Armadas & Arsonfest

While most bands hit the road to tour, Twin is heading out on the river. The alt.folk trio, featuring singer/songwriter Dave Fort, guitarist/luthier David Enns, and saw/violin player Lesley Brown, will take to the water by canoe on this month for the first tour of its kind: the Assiniboine River Music Armada.

Fort, who also plays in experimental electro outfit Absent Sound, will launch the Armada from the Brandon Folk Music & Arts Society and August 7 and head out for a series of shows in Manitoba. The ambitious Armada will be carrying all instruments and gear from venue to venue by canoe.

He'll will pick up a few others along the way, including Matlock folkie Zoppa, Brandon-based folk musician and organic farmer Martin Finnie, and accordion-wielding songstress Ingrid Gatin. Gatin joins the canoe in Portage La Prairie and will help take the tour back to Winnipeg.

Audiences can catch concerns in Brandon, Spruce Woods Provincial Park, Long Plains Reserve, Portage La Prairie, and finally, at Winnipeg's Lo Pub on August 18. But beyond the shows, the public is invited to hop in their canoes and join in the 10-day adventure. People can be a part of the inaugural Armada for the whole expedition or smaller segments along the way. Join the Armada. Bring gorp.

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If you're staying in Winnipeg, there's another adverture for you: Arsonfest 2010. The metal fest celebrates its 10th birthday this year with three nights of all ages "aural trauma" August 6-8 at the Rudolf Rocker. Fans can catch 18 acts, including KEN Mode, Big Trouble in Little China, and Zombie Assault. Proceeds from the shows will be donated to the Pow Wow to honour children who have died as a result of violence. Visit the Live Music Calendar for full details on all the shows.