Top 4 shows to see in Ottawa this week

Bryce Jardine at Cafe Nostalgia, Friday at 9 p.m.

Listening to Bryce Jardine's songs, you're unlikely to hear many traces of his past musical projects.

The singer-songwriter's 2012 debut album, The Kids Are Gone, was a reflection on his move from London, Ontario to Toronto to leave the angsty punk band he'd been playing in and forge his own path as a solo musician.

The record was a heartfelt, twangy testament to the music he'd grown up with — Neil Young, Bob Dylan — and his softer side has been well-received.

In the years since that release, Jardine has gone on to form a new band called The Parlour Birds, with a focus on simple songs, careful instrumentation and personal lyrics. They've been busy over the last while, recording an album at Hawksley Workman's "Hawksleytown Studios" in Toronto.

You'll get a preview if you drop by Cafe Nostalgica on Friday night, where Bryce Jardine will be headlining a show that'll also feature Amanda Cottreau and Derek Harrison. 9 p.m., $8. Don't fret if you miss him there; he's in Kemptville at The Branch the following night.

Tropical Dripps at Gabba Hey, Saturday at 9 p.m.

Saturday night is a busy one for live local music, but one show worth having on your radar features an Ottawa band that's earned a reputation for the strength of their live shows.

Tropical Dripps are innovative, wild, and impressively tight — and for three guys from a freezing, snowy climate, they've got weirdo surf vibes down pat. All of those attributes led to Tropical Dripps signing to Guelph's Missed Connection Records last summer to begin work on new material.

In recent months, the band's shows have been few and far between because its members have been split between Ottawa and St. John's — but this weekend at least, they're reunited for a rare show that'll help bring the heat up inside the City Centre, at Gabba Hey.

In addition to Tropical Dripps, you'll also see Montreal's Tang Soleil, and Toronto's King Creep making their first Ottawa appearance. 9 p.m., $5.

R.A.P.S.Ody at The Flava Factory, Saturday at 6 p.m.

Not too far away that night, a lineup of performers will take over The Flava Factory on Wellington — we just don't know who they'll be, yet. It's part of a new monthly cypher event called R.A.P.S.Ody, put on by Ottawa's Fly Poets Society.

The way it works is that urban artists — anyone from dancers, to singers, to beatboxers, to spoken word artists — will battle each other out over two rounds of performances for a shot at first place and a cash prize.

Plus, each R.A.P.S.Ody event includes a set by a different featured emcee; for this inaugural edition, it's local rhyme-pro G. Grand who'll be front and centre.

The event starts at 6 p.m. and costs $10 whether you're a performer or just there to watch — but wannabe competitors should arrive early to make sure they can snag one of the 12 sign-up spots at the door.

Midge Ure at the Black Sheep Inn, Tuesday at 8:30 p.m.

Coming out of the weekend, you might want to save some energy for a Tuesday-night excursion to see a Scottish music icon. Midge Ure played in Thin Lizzy. He co-wrote the song Do They Know It's Christmas, recorded by Band-Aid.

My boundless appreciation of Midge Ure, though, began when I watched a VHS tape of his 1985 performance at Live Aid (which he co-organized) as the frontman of the dramatic electronic band Ultravox — the role he's best known for. His voice, belting out their song Vienna, held Wembley Stadium rapt, not to mention a live televised audience of around 1.9 billion people.

Now, Midge Ure is set to perform for a crowd at the Black Sheep Inn. Tickets are likely to sell out for Tuesday's show, so get yours soon. 8:30 p.m., $20.

Music listings

Thursday, February 26

- Joe Morris, Craig Pedersen, Mark Molnar @ Black Squirrel Books w/ Ian Birse & Laura Cavanaugh's Instant Spaces, 8 p.m., $15.

- Saint Clare @ House of TARG w/ Chops & The Holics, Fire Antlers, 9 p.m., $5.

- All Stars Blues Thursdays @ Irene's w/ Drew Nelson, 9 p.m., free.

- Reggae Night w/ Ras Lee & The Vibes @ The Rainbow, 9 p.m., $7.

- The Agonist @ Ritual w/ Obyrne, Ominous Eclipse, Accretion, 7 p.m., $13.

- Ron Leary & John Carroll @ Kaffe 1870, 9 p.m., $10 .

- Mark Fossen @ A Thing for Chocolate, 7 p.m., PWYC .

- Pena DeCantores @ CantinaSur, 7 p.m., free

Friday, February 27

- Bryce Jardine @ Cafe Nostalgica w/ Amanda Cottreau, Derek Harrison, 9 p.m., $8.

- Sheesham & Lotus & 'Son @ Irene's, 9:30 p.m., $10.

- Dan Mangan & Blacksmith @ NAC Theatre w/ Hayden, Astral Swans, 7:30 p.m., SOLD OUT.

- The Tenenbaums, Lost Love, Oh My Snare @ Mugshots, 8 p.m., $5 (PWYC).

- Ron Leary @ The Branch w/ John Carroll, 9 p.m., $10.

- The Independents, Black Cat Attack, Sketchy Poutine, Capital City Carnage @ Mavericks, 7:30 p.m., $10 .

- New Country Rehab @ Black Sheep Inn, 8:30 p.m., $12.

