Tara Holloway! Annie Nolan! Neil Young! Frank and Birdie! BBQ!

This Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday night, come out to try our weeknight specials...first up, for the students; our 'Austin City Limits on a bun' for just $9.99, which is a pile of our famous house-smoked beef brisket, a choice of Spicy Texan or Canadian Maple bbq sauce, beans, slaw, a hoagie bun made with local flour in a wood fired oven, onions and even a pickle(!) all for a low, low price...add to that the fact that we are now offering pitchers of all your favourite micro-brews, have the best live music anywhere,and I honestly don't know why you'd eat anywhere else!

Next up, for the families: how about a family sized Fajitas For Four For $44.44, (...and yes, it comes with that excellent tongue twister at no extra charge!) That's 1 1/3 pounds of char-grilled and sliced fresh O'Brien Farms skirt steak, sizzling onions, peppers, and smoked portobello mushrooms, guacamole, shredded cheese, sour cream, housemade salsa, beans, rice, lettuce, jalapenos and a big ol' pile of steamed whole wheat tortillas...fun and flavour for the whole gang and it doesn't have to break the bank! Come on by, and by the way, you can also get a pitcher of beer if you like, we promise not to ask for your student i.d...

MUSIC THIS WEEK:

Wednesday, November 9: Annie Nolan, 8pm, free! Here's the lowdown from her website www.annienolan.com where you can also listen to some swell tunes from said chanteuse...

"Soulful lyrics carried on a voice evocative and expressive, Annie Nolan's music is as engaging as she is unassuming. Annie began songwriting in her teens, gathering musical influence from roots, folk, rock, punk, Franco-Ontarian, even the pop she sung out with her family on long car trips. Her metamorphosis from angst-afflicted teen to the worldly and sophisticated sound she presents today has been sped by her diligent attention to cultivating her talent and the near-daily encouragement she earns from anyone she meets or hears her sing.

Having heeded the call West to Victoria almost ten years ago from Eastern Ontario, Annie earned much local credibility with many and various solo-acoustic performances. She currently fronts her own band bursting at the seams with talented musicians in their own right, drawn to Annie's heart-on-her-sleeve performance style and potential for greatness.

Whether she is serenading an intimate café or rocking out a club with the band, Annie Nolan will move you, and you will leave wanting more."

All that, and you get to meet Heroic Mad Peasant Katie Nolan's sister!

Friday, November 11: The Frank and Birdie Show, 7pm, free! Frank Western and Birdie Whyte are to local music what sunshine is to flowers, what water is to crops, what manure is to...OK, OK,the point is that they are really helping to nurture and grow an awesome local music scene--sorry if the metaphor was a little thin there...Frank Western is a slide guitarist with wit and soul, Birdie is a banjo picker with heart and a honey sweet voice that will move you; together, they play a selection of crafted originals and well chosen covers from the likes of Gillian Welch, Lyle Lovett and John Prine. This weekly showcase has quickly become THE thing to do in Kemptville on a Friday night...book ahead, tables fill up quick!

And that reminds me, they've also got a really special night planned for New Years Eve right here at the branch, with an upright bass player and a full show...I'm starting to plan as well, and am looking forward to presenting an awesome multi-course tasting menu to help all of us ring in the new year...It's going to be a fine evening and the perfect beginning to 2012...so start planning, this one will certainly sell out (...in fact, it is already selling out!) quick! So yes, that's Frank and Birdie, at least five courses of nothing but the best, and a champagne toast at midnight for just $75...reserve now!

Saturday, November 12: Tara Holloway and Adam III, 9pm, $5. Tara Holloway is the real deal, latest in the long, excellent line of gutsy tough-girl singer songwriters...fans of Serena Ryder, Janis Joplin, Patti Smith or even Sheryl Crow will recognize some elements of each of these heroes in her brash, emotionally charged performances...but even more brash...even more charged...She does not disappoint. Tara is an artist's artist, she writes and delivers strong and unapologetic stories that sometimes shock, sometimes seduce, but always challenge convention. Don't miss this.

Sunday, November 13: Neil Young Birthday Tribute, 3-6 pm, free! Neil Young is obviously one of the greatest products every produced by Canada, and, as has become the custom, we're going to show our love for this icon with one of our famous birthday tributes this Sunday. Neil was born in Toronto on November 12, 1945, and in the ensuing period, went on, as we all know, to conquer the world...Neil Young is synonymous with cool not only for his own generation but for darn near every generation since--he continues to produce quality and relevant material to this day and continues to be a force for good in almost every aspect of his career. He commands respect, and respect is exactly what the branch is going to give him for his birthday this year! Lots of folks have already signed up to play, I'll be your host, and a good time is guaranteed for all, we'd be Helpless to do anything else (I couldn't very well get out without at least ONE silly line, could I?) See you Sunday!