The Lethbridge Folk Club opened their new season , Saturday, Sept. 8  at the Lethbridge College Cave with a well attended multi-media show from Banff/ Canmore folk trio the Wardens, consisting of Scott Ward and Ray Schmidt and  Bradley Bischoff — two  retired forest rangers  and one still on the job.
They sang lovely harmonies and played sweet guitar as they told stories of living in the mountains and working as a ranger.

They sang about the history of Banff and Canmore area and some of the interesting characters who have lived there including a ranger’s wife who came to Canada as a Scottish war bride after the Second World War.
 An interesting number and story was about the experience of fighting forest fires as a ranger.

Another touching highlight was a tribute to a young  ranger, who died alone in the mountains after being thrown from his horse and writing a letter to his wife and family as his last act.

 Another more lighthearted number was “Ranger TV, about looking into a fireplace in the dead of winter.

 They wound up their set with an upbeat whimsical number about health food called “Supper on the Trail.”
 They sent everyone home with “Happy Trails.”

I only caught a few songs  from Maritime transplant Eddie Lockhurst at the Slice, Sept. 8. He sang pleasing folk style acoustic music. He had a pleasant voice along the lines of Jay Farrarr and a touch of Todd Snider, but also let loose a mighty bellow on a couple songs.

He ended the set I caught with a cover of “Last Kiss.”

Freshfest was off the hook last week at the University of Lethbridge, Sept. 7 and 8.

 I was only able to catch Calgary power trio the Static Shift on Saturday after a brief intro from the weekend’s host  the Deaner from the FUBAR movies.

The Deaner  had fun checking the the two microphones on stage and pretending to be out of breath because of it before promising “I’m really actually in shape. I could do cartwheels across the stage if I wanted.”’
 The Static Shift looked and sounded like they stepped right out of the ’70s with long hair, flared bell bottoms and paisley shirts.

 They played, big, beefy, catchy riffs right out of the Black Sabbath, Foghat, Led Zeppelin and Grand Funk Railroad playbook. There was also wah wah pedal drenched guitar solos and lots of massive groove.

There are a couple of big shows this week.
 Vancouver based, organ powered progressive rock band Bend Sinister stop by the Owl Acoustic lounge to play a special ticketed event, Wednesday, Sept. 19. Tickets are $10 for the show, which begins at 9 p.m. They are supporting their new CD Foolish Games. Local band the Dirti Speshuls will be opening the show.
 It is a busy Wednesday as there is also an open mic at Beaches.
 The Slice hosts Port Alberni folk/ alternative rock and pop band the Chase Spencer band on Sept. 19 as well. Admission is by donation.
 Admission is also by  donation at the Smokehouse where Prairie Huckster aka  Gabriel Thaine and Aya will be playing every instrument they know, Webdnesday, Sept.19.
 There is a big alternative rock show on Thursday, Sept. 20 with Saskatoon’ grungy, noisy post punk duo  Man Meat, plus Edmonton  trio Hex Beat and local alternative rock trio MomBod. Admission is $10 for the show, which begins at 8 p.m.

On the weekend, the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra has their first Extras concert of the season with Musaeus performing at Fall in Strings  — a tribute to Autumn at Casa at 7:30 p.m.  featuring violinist  Isabelle Robinson, keyboardist Mary Lee Voort and  the Musaeus String quartet. The Symphony opens their series on Oct. 15 with Russian Inferno.
It that isn’t enough classical music for you, Pianist Jesse Plessis returns home to Lethbridge to perform at the Galt museum’s Piano and Pie, Friday, Sept. 21 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $35 for adults, $20 for youth and students.

The quick picking and velvet baritone of Winnipeg based musician Richard Inman returns to the Owl Acoustic Lounge on Friday, Sept. 21. Fellow Winnipeg musician Dana Lee will be opening the show.
 For something different from that, bang your head at the Smokehouse as Medicine Hat thrash/punk band Western Death return to rock with local bands Chernoff, alternative rock duo Cope and High River hardcore punk band Shark Weak. There is a $10 cover for the show, which begins at 8 p.m..