Feeling a little Petty — Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will take over the Pengrowth Saddledome this Monday August 11
Afrikadey blues fest and Choose Yer Own keep the festivities rolling
It’s only been two weeks since the Calgary Folk Music Festival turned Prince’s Island Park into the ultimate picnic and party venue but that doesn’t mean it’s too soon to recapture the magic. Afrikadey! may not be as large as that other festival but it’s every bit as ambitious mixing jazz blues folk hip hop and other world music styles into a full day of outdoor bliss (and this weekend the forecast doesn’t call for rain). The triumphant return of afro-jazz hybrid Mr. Something Something to Calgary is enough to justify a ticket to the Saturday August 9 festival.
Afrikadey! isn’t the only festival this weekend either. There’s also the Calgary International Blues Festival running from Thursday August 7 to Sunday August 10 and featuring blues legends Canned Heat and The Fabulous Thunderbirds as well as local favourites Lindsay Ell and Steve Pineo who’ll be bringing along his fine horn section. For those craving something a little more unusual there’s also the Choose Yer Own festival running from August 7 through August 11 and hosted by local all-ages collective the Summerwood Warren. Music will be a major part of it but there’ll also be robot battles mysterious adventures and advice from wizened landlords. For more details check out our online feature at www.ffwdweekly.com.
Choose Yer Own is just the latest example of the creativity bubbling out from the Calgary music scene. There’s an abundance of up-and-coming acts in the city but unfortunately that number will soon drop by one. Local favourites The Neighbourhood Council will soon be heading to Montreal for scholastic reasons but at least they’re celebrating their departure with a bang. They’ll be bidding the city goodbye with help from Azeda Booth and Knots at the Artlife gallery on Tuesday August 12.
The day before that show the Pengrowth Saddledome will be the place to be. Tom Petty spent the early part of this year working on a reunion with Mudcrutch his pre-Heartbreakers band. To celebrate that release he’s… er… ditched Mudcrutch again to tour with the Heartbreakers. Granted it’s a bit of an oddball move but Petty’s been an oddball throughout his career. Don’t miss the chance for one last dance on Monday August 11.
