March comes in like a lion, literally, this week. Among all of the excellent shows happening this week, Calgary based rock band Zoo Lion return to Lethbridge, March 1, this time to play Scores with special guest  Daylan Delaney. In addition to winning several contests, they also had the honour of opening for Bon Jovi a couple of years ago at the Saddledome. There is no cover for the show, which begins at approximately 9 p.m.

The Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra also opens  March at the Southminster Untied Church with their Chamber Series 4 featuring soprano Janet Youngdahl as well as bass baritone George Evelyn and Colleen Klassen on harpsichord and Doug MacArthur. The performance begins at 8 p.m. Also on March 1, Jolene Draper, formerly of Dalliance Elixir, introduces her new band to the Slice. Wool on Wolves will also be performing.
If you want to get into the mood for  St. Patrick’s Day a few weeks early, bagpipe powered rock band the Mudmen return to Essies, March 2. Tickets are $10 in advance, $15 at the door. For something a little more traditional, Newfoundland Celtic icons the Irish Descendants play  the Yates Theatre, Feb. 27. Tickets are $36.45. The show begins at 7:30 p.m.

Ian Tyson also returns to Lethbridge this week, with a sold out show at  the Yates Theatre, March 3. The Lethbridge Folk Club also kicks off  March with the music of David Gunning, who plays the Wolf’s Den, March 2. The Pictou, Nova Scotia songwriter made a huge impression on the East coast music scene, when he broke out  in 1997. His music includes elements of Irish, scottish, French Acadian, folk and country music. Last year he released his tenth CD “No More Pennies.” The always popular Andrew Scott will be opening the show. Tickets cost $20 for Folk Club members, $25 for non members. Also in the folk / rock vein, former Nix Dicksons member Tanner James plays a solo show at the Owl Acoustic Lounge, March 1 with  Paige  Leigh Tyson. Rueben and the Dark as well as Savk  return to the Owl Acoustic Lounge this week on March 2 as well.

On the other hand, if you enjoy hip hop music,  Lethbridge rappers F-Bomb and Sin Sane are releasing new CDs on march 1  with a big CD release party at Pulse. F-Bomb’s new Cd is “Light The Fuze” while Sin-Sane is releasing  “With This Blood.” Special guests performing include  neXus, Heavy Knowledge and Urban Voyce , Doube AAs and RISE. Tickets are $20. The show is  from 7-11 p.m.

And the Mix Lounge at Ric[s Grill gets funky to open March on march 1 with the return of  Lethbridge’s original  jazz/ hip hop combo Furious D and the naked Ear performing beginning at 8 p.m. there is no cover for the show. For the complete opposite to that, Dale Ketcheson returns to the Mocha Cabana, march 1 and march 2 to play classical guitar.
But if you like blues music, there are a couple of excellent options, with Paul Kype and Texas Flood playing the Slice, March 2 and Miss Quincy returning, Feb. 28.

— By Richard Amery, L.A Beat Editor