This is the week for familiar faces and great causes.
The Smokehouse loves their day long music events.
This week there is a massive fundraiser for Alzheimer's and Parkinson’s disease, May 24 at the Smokehouse running from noon to 
midnight.
The goal is to raise $5,000 through a 50/50 draw and a silent auction to be split evenly between the Alzheimer’s Society and Alberta and northwest territories and Parkinson’s Alberta.
There will be a variety of music from acoustic rock, country, classic rock and a lot of metal.
The entertainment begins at noon with Mark Hall playing country and classic rock covers. He will be followed by Devin Gergel at 12:50, Matt Sidor will be playing new country rock music at 1:30, Jason Barron at 2:30, Ryan Klassen will be playing classic rock and country at 3:20, Kasja Dawn will be playing original acoustic folk music at at 4:20.
There will be a break at 6 p.m. for the silent auction and draw. Then the music begins again at 7 p.m. with Daylan Delaney.
Then, get ready to rock out with Obsidian Soul at 7:50 followed by Undefined at 8:40 and metal/ rock band Killage at 9:30 p.m. The Mark Hall band will be playing classic rock and country at 10:10 and local metal band Death Pledge will tear things up to end the day at 11 p.m.
If you want to bang your head, there will be a big metal and punk show at Inferno, May 23 featuring SS Doom, who begin at 9 p.m., followed by punk band She Lives at 10:15 p.m., Coaldale metal band Trancide at 11 p.m., punk m band No More Moments at 11:45, Penitentz at midnight and After the Prophet at 12:45.
It is a good week for familiar faces too.
The Chevelles return to Average Joes to play all of your favourite hits, May 23.
Calgary's Go For the Eyes return to rock the Owl Acoustic Lounge on May 23 with Toronto rock band Secret Broadcast.
There is no cover for the show. And don’t forget the always entertaining blues and roots rock musician Devon Coyote who plays the L.A. Beat open jam on Wednesday, May 21.
The Slice features all local performers this week with rock band the Juxtaposers performing, May 23.
The Slice brings back local experimental jazz rock band Sandwich on May 24.
If you love the blues, Paul Kype and Texas Flood play the Front Row Pub, May 24. Blues fans will also not want to miss Calgary musician Erin Ross who returns to the Mocha Cabana, May 23.
The Mocha Cabana also features Kevan Tolley on May 24.
It is always a treat to see Leeroy Stagger and Matthew Robinson play a local show.
They play CASA, May 24. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost $20.
The other big event this week is the finale of the SOWECa (South West Canada) chamber music festival. The festival pairs up and coming classical musicians with professionals who play together for several shows beginning may 23 in Cranbrook, Fernie, the Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump on May 25 and concluding May 26 at the University of Lethbridge Recital Hall.
The finale is May 26 at the University of Lethbridge Recital Hall. Performers include festival artistic director and internationally renowned violist Rivka Golani, who received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the U of L last year in recognition of her contributions to the arts throughout her long career.
Performers also include U of L faculty members Dr. Deanna Oye on piano and percussionist Adam Mason who join 15 other musicians and artists from as far away as Tel Aviv, Israel; London, England; Tacoma, Washington, and as close as Cranbrook, Calgary and Vancouver for this series of performances.
There are a lot of open mics happening in Lethbridge these days.
I hit all of them on Wednesday, May 14, but there wasn’t anybody anywhere.
The Owl Acoustic Lounge’s L.A. Beat open jam had the most performers including Matthew Robinson, who will be playing with Leeroy Stagger this weekend at CASA.
There were also very few people at the Slice’s jazz jam hosted by HBO3.
New open mics on Wednesday seem to be floundering at the Soundgarden as well as at Bo Diddly’s. Gallant hosts Dino Caravaggio were playing to no people at the Soundgarden while Jolene Draper and Steve Martin only had a handful of listeners at Bo Diddly’s.
There is also a new open mic on Monday at the Onion, which I haven’t been able to attend yet. there is also the Owl Acoustic Lounge’s Monday open mic.
The Slice has a, usually, pretty popular open mic every Tuesday.
Lethbridge Folk Club has ended their Friday night open mics and bluegrass jams until September. Steve Keenan hosts a blues jam at Honkers every second Friday though and Jimmy’s Pub’s Friday night open jams continue to be popular draws.
The Smokehouse also does a Saturday night open mic every other Saturday.
