WEEK IN PREVIEW: February 16 - 22, 2009

Here's a quick glance at the week ahead in music in the Windsor area. Check out the Open Mic listing at the end for a stage near you!

For sound samples for shows, click on the bands names for a quick trip to their MySpace or other music outlet site.

Monday February 16

The Milkmen
Milk Coffee Bar (68 University Ave. West)
Another night of chillaxin' at Milk with the sultry improv jazz sessions of the Monday Milkmen.

Tuesday February 17

Clare Renaud's Session
The Kildare House (1880 Wyandotte St. East)
A real traditional Celtic feel to this impromptu jam session that has all the flair of a Cape Breton house party. You never know who's going to stop by with what instrument and play what song. And the beer ain't half band neither. It also happens to be "St. Practice Day" at the Kildare, being that it's exactly one month until St. Patrick's Day. They've got the good Irish beer (Guinness, Harp, Kilkenny and Smithwicks) on special for $5. Can't beat that.

Ron Leary & "Mr. Chill" Kelly Hoppe

Aardvark's Blues Cafe (89 University Ave. West)
Ron Leary and Mr. Chill play a smattering of songs, with some choice covers mixed in with songs from Leary's brilliant debut CD, theroadinbetween, and Mr. Chill's fantastic Cold Testament.

Wednesday February 18

Daren Dobsky & Josh Zalev
Aardvark's Blues Cafe (89 University Ave. West)
Dobsky and Zalev lead an occassional all-star ensemble through a series of covers, from Led Zeppelin to Jeff Buckley, rock and roll to the blues.

Kenneth MacLeod
The Dominion House Tavern (3140 Sandwich St.)
Kenneth MacLeod is a one-man musical wrecking crew. His talent is overwhelming and his intensity equally so. A variety of music, from East Coast to contemporary, with a supporting cast of local musicians.

Thursday February 19

Paul Bereford
The Gourmet Emporium (1799 Wyandotte St. East)

Huladog
The FM Lounge (156 Chatham St. West)
Always a great night of live jazz and funk jams by a group of Windsor's premiere players. Huladog have been at it for years now and they play the perfect blend of great jazz and booty shakin' funk.

"Mr. Chill" Kelly Hoppe, Tom Hogarth and Chris Borshuk
Mezzo Ristorante & Lounge (804 Erie St. East)
Mr. Chill teams up with the incomparable voice of Tom Hogarth as well as Chris Borshuk for this intimate showcase. A great night for dinner and some music.

Friday February 20

The Silvertones
Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West)
After a length absence, it's nice to see the Silvertones are playing regularly again. The Mayville brothers and company bring their brand of old-school country and bluegrass to the Phog stage for what's sure to be a barnburner.

13 Lashes wsg Blastphemy
The Coach & Horses (156 Chatham St. West, below Pogo's)
London, Ontario's 13 Lashes rolls into town with a face melting night of metal at the infamous Coach & Horses. Also on board is local heavyweight and local metal supergroup Blastphemy, which features current members of Fiftywatthead and Ton.

Citywide Vacuum wsg Another Saturday Knight
The Chubby Pickle (762 Ouellette Ave.)
Windsor's premiere electronic band, Citywide Vacuum, bring their groove to the Pickle in what looks to be a stellar show. Backing them up is indie faves Another Saturday Knight, promoting their self-titled CD released late last year. I'd call The Chubby Pickle to confirm this one - it's listed on WAMM's website but neither Citywide Vacuum nor Another Saturday Knight's websites list the show as happening. Hopefully it is.

Client 9
The Blind Dog (small stage)
Fun selection of rock and roll covers, featuring Dale "Elad" D'Amore from Guitar Army and ex- of The Spy's and Bill Desmarais of The Wannabees.

Mr. Chill & The Witnesses
Billie's Place (3179 Sandwich St.)
"Mr. Chill" Kelly Hoppe leads his band of merry men, The Witnesses, throw a series of blues and roots classics as well as songs from his latest record, Cold Testament, for a great night of music on the West side.

