Well here it is.  The week after Hillside.  It feels like the first couple of days following Christmas.  There's lots of left over excitement and talking about the big day, but mostly dissapointment that we have to wait 52 more weeks until it all returns again!
This year we had two friends from Winnipeg join us for Hillside.  They both flew in for the weekend specifically for Hillside.
Weekend highlights for us included Yukon Blonde Friday night, Matt Andersen Saturday afternoon and Holy Fuck Sunday night.
Those three acts really demonstrate Hillsides programming diversity.  Rock, one man blues man & experimental electronic punk.
Many thanks to all the volunteers who make this festival one of the best in Canada!

Are you still looking for more music after a weekend long musical extravaganza that was Hillside?  Or perhaps you missed Hillside this year?
Well you're in luck!
Toronto's New Country Rehab and Corin Raymond along with "special guests" are playing a free show tonight at the Albion starting at 8PM.
I've been told the "special guests" may include some bands or players that were in town for Hillside this year.
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess (hope) the guests are Sam Doores or Morgan O'Kane who were both at Hillside and fit in this genre of music.
I saw a bit of Morgan O'Kane's show on the Lake stage Sunday afternoon.  The guy (from West Virginia) is a real Banjo wizard.
Come on out to the Albion tonight.  It should be an excellent laid back night of music.

I don't normally promote shows outside of Guelph, but this particular show is worthy of a mention!  On Monday, July 26 don't miss BOB LOG III the one man rock n' roll machine playing in Waterloo at the Starlight.
I saw Bob Log III in Guelph 5 or 6 years ago at the eBar.  It was a show to never be forgotten!  Truly a one of a kind show.
From his website:
Bob Log III is an American, Slide Guitar, One Man Band. During performances, he plays old silvertone archtop guitars, wears a full body cannonball man suit, and a helmet wired to a telephone which allows him to devote his hands and feet to guitar and drums. The spectacle has been described as a guitar dance party, full of sweaty smiles, jumps and kicks. Touring over 150 shows a year in more than 30 countries, Log and his guitar never, ever quit. Bob Log's version of quick Delta blues is a continuation the sound that Bob Log and Thermos pioneered in the duo, Doo Rag. The major differences are: greater emphasis on guitar showmanship, and drumming -one man band style-with his feet. It sounds like three drummers, two guitar players, and one sort of singer. Based in Tucson, Arizona, and Melbourne, Australia, he has made frequent tours of North America, Europe, Japan and Australia, Mexico, and Iceland.

with special guest Hoser! $14 advance, doors at 9 PM, 19+

After 10 years as the unmistakable voice behind the Vancouver folk trio The Be Good Tanyas, Frazey Ford returns to the Guelph Hillside Festival this year as a solo performer.  Ford is now ready to tell her own story.    Armed with her brand new debut album, Obadiah (out Tuesday July 20), Ford will be playing the Island stage Sunday at 3PM.  She will also be a part of the Sunday morning Gospel session on the Island stage (which my wife absolutely loves and tries to attend every year!) and a session on the Sun stage Saturday 5PM with Horse Feathers & Royal Wood.
If that's not enough to tempt you, Ford was also part of this years Lilith Fair, playing the Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver dates.
Check out more at her MySpace page or her Facebook page.

Win an exclusively signed copy of the new Frazey Ford album Obadiah courtesy of Nettwerk Music Group and royalcityscene.com.
Send an email to obadiah@royalcityscene.com with "Frazey" in the subject. That's it, that's all!  Winner will be chosen at random and contacted after contest ends Sunday July 25 at 11 PM!

Guelph's Country Folk hero Richard Laviolette will be at the eBar Thursday July 15 with his band the Oil Spills.  Also playing the show is Montreal's Snailhouse.
I've missed the last few times Richard has played in town, so I'm pretty excited for this show tonight.  I hope to see you there.

Sunday June 20 at 9PM sees two Montreal bands: Jane Vaine & Valleys stop in to Van Gogh's as part of Pop Montreal's POP OFF tour.  If I understand correctly, it's like Guelph's Hillside Festival taking a couple of Guelph bands and sending them out on tour prior to the festival promoting Hillside and Guelph.  I love the idea.
From a press release:
POP Montreal is proud to present POP OFF II, featuring two rising Montreal bands, Jane Vane and Valleys. The 15 date tour, which will kick off in Montreal June 11th, will include performances at renowned Canadian festivals NXNE, Works & Sled Island. Headlining the tour will be Valleys, recently signed to notable Montreal label Semprini Records (Call me Poupée, Pas Chic Chic). Their music can be described as intimate and enchanting experimental pop. They will be joined by fiery indie rocker, Jane Vain, who have been tearing down dance floors in Montreal for quite some time. Established in 2002, POP Montreal is a music festival and promotional company who has given several important platforms to emerging bands. Through the POP OFF tours, POP Montreal is now bringing the talent to cities across the country. This will be the second POP OFF tour of 2010.

Sunday June 20
Doors at 9PM
$8
Also on the bill, Guelph's Adverteyes

Days like this Friday June 18 is why I love Guelph and its incredible music scene so much!  There is so much live music going on that it barely fits in my calendar.  All this doesn't even include the countless cover bands and other various bar bands that are likely performing around the city!
Starting at noon as part of the Downtown Guelph Business Association free Friday noon hour concerts, Doug Larson and his Guelph Guitar Project is playing at St. George's Square.  These Friday noon hour concerts run all Summer long!
Friday night we've got my friends The Folk & Modern Field Recordings playing at the Ward Skatepark over on Victoria Road.  These are a couple of great young Guelph bands.  Show them some love!
Making the trek in from Toronto, The Craft Economy play a free show at the Jimmy Jazz with Man Missile.
Then we've got Richard Laviolette & The Oil Spills (also of Guelph) with the Dinner Belles playing the old Red Chevron Club.  I would *love* to see this show, mostly because it's Richard, and because it's at the Red Chev, but that takes me to the final show of the night and where you'll find me:
The Library Voices, Young Galaxy & The Besnard Lakes play the eBar.  I've been excited about and eagerly awaiting this show for a few months now.  If you haven't heard of these 3 bands, I've written a bit more about them here.
All this brings me back to the title of this post.  This Friday there are 11 bands playing that I know of.  There are more I'm sure.  Get out there!  Check out some of these great bands playing in our back yard!  Check out one at least!  Try it.  You might like it.
I'll be looking for you.