The shows must go on!

This looks to be the busiest week for shows in some time, thanks to a double-helping of festival action: The Gaga Weekend and Westfest. But if you can't wait until Thursday to hear some fine music, tonight Halifax folkie Christina Martin and Tara Holloway perform at the Avant Garde. The Stills play a low-key show at Zaphod's with Hollerado. The Mistress, Hawk Man and Butterflies and Zebras do whatever it is they do at the Bytown Tavern.
On Wednesday synth-rocking nutters Erick Von Erick molest Zaphod Beeblebrox with Hellbros and The Loose Ties. Over at the Avant Garde Ship-Shapes - which is 50% of The Grass - perform with Halifax pop-uppers The Superfantastics.


Julie Doiron, The Rainbow, November 12, 2006

Then on Thursday the festage arrives! Westfest looks east to Moncton with 1755, Marie-Jo Therio and Julie Doiron.


Sedatives, The Bytown Tavern,March 27, 2008

Meanwhile, off in Gagaland, the Rock'n'Roll Pizza Party serves up Uranium Comeback, The Felines, Savage Crimes, Sedatives and The Sick Fits at the Bytown Tavern. Elsewhere, East Coast bohemian noir combo the Tom Fun Orchestra and The John Punch Band play Zaphod's.
Friday things get a bit rockier (and rappier) at Westfest with Joel Plaskett Emergency, Grand Analog, Land Of Talk, Matthew Barber & The Union Dues, i see rowboats, and Hurray For Higgsfield.


The Holy Cobras, Babylon, April 16, 2008

There's also more to go Gaga over with a 59 Argyle house show: The White Wires, The Visitors, The Holy Cobras and The Sonic Avenues fill the bill. Elsewhere, love is all around as Brights release their new CD with The Love Machine, That's The Spirit and Benefit Of A Doubt at Babylon. Over at Irene's Good2Go, The Polymorphines and Studio Shift rock the house. The Avant Garde plays host to Parade. Slim Twig, Elfin Saddle, and Caroline Keating play Zaphod Beeblebrox en route to Pop Montreal.
Westfest has a native theme on Saturday. Apart from headliner Buffy Sainte-Marie, Holly McNarland, Kinnie Starr, The Nemisak Singers, throat-singers Nukariik, Tamara Podemski, and Leela Gilday.


Million Dollar Marxists, Babylon, May 24, 2007

For Saturday the Gaga Weekend boasts a matinee at the New Bayou with Army of St. Joan, Psychic Hotline, Gunsmoke and Four'n'Giv'r. Later at Babylon you can catch The Botch Suicides, The Fucking Machines, Teenanger and The Million Dollar Marxists.
Elsewhere in town, Dry River Caravan perform at Irene's; the Ashley Newall Band release their latest CD at Zaphod's with Brian Simms. Evil Farm Children play a free gig at the Royal Oak on the Canal. The Rebel Wheel and Poligraf perform at the Avant-Garde.
Finally on Sunday, Lynn Miles, Sue Foley, Lyndell Montgomery, Kenny Voita, Kyrie Kristmanson, The Polymorphines, Flecton Big Sky, Lonesome Paul, Meredith Luce, Melissa Laveaux, The Love Machine, Andrea Simms Karp, The Ethics and the Voices Of Praise draw the curtain down on Westfest.
Zaphod's hosts the much-hyped (and highly intriguing) The Summerlad and Parlour Steps.