Lethbridge has a pretty amazing and diverse music scene, and if the nine bands playing Lethbridge College Stedents Association Band Wars, Feb. 3 at the Barn was any indication,  the scene will continue to thrive for quite some time. Young, up and coming rock group Vista Park won the event and took home $800 in cash.

 While choosing the “best” band is the Devil’s work, when they all have their own unique sound and rocked in their own unique way, Vista Park, who ended up in the last slot of the night (slots were chosen by names drawn out of a hat)  impressed judges Ray Burgess- CLRC The Kodiak; Bridgette Yarwood- The Living Luca; Bente Hansen- U of L Music Department; Cameron Skip- Communication Arts and yours truly from L.A. Beat and the Lethbridge Sun Times.

 I had always heard great things about them but had never seen them before. I was impressed by their boundless energy, enthusiasm and musical chops, which are only going to get better with age.
 They even tackled the Who’s “Baba O Riley, and while hitting Roger Daltrey’s high notes can be a challenge, the band did their best with them.

They had the good sized crowd cheering and dancing and eventually called for an encore.
 Their keyboardist/ percussionist bounced and leaped all over the stage, the bassist played with soul and the band just gelled together through a set of mostly original classic rock tinged music.
The band was surprised to win the event as the lead singer noted “we just wanted to play a bar, we didn’t think we’d win.”

 Because Berserker backed out of the competition to play a paid gig at the Slice, that left one last slot open at the end of the night for Vista Park to play their requested encore.
 One of my favourites, Cosmic Charley ended up taking the second prize of $200.
 The crowd was digging their funk fuelled Red Hot Chilli Peppers meets the Clash meets the Police free spirited groove, which had a lot of toes tapping and bodies moving.

 They brought up their friend “Charley” up on stage to play some extra tambourine and got the crowd pumped up.
 They had a fantastic, Strat powered west coast groove going on. And as always, the bass playing was impressive.

 Lethbridge garage rock trio the Ketamines, who will be going to South by Southwest in Austin in March in part to having one of their songs used in a Target commercial, opened the night  by the luck of the draw. Their performance was a lot more sedate than usual. But they had a great, delay drenched Stooges influenced garage rock sound throughout their tight set.

Winnipeg singer/ songwriter Del Barber played to an intimate audience at the Slice, Feb. 2. He sang an assortment of heartfelt storytelling folk songs along the lines of Leeroy Stagger and  Peter Katz. He sang appealing melodies and played some pretty fingerpicked guitar licks.

 He dedicated a cover of  Neil Young’s Harvest Moon” out to his mom. He called it a night with a couple upbeat originals.

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 I have to quit saying “this show is the best of the year,” when I go to a blues show. However, I think a good couple hundred people taking in Steve Dawson’s Mississippi Sheiks tribute at Southminster United Church, Feb. 2  would agree this was one of the best of the year.

Del Rey, Jim Byrnes, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Steve Dawson backed by bassist Keith Lowe and drummer Jeff Hicks played their favourite Mississippi Sheiks songs.

Jim Byrnes was an affable host throughout the second half of the show and tipped his cowboy had to the applauding audience.

 They each took turns singing lead and seamlessly shared solos on each song. Steve Dawson alternated between banjo, guitar and a Weissenborn guitar, with which he lead the group into the end of the night by playing the Sheiks’ best known hit “Sitting on Top of the World,” on which Del Rey, Jim Byrnes, Alvin Youngblood Hart and Steve Dawson each took turns singing lines of the song.

 Del Rey alternated between National Steel guitar and a shiny steel ukulele. I’d never seen her before this show, but was impressed by her thin, reedy, jazz tinged voice which was reminiscent of a Bessie Smith or Little Miss Higgins.
 She lead the band through an encore, noting “there haven’t been enough train songs being played tonight.”

With Valentines Day coming up, there are several Valentines Day themed shows coming up this week. 

CKXU is reaching out to the community — literally for CKXU Loves You VI, Feb. 11 at the Slice.
CKXU Loves You VI, features local bands The Ketamines, Arcanis, Andrew Scott, the Photoshop Jerks and DJ Shane the Librarian, who will be playing a mix of love songs and anti- love songs.
 Advance tickets or the show cost $10 in advance from CKXU, Blueprint and possibly Boarderline or $15 at the door.

There are several shows, Feb. 14 including Heartbreak Valentines at the Owl Acoustic Lounge featuring the music of Eva Montgomery, Shaela Miller, Leigh Doerksen and Steve Foord. Dale Ketcheson is at the Mocha Cabana for Valentines Day. On the weekend, the Mocha Cabana features Karen Romanchuk and Kelly Tschritter on both Feb. 10 and Feb. 11. If you like country music, Tom and Curt are playing HB’S Lounge, Feb. 11.

If you want to rock, Billie Vegas plays the Casino on the weekend as well.

There is also a jazz jam at the Slice with HBO3 (Paul Holden, James Oldenburg and Brad Brouwer), Feb. 13.
 There  is also a Valentines Day art shows happening.

Becky Johnston and Lorinda Peel are organizing “Heartbreak at the Owl,” Feb. 14. Numerous Lethbridge artists, poets and visual artists plus a plethora of musicians are helping out the YWCA Harbour House by creating art based on the theme of heartbreak. Donations will be accepted right up to  the date of the event, Feb. 14, though sooner would be appreciated. Drop them off at Charisma or to anyone at the Owl.

On Friday, Univeristy of Lethbridge artist and MFA student Corinne Theissen Hepher is having  a special performance art  in the Parlour Gallery at 10:15 p.m.. “Hot Tail” includes performers Claöd Idia, Corey Makoloski and Mickey Wilson utilizing mechanical objects, toy parts, cyborgs and hybrid beasts to celebrate the uncanny, abnormal and grotesque.

 Also in the art vein. the University of Lethbridge faculty are having an art opening at the Dr. Penny Foster building, Feb. 11. THe opening reception is at 7 p.m.- 10 p.m. The exhibition runs until March 2