BEST BETS, OCT. 17 TO 23
COUNTRY
The irreverent singer-songwriter Carolyn Mark, a.k.a. the Boozy Chanteuse, returns to the National Capital Region for shows in Wakefield and Ottawa this weekend. Her “Middle Eastern” tour of Central Canada celebrates her latest album, the Queen of Vancouver Island, and finds her performing with Jenny Whiteley, Luke Mercier and Joey Wright. They’re at Wakefield’s Kaffé 1870 on Friday, with Rusty Ford opening, and Irene’s Pub, 885 Bank St. on Saturday, with Slo Tom. A cover charge applies at both shows.
POP
In a departure from their usual full-band show, twin sister pop duo Tegan and Sara are reading from their new memoir, High School, and playing strippeddown acoustic versions of their songs on the Hey, I’m Just Like You tour. It stops at Algonquin Commons Theatre on Tuesday. They’ve also been advising fans that they do discuss sex and drugs, and there’s sure to be profanity, so you may not want to bring children under 12, although it is an all-ages show. Tickets are going fast but check eventbrite. ca for availability. Showtime is 8 p.m.
ROCK
The Ottawa band The Powergoats release Blue Canoe, their first full album in five years, at The Rainbow Bistro, 76 Murray St., on Friday. According to lead singer-songwriter Jamie Douglas, the album chronicles the difficult journey of healing after a devastating breakup, coming to a resolution by album’s end. He’s expanding the regular lineup to celebrate the new release, adding horns, strings and extra vocalists. Opening the show is Étoile Noir, Ottawa’s bilingual country-folk duo. Advance tickets are $10, available at Beaded Dreams, 426 Bank St., and $15 at the door.
FOLK
Seattle folk-rockers The Head and the Heart unveil a more polished sound on their fourth album, Living Mirage, although they haven’t lost the folksy charm of their earlier efforts. Armed with the new songs, and boasting a lineup change, the festival faves return to Ottawa for a concert Friday at Algonquin Commons Theatre, 1385 Woodroffe Ave., Building E. Remaining tickets start at $54, available at ticketmaster.ca. Indie rockers Illiterate Light open the show. The lobby opens at 7 p.m.; the music starts at 8.
FILM
The second annual Ottawa Korean Film Festival, which began Tuesday, runs through Oct. 24 and offers free attendance at a different Korean film each night except for Oct. 20. A highlight will be the Oct. 17 screening at Cineplex Lansdowne of Glittering Hands, a documentary about two parents who are deaf, as its director, Bora Lee-Kil, who is the daughter of the film’s subjects, will attend and discuss her film after it is shown. Lineup and location details are at canada. korean-culture.org. Reservations, which are limited to two free tickets per person, can also be made through the website.
FOOD
Beckta Dining & Wine (150 Elgin St.) is hosting a four-course dinner on Thursday night to support Mealshare, the restaurant-based program that fights youth hunger in North America. Each meal purchased at the dinner will buy 26 meals for hungry children and youth. The dinner, which will showcase produce from Terramor Farm in Burnstown, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $100 before tax and gratuity. To reserve, call 613-238-7063.
JAZZ
This weekend marks the return of Merrickville’s Jazz Fest to the picturesque village roughly an hour southwest of Ottawa. Seventeen concerts starting Thursday night are on the event’s bill, including shows Saturday by Toronto vocalists Linda Carone and Steven Taetz and Sunday evening performances by Toronto vocalists Simone Morris and Heather Bambrick. Ottawa-area artists playing at the festival include harmonica player Normand Glaude and pianist Peter Hum, also a Citizen writer, on Friday, saxophonist Petr Cancura on Saturday afternoon, vocalist Peter Liu and the Pollcats on Sunday morning, and the Ferguson/Tremblay Quartet on Sunday afternoon. Lineup details, venue information and tickets for the community-sponsored, volunteer-run festival are at merrickvillesjazzfest.com.