Eventful Capital’s Weekly Picks: From Vieux Farka Touré and Rich Aucoin to Jully Black and the Johnny Cash Birthday Bash

Kick off your week in music with the Girls to the Front Songwriters Circle happening this Monday evening at Irene’s Pub. Hosted by local singer-songwriter and musician Julie Corrigan, the latest edition of this monthly event will feature live sets by artists Ariana Gillis and Doressa.

At the 27 Club this Tuesday night, there’s a rare appearance by the talented West-African blues musician Vieux Farka Touré who’ll be in Ottawa to give a live show as part of his 2018 North America Tour. The son of legendary artist Ali Farka Touré, who’s known for his skills as a guitarist, will be performing alongside Ottawa singer-songwriter Rita Carter. This is a rare occasion to catch this fantastic artist live and a real treat for the National Capital Region. You’d be crazy to miss it!

An R&B dance party at the NAC? All signs point to yes. This Tuesday, February 20, Toronto soulful pop/r&b singer-songwriter Jully Black will be performing live in Ottawa. Get set for a fire night of 2000s R&B with this boss woman.

The independent record store that set up shop inside the Petit Chicago this past fall is having another DJ night this Wednesday, February 21. For the occasion, you can expect to hear an eclectic mix of music courtesy of DJs Cougar Flex, Witikow, and Gloryhull.

Following a successful Harry Potter trivia night held in January, the Minotaure presents a Star Wars edition this Wednesday, February 21 from 7-10 p.m. If you want to participate, you’ll need to understand French and get there right at the start to form teams. Prizes for the teams that fare best!

Quebec rock and roll artist Michel Pagliaro is bringing his  acoustic show to the NAC this Wednesday, February 21. For the occasion, the award-winning singer-songwriter will  be revisiting his many hits in a more subdued atmosphere.

Halifax indie electro/pop multidisciplinary artist Rich Aucoin is back in Ottawa this Wednesday in an effort to promote his upcoming EP “The Hold” . For the occasion, the musician, who’s known for his uniquely engaging live shows, will be giving a performance at House of Targ alongside Toronto indie rockers Taylor Knox. Last time Aucoin was in town, the show was sold out, so if you plan on going, buying tickets in advance is a wise move. 

The NAC is presenting a bunch of great shows this week, including one featuring Dany Placard. The Montreal-based country folk rocker with a compelling bass line will be presenting his latest album “Full Face”, a project that is more rock, more confident and more modern-sounding than his previous releases.

If you want to check out some Canadian metal bands on Thursday night. head over to Cafe Dekcuf for Ottawa deathcore group Martyrs, London hardcore outfit Underlier, Toronto hardcore project Nailbox and Ottawa hardcore five-piece The Courier.

Ottawa alt country/folk rock project Graven (Matt McKechnie) will be playing live at House of Targ this Thursday night and he’ll be introducing The New Band, comprised of a wild, rotating and circus-like band of hyper-talented individuals who’ll be backing McKechnie. Also on the bill that night are Ottawa indie rockers The Sonic Defense, Ottawa acoustic alt folk artist Rory Taillon and Ottawa indie folk singer-songwriter Christine Jakel.

Thrilled to announce that I (yes I, Elly Laberge the writer of this blog) will be doing my DJ debut at the Minotaure in the Vieux-Hull this Thursday, February 22. I’ll be joining DJ Gloryhull for a back-to-back set of RapQueb, latin trap and trip hop. If you love Quebec hip hop, you’ll be served, and if you have no idea what I’m talking about, I guarantee you’ll discover dope new sounds. Join us!

Artengine and Impact Hub Ottawa are partnering with the National Capital Commission Urbanism Lab to present a public keynote event to kick off the Future Cities Forum. This Friday, February 23 at the Horticulture Building, science fiction writer and futurist Madeline Ashby, urban designer and advisor to Google’s Sidewalk Labs Ken Greenberg, and researcher and professor of critical media and big data Tracy Lauriault will share their speculations on what is in store for our future cities.

Toronto alternative rockers In My Coma will be hitting up Live on Elgin this Friday night to perform live alongside Ottawa alternative rock band Quiet Crimes and Ottawa alternative rock group Animal Confession.

