This ain’t a scene, it’s a goddamned awards show and conference! And an alternative festival! And a bunch of in-stores, church gigs and casino shows! And 72 hours of jamming! And more drinking than those 3,200 pub-crawling lame-os could hope to accomplish in their Guinness-regulated time. Observe:
Music Nova Scotia Stage
The goal of this piece was to give you the best single hours you could find, but this entire night, literally in its entirety, is a stunning line-up of local awesome. On this evening, for a mere seven dollars, you can see, IN A ROW: Jon McKiel, Ruth Minnikin, David Myles, Rose Cousins, Jenn Grant, Tanya Davis and Old Man Luedecke. Holy honking shit.
February 15 at Tribeca, 9:15pm, $7 ($10 all-province bracelet)
Joel Plaskett
The only place to see the three-time nominee outside of the awards show will be within walking distance of his Dartmouth home, as part of the East Coast Countdown Supershow at Alderney Landing. He joins a stellar line-up, including Jill Barber, Matt Anderson, Dave Gunning, Bruce Guthro and Stephanie Hardy.
February 16 at Alderney Landing, 8pm, $25
Great Plains
This once-busy band is slowly coming out of hibernation after months off, now that its long-awaited record has been mixed and is set to drop in April. See them again for the first time at this no-case and remember why you love their straight-ahead rock stylings and witty stage banter.
February 16 at the BusStop Theatre, 11:15pm, $7
Papa Grand
This local hip-hop luminary’s shows are few and far between, so use this opportunity to revisit his hypnotic flow, or discover it for the first time.
February 16 at Diamonds, 11:40pm, $6
The Got to Get Got
The beauty of no-cases is the unknown. And this new, epic band—strings, people, they class everything up—comprised of Ron Bates and North of America founders Mark Mullane and Mike Catano among many others, gives Halifax something exciting to chew on.
February 16 at Gus’ Pub, 12:15am, $5
Classified
What’s goin’ on? Are you ready for this? Class closes out a stellar night of talent that includes Jesse Dangerously, Spesh K, Trobiz, Ghettosocks and Y-Rush. If you’ve never been to a hip-hop show in a hotel, you haven’t lived.
February 16 at the Baronet Room, Delta Halifax, 12:25am, $13
The Grass
So perhaps you’ll take a pizza detour after Class’s set, or Tom Fun at Ginger’s, or hey rosetta! at Ginger’s. Maybe you’ll help close down the Shoe Shop. Then what will you do? Keep the night going to dawn while you get your ass rocked by Dartmouth’s biggest alt-country band since the Guthries, that’s what.
February 17 at the 72-Hour Jam, The Palace, 5:30am, $3
Jenn Grant and In-Flight Safety
This free taping of Definitely Not the Opera will offer the best room and the best chance to see these two stellar local acts. Nomination-rich In-Flight will make you forget you’re in a windowless money pit where time doesn’t exist and Grant will be all over this thing next year, so see her today and grab your bragging rights for ’08. Plus you get to be on the radio!
February 17 at the Schooner Room, Casino Nova Scotia, 1pm, free
Alicia Penney
This powerhouse vocalist and leader of Cape Breton band Yellow will blow you away right proper, just as you’re getting your Saturday wind.
February 17 at the 72-hour Jam, The Palace, 4:30pm, $3
Jill Barber
The multiple nominee has a bunch of shows this weekend, but our pick is for the scrappy all-ages one, where there will be considerably fewer industry tools blowing hard about crap no one cares about. Overheard the last time she played the Pavilion, opening for a sold-out Wintersleep crowd: “Aw, it’s so great she’s up there all by herself.” Kid, you have no idea.
February 17 at The Pavilion, 6:30pm, $10
Dammien Alexander
R&B smoothie Alexander has been threatening a full-length record for some time now, and it looks like it will drop before the snow clears. Get a preview at this downtown set of no-cases, or show up early to see him back up Feral Bliss on percussion.
February 17 at Peel Pub, 11pm, $5
Ruby Jean
Rebekah Higgs’ trip-hop alter ego closes out the second night of no-cases. A recent Seahorse show drew mixed reviews: Let’s give the girl a chance to get her groove back.
February 17 at the BusStop, 11:30pm, $6
Wordburglar
Check this ridiculously witty hip-hopper and actor as he throws lyrically complex and hilarious rhymes out over the north end.
February 17 at Gus’s Pub, 12:15am, $5
Sarah Slean
We’re not too sure what Slean is doing here—they’re pushing her as a SOCAN rep, which is stretching it though not a lie—but we’re also sure we don’t give a damn, because anytime you get to see her nattering on about her unlucky love life before slaying you with her voice and mad piano skills is worth it, especially when Amelia Curran is also involved.
February 18 at the Songwriter’s Circle in the Schooner Room, 2pm, $25-$40
Tara Thorne has her hat and her party boots ready to go.