The music and arts community spent 2022 slowly finding it’s wheels again. Even though things opened up last July, a lot of people still don’t feel comfortable going out with the Covid of it all. Other people still don’t go out at all like even before Covid.
I had a milestone birthday this year and spent most of 2022 trying to deny it, but finally realizing even I don’t have the energy to hit every every show every night anymore. I did treat myself to a new guitar and a couple Outlaw Country Cruises, if only because a lot of my favourite acts on the boat don’t ever or seldom get up here.
So I missed a couple key shows owing to exhaustion and illness as well. And I didn’t brave before minus 40 temperatures to go to shows like I did back in the day.
I missed Hippodrome’s annual pre Christmas bash at the Slice and a couple of sold out shows by Corb Lund at the Owl Acoustic lounge. I missed the return of Barney Bentall’s Caribou Express and Bryan Adams because I was on vacation and I missed a packed Mahones show owing to exhaustion and preparing for vacation. But I still caught quite a few superb shows.
As usual, 2022 has been a year fraught with poor attendance, but there has also been some outstanding music. New bands have formed and released new music, while old bands have disbanded and reformed as new bands. Local acts played most of the great local shows. And several local musicians released new music.
Local theatre troupes made up for lost time by bringing back old favourites and trying to carve out new paths. Playgoers of Lethbridge is gearing up for their big 100th anniversary celebration next year, which will begin with the comedy The Play That Goes Wrong, happening at the Yates Theatre in February. The One Act play Festival was a Playgoers highlight in May.
Long sanding local theatre troupe New West Theatre , had to appeal to the community to keep going after trying a new experimental direction, which was well done including Ukrainian play Barvinok and Tony Award winning rock and roll musical “Next to Normal “, but didn’t appeal to the masses as much as they hoped. Fortunately the community came through and raised enough money to let them live another day.
Hatrix Theatre brought back old favourites the Gazebo in May and Evil Dead the Musical aptly in time for Halloween to enthusiastic audiences. The Lethbridge Shakespeare Performance Society staged an outstanding production of Hamlet this summer outside Casa and in the Nikka Yuko Japanese Gardens and Galt Gardens among other places. Hootenanny returned with another fun kid’s production The Junk Show.
Good Times continued to bring in excellent comedians.
Local comedian Faris Hytiaa filmed his first comedy special at the Owl Acoustic lounge, Aug. 12 and 13.One of my favourite comedians Ron James returned to the Yates Theatre for two excellent shows in November.
And Cirque Du Soleil returned with a bug themed show “OVO” in May.
The University of Lethbridge continued putting on great shows and Theatre Outré celebrated their tenth anniversary by continuing to push the boundaries wth more experimental and risqué material.
So here are just a few of my favourite highlights memories and pictures.
January
This year was the year for talented tribute acts. I was wondering what would happen after Average Joes closed and reopened as the Place. They have continued to be the unofficial local home of classic rockers the Chevelles as well as superb tribute acts beginning in January with Motley Crüe tribute All Bad Things rocking the Place, Jan. 28
Motley Crüe All Bad Things, Jan. 28.
It was a great year for local talent like Saints and Sinners who rocked the Slice, Jan. 27.
Eric Braun was playing with everyone this year, had his own show at casino Lethbridge, Jan. 28, and hosting jams at Honkers Pub
Tyrants of Chaos got ready to release their new album “Relentless Thirst for Power” by tearing up the Slice, Jan. 15.
Rotary Square outside Casa was the place to be for live entertainment this year even in the dead of winter. Luckily they had warm weather for Winterfest in Rotary Square, Jan. 14, featuring performances by Adequate and Karen Romanchuk to name a few,
Winnipeg Folk punk musician Greg Rekus returned to the Owl Acoustic Lounge, Jan. 11. He will be back to host the Owl Acoustic Lounges open mic, Jan 10.
February
The Slice started doing a lot more punk and metal shows this year.
Medicine Hat metal band Western Death played the Slice, Feb. 12
Taylor Ackerman’s Global Acid Reset released their new album “Doubt Freaks Us Out,” Feb. 5 at the Owl Acoustic Lounge. Taylor Ackerman was playing with everyone this year including with Shaela Miller and Hell Diablo.
Bridgette Yarwood Band played a lot this year including Feb. 4 at the Slice with with local Tragically Hip tribute The Hip Trip.
March
I got Covid for my birthday so was surprised I caught as many March and April shows as I did.
Eamon McGrath playing an acoustic show at Owl Acoustic Lounge, March 4
Got back from Outlaw Country Cruise 6 in time to catch Edmonton musician Vissia showing her pop side for a great show at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, March 5.
Slice put on a couple cool songwriter in the rounds this year including March 5 with Don Kinahan , Connor Adams, Richard Inman and Marcus Sommer.
I’m glad I caught Jr. Gone Wild who stopped by the Slice, March 12 in support of their new album “Still got the Jacket,” but was glad to see the Real McKenzies at the Owl, March 15 with Edmonton punk band the Real Sickies.
Alex Cuba played an excellent show at the Geomatic Attic, March 15.
Calgary rockabilly band Peter and the Wolves played one of several local shows including the Owl Acoustic lounge, March 18.
The Lethbridge and District Music and speech Arts Festival returned, March 28.
April
The Geomatic Attic had a lot of great shows this spring including Steve Dawson, April 8. I Missed Harry Manx, April 16.
More up and comers John and Scott Band played several times this year including at the Casino, April 8 and 9.
