JAZZ
What: Daniel Romano & the Jazz Police with Layten Kramer and Dylan Rysstad
Where: Upstairs Cabaret, 15 Bastion Square
When: Sunday, 7:30 p.m. (doors at 7)
Tickets: $15 at Ticketzone.com and Lyle鈥檚 Place
Why: Daniel Romano has released three full-length albums in the past 12 months, two of which arrived unexpectedly on the same day this month. Unpredictability is par for the course for Romano, a singer-songwriter from Welland, Ont., whose offbeat style and mid-period Bob Dylan appeal have made him one of the country鈥檚 true unsung talents. Find out why Romano deserves a much bigger profile when he performs with his band, the Jazz Police, at Upstairs Cabaret on Sunday.
鈥� Mike Devlin
ROCK
What: Vince Vaccaro with Ocie Elliott
Where: Capital Ballroom, 858 Yates St.
When: Saturday, 8:30 p.m. (doors at 8)
Tickets: $15 at Lyle鈥檚 Place and ticketweb.ca
Why: Local singer-songwriter Vince Vaccaro is known to up his game when it comes to performing at the Capital Ballroom, a trend that is sure to continue Saturday, when the Lambrick Park grad takes the Yates Street stage for both an acoustic and a full-band set. Vaccaro enjoys flying by the seat of his pants; chances are he will be tinkering with his set until the doors open. That leaves plenty of room for excitement, given the myriad musical directions in which he travels. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.
鈥� MD
RAP
What: Swollen Members with AlphaOmega, VicCity Soldiers, ETown, Arez and Stretch9
Where: Upstairs Cabaret, 15 Bastion Square
When: Monday, 7 p.m.
Tickets: At the door
Why: Re-scheduled shows in Nanaimo (Saturday) and Victoria (Monday) bring these multiple Juno Award winners back to the Island (the rap trio鈥檚 previous Upstairs date, on Jan. 14, was postponed). The legendary group behind the hits Bring it Home and Lady Venom will undoubtedly have new music to perform, given that rapper Prevail (a Langford native) and Madchild have hit a creative peak in recent years. It won鈥檛 be like the old days, but it is bound to be pretty good.
鈥� MD
