How’s this for convenient timing? The day before two of 2008’s Xposure contest winners release their new albums together, Kilbourne, another 2008 winner, is celebrating its new disc, Inward. Calgary’s most fierce all-girl trio will be at Broken City this Friday, August 14, along with Fallout Frequency, Hide Your Daughters and This Machine is a Fountain.

Also on Friday, Hamilton weirdo Wax Mannequin will be at The Palomino for a rare full band set. His new album, Saxon, is pretty great (see our review on page 22) and the addition of a live rhythm section should make Mannequin’s show even more fantastic than his already engrossing one-man-band sets. Expect oddness, surrealism and rock ’n’ frickin’ roll.

On Saturday, August 15, chaotic duo Jucifer will play the HiFi Club. The band’s mix of doom metal and garage rock would be impressive even if it weren’t coming from a nomadic duo who literally live out of their tour van, but the dedication makes it doubly awesome. If you’re intrigued, be sure to check out our interview with the band at ffwdweekly.com.

It wouldn’t be an August weekend without a music festival. Filling the role this week: the Calgary International Reggae Festival, celebrating its fourth year at Shaw Millennium Park. Don’t be thrown by the festival’s slightly baffling tagline, though: There is, in fact, more than one day to reggae.

The fest is holding a Canadian showcase at the Ship and Anchor on Thursday, August 13, featuring Canadian reggae artists Tasha T, Mello Man, The Soulicitors and more. The evening event filled up fast last year, so make sure to get there early.

Then, on Friday, August 14, the festival will head to Olympic Plaza for a few more events, including a performance by Greg Crowe and the Scarlet Union. Saturday is definitely the main day, though, with over a dozen artists taking the stage at Shaw Millenium Park between 11 a.m. and 11 p.m. If you do only have one day to reggae, that’d probably be the one to pick.

Lastly, prog-rockers will be in heaven at the Progressive Nation tour’s Calgary stop, featuring Dream Theatre, Zappa Plays Zappa and more. Tuesday, August 18 at MacEwan Hall — it’s time to embrace your inner Yes fan!