Saturday February 21

Fiftywatthead wsg Explode When They Bloom, The Jet Trio and Ton
The Chubby Pickle (762 Ouellette Ave.)
Pick Of The Week: Fiftywatthead is crushing the metal scene in Windsor and the nation with their latest offering Fogcutter and they've got a great bill to back them up. Explode When They Bloom just get better and better, The Jet Trio are the best cock rock riffage band in town and Ton's smart metal rounds out the bill. You couldn't ask for a better night - and diversity of heaviness - for loudness.

The Eclectic Chair wsg Voodoo Mafia and Crash Kondition
The Coach & Horses (156 Chatham St. West, below Pogo's)
Straight ahead heavy alternative with a heavier edge is on the palette for this evening at The Coach & Horses from three of the alternative rock scene's hardest working outfits.

Focus On The Stage: Photographs of the Windsor Music Scene by Ron Marston
Show Opening with Sledgehammer, Vultures! and Merry Ellen Scully
Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West)
If you've been to a show at any of the local live venues downtown, you've no doubt seen Ron behind the lens snapping away. A true gentleman, his photos capture the heart and soul of Windsor's music scene. A rocking good show featuring the piano metal virtuosity that is Sledgehammer, the moog-a-riffic rock and roll of Vultures! and the songs of Merry Ellen Scully. Original headliner The Peace Leeches had to withdraw from the show for personal reasons for those who were expecting them to be on the bill.

Creedance Clearwater Revisited
The Coliseum of Ceasar's Windsor
CCR minus the Fogerty brothers. Not likely.

Joan Charette with All In Good Time
The Gourmet Emporium (1799 Wyandotte St. East)

Brian VanderPryt & Frank Edgley (of Celtic Cross)
The Mill Tavern (3199 Sandwich St.)
If sing-a-long favourites with a Celtic flair are your style, this may be the foot-stompin' night you're looking for. Two-thirds of Celtic Cross mix contemporary rock and roll songs with some Celtic standards with arguably the best fiddle player in town.

Mr. Chill & The Witnesses
Big Tony's Original Woodfired Pizza (911 Walker Rd.)
"Mr. Chill" Kelly Hoppe and his Witnesses play an intimate show at a great pizza joint. If you feel like some music with a bit of food without the bar crowd, this is your place to go.

Sunday February 22

Songwriters Association of Canada (SAC) Songwriter Group
Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West)
Another monthly installment of the SAC Regional Group, where host Glen MacNeil and local songwriters can network and share songwriting techniques. Starts at 7pm, admission is free - bring your songs!

Dusty
Aardvark's Blues Cafe (89 University Ave. West)
One of the city's premiere entertainers, hand down, he plays an impressive mix of songs, from outlaw country to rock and roll to a little dab of hair metal. Genuinely super dude with a great sense of humour.

Keepin' 6 wsg Lot 9 Brawl, Brass Knuckles, Forty Lashes and Zebra Mussels
The Chubby Pickle (762 Ouellette Ave.)
It's gonna be a ska-filled throwdown this Sunday as Mississauga's Keepin' 6 hit the town. Plenty of local support with Lot 9 Brawl, Brass Knuckles and relatively new Zebra Mussels. Detroit's Forty Lashes comes across the river to join the fray as well. This show is an all-ages show and starts at 6pm.

Open Mics Around Windsor
Monday: Open Mic Surgery with Tara Watts, Phog Lounge (157 University Ave. West)
Monday: Open Mic with Clinton Hammond, The Kildare House (1880 Wyandotte St. East)
Tuesday: Open Mic with Stefanie Sarafianos, The Mill Tavern (3199 Sandwich St.)
Tuesday: Open Mic with Andrew MacLeod, The Dominion House (3140 Sandwich St.)
Tuesday: Open Mic with Jamie Reaume, Twig N' Berries (2135 Wyandotte St. East)
Tuesday: Open Mic with Travis Reitsma, The Sanctuary Coffee Lounge (1735 College Ave., 6-10pm)
Wednesday: Long & McQuade Open Jam, The FM Lounge (156 Chatham St. West)
Thursday: Open Mic with Brian VanderPryt, Mick's Irish Pub (28 Chatham St. East)
Friday: Open Mic with Tara Watts, Cafe Morena (999 Erie St. East)
Sunday: Open Mic with Dan Marshall, The FM Lounge (156 Chatham St. West)