Festival season is in full swing with the official start to the 2013 TD Winnipeg International Jazz Festival's FREE Opening Weekend at Old Market Square in the Exchange District tonight! UMFM is proud to once again partner with Jazz Winnipeg in presenting the Club Series and once again the great minds behind the fest have assembled a killer roster of acts to check out at a number of downtown locations for one great price if you buy a Club Pass.

You'll be able to check out the likes of Stones Throw Records honcho and turntable legend Peanut Butter Wolf, soul survivor Lee Fields & The Expressions, dancefloor destroyer The Gaslamp Killer and a special DJ set from the incomparable Questlove. PLUS there is a legion of blues, roots, jazz and more to be heard at such great venues as the King's Head Pub, the Winnipeg Free Press Cafe, and the Times Change(d) High & Lonesome Club, including a litany of talented locals.

And speaking of those local artists, to whet your appetite for all the music on offer over the next week-plus, UMFM has put together a digital EP featuring some of the 2013 TD Winnipeg International Jazz Winnipeg Festival acts with an emphasis on WINNIPEG, all recorded live at UMFM's studios. Cover model Niall Bakkestad-Legare is featured on the Aaron Sabasch Group original and we'd like to thank him for humoring us in recreating the Ornette Coleman classic, and we'd also like to extend big thanks to Chris Mulligan (of Winnipeg Natural Funk Co.) for his great design and layout work.

You can download this free digital EP here now and make sure to head down to Old Market Square tonight.

What Are the Odds!

Surely you remember Vancouver pop/rock combo Odds for their many hits in the 1990s, including “Heterosexual Man,” “Eat My Brain,” and “Someone Who’s Cool.” They worked closely with The Kids in the Hall and were responsible for the opening and ending theme for CTV’s hit sitcom, Corner Gas. They accumulated 9 Top 10 hits and 6 Juno nominations. After years of hard touring, including a stint as the opening and backing band for the legendary Warren Zevon, tours with The Tragically Hip, and The Barenaked Ladies, the band went on hiatus for a number of years, before returning stronger than ever in 2008.

Since then, they’ve backed up Elvis Costello and Randy Bachman on Hockey Night in Canada, and they were the house band for the Vancouver Canucks during the 2010 and 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Now, they’ve got a strong new EP and a bright future that doesn’t rely on nostalgia. They’re back on the road with a stop headlining a stage at Dauphin Countryfest on June 27. Immediately following that, UMFM is proud to present their first Winnipeg appearance in years, at an intimate back yard house concert at The Sunset Saloon on June 28!

The show will start at 7:30 pm and admission is up to you, with a suggested donation of $20 going directly to the band. All are welcome and encouraged to attend. For more information, visit www.tellthebandtogohome.com or listen to Steel Belted Free Range Radio, Thursdays at 6:30 pm and Tell the Band to Go Home, Sundays at 2 pm.

Odds - Friday, June 28
House concert, outdoors, in Westwood
7:30 pm
Details/RSVP at www.tellthebandtogohome.com

The Winnipeg Underground Film Festival is a 3-day, curated collection of contemporary underground cinema and related events and is part of Open City Cinema's ongoing film screening series. Open City Cinema focuses on contemporary local (Winnipeg), collaborative, expanded and experimental works from North America and the World, presented alongside underground and forgotten rarities.  The festival will also feature live musical performances and a late night VHS Dance Party!

The festival takes place from June 14th thru the 16th at the Frame Arts Warehouse and you can get your festival pass now for only $15 from Into The Music and Music Trader!  Individual tickets will be $5 per screening or $10 for an entire evening!

The festival's schedule is as follows:

Friday, June 14th

• 7:00 // The <90 Second
• 8:30 // Cinema Studies
• 10:00 // Short Visits to Different Worlds
• 12:00 // Solar Coffin (live performace)

Saturday, June 15th

• 7:00 // Jesse Mclean
• 8:30 // Queer Themes
• 10:00 // Paul Clipson
• 11:30 // Ghost Twin (live)
• 12:30 // VHS Dance Party

Sunday, June 16th

• 5:30 // Draw on Everything!
• 7:00 // Two Years at Sea

The first ever Winnipeg Underground Film Festival is proudly supported by Frame Arts Warehouse, WNDX, the Video Data Bank, RAW Gallery of Architecture + Design, the 1st Break Film Fest, Carte Blanche, CKUW 95.9 and UMFM 101.5. For more information visit us online at www.winnipeguff.com.

Promoting the bicycle for everyday transportation in Winnipeg!

Bike to Work Day is held annually in Winnipeg each June. The goal of the one-day celebration is to promote the bicycle as everyday transportation. The event celebrates cycling culture, encourages commuters to choose active transportation, and advocates for the continued development of bike friendly infrastructure.

The day begins when pit stops all over the city open to welcome commuters on their way to work. Bike to Work Day provides commuters with prizes, snacks and refreshments when they visit a pit stop.

After work all registered riders are invited to The Forks for a free BBQ and party featuring a free bike valet service, basic bike maintenance, live music and prizes. Past prizes have included free bikes and free bike makeovers, plus commuter cycling gear!

Summer festival currently seeking enthusiastic volunteers!

The Winnipeg Fringe is just around the corner and the festival is looking for more than 900 volunteers to help run the event. Every year, generous Manitobans donate over 17,000 hours during the festival, creating an enjoyable experience for patrons and performers alike. Fringe volunteers have the opportunity to meet new people, develop new skills and contribute to their community. Other perks include free tickets to shows, appreciation events, a silent auction and more.

There are 6 fringe teams to choose from:

• THE VENUE TEAM: Sell tickets, usher and keep venues clean!
• THE BEVERAGE PAVILION TEAM: Work in the Beer Tent and Liquor Marts Patio checking ID, serving beer, selling drink tickets and busing tables.
• THE KIDS FRINGE TEAM: Supervise and help kids with crafts and games.
• THE INFO SERVICES TEAM: Answer questions, sell Fringe merchandise and update
• the info board.
• THE OLD MARKET SQUARE TEAM: Answer questions, monitor parking, collect recycling and trash.
• THE ECO TEAM: Deliver water to fellow volunteers and assist with the festival’s green initiatives Fringe.

Volunteers should be able to commit to a minimum of four shifts (4-6 hours each) over the 12 day festival, which runs from July 17-28, 2013. For more information and to apply, visit www.winnipegfringe.com, call 204-956-1340 ext. 220 or email volunteers@winnipegfringe.com.