Top 4 shows to see in the Ottawa area this weekend
The Reverb Syndicate, The Evil Streaks, The Huaraches @ House of TARG, Friday, 9 p.m., $10

The Ottawa band first formed back in 2006 with the goal of recreating the sound of bands like The Ventures, and coming up with "soundtracks to 1960s spy films that don't exist." Since then, they've even strayed into some spaghetti-western territory over the course of the three albums they've released. The Reverb Syndicate is currently in the midst of recording a fourth record for release next year, but you'll get a preview if you pay a visit to House of TARG on Friday night. The band is helping to kick off the second annual Surf & Turf weekend, beginning with Friday's "Surf" component, which will also feature The Evil Streaks, from Boston, and The Huaraches, from Kingston. Then, on Saturday night, it's the "Turf" (garage) part of the equation, with Boston's Muck & The Mires, Toronto's Pow Wows, and Ottawa's Sir John A. Macdonalds. Both shows are $10, with doors at 9 p.m.
Jennifer Castle, The Acorn @ St. Alban's Church, Friday, 8 p.m., $15 (capacity limited to 250)

Her most recent album, Pink City, has earned frequent comparisons to Joni Mitchell in its combination of gentleness and exuberance, embellished by orchestral arrangements provided by Owen Pallet. Jennifer Castle's show at St. Alban's is extra exciting because The Acorn are also on the bill. For the first time in a couple of years, they'll be playing new material that we can expect to get our hands on next spring. 8 p.m., $15.
Little Scream, Pony Girl, Giant Hand @ Black Sheep Inn for WuFest, Saturday, 8:30 p.m., $10 ($15 for a 2-day pass)

For WuFest, Ming Wu was asked to curate a couple of shows at the Black Sheep, featuring some of his favourite musicians from Ottawa and beyond. On Friday, Montreal's AroarA and Ottawa's Moonfruits perform, followed by Montreal's Little Scream, and Ottawa acts Pony Girl and Giant Hand on Saturday. Both nights begin at 8:30 p.m., and tickets are $10 (although a WuFest weekend pass is $15).
Mozart's Sister @ Cafe Dekcuf w/ Antoine93, Cosmo Doris, Sunday, 8 p.m., $10

