With the departure of music and film editor Mark Teo we lost our regular Goings On columnist here at Fast Forward Weekly. Thankfully I too am abreast with the happenings of our fair city and will gladly fill the boyishly shaped hole left in his absence.
While there’s more than enough to keep you busy at the Afrikadey Festival in Prince’s Island Park on Saturday August 13 the most fascinating picks for the weekend come courtesy of the Choose Yer Own Festival. The fourth annual edition of this anything-goes mainstay kicks off on Thursday August 11 with a treasure trove of choices.
Among them is a “noise roulette” which kicks off at 7 p.m. at the Hume House (629 7 Ave S.E.). Described as a “junior league hockey raffle without the outfits” the two-hour jam session asks that you bring an instrument toss your name in a hat and let fate determine the sounds you hear.
The following day the festival offers up some fascinating craft workshops and naturally a live production of A Charlie Brown Christmas in the middle of August. Whet your musical appetite with a batch of family bands performing at Central United Church at 7 p.m. There you’ll receive a map to the secret “off-off-off Broadway” showtunes to be performed by cover artists under a bridge.
Another option is on Friday August 12 — courtesy of recent Fast Forward interview subject Matt Swann whose Extra Happy Ghost!!! offers the release of its Chad VanGaalen-produced Modern Horses album with an all-ages show at the Area where he’ll be joined by The Gooeys and Bitter Fictions .
The musical portion of Choose Yer Own continues on August 13 with The Poly Shores — which you can learn about in this very issue. They’ll hit the floor at Tubby Dog where they’ll be joined by a star-studded local bill including Stalwart Sons Lab Coast and shortly before its frontman returns to Pittsburgh Feel Alright .
If all of those DIY adventures through Calgary’s underground music and arts scene are making you develop a hipper-than-thou ego however you might need to stop being so cool and cheese it up for a night. If that’s the case American pop-punk cornballs All Time Low will also performs on August 13 bringing its amped-up tween-rock to the MacEwan Ballroom. Get down with the 14 year olds in the pit or hang out with mom and dad in the back. It’s really your call.
For a completely different type of fun Winnipeg-bred singer-songwriter Romi Meyes brings her unique take on country blues and bluegrass to the Ironwood Bar and Grill on Sunday August 14. Touring in support of her recent album Lucky Tonight you just might get er lucky that night.
