Let's give em something to talk about: how about Bonnie freakin' Raitt headlining the Dutch Mason Blues Festival on Saturday night? Sure you have to go to Truro, but we've all made sacrifices for our favourite artists. (Ask me about my trip to see Ben Lee in New Haven, CT sometime.) Tickets still available here.
Sometimes this town has more shows than brains. The three lineups fighting to the death for your presence on Saturday are: fresh from Sappy Fest, where I am told they were basically the house band, Attack in Black headline a Seahorse show I hadn't even heard about until I saw the poster blitz yesterday. Which is ridiculous considering the line-up, which includes Shotgun Jimmie and Baby Eagle. I saw AiB open for Say Anything and Thrice in Montreal this winter, and the singer was yelling at overzealous bouncers who were shining flashlights in the eyes of kids taking pictures, and it was sweet.
Heading north, stop in at Blue Moon for a huge-ass noise show that somehow only costs five bucks: you've got Cincinatti's Realicide and Often headlining, plus Toronto's Disguises, Gym Sweat out of Montreal and local feedback via D/A A/D and Torso. The go-down starts at 10pm.
A few blocks norther, there's an indie-rock extravaganza at Gus' featuring New Brunswick's Olivier Jarda with support from Rich Aucoin, Jon McKiel, whose The Nature of Things was one of my favourite records last year, and Calgary duo Lovesinger. All for $6. There was a time there when shows were getting really expensive—maybe that peaked with the price of gas? Conspiracy theories welcome.
PS Don't forget about the Daft Punk tribute show at the Marquee on Sat, or the various strumming wonders to be found at the Lunenburg Folk Harbour Festival.
