Troubadour Matt Epp returned to Lethbridge  with Jesse Northey to play the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Friday, May 26.

 While I missed Nora Kotkas’s opening set, she added extra vocal harmonies to Epp’s music.

Epp emitted loving and peaceful vibes as he played a solid solo set of earnest , heartfelt singer songwriter folk and pop music. He was supporting  his latest album “ Rolling Wave,” but only played a couple of the new songs.

 Instead he focused on laid back older material showcasing Kotkas’ vocal harmonies and his own strong falsetto.

He had family in the audience so was in his element playing for them. He joked, added the occasional harp solo and even vocalized trumpet sounds.

 He played a few songs from the CD  he made with Ojibway artist and musician Isaac Murdoch including “ Everything We Need,” which he described as “a song that’s close to my heart.”

 He made a point of playing his duet, “When You Know,” he recorded with Serena Ryder. Kotkas capably copied Ryder’s unique voice.

 He  talked about completing a songwriting challenge with Kotkas and played the results of one of those exercises.

a couple of  highlights from the new CD were “ Inside Out Man,” and the cheerful first single “ Made For Love.”

He ended with the beautiful ballad “This Old House,” which he recorded with Coco Love Alcorn,”  was even more beautiful with Nora Kotkas.

 Jesse Northey got a great band together to bring back some good memories of his time in Lethbridge.

 Starpainter’s’ Joel Stretch  joined him on stage for a laid back, yet quirky set of original music, as he took centre stage on keyboards. Connor Ellinger played drums and Aladean Kheroufi added bass.

 Unfortunately the crowd had thinned by the time he took the stage.

 He didn’t mind as he played his own newer music including “ Both Eyes Closed” and even a few of Jesse and the Dandelions  songs.

 A highlight  was one of the first songs he learned in Lethbridge called “ If I Could  Settle down.”

 He wound down his set with a few songs including a “dis track” inspired by John Lennon called “ Hold On Jesse.”

He ended with old favourite “ True Blue.”

— by Richard Amery, l.A beat Editor

Local classic rock titans the  Chevelles always get the pretty girls moving and put smiles on faces, usually for a good cause.

 This time they were helping the Lethbridge Amateur Wrestling Association at the Place, May 26.

 They played their usual mix of classic rock, ’80s pop and a few modern numbers. I arrived in the middle of a hot version of Bryan Adams’ “Summer of ’69.”

  There was a wedding in the house, so frontman Tim Carter gave a shout out to the bride and her bridesmaids and dedicated reggae hit “Everything Is Going to be All Right to the wedding party.

 As usual Scott Kanashiro was doing triple duty on guitar, keyboards and vocals. He switched to acoustic guitar for “Cadillac Ranch.”

 They got down with “ Play the at Funky Music  White Boy)”

 Bassist Joe Brewster (Seamus Chevelle) sang lead on a couple songs including  “ 867-5309 Jenny” and “Jessies Girl”

 he usually sings Billy Idol’s “Mony Mony,” but Carter took the lead for that one this time,' He   brought the pop on the Blackeyed Peas’ “ I Gotta Feeling (Tonight is Going to be a good night.)”

— By Richard Amery, l.A. beat Editor

The long awaited return of Edmonton indie rock band Scenic Route to Alaska was a highlight of Slicefest this weekend.

 The trio, bassist Shea Connor, guitarist/ vocalist Trevor Mann and drummer Murray Wood had a great crowd for their Saturday, May 27 show.

 While I missed Parkland and couldn’t stay for Queen of the Worms, Scenic Route to Alaska was definitely who I came to see.

 They’ve played as the backing band for artists like major love and the Goddamsels, but it has been a while since they played here as Scenic Route to Alaska — 2019 for Whoop up Days, which I missed.

 I caught the whole show, May 27.

They have a lot of music to draw from and it has been a few years since they played here, so Scenic Route to Alaska had some new music to share as well as old favourites.

“Finding my Footing,” was a heartfelt favourite.“v Coming Back” was a highlight showcasing their vocal harmonies.

 They all featured frontman/ guitarist Trevor Mann’s plaintive voice.

 Musically they ranged from  easygoing, ambient indie  rock, alt country along the lines of  drivin n cryin and singer songwriters like Tyler Childers to more punk tinged upbeat rockers reminiscent of Spoon.

 “ Time For Yourself” was not only good advice but an upbeat  grunge tinged highlight.

 They ended with an upbeat rocker “Love Keeps” from “Long Walk Home.”

The crowd was so so, but the energy was off the charts for Slicefest at the Slice, Friday, May  26.

 I missed most of the show, including Hell Diablo and Chilliwack punk band “Like Bears” but caught an intense closing set from local favourites the Hockey Moms.

The skate punk band always put on a good show with a lot of energy, fast paced rhythms and  snarling guitar for songs about drinking and partying.

They had some spooky basslines and gang vocals as the frontman leaped all over the stage. 

Slicefest ended on Sunday on a more roots county note, but I never made it to that show. 

— by Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor

The Owl Acoustic lounge was standing room only for Edmonton country rock band the Denim Daddies, May 26.

They looked like they stepped right out of the mid-’70s as they worked through   some southern rock and country rock sounds including covers and a few originals.

While most band choose Copperhead Road when playing Steve Earle covers, the Denim Daddies opted for a great cover of an older Steve Earle track “Good Old Boys (Getting Tough)”

 They were a lot of fun and had a lot of energy as they played an assortment of country fried covers and some hot originals like “Shuffle Ditty“ which featured some harmonized lead guitar reminiscent of Thin Lizzy.

 Most people were waiting for the Garrys— three sisters, drummer Lenore Maier , guitarist Erica Maier and bassist Julie Maier  from Saskatoon and a lead guitar player.

 They sounded like a female fronted Sadies, which isn’t surprising as Dallas Smith produced their new album “ Get  Thee To A Nunnery,” which they were playing a lot from.

They played spooky ambient indie rock and psychedelic rock  and a touch of ’50s pop and doo wop and a little bit of surf rock with plenty of haunting three part vocal harmonies.

—By Richard Amery, L.A. beat Editor