I had to be up early for  a road trip to the Edmonton Blues festival, so couldn’t stay long but couldn’t resist  a taste of delicious “Buns,”’ the Calgary based jam rock trio who rocked the Slice, Saturday, Aug. 26.

 They baked a beautful blend of the Grateful Dead (whose sticker adoerned lead guitarist/vocalsit Nick Basque” axe) with a few dashes of Phish, a dab of ’70s funk and a sprinkling of moe as drummer /vocalist Nate Raboud  and bassist vocalist Luc Levesque held together the groovy blues basted rhythm.

 Luc Levesque added extra layers of sound with an effects laden rack hooked up to his bass drenching his sound in wah wah.

 There was a lot of fine guitar playing and plenty of gang vocals and a lot of catchy, really uplifting themed songs, which grooved hard.

 They didn’t have a lot of people in the audience, but the 20 some who were there were really into it.

 Before that, Red Deer band Bitter Rivals put on a more stoner rock/ grunge feel on the standard rock trio.

 They had a solid, plodding, detuned, grinding groove that referenced bands like Queens of the Stone Age.

They wound down their set  with a Queens of the Stone Age song and finished off with some Limp Bizket.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor

 The depth of musical talent  runs deep in Southern Alberta.

Taber based musician Kai Brooks opened up a  great show at Theoretically  Brewing, Thursday, Aug. 24.

 I missed  Starpainter and Rae Spoon because I didn't want to miss Shaela Miller at Whoop Up Days, but caught most of Brooks’ impassioned set.

 The 16-year-old  Taber songwriter, who won one of the SouthCountry Fair songwriting contests this year, played an emotional and impassioned set of original folk inspired music mostly about heartbreak, though her voice was reminiscent of Portishead.

“Second Hand  Suffering,”  with the plaintive refrain  “ I Don’t Ever Want to See You Again” was a highlight of the set which got a lot of applause before I had to go.

 Kai Brooks can be found on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/_kaibrooks_/ 

— By Richard Amery, L.A. beat Editor

 Local alternative country band Badlands got folks in the mood for Whoop up Days for a busy Thursday night, for Upside Downtown at casa.

They played a tight set of original, melodic and heartfelt country music for a good sized crowd winding down summer  at casa.

 Lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ali Cat lead a tight band including Devin Gergel  on bass, drummer Avery Friesen and lead guitarist Brett Skauge through their set of  music when  fell within the realms of  Sara Shook and the Disarmers and Nikki Lane.

 Skauge 

wound down the show by singing lead vocals on the last song.

 Hippodrome plays the last Upside Down  concert of the summer today at casa from 5-7 p.m. 

– By Richard Amery, L.A. beat Editor

I don’t want to be the one to say it, but summer is ending, which means a lot of the summer mainstays are also ending.

 The last Upside Downtown concert of the summer features local disco/ funk/ R and B band Hippodrome playing outside casa, Thursday, Aug. 31 from 5-7 p.m.

 But there is still a lot happening for the Labour Day long weekend especially for punk rock fans.

A busy week of open mics opens tonight with the Owl Acoustic Lounge’s open mic, Tuesday, Aug. 29.

Danica Sommer hosts the Slice’s open mic on Wednesday, Aug. 30. 

 Gabe Thaine returns to Theoretically Brewing to host their open mic beginning at 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 31.

 There are no open mics at Honkers Pub on the long weekend.

 If you think you’re funny, Brian Dawdniuk hosts pro amateur Night at Good Times, Wednesday, Aug. 30.

 Chris Griffin will provide the  laughs at Good Times Friday and Saturday.

 The Slice welcomes back Ty Vanden Dool for a big pop show, Aug. 31 featuring B.C musicians Half/Asian and Amy the Coda for a night of pop music and  sign language performance.

Doors open at 8 p.m. There is a $10 cover.