The Duke celebrated “the Equinox” on the weekend with a whole lot of live music.

 I only caught Luke James Bruce’s second set on Friday, Sept. 22  but couldn’t stay for Yarboro.

  I also didn’t make it to Mahoney on Saturday night.

 Bruce played an array of contemporary alt country of the like of Zach Bryan and modern mainstream county.

 But he also threw in some Tragically Hip.

An “older song” “Whiskey Glass” was a highlight.

Bruce hosts Honkers Pub’s open mic on Friday, Sept. 29.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor

 Fawns  were winding up  a night of burlesque and rock an roll at the Slice, Saturday,  Sept. 23 with some ’90s and 2000s rock.

I arrived in the middle of a spirited version os Our Lady Peace’s “Starseed.”

Lead singer Mercedes Fawns, sporting a mohawk was an energetic force of nature on stage, showing an impressive set of pipes as Richard Charlton lit up on lead guitar.

There were a lot more keyboards featured in their set than usual.

They also played a solid version of Spacehog’s ’90s hit “In the Meantime.”

 A bluesy, soulful “ I Want to make It With You” included a few bars of the Rolling Stones’ “ Miss You.”

 They wound up their set with their original song  from a few year ago “ Unsafe.”

 I missed Alec Arms set as well as the burlesque. 

— By Richard Amery, L.A. beat editor

The Owl Acoustic Lounge rocked with female powered Calgary garage rock supergroup Self Cut Bangs, Saturday Sept. 23. The band members have been part of the Calgary punk and alternative scene for years, playing in popular bands like Night Committee, Dark Time, Hot Little Rocket and Napalmpom. 

 The spirit of Napalmpom was strong in Self Cut Bangs which formed during the pandemic by Napalmpom’s Shawn Petsche and Cayley O’Neill . They recorded their CD at home during the pandemic.

 They played plenty of too catchy for their own good riffs reminiscent of bands like the Strawberries and Cheap Trick with a bit of the Breeders and a smattering of Pixies.

 Bassist Nicola Cavanagh from the Cardiograms and Night Committee, apparently playing her first gig with the band added haunting harmony vocals and grooved along on bass like she’d always been there.

Pregnant lead singer Cayley O’ Neill strutted the stage like a boss, singing catchy lyrics that were alternately playful and haunting for one of their last shows before new babies and double albums come to light.

 I missed A Trozzo Electric’s opening set and Facecut’s closing set.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor 

 Apollo Suns returned to the Slice, Sept.27 to kick off another  tour with a raucous, loud, sweaty and horn fuelled set of  instrumental jazz  influenced rock.

 They had a decent crowd for a Wednesday, who were getting just as sweaty at  the Winnipeg band, who were playing as a sextet for this show.

I caught the end of an incendiary set and tasty repast of throbbing bass and unstoppable rhythm that got the audience dancing, with ear-splitting horns providing  the tasty flavourings  . I  recognized a few of the songs from their new album “ Departures.”

 The band channelled the brassy energy of ’70s soul and R and B groups like Earth Wind and Fire, but instrumental, though the obvious comparison  was to Five Alarm Funk. A Strong ’70s feel could have been the soundtrack for any  mid ’70s/ early ’80s police show.

 Frontman/ guitarist Ed Durocher observed mid set that this was going to be the last song of the set, but they decided to play though with a hot, horn powered version of Jimi Hendrix’s “ Voo Doo Chile (Slight Return) though  Durocher did get to show off his best Hendrix licks.

 A  keytar came out for the “last ” song of the show. They were called back for an encore as bassist Bryn  Herperger stood behind a second set of keyboards.

 I missed Static Shift’s opening set, but they will be  back to play the Slice’s Halloween howler, Oct. 28  with Decadent Phase and Vancouver’s Brass Camel. Tickets are $22. 63 from Eventbrite.

—By Richard Amery, L.A. beat Editor