More punk at the Slice with Screaming at Traffic and the Ringwalds, April 9.
Red Hot Hayseeds are always a hoot. They played one of several Show at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, April 9.
More ’80s tributes at the Place, April 14-16 with Dave Chomiak’s Bon Jovi Tribute Runaway, Whitesnake Tribute Snake Bite , local Tragically Hip tribute Hip Trip , Edmonton Dokken tribute Breaking the Chains and Scorpions Tribute the Zoo and Chomiak’s Def Leppard tribute Stage Fright. Rhere was also a cool Black Sabbath tribute featuring Bridgette Yarwood.
The Slice continues doing a lot of punk and metal. Sessions played April 22 and Calgary nerd-core band the Galacticas played as a duo as their bassist got Covid
Long awaited return of Billie Zizi to Owl Acoustic Lounge, April 22.
I didn’t catch a lot of Enmax shows but was glad to see Sue Foley, ZZ Top and Cheap Trick, though missed most of Cheap Trick due to family issues, April 27.
Sue Foley joined them for “California Man” for the show which had been rescheduled due to Covid.
Beloved bluesman Harpdog Brown passed away, Jan. 7 of a heart attack. Several local musicians including Papa King, Jolene Draper and Steve Martin, plus Charlie Jacobson played a hot memorial show for him, April 30 at the Owl Acoustic lounge.
May
Hatrix Theatre revisits old favourites with The Gazebo in May at the Moose hall as the other wing brought back Evil Dead the Musical to McNally School in October
Australian born, Chicago based bluesman Michael Charles played May 12 as part of Slicefest. He would return in a few months.
Ll’omelette played a couple shows at Slice featuring Peter and the Wolves Peter Cormier on drums and Meg Thompson on vocals and sax.
Canadian Brewhouse having live music including midnight Echo, though i missed their May 8 show.
Corb Lund played two sold out shows at the Owl Acoustic lounge, may 12 and 13, which i missed.
Eamon McGrath returned to the Owl Acoustic Lounge, this time with a band, May 27.
Dead Army a couple of local shows, May 26 and in December.
Things got funky at the Slice, with a wild show from rage funk band Raincity, May 27.
Ryland Moranz played a couple excellent local shows this year including May 28. at the Owl Acoustic Lounge.
June
Shakespeare in the Park put on a great production of Hamlet.
The Chevelles rocked The Place as usual, June 4.
Hamilton funnyman BA Johnston is always a hoot at the Owl. He returned to the stage, June 7 with Open Channels
Kirb Fest made the leap to the Yates Theatre, June 17. It featured lots of local talent including John Kirby, John Wort Hannam,,Steve Keenan plus plenty of young up and coming bands, including Desert Orchid and more
Calgary country musician Carter Felker is always good to see.He returned to the Slice June 16 in support of his new album.
There was awesome punk at Owl with Quit It! and Western Death, June 17.
It’s great to see Kingston rock band Glorious Sons grow. They hit Enmax stage,June 18, though I missed the show.
There was a lot of live music outside of Telegraph Taphouse on Festival Square. A big June 23 show featured the New Testaments, Rudy Strangling Wolf and another hot new band, Last Minute Letdowns.
Theoretically Brewing started doing punk and rock shows on their outdoor patio this summer.
Deadwolff, Rebel Priest and Hell Diablo brought back the spirit of the ’70s and ’80s a hard rock, June 30. Cope expanded to a trio, June 25.
Adequate brought the funk to the Owl, June 25 for one of several local shows
The Rotary Dragon Boat Festival returned this year with a full slate of bands. One of the highlights was Alison Hawkins and Uncovered, June 25.
Pridefest Galt Gardens brought an eclectic slate of drag performances and live music for Pridefest, June 25 including Shaela Miller hot off her Wild Country Wild win.
Folk Club announces first season in a year.
July
Canada Day was back in force with a lot of live music including Horizon Dory Rossiter, Bailey Kate, July 1
Richard Inman played a lot locally sometimes solo and often with a band, including July 2 at the Owl Acoustic Lounge
Street Machine Weekend meant live music. The Chevelles played the Place, July 8. the 1010 pub had live music and Edmonton rockabilly band the Dice Cubes played a great show at the Slice for very few people, Friday, July 8.
The Slice had a lot of rockabilly in July as they also featured Hurricane Felix July 2.
There were more outdoor festivals this month.
Upside Downtown featured live music every Thursday afternoon outside Casa in Rotary Square including Fortune Block aka Richard Inman and Sweet Alibi's Amber Rose,July 21 plus Kevin Peters playing lead guitar, John Wort Hannam July 7.
There were five festivals, July 9. Honkers Pub featured a day long festival in their parking lot including Steve Keenan and more, July 9. Pure Summer outside Casino Lethbridge featured Bamboo Guppies and Karen Romanchuk. Arts in the Park featured local surf band the Atomicos in Legacy Park.
Jimmy and the Sleepers played Pavan Park, July 23 for the Lethbridge Blues and jazz festival.
South Country Fair returned to Fort Macleod after a two year Covid hiatus. It was lots of fun as usual. Some of the highlights were Jon Martin, the Alien Rebels, Hawksley Workman, Terra Lightfoot and more.
Lethbridge Girls Rock Camp Band Swap returned to the Slice, which was a chance for me to be on stage again, July 23.
Skinny Leigh aka Richard Doerksen returned home to Lethbridge to play the Owl Acoustic Lounge, July 22.
Carolyn Mark and Kris Demanor are always a highlight. They returned to Owl, July 27.