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Jody Shenkarek and Bob Blair: Pedal steel and country feel are on deck Saturday afternoon for an intimate free show Downtown: local crooner Shenkarek paired up with Blair’s fine twang and vibrato.
Shenkarek’s back-porch ballads of certain places and lovelorn emotions have long been a soundtrack to this city, not to mention a meditative, take-a-breath antidote to the crackling chaos of this twitchy season of incumbent disappointment.
“Bob is a mega-talented seasoned monster of the steel guitar, and I’m humbled he plays with me,” notes the singer, the two prepping for a Vancouver gig in February.
Blair also plays dobro and guitar, so this promises to be a warm outing to match the rising temperature outside.
Details: 4 – 6 p.m. Saturday at Cask & Barrel (10041 104 St.), no charge
It’s a Wonderful Christmas Carol: This now-annual, old-fashioned radio play squishing together two morality-tale classics is backed by the mighty (and lovely) talent of Dana Andersen, Andrea House, Paul Morgan Donald, and Davina Stewart.
Its three-day run smashes right into Christmas with a 2 p.m. Sunday opening, a 7:30 p.m. Monday show, and then one more at 2 p.m. Christmas Eve. The retelling of the Dickens’ seasonal classic runs about an hour.
Penny Tentiary: A sort of Café Mosaics/Empress reunion night, the aforementioned Jody Shenkarek’s sis — who painted the Phil Lynott on the wall — will be spinning rockin’ tunes at Southbound Brewing Monday night. Welcome home, Penny!
Brewmeister Kody Rosentreter’s beer is also great, the brown Little Darling a big hit — and let’s note each brew is named for a Thin Lizzy song.
Family reunion, it’s gonna be a good one!
Details: 7 – 10 p.m. Sunday at Southbound Brewery (9943 69 Ave.), no charge