Greg MacPherson, Tom Keenan (Manitoba Music, @Supermarket, Nov 22, 2011)

Greg MacPherson played an impassioned solo electric guitar set, shimmying and pacing all over the stage. His confidence was high and vocals and guitar rang clear, especially on opener First Class. The one man routine did grow tiresome after a while and wasn't fully saved by the addition of a drummer part way through. Nor the different drummer who joined him after that. Not that it was bad, just that it was much of the same.

With his acoustic, Tom Keenan sang mostly personal tales of failure, as he put it. Additionally he rocked a harmonica too. Nearing the end he implored us to singalong, to some degree of success. It was a decent set for another solo acoustic guitar but nothing to write home about.

Les Jupes (Manitoba Music, @Supermarket, Nov 22)

Les Jupes have got a look. (It was hard to choose best hair in the band - eventual winner, bass player for his tussled yet all-up do). This was no fashion contest though - this was a show and they gave us one. Following an opening new number they did my introduction to them, Myth #3, as well as Someone Lit a Fire Under Kruschev. On the latter they were giving it their all considering it was song three, as the drummer was leaving his seat to pound it out and guitar was cranking up the pedals for a searing sound. Outside of this the bass/synth player was confidently holding it down and the female keyboardist also provided xylophone on the slower, steadier, mid-set One Solemn Oath. Later, on another new track, she was great in her echoing backing vocals. In what turned out to be another all-too-short set they played a hard hitting version of Myth #7 (Honour) before closing out with the slow burn into crescendo of A Caveman Returns Home to Find the Fire Has Gone Out. I've been wanting to see this band for some time now and even with the wait and the anticipation I was not disappointed. Now I just want to see them again (and have them play Awake, My Ghost!).

The Details (Manitoba Music, @Supermarket, Nov 22, 2011)

Whoever decided to put The Details, arguably the best-known band, first up on the Manitoba Music night  did me a disservice. However the tail end of the set that I did catch was impressive enough. Familiar primarily with The Original Mark it was the first song I heard in full and it was flippin' good. The five-piece from Winnipeg have got it down - couple guys on guitars including a rather capable frontman, a female violinist and a girl wielding a massive bass, all in front of their drummer. The intro to the next song medleyed "Live like a refugee" into "Moves like Mick Jagger" before launching into a fantastic original that exhibited their musicianship, including some violin showcasing. It was fantastic. Their final song was a short ditty and before I knew it they were done. But like the Jets, they will return amidst eager anticipation.