Congratulations to reader K.P., who won tickets to see Emily Haines and her Soft Skeleton.

This week in Ottawa is all-local, with the exception of Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton, who will come through town playing the 2nd date of a North American tour in support of the debut release Knives Don't Have Your Back. Reviews from her set at cbcradio3's See Vous Play show came back positive, and dial613 assumes she'll have plenty left for her first solo show in Ottawa.

If that's not your thing, you may want to go over to Zaphod's and see Brock Zeman. He's also just starting out on a tour in support of his new album Welcome Home Ivy Jane, which features the same country grit that the Carleton Place native has been making his name on through his other 3 releases in the past 4 years.

Sunday night, dial613endorsed Department Of Foreign Affairs begin a month-long residency at Irene's Pub. The band, whose genre changes every time dial613 writes about them (alt-country/countryaltrock/poppyrocknroll), will be playing 2 sets every Sunday in January at 9 and 10 PM. It would probably do you some good to go; their CD release was a blast, and their harmonies are more fun than a barrel of made-up genre classifications.

Another option this Sunday night, if you're up for the drive, is to head down to the Black Sheep Inn for a showcase of 4 promising local singing-songwriting talents, including Marc Charron, who you may already know as the front for Lure.

So, where are you planning on going this week?

01.05.07
Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton, at The Bronson Centre
-->Emily Haines - The Lottery (website, myspace)
Brock Zeman* with Joshua Morin* and Ball 'n Chain*, at Zaphod's
-->Brock Zeman & The Dirty Hands - Sweet Charlotte (website, myspace)

01.06.07
Souljazz Orchestra*, at Babylon
Sojourn* with Addison*, Acres*, at Maverick's
Twelve34* with Sindication* and Lady Milk*, at Barrymore's

01.07.07
Department Of Foreign Affairs*, at Irene's Pub
-->Department Of Foreign Affairs - Burning Eyes (website, myspace)
Meredith Luce* with Marc Charron*, Derek Olive* and Dave Gaudet*, at The Black Sheep Inn

* denotes local act