Vancouver B.C's Geoff Berner, "The Avenging Angel of Klezmer" (The Globe & Mail) brings his band to Guelph's Carden Street Cafe during his Eastern Canadian tour this Friday September 3. 
“I want to drag klezmer music kicking and screaming back into the bars.”
What is Klezmer you ask?  Good question.  I asked too.  According to wikipedia, Klezmer "is a musical tradition of the Ashkenazic Jews of Eastern Europe.  Played by professional musicians called klezmorim, the genre consists largely of dance tunes and instrumental display pieces for weddings and other celebrations."
Well hey.  I like dance tunes and other celebrations too!
Although I have yet to witness a Geoff Berner performance, he comes with high praise:
"Cherish him, cherish him, for there really is no one like him. Fantastic." — Billy Bragg

Also performing is Guelph's own Jenny Omnichord.  Jenny Omnichord is the solo side project of Jenny Mitchell who also records and performs with the bands The Barmitzvah Brothers, The Burning Hell and Richard Laviolette and The Oil Spills.

Tickets are $10 and reservations are recommended.

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!

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