Saskatoon rockers GreenWing celebrated Thankgiving weekend by returning to rock the Owl Acoustic Lounge Friday, Oct. 6.

 They put on a great show, full of passion and energy.

 They played plenty of catchy riffs and impassioned gang vocals reflecting other Saskatchewan rockers like Limblifter and Age of Electric with a smattering of the Sheepdogs, a peck of Pup and going further east, a touch of the Treble Charger, the Trews and Motorleague.

“ Truth About You,” felt like early 2000’s emo music, while their new single “ Dead Friends” brought forth the spirit of Treble Charger.

 Frontman  / guitarist Matt Stinn belted out the lyrics and bassist Travis  Williams thrashed all over the stage.

 They added a wicked cover of Weezer’s “Say It Ain’t So,“ but mostly focused on their new CD and a few from their next one.

 They were called back for an encore before Rainbow Patrol finished off the evening.

A trimmed down Alec Arms opened the  show with a delicate set of impassioned acoustic alternative rock featuring 12 string guitar and  box drum. The duo showed their progressive rock chops acoustically so it was a different feel but the kernels of the songs stood out.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. beat Editor

Happy October. Coming out of the  Thanksgiving long weekend there is a lot to be thankful for in Lethbridge’s thriving arts scene.

 There will be plays aplenty in October and November, with Playgoers of Lethbridge’s production of  The Games Afoot coming up and Hatrix Theatre’s “ Toxic Avenger : The Musical.

 But first, don’t miss New West Theatre’s production of Tara Beagan’s dark comedy “Honour Beat.”

It is a must see, not only because of  The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, but for anybody interested in First Nations, residential schools, anybody who has ever fought with a sibling and anybody dealing with elderly parents and afterlife issues  The cast, Brianne Tucker, Michaela  Washburn, local hoop dancer Sandra Lamouche and Jeremy Proulx knock this one out of the park.

 It sounds dark, but  there is a lot of humour. The Honour Beat will hit you right in the heart. It runs until Oct. 14 at the Sterndale Bennett Theatre.

 With all of the evil happening in the world, we really need a good, hearty belly laugh. Luckily there is a lot of comedy this week with Les Fox hosting Pro-Amateur night at  Good Times, Oct. 11, The Owl Acoustic Lounge’s comedy open mic is also Wednesday.

Impromptu’s Drunk Queer Prov returns to Go Good Times, Thursday, Oct. 12.

 The Comic Strippers return to the Yates Theatre, Friday, Oct. 13.  Tickets are $53.08, and $60.50. That will get you warmed up for LMT’s upcoming production of The Full Monty: The musical which opens Oct. 26.

Celeste Lampa brings the funny to Good Times, Oct. 13 and 14.

 And Randy from the Trailer Park Boys will be bringing his Cheeseburger picnic to the Place,  Oct. 14. Tickets begin at $30. The show begins at 7:30 p.m.

There is plenty of roots and blues as usual.

 Keith, Catfish Woodrow returns to the Slice to host the blues jam tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 10.

Catch the future of local country music at the Slice with Brayden King and Luke James Bruce, who play the Slice, Wednesday, Oct. 11 at 8 p.m..Tickets are $17.31 through Eventbrite, Luke James Bruce, who is in the semi-finals of the Ranchman’s  Rising Star competition, Oct. 17 has a big week in Lethbridge as he is also playing a show at Honkers Pub with Steve Keenan on Friday, Oct. 13.

 A couple of new venues open this week with country music.

 El Mule opens  the Brickstone Kitchen and bar  (203 41 Ave South), Friday, Oct. 13.

 Mahoney play their unique takes of popular cover songs at the Brickstone on Saturday .

University of Lethbridge campus community radio station CKXU 88.3 F.M. is on the bubble for a bubble gum themed FUNdrive coming up Oct. 13-20.

“Bubblegum Broadcast is inspired by the quirky bubble gum wrappers from the ’90s. But it also reflects CKXU’s ethos of being passionate and colourful,” said CKXU Executive director Genna Bourchier.

There will be specialty programming.

“ Our programmers will be doing special FUNDrive shows and we have CKXU alumni coming back to do shows, who are now members of the community and are part of the  Lethbridge arts and culture community,” she continued, noting there will be a special Lethbridge Girls Rock Camp broadcast ,DJ Tizzio, Theoretically Brewing and T Fanny from Calgary doing special one off shows for FUNdrive.

There will also be fun activities, merch that “pops” and bubble gum themed events to help raise $20,000 during this year’s  FUNdrive which will go towards helping CKXU continue revamping  the music library.

“It will help make the library more accessible. CDs are filed alphabetically, we’re reorganizing them by genre, which makes it easier for our volunteers to find the music they’re looking for. And replacing things like shelves, getting new CD sleeves and digitizing  some of the physical medium that is starting to fall apart,” Bourchier summarized, emphasizing FUNdrive donations help keep the station running.

Previous FUNdrives have resulted in the new transmitter which allows CKXU to be heard past the U.S. border, almost out to B.C. and  out to Vulcan on Highway 22.

 The last three FUNdrives have gone towards improving the  computer and server system, which has just been completely updated.

FUNdrive 2023  is the third in a series of “era” themed Fundrives including the hippie movement of the ’60’s and ’70s, ’80s and now the bubble gum pop  of the ’90s and 2000s.

CKXU is bringing back a few popular events including the 50 50 raffle and surprise  vinyl raffle, which began Oct. 6 and ends at 3 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 21.

 The 50 50 winner will be announced at the bubble party wrap up party at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Oct. 21.

 Tickets are $10 each. Every ticket gets a surprise vinyl. Tickets are available at  https://ckxu.com/product/double-bubble-raffle-ticket/.

 There are  200 tickets available.

“So the winner could walk away with  $1,000,” Bourchier enthused.

 Shane Ghostkeeper brought out  his ’90s country side with a hot band playing music mostly from his first solo album “Songs For My People,” Saturday, Sept. 30 at the Slice.

 Ghostkeeper played most of the tracks off the new album, which he released in July for a good sized crowd.

 It was a departure from his usual  mix of alternative rock, ambient indie rock and experimental weirdness he usually performs with his now wife Sarah Houle.

Ghostkeeper  shone bright, talking about his recent marriage to Houle and telling stories of the family members he wrote the new album about.

 His talented band featured Eric Hamelin, bassist Ryan Bourne and Wayne Garrett on lead guitar and steel guitar.

 Ghostkeeper emitted good vibes and had a big, resonant voice. that was ideal for the modern country sound of the new music.

“ Uncle John” was a highlight.

 He added a few slower, more ambient numbers which showed off his falsetto, but most of the show was all about toe tapping  ’90s style country music.

“One More Name” was another moving highlight.

 He thanked CKUA and satellite radio for playing “Hunger Strike,” an upbeat, danceable song about his grandfather who said he was ready to die after his wife passed away. It inspired the new album.

He also played some Ghostkeeper songs including a prayer he wrote for Houle which was a barn burner about honky tonk dance floors .

 He wound up his set on a more sombre note, with a few Ghostkeeper songs  from the last Ghostkeeper album including “ The Trees” which he noted was about Truth and Reconciliation.

 They were called back for an encore, which consisted of a few more  slower, more  introspective Ghostkeeper songs including a request for  “This Is How I Know You” about murdered and missing indigenous women

I missed opening sets from Skinny Dyck, Joel Stretch, Bailey Kate and Joel Gray.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor