GRAHAM ROCKINGHAM’S BEST BETS

CHRIS HOUSTON

Mario Pietrangeli’s Downtown Sound Recording Studios is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a party Friday, May 4, at This Ain’t Hollywood, 345 James St. N. Former Forgotten Rebel Chris Houston will debut some amazing new music with a band that features Steve Koch on guitar, Michael Fonfara on keyboards and Basil Donovan on bass. Also on the bill are Flying Buttress, Rocket and the Renegades, and Mark Malibu and the Wasagas. 9 p.m. $10.

SHARI ULRICH

Over her 40-year career, Shari Ulrich’s work has garnered two Juno Awards and membership in the B.C. Entertainment Hall of Fame. She’s collaborated with Pied Pumkin, Bill Henderson, Roy Forbes and Barney Bentall. Ulrich makes a rare Hamilton appearance Friday, May 4, at the Pearl Company, 16 Steven St., backed by her daughter Julia Graff (violin, mandolin, guitar and accordion) and High Bar Gang member Kirby Barber (bass and guitar). 8 p.m. $25 or $20 for students and seniors.

MICHELLE TITIAN

Michelle Titian possesses a powerful, soul-searching voice that has won her best female artist at the Hamilton Music Awards. After battling depression and alcohol for several years, Titian has come out the other side with a rivetting new song called “Drive,” which she’ll be unveiling Saturday, May 5, 8 p.m., at the Studio (at Hamilton Place). The song is the first single to be released on Titian’s upcoming new album. The concert is in support of St. Joseph’s Healthcare Foundation for Mental Health and Addiction. General admission tickets $35 through Ticketmaster.

DIANA PANTON

Two-time Juno-winning jazz singer Diana Panton performs a special concert celebrating her latest album “Soltice/Equinox” in the intimate and acoustically high-tech McMaster LIVELab theatre on Saturday, May 5, 8 p.m. Joining Panton will be Don Thompson on piano, Reg Schwager on guitar and Neil Swainson on bass. The concert will also feature a short academic talk by LIVELab post-doctoral researcher Dobromir Dotov on “Scales of Rhythm: From Seasons to Sounds.” $35 general admission. Advance tickets available through showpass.com.

MACKENZIE MEYER

Mackenzie Leigh Meyer won the 2013 Hamilton Music Awards Rise to Fame competition and went on to study voice and performance at Humber College. After performing at festivals across Ontario, Meyer is now releasing a country-tinged CD called “Dive Bar Diva.” Meyer performs with her band Tuesday, May 8, 7:45 p.m. at the Pearl Company, 16 Steven St., with Jess & Tay and Shealagh Rose. Admission is $10.