It was sounding a little like Christmas at the Owl Acoustic Lounge,Saturday, Dec.10.

I missed a solo set by Max Hopkins, who was celebrating his birthday.

But I arrived in time to see him playing keyboards with a band including most of Fawns including guitarist Joel Gray, drummer Chris Morden and Richard Charlton playing bass.

 Together they laid down some sweet R and B flavoured vibes, with an extra dose of Christmas and holiday songs.

They welcomed special guests to sing the Christmas songs including Bailey Kate and Joel Stretch and Fawns. 

 Max Hopkins ended his part of the show with an original, soulful R and B original.

 Adequate playing familiar set including Lou Reed’s “Take A Walk on the Wild Side.”  But they also played a couple couple of new songs including  “Mary Jane.”

As usual,  the local trio did what they do best- get folks up and dancing to funk fueled disco and pop style music.

— by Richard Amery, l.A. Beat editor

What’s going down in this town? All kinds of Christmas shows for starters.

 But ease into the wee with a whole lot of blues and jazz.

 Keith Catfish Woodrow hosts a blues jam at the Slice Tonight, Tuesday, Dec. 13.

 Get a double dose of jazz on Wednesday, Dec. 14.  First,  Standard Time featuring Sheena Lawson play the Watertower Grill from 6-8 p.m..

 After that, join the Owl Acoustic Lounge’s jazz jam with hosts HBO3 beginning at 8:30 p.m.

 To paraphrase Doucette, if jazz is much too crazy, then Scott Davidson hosts a night of mid week live music with lots of local talent playing the Slice’s stage.

 Scott Davidson has a busy weekend as he and  his band the John and Scott band return to Casino Lethbridge, Friday and Saturday.

Get ready to laugh at  Good Times.

 Impromptu’s Queer improv returns to Good Times on Thursday, Dec. 15. The laughs begin at 7 p,.m.  Admission is $15. After that check out the Queer open mic at the Slice hosted by Fawns.

 Erin  Wood brings the funny to Good Tims of Friday and Saturday.

 Kick off the Weekend at the Windy City Opry at the Slice, Friday.  Dec. 16.

 The Windy  City Opry celebrate their sixth anniversary with performances by host Shaela Miller, moody Calgary octet Deicha and the Vu Dudes and the Dark Wrangler.

 Showtime is 8 p.m. Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 at the door.

 Also in  a country vein,  The Joe Vickers band featuring Audio/Rocketry’s Joe Vickers band and The Wicked Grins play the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Dec. 16.

 For the opposite to that, dust off that spandex and  break out the hairspray for Motley Crüe tribute Live Wire and Whitesnake Tribute Snake Bite  plus Steve McQueen who relive the ’80s at the Place. The head-banging begins at 9 p.m. Tickets are $20. The event is a fundraiser for Jamie Gray and her daughter, whose house burned down in July.

Things slow down slightly this week. 

There are open mics at the Owl Acoustic lounge on Tuesday, Dec. 6 and Wednesday Dec. 7 at the Slice.

The Owl Acoustic lounge hosts their comedy open mic on Wednesday, Dec. 7. 

If you want to laugh, comedian Sammy Ray Benty is  performing at Good Times, Dec. 9 and 10 at 8 p.m. each night. Tickets are $15. 

The University of Lethbridge continues a busy few weeks of performances.

The U of L Opera Workshop  perform Sondheim: A Celebration in the University Recital Hall, Friday, Dec. 9. Tickets are $20 adults, $15 seniors/ alumni , $12 students /children. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

 Also in the classical music Christmas vein The Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra gets into the holiday spirit at Southminster United Church as they bring a little “Holiday Magic” to the stage, Sunday Dec. 11 at 3 p.m.  and Monday, Dec. 12 at 7p .m. Expect to hear all of your Christmas favourites with special guest baritone  Michael Hope.Tickets range from $25-$80.

 Racket are back at Casino Lethbridge to make some noise this Friday and Saturday.

If you missed the Mark Hall band at Casino Lethbridge last weekend, they will be playing Honkers Pub, Friday, Dec. 9 beginning at 8 p.m.. Coda Lite host Honkers Pub’s open mic on Saturday at 8 p.m.

It’s always a different show and a different lineup when Calgary roots/ western swing revivalists the Red Hot Hayseeds return to Lethbridge.

Frontman Tyler Allen had three beautiful singers, including vocalist, guitarist Dayna Lyn Moritz,  Rikki J Browne, and the multi-talented Sydney Zadravec yodelling and singing while plucking her upright bass. Drummer Matt Dawe held down the rhythm and  clarinet, bassoon player Cedric Blary added extra  jazz inspired musical colours.

 They added a little  gospel on Abilene, which had a couple couples two-stepping.

 Tyler Allen  introduced  “ Bye Bye Blues”  was among the songs that were older than the audience’s grandparents.

And they looked the part, like they just stepped off the stage of the Grand Old Opry, dressed in vintage western clothing and cowboy hats.

 They played a lot of Bob Wills era western swing covers and a few originals.

 All of the band members got  a spot in the spotlight.

Cedric Blary laid down a tasteful clarinet solo on “ Fats Waller Homage”  “Louisville Fairytale.” 

Rikki J Browne sang lead on “ Bye Bye Blues.”

 Zadravec yodelled and played her bass on “I Want to be A Cowboy’s Sweetheart.”

 They wound up their show on a humourous note  as Allen stripped off his shirt, danced on the edge of the stage and wandered into the audience for their popular original about tired audience request tropes called “ Play One We Know.”

—By Richard Amery, L.A. beat Editor