Toronto-based indie folk/drone-gospel project Giant Hand will be returning to Ottawa this Friday to play Bar Robo. This time around, he’ll be presenting his latest album “Old Cosmos”, a confident yet ever unhinged collection of naked confessionals. Joining him for the occasion will be ambient pop folk project Blunt Chunks.

If you’re up for a punk show to start your weekend, make your way over to House of Targ on Friday night to check out The Riptides’ “Yellow Snow Show” featuring Ottawa punks The Riptides, Ottawa punks NECK, London, Ontario punk/hardcore band Johnny Terrien and the Bad Lieutenants and Ottawa punk group GOAT.

Ottawa instrumental surf garage/lo-fi band The Reverb Syndicate invites you to join them for a special night of dancing and drinking happening at Irene’s this Friday night. The guys will be taking their new tunes for one last test drive before they go into the studio to record, and they’ll be sharing the stage with Police N Thieves, a The Clash cover band.

 

Want to rock your way into the weekend? If you enjoy garage, punk and rock n’roll, and you’re up for some dancing this Friday night, check out the Kick Out The Jams party happening at Bar Robo. It’s free and music starts at 11 p.m.

SAW Video invites you to Arts Court this Saturday, February 24 to view the 2018 edition of RESOLUTION, the annual screening of new members’ works. This annual event showcases Ottawa’s vibrant filmmaking scene with something for everyone, including drama, documentary, animation and experimental video art.

At the Minotaure this Saturday night, there’s a special event celebrating local hip hop that’ll feature live sets by McCado, Bozko, Cza, Flame alongside DJ Skorpyon. An open mic will follow after the show.

Want to have a good time while enjoying ska, reggae and rocksteady? Be sure to make your way over to House of Targ this Saturday, February 24 for the Voice Of The People Ska Night. This fun party will feature music selections picked out by DJs Snappy and Longshot as well as a live performance by Ottawa ska band The Sentries, Montréal roots reggae and rocksteady group The Resojets and Toronto five-piece ska project The Classy Wrecks.

Escape the dreariness of winter and get “Dressed for the Night” this Saturday, February 24. Head over to Triple7 in the Vieux-Hull to enjoy a night of food, dancing and mystery by immersing yourself in an interactive environment and allowing your creativity to reign supreme. There will be live music and performances by Fire Queen, DJ Spiritually Minded, and DJ GloryHull.

At the Rainbow Bistro this Saturday night, it’s the 8th annual Johnny Cash Birthday Bash, an event paying tribute to the man in black with Cash songs all night long. The show is a CKCU fundraiser that’ll feature live sets by The Whiskey Standards, Ball & Chain, Danielle Allard, Kristine St-Pierre, Eniid Goodman and more. Speaking from experience, this night of live music is an all-around good time!

Quebec-based indie folk pop singer-songwriter Gabrielle Shonk is set to perform at the NAC this Saturday night as part of the NAC Presents series. The newcomer, who gave us a taste of what she’s capable of with the single “Habit”, will be in Ottawa to present her self-titled debut album.

Ottawa synth pop/post punk darlings Valois have a new album out called “We’re All In This Together But You” and they’ll be celebrating the release this Sunday, February 25 at Live on Elgin. You can expect a special spectacle that will bring together local talent in music, comedy and burlesque.

Canada Day Celebrations in the National Capital: From Vieux Farka Touré and Slum Village to the Ottawa Bluesfest

In case you’ve been out of town or living under a rock for the past couple of weeks, know that the National Capital Region has been a HAPPENING place. There’s so much to do in and around the city that people are finding it more and more difficult to choose where to go, what to do and who to see. Aside form the numerous festivals that are taking place right now, there are also lots of other scheduled events that are sure to interest you. For one, it’s the busiest time of the year for Ottawa with Canada Day celebrations organized all over the place so there’ll be no shortage of those guaranteed.

For Canada Day weekend, the Mercury Lounge has organized an exciting two-day programming with some great Ottawa DJs who’ll be mixing a variety of music genres that are sure to please everyone and anyone. For details, simply click on the event poster below.

Over at Junxion Public House, on Sunday, June 30, producer Overwerk will be giving a live DJ set as part of Pre-Canada Day festivities. The British producer, recognized for his contribution to electro music, will be joined by local DJ BZRK who’ll take care of the opening set.

