One of the main reasons for this column is to spotlight shows that probably should have been in the paper but, for one reason or another, didn’t make it in. This week, we have a doozy — the 15th annual Van’s Warped Tour, going down at Race City Speedway on Wednesday, August 12.

You may well ask yourself how a touring festival that features both Bad Religion and NoFX, bands that founded two of the most influential punk rock record labels of the last two decades, could have escaped a slot in these fair pages. The only appropriate response from me would be a shake of the head and a muttering of “I know, man. I know.” Add in stalwart ska-punks Less Than Jake, screamo sensations Alexisonfire, Ontario rapper Shad, goofily lovable rockers The Ultimate Power Duo and dozens of others (Gallows, Silverstein, The Good Times, Attack Attack, etc.) and you have an inescapably rad outing. And since it looks like Race City will be closing down in the next year, this might just be your last chance to see the fest in its traditional Calgary setting. In other words, don’t miss it.

With Warped, Virgin Fest, Afrikadey! and the Calgary Blues Festival all taking place this weekend, it’s understandable that folks might be a little festivalled out. Still, there are a few non-festival-related events going on throughout the week. Halegonian indie-rockers Caledonia will be at Broken City on Thursday, August 6, keeping the Nova Scotian tradition of quality pop rock alive. Also on the bill: Savk, better known as the vocalist for Beija Flor, and Calgary rockers Frankie McQueen.

The Palomino’s lineup for Friday, August 7 is so stacked, it might as well be a festival. There’s the Ramones-loving Remones, a tribute band in all the best senses of that term. Saskatoon’s Ultimate Power Duo will be there for the folks who can’t make it to Warped this year. And on top of that, you have hard rock from local headbangers Throne of Vengeance, garage-punk from the ever-popular Ex-Boyfriends and a sneak peak at the new album from The Pine Tarts. How can you refuse?