- The Frank James Band @ The Rainbow, 3 p.m., free.

- Jack deKeyzer @ The Rainbow, 9:30 p.m., $10.

- Nile Groove @ Mercury Lounge, 7 p.m., $10.

- Blue Hills, Hearts & Mines, Alanna Sterling @ Avant-Garde, 8 p.m., $5.

- Steve Judd & The Underdogs @ Pressed, w/ Brant Pethick, 8 p.m., $8.

- The Golden Dogs @ House of TARG w/ Ornaments, 9 p.m., $5 before 10 p.m. ($7 after).

- ZIPCODE @ Black Squirrel Books ft. Riohv, Rosewater CTZ, Cabaal, Sir Ett, 10:30 p.m., $6.

- A Darker Day @ Zaphod's w/ The Big Muffs, Elegant Mayhem, 8 p.m., $5.

- David Rubel Quintet @ GigSpace, 7:30 p.m., $20.

- Bobby Hsu, Peter Hum, Alec Walkington, Tim Shia @ Brookstreet Hotel, 11:30 p.m., free.

- Snails @ Ritual w/ So Durand, Shake Music, 10 p.m., $18.

- Muffler Crunch @ Zaphods' w/ Carpenteers, The Van Arks, Elementals, 8 p.m., $5

Saturday, February 28

- Tropical Dripps, Tang Soleil, King Creep @ Gabba Hey, 9 p.m., $5.

- R.A.P.S.Ody @ The Flava Factory ft. G. Grand, Monthly Cypher Series, 6 p.m., $10.

- Bryce Jardine @ The Branch, 8 p.m., $8 (PWYC).

- Cecile Doo-Kingue @ Le Petit Chicago, 9 p.m., $10.

- The Ohm, Mip Power Trio @ Irene's, 9:30 p.m., $10.

- Jack Pine & The Fire, The BelleRegards @ Almonte Old Town Hall, 7:30 p.m., $30.

- New Country Rehab @ Black Sheep Inn, 8:30 p.m., $12.

- The Gnarlys @ Atomic Rooster, 4 p.m., free.

- Jesse Winchester Tribute @ Neat ft. Marcus Winchester, Mike McCormick, James Keelaghan, Lynn Miles, Anders Drerup, 7:30 p.m., $30.

- Fonograph @ The Rainbow, 3 p.m., free.

- Johnny Cash Birthday Bash @ The Rainbow ft. The Whiskey Standards w/ Jamie Oliver, Jill Zmud, John Allaire, Rey Sabatin Jr, Jody Benjamin, Johnny Vegas, Master Cameron Eric Leon, Uncle Sean, Shannon Rose, Trevor Alguire, 9 p.m., $10.

- Bry Webb @ NAC Fourth Stage, 7:30 p.m., $25.

- Birdie Whyte, The Noisy Locomotive @ Kaffe 1870, 9 p.m., $10.

- Cinq Gars Une Fille @ Pressed, 8 p.m., $10.

- Andrew Mah @ GigSpace, 7:30 p.m., $20.

- The Ya-Yas @ House of TARG, Rolling Stones Cover Night, 9 p.m., $10.

- Something You Whisper, Bitter Kids, Missioner, Below 6 @ Leaky B's Lava Lounge, 7 p.m., $12.

- Jully Black @ Shaw Centre, 7:30 p.m., $40.

- Andy Aligator @ Algonquin Commons Theatre, 8 p.m., $40.

- OCLD, Muelkik @ Avant-Garde, 8 p.m., $5.

- Barstool Prophets @ Shenkman, 8 p.m., $38.

- The A.M. Resolution @ McCloskey's (Chesterville), 8 p.m., $10.

- The Schminks @ Zaphod's w/ Listen Up Kid, TariqAnwar, 8 p.m., $5.

- Extinction A.D. @ Club SAW w/ Sombre, Iron Golem, 7 p.m., $10.

- Poetic Elements, Just Poets, Prophet-One, Creo, Circa Beatz w/ Coogi Carter, Jessica Anbara @ Daily Grind, 9 p.m., $5.

- Lucky Ron @ The Lafayette, 4 p.m., free.

Sunday, March 1

- The Chocolate Hot Pockets @ Irene's, 9:30 p.m., free.

- SycAmour, Brightwell, Of Reverie, Walls of Troy, Portside @ Cafe Dekcuf, 6:30 p.m., $12.

Monday, March 2

- Dories, The Haig @ Mugshots, 8 p.m., $7.

- Bluegrass Monday @ Pressed, 8 p.m., $7.

- Apple Shampoo, Archy & Mehitabel, Wilson-Delcourt, Rita Carter @ Zaphod's, 8 p.m., free.

Tuesday, March 3

- Midge Ure @ Black Sheep Inn, 8:30 p.m., $20.

Wednesday, March 4

- Ian Tamblyn @ Irene's, 9:30 p.m., $15.

- Brian Downey @ The Black Irish Pub, 7 p.m., free.

- John Carroll @ The Lafayette, 8 p.m., free.

- Tara Holloway @ Atomic Rooster, 8 p.m., free.

- Chef Bruce & friends @ The Branch, 8 p.m., free.

- River City Junction, Robert Farrell Band @ Avant-Garde, 9 p.m., free.