Canada Day itself is packed with family-friendly activities, free shows, animations and events of all sorts ranging from the classic festivities on Parliament Hill, free concerts at the NAC and Jazz Festival, free admission to several Museums, and the annual fireworks show among other things. For a complete list of family-friendly Canada Day events happening around the city, check out OttawaStart’s post on the matter, that should have you covered.

On the Gatineau side, head over to the River Park located behind the Museum of Civilization to check out free electronic music from 1pm to 10pm. Local DJs Le Ferrailleur, Manalogue, Grumpy B, DJF ,Doddy DJ & DJSB will make you dance to a variety of electro sounds in a beautiful outdoor setting. At Zaphod Beeblebrox on Canada Day, you can check out the talented West-African musician Vieux Farka Touré who’ll be doing not one but two live sets for the afternoon show. The son of legendary artist Ali Farka Touré, who’s known for his skills as a guitarist, will be performing starting at around 2pm. This is a rare occasion to catch this fantastic artist live and a real treat for Ottawa.

Over at the Arts Court, the Fringe Festival invites you to its last outdoor show featuring Ottawa’s own StillNative. The local rock duo will be performing live as part of the festival’s free outdoor concert series starting at 8:00 pm. 

A first for Ottawa, Detroit hip-hop trio Slum Village will be performing live at Ritual as part of Canada Day celebrations. The legendary formation, founded by highly-respected rapper and producer J Dilla, will be in concert in Canada’s capital with local support from Jutes, Silent T, Kofee Star, Marcus Visionary, Dr. Ozi, Danya D and Mugz. 

You may want to take July 2 to rest and recover from Canada Day festivities, but you should be back on your feet on July 3, just in time to check out Montag live at the Mercury Lounge. The Montreal artist also known as Antoine Bédard, recognized for his dreamy and minimalist approach to electronic music, will be giving a live set alongside Ottawa’s own Adam Saikaley. 

The highlight of the summer for many, the annual Ottawa Bluesfest is back starting July 4 and it runs until July 14. This year, several noteworthy artists to check out include headliners BB King, The Black Keys, Dixie Chicks, Wu Tang, The Tragically Hip, Great Big Sea and less-known but equally talented artists such as Amadou & Mariam, Femi Kuti, Adventure Club, Cold Specks, Neko Case, Diamond Rings, Passion Pit, A Tribe Called Red, Animal Collective, and Austra. Check out the full programming by clicking below. 

The Indie Filmmakers Cooperative of Ottawa invite you to Reel Thursdays starting July 4 at Mercury Lounge. This free screening will premiere new film works produced by female filmmakers Ariel Smith, Marianne Corriveau and Tasha N. Waldron among others. Grab more info by simply clicking below.

On July 4, Monster Energy, Double Barrel & Mugshots present 45 RPM, a celebration of the 7″ inch vinyl and  some of the best music ever recorded from that era. The event is sure to bring you on a trip down memory-lane while featuring music selections by DJs Pump, Magnificient, Illo, Ray Ray and Vinyl Ritchie, some of the best DJs in Canada.

Also on Thursday, July 4, Maxwell’s presents Little Dog live for the first time. The Ottawa-based blues band, comprised of Dan McDonald on bass & lead vocals, Joel Scott-Mignon on guitar and Silas Cox on drums, will be giving their inaugural show starting at 9:30 pm. Encourage our local musicians! 

Even wanted to check out the music scene in Nelson, BC? Well, you might not need to this summer as Nelson is coming to Ottawa! Ghetto Funk Ottawa presents It Came From the West, a new monthly event starting on July 4 and taking place at the Mercury Lounge. For this first edition, DJs Tilman Greenhorn, Deuce D, Neuronic, and JD13 will be spinning live from their eclectic music collection which includes world beat electronica, breaks/DnB, and ghetto funk.

The monthly edition of Tropikalo is back on July 5 at the Mercury Lounge. The afro/latin/carribean dancefloor affair will feature the musical selections of residents Deejay Zattar, Trevor Walker and Lance Baptiste. 

If you’re into indie alternative folk music and like to support local artists, head over to the Rochester Pub & Eatery next Saturday, July 6 to check out a live performance by Ottawa artists Justice R.F., Erin Saoirse Adair and Fellow. This is really just a glimpse of the large selection of events happening in and around the National Capital Region this coming week. There’s certainly something in there to entertain you if you’re around the city in the days ahead. Enjoy our eventful capital in all its glory!