LISTINGS
Thursday, Nov. 13
- The Planet Smashers @ Mavericks w/ Brain Damage, Suits 'n' Toques, The Sentries, 8 p.m., $18
- Nonprofit Band @ House of TARG w/ Phantom Hog & more, 9 p.m., $5
- Lisa LeBlanc @ Ritual w/ The Steamers, Kristine St-Pierre, 8 p.m., $15
- The Kendra Gale Band @ The Rainbow, 8 p.m., $7
- Reggae Night w/ Roots Movement @ The Rainbow, 10:30 p.m., $7
- All-Stars Blues Thursdays @ Irene's w/ Vince Halfhide, 9:30 p.m., free
- Bumping Binary @ Mugshots, 9 p.m., PWYC
- Lily Kershaw @ Neat, 7:30 p.m., $20
- Tcha Limberger, Denis Chang @ Nectar, 7 p.m., $25
- Craig Pedersen Quartet @ Raw Sugar, 8 p.m., $10
- VOICES Benefit Concert @ NAC Fourth Stage, ft. Amanda Rheaume, Jill Zmud, Tara Holloway, Chris Page, Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health benefit, 7:30 p.m., $30
Friday, Nov. 14
- The Reverb Syndicate, The Evil Streaks, The Huaraches @ House of TARG, Surf & Turf Weekend, 9 p.m., $10
- Jennifer Castle @ St. Alban's w/ The Acorn, 8 p.m., $15 (capacity limited to 250)
- AroarA @ Black Sheep Inn w/ Moonfruits, WuFest, 8:30 p.m., $10 ($15 2-day pass)
- High Valley @ Neat, 7:30 p.m., $45
- Rich Chris, Revisionist, Matt Vagrant, Angela Nethersole, Aaron Ray @ Pressed, 7:30 p.m., $5
- Mullet Rock @ Atomic Rooster, 10 p.m., free
- The Frank James Band @ The Rainbow, 4 p.m., free
- John Primer @ The Rainbow, 9:30 p.m., $20
- Gathering Sparks @ The Branch, 9 p.m., $10
- The Dead Bees @ Irene's w/ Still Winter Hills, Orienteers, 9:30 p.m., $7
- The River & The Road @ Zaphod's w/ Sounds of Stories, 8 p.m., $7
- Lum, Low Hanging Lights, Hungry Lake @ Mugshots, 8 p.m., PWYC
- Birdie Whyte, The Noisy Locomotive @ Raw Sugar, 8 p.m., $12
- Sarah McLachlan @ NAC Southam Hall, 8 p.m., SOLD OUT
Saturday, Nov. 15
- Little Scream @ Black Sheep Inn w/ Pony Girl, Giant Hand, WuFest, 8:30 p.m., $10 ($15 2-day pass)
- Muck & The Mires, Pow Wows, The Sir John A. MacDonalds @ House of TARG, Surf & Turf Weekend, 9 p.m., $10
- The Posterz, Le Grimaud @ Le Petit Chicago, 8 p.m., $12
- Trouble Clef, Amy Brandon @ Raw Sugar, 8 p.m., $10
- Adam Marshall, Fire Antlers, Artichoke Hearts @ Pressed, 8 p.m., $5 (PWYC)
- Amos the Transparent @ Neat, 7:30 p.m., $15
- Brian Browne Trio @ NAC Fourth Stage, 7:30 p.m., $45
- The Powergoats @ Zaphod's w/ The Superlatives, Tribe Royal, 8 p.m., $10
- Jay Atwill @ La Grange de la Gatineau, 8 p.m., $20 ($50 w/ dinner)
- Jesse Greene Band @ Atomic Rooster, 4 p.m., free
- The Red House Poets @ The Rainbow, 4 p.m., free
- The Harpoon & The Axe Murderer @ The Rainbow w/ Bearshark, 9:30 p.m., $15
- Lynne Hanson @ The Branch, 9 p.m., $15
- The Ya-Yas @ Irene's, 9:30 p.m., $10
- Old James @ Mavericks w/ Eagleson, The Motorleague, Dying Arts, 8 p.m., $10
- Lucky Ron @ The Lafayette, 4 p.m., free
- Alex Silas & The Subterraneans @ Ritual w/ Missing Linx, Eddie Quotez, The Stringers, The Adding Machine, Aron the Alien, Bastards, Shaun Sullivan, 7:30 p.m., $15
- Adam Saikaley Quartet @ Mugshots, 10 p.m., free
- Standards, Bardos, Joey McNitt, Hearts Right In, Clownfish Hat @ Avant-Garde, 8 p.m., $5 (PWYC)
- Rock for Public Services @ TD Place ft. The Jim Cuddy Band, Kathleen Edwards, Autumns Cannon, free
Sunday, Nov. 16
- Mozart's Sister @ Cafe Dekcuf w/ Antoine93, Cosmo Doris, 8 p.m., $10
- Gypsophilia @ Black Sheep Inn, 4 p.m., $10
- Al Wood & The Woodsmen @ Atomic Rooster, 6 p.m., free
- Fabien @ Atomic Rooster, 10 p.m., free
- Open Blues Jam @ The Rainbow w/ The Steve Thomas Band, 4 p.m., $3
- A Staggering Pace, Latch Key Kids, Lumberjack Nasty, Benihana, Blast from the Sun @ The Rainbow, 8 p.m., $5
- Megan Jerome, Fred Guignon, Mike Essoudry @ Irene's, 9:30 p.m., free
- Maylene & The Sons of Disaster, He Is Legend, Wounds, We Were Sharks, Mayfield @ Mavericks, 8 p.m., $19
Monday, Nov. 17
- Kira Isabella @ Algonquin Commons Theatre w/ Autumn Hill, 7 p.m., $25
- Danielle Allard @ Lowertown Brewery, 9 p.m., free
- The Jimmy Tri-Tone Band, Archy & Mehitabel, Kris Magione, Aaron Ray @ Zaphod's, 8 p.m., free
Tuesday, Nov. 18
- The Pushers @ The Rainbow, 8 p.m., $5
- Big Balade @ Le Troquet CHUO live broadcast, 8 p.m., free
- Ken Aldcroft Convergence Ensemble @ Pressed w/ Linsey Wellman, 8 p.m., $10 (PWYC)
Wednesday, Nov. 19
- Tara Holloway @ Atomic Rooster, 10 p.m., free
- Dr. Dave @ The Rainbow, 4 p.m., free
- JENNIS @ The Rainbow, 8:30 p.m., $5
- Ottawa Blues Society Fundraiser @ Irene's ft. Al Wood, Marty Sobb & friends, 9:30 p.m., $10
- High Ends @ Mavericks w/ Close Talker, The Gallop, 8 p.m., $10
- WARCRY, Asile, Silent Order, Massacre Divine @ House of TARG, 9 p.m., $6
- The John Carroll Show @ The Lafayette, 8 p.m., free
- Mehdi Hamdad @ Pressed w/ Kaleigh Watts, Ali Alikhani, Ade Boluwatife, 7 p.m., $10