paying for it, Germany is as close as it comes to paradise for a touring band or artist. At this event, you’ll get to meet a couple of key German music industry players along with two Ottawa artists with recent German touring under their belts, and learn some tips on how to prepare for and take a bite out of one of today’s most exciting musical markets.

Avant Garde Bar is hosting an art sale this Wednesday night. Support local and come check out some great artwork by a dozen artists from the region and get your hands on unique prints, jewellery, zines, ceramics, hand-painted t-shirts and more. 

This Wednesday, October 27, join Don Chow and Jennifer Lim, bloggers for Food Prints, for the “Ottawa Food, A Hungry Capital” book launch happening at the West End Well. This book on the evolution of food in Ottawa, tackles an array of topics including our local food system, sustainability and local farming.

The Viree Blues Boreale, which is celebrating 10 years with its 20th edition, will be at the Petit Chicago this Wednesday, October 29. For the occasion, the team that has been sharing its passion for the blues in the National Capital Region, presents a live performance by Angel Forrest & Denis Coulombe and also with Andree Dupree and Jean Millaire, accompanied specially for this very occasion by the Outaouais kid prodigy, Ricky Paquette. If you’re a blues lover, there’s no better place to go this week. 

This Thursday, October 30, Victoire presents Welcome To Twin Peaks as part of Support Local Month. This collaborative group art show, presented for one night only, celebrates the cult hit series Twin Peaks. Curated by Barbara Ochman and Meaghan Isaacs, the event will have various pieces for sale from illustrations, to cross stitch, all created by Ottawa-based artists. 

Canadian indie rock supergroup The Mounties, comprised of Hawksley Workman, Steve Bays of Hot Hot Heat, Ryan Dahle of Limblifter, will be giving a live performance at Mavericks this Thursday, October 30. For the occasion, the guys will be joined on stage by Vancouver indie band Gay Nineties and Wakefield indie electro/pop/rock group and winners of the 2012 Big Money Shot competition, The Strain.

There’s a special edition of Fryquency, the pay-what-you-can series that exhibits emerging and experimental Canadian music, being held this Saturday, November 1 at Mugshots in support of CKCU FM’s Annual Funding Drive. For this instalment, there will be live sets by Ottawa bands Organ Eyes, Paterson Hall and V Infernalis. Help keep commercial-free radio alive and give generously! 

Over at Pressed Cafe this Saturday, November 1, all the way from Sarasota, Florida check out Teach Me Equals live. The scrape rock band will be giving a show alongside Ottawa metamorphic rock groud The Haig and Ottawa psych/folk musician Dynamite Motel.

UK-based DJ/Producer Hucci is making his Ottawa debut this Saturday night. The trap/hip-hop producer will be giving a live set at Babylon with Ottawa’s own Warptone, Foster, and Unlikely Futures.

At the Manx this Sunday night, there will be a Cramps cover band performance featuring members of Roberta Bondar, The Flaps, Neck, and Remi Royale. The band, called the Goo Goo Mucks, will be playing live renditions of the gravest hits from the kings and queens of spook themselves: The Cramps. 

Eventful Capital’s Weekly Picks: From The Mounties and DJ Spinna to The Underachievers and the 10th Ottawa Community Record Show

With the Ottawa Bluesfest lineup revealed last week, how excited are you for summer days and festival season? The 20th anniversary lineup has something for everyone and there’s definitely lots to look forward to! In the meantime, here’s another round-up of noteworthy events happening in and around the National Capital Region this week. Take a look at Eventful Capital’s weekly picks for a glimpse of what’s happening in Ottawa-Gatineau in the days ahead.

The Fau Mardi collective has released its schedule for the month of April. The weekly gathering, which happens every Tuesday at the Petit Chicago in Hull, gives a platform to local audio-visual artists in an effort to support the Ottawa Gatineau electronic culture. This week, the Fau Crew will be bidding farewell to one of its own, Racine.    

The Mounties, made up of Hawksley Workman, Steve Bays of Hot Hot Heat, and Ryan Dahle of Limblifter/Age Of Electric, will be performing live at Mavericks this Wednesday, April 2. The talented trio, who’ll be in Ottawa as part of their first Canadian tour, will be joined on stage by Vancouver indie-pop band The Zolas and Vancouver guitar-pop musician James Younger. This Friday, April 4, local artist Catriona Sturton will be performing live at Raw Sugar Cafe. The Ottawa-based singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist will be accompanied by special guest John-Alan Slatcha and others for the occasion. 

Toronto indie-folk five-piece The Wooden Sky will be live at Ritual this Friday, April 4. The Ontario boys, who’ve performed in Ottawa many a times over the past years, will be supported by Toronto indie group Dusted and Toronto indie-folk band The Wilderness of Manitoba. 
The April edition of Hip Hop Karaoke is happening this Friday, April 4 at Ritual with hosts DJ So Nice and Atherton. If you want to perform aka get on stage and impersonate your favourite rapper by doing that track you spent hours memorizing in front of the mirror, or if you just want to support as a member of the audience, click below for everything you need to know.

The Mercury Lounge’s own Madame Ainslie is celebrating her birthday at the club this Friday, April 4. For the occasion, renowned Brooklyn producer DJ Spinna will be giving a 3-hour set filled with hip-hop, break beats, R&B, rare grooves, classic soul, funk, jazz, disco classics, house and vintage garage tunes.

The monthly edition of Frenzy is going down at Babylon this Friday, April 4. The last Frenzy instalments have been crazy fun dance parties featuring some of the best upcoming and established music producers out there. This time around will be no different as Straight Goods brings you rising NYC producer Branchez. As per usual, local DJs Iggy Smalls and Foster will warm up the dancefloor for the up and coming American producer.

Ottawa’s first annual Capital Burlesque Expo, taking place from April 4 to 6, will bring together a roster of burlesque and variety performers from far and wide to celebrate the art of the strip tease. The expo will present a mix of golden era burlesque and modern performances and include interactive workshops, vendors, and plenty of shows. 

The radical, community-oriented, gender-bending, bike-loving, enviro-humping, queer-diggin, slow-dancing, big dress-wearing affair that is Promdemonium is back this Saturday, April 5.The 6th edition of this unique annual fundraiser, happening at the Glebe Community Centre, will feature music by DJs D-luxx Brown, Magnificent and J-Fun. Prom wear is mandatory! 

Over in Wakefield this Saturday, singer-songwriter Lauren Bourque presents the launch of his sophomore record Pieces of Your Past. The album release party, happening at the Blacksheep Inn, will feature new material by Bourque and an opening set by Toronto folk noir musician Rob Moir. 

Experimental electronica duo André et Michèle invite you to join them for the release party of their debut album Different Positions happening at Raw Sugar Cafe this Saturday, April 5. To celebrate the launch, the local artists will be performing the album live and all attendees will receive a complimentary CD copy of the album.

Brooklyn duo The Underachievers, made up of members Issa Dash and AK, will be performing live at Ritual this Saturday night as part of the Eyes of the World Tour. The Beast Coast rappers, who are affiliated to the Pro Era crew, will be giving their second Ottawa show alongside Denzel Curry and Dillon Cooper.

CHUO 89.1 FM, CKCU 93.1 FM & Birdman Sound present the 10th Ottawa Community Record Show this Sunday, April 6th at St. Anthony’s Hall. This is the place to be to find LPs & CDs and dig for rare music gems from every genre. DJs Billy from Hot Butter & Bank St. Bounce will also be rocking the ones and twos for the occasion.