When women sing, it is a “divine” experience. So catch New West Theatre’s excellent production of “Divine: The Divine Women Of Song,” which continues at  The Yates Theatre until Saturday, Aug. 24.

 In my books there is nothing sexier then a woman  who sings. And there is plenty of them in Divine as the talented cast present a crash course in famous women in song, and yet barely touch the surface. But it is a really good overview, going all the way back the ’’40s with  Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy.”

 New West shows tend to follow a well founded formula and it works. There’s plenty of song, dance and comedy.
The cast includes beloved members like Erica Hunt and Scott Carpenter, returning member Jordana Kohn, who performed with New West like 25 years ago, relative newcomers like the multi-talented Rylan Kunkel.

 But the newcomers Katie Fellger and Olivia Earl almost steal the show. Actually drummer Keenan Pezderic really does steal the show in his voice over bits and in a particularly inspired comedy bit in which he voices Scott Carpenter’s innermost thoughts as he makes a fool of himself at a wedding.

 The singing is wonderful as always.
They cover  the highlights, opening with “ You Can’t Hurry Love” and each cast member gets their solo spots. Though it is a female powered show, the guys also get to shine. Rylan Kunkel plays sweet saxophone on Olivia Earl’s version of  Connie Francis’s pop hit “Vacation,” and adds  keyboards in a few other places.

Surprisingly, he also sings a solid version of Adele’s “Rolling In the Deep” and knocks it out of the park.

 Bente Hansen steps out from behind the keyboards  to play bass as  Katie  Fellger unleashes her inner demon rocker on Joan Jett and the Runaways’ “Bad Reputation.”

Whoop Up Days kicks off with a big country night featuring Lethbridge’s own Corb Lund and his band the Hurtin’ Albertans, Aug. 20.
 He will be  headlining a night featuring Aaron Goodvin and rising country star Alee.

 Lund is excited to play Whoop up Days for the first time with band mates bassist Kurt Ciesla, drummer Brady Valgardson and lead guitarist Grant Siemens
“ We’ve been trying to play Whoop Up Days for years, but the schedule just hasn’t worked out,” said Lund who still lives in Lethbridge.
“ I live here, but I don’t spend a lot of time here and I don’t  play here very often. I’m from Taber and our family ranch is in Cardston and Kurt and Brady live around here,” said Lund, who has been spending most of his time touring the United States.

 He has a long standing connection to Whoop Up Days.
“My uncle Tom Ivins used to be the president of the Whoop Up Days, Exhibition,” he said.

“My mom won the barrel racing competition there in the ’50s and ’60s. My dad competed in steer wrestling at Lethbridge, and I probably rode steers there when I was a kid,” he said, adding he has a lot of Whoop  Up Days memories.
“I remember one year a bull in the bull riding competition escaped and got onto the midway. That was when they only had page wire fences and the bull got out through a hole in the fence and ran onto the midway. People were running for cover,” Lund recalled, adding that was probably in the late ’70s or early ’80s.

Lund is getting ready to release an EP of popular covers which inspired him to play including Dr. Hook and the Medicine show’s “Cover of the Rolling Stone,” with his long time friend and collaborator Hayes Carll, a cover of AC DC’s “ Ride On,” featuring Ian Tyson.
“It’s a ballad that I always considered to be a country song. Ian sings the chorus,” he said.

“We’re performing with the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra. (on Sept. 19). And that can be more powerful than playing with a bunch of electric guitars,” he said, adding he and Tyson go back a long way.
“ He sang on a song of mine called the Rodeo’s Over (From his 2005 album “Hair in My Eyes Like A Highland Steer.’”

You can take a bit of a breather this week in preparation for a wicked musical  line up for Whoop-Up Days. Or not. Because there are still a lot of excellent shows beginning with Keith Catfish Woodrow’s blues jam tonight, Tuesday, Aug. 13 at the Slice.

 Good Times has decided to start featuring music. Tonight, they feature Courteny , B.C. Thrash/death metal band  Liberatia and Maple Ride metal band Truent. Admission is $10 at the door.

James Swinney aka folk/country musician Corduruoy Brown plays  Good Times on Friday night.  at 8 p.m.  and local comedian Ainsley McPhail performs two shows, on Saturday, Aug.17 at 7 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.

But things really begin Wednesday, Aug. 14 with a solo show at the Owl with Miss Quincy’s Jody Peck, playing a set of new songs inspired by working in northern B.C. as a bush cook. She will be joined by Sarah Burton, who has been living in Austin, Texas for the past several years.
Admission is by donation.

 That is competing with the August edition of the Windy City Opry at the Slice, featuring Montana stomp-grass band Dodgy Mountain men who add some blues, soul and rock and roll into the mix plus Southern Manitoba country and western songwriter and Joe Wilson and host Shaela Miller, opening  the show at 8 p.m.sharp. Admission is $10.

Instead of The Slice’s weekly Thursday open mic, the night will rock  with a superjam featuring  King Bull and  the Dizzy Mystics and local psychedelic rock band the Decadent Phase. Admission is $10.

 The rock continues at the Slice with Red Deer’s Dusty Tucker, Calgary Thrash metal band lacuna,, Edmonton thrash metal band Rising Sun and local metal band Divide and Conquer.
 The Slice has an eclectic show on Saturday, Aug. 17 with local rapper Bomb Hugg, Acronym, and local alternative rock duo Cope and trio the Mormon Girls. Things are considerably mellower at the Owl Acoustic lounge with local folk/ roots musician George Arsene, alt country band Smokes, Let Go and  Edmonton’s Swear by The Moon performing beginning at 9 p.m.

 Local indie folk musician Tyson Ray Borsboom is holding an album fundraiser  at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Saturday, Aug. 17 with special guest Kevin Giron. Admission is by donation.

Elsewhere, local ’90s cover band Uncovered say farewell to their lead singer Alison Hawkins at Mojo’s Pub, Aug. 16.
 The Bamboo Guppies will be rocking Casino Lethbridge, Friday And Saturday, Aug. 16 and 17.
Local roots trio the Karen Romanchuk 3 help the Lethbridge Library celebrate 100 years of service with two shows, Saturday, Aug. 17.