LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Project 421), Din & Id Iota Album Updates And Videos, And Much More!!

While we continue posting videos from last night's Gorod/Bookakee concert at The Oddfellows Hall, here's a packed news post for your Saturday afternoon! It includes some assorted recent updates, videos and cover artwork reveals for CDs from two local alt-rock bands (one currently working in studio, one on tour supporting it's release), and leading off, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for next month, so here's what you should know!

Local classic metal quintet Project 421 will return to the stage on Friday, May 13th when they headline at The Rockstar Bar! Personal & health matters have forced these local favourites to the sidelines since their most recent show (at The Rednecks Saloon in January), so fans should be eagerly awaiting their next chance to check out Project 421's old school metal nostalgia trip after their three month+ hiatus, so don't miss out! Their sister band, modern/hard rock quartet Eclipse, are the advertised openers on the poster and video below, and with Curt, Daniel, and Chris flying the live music flag in the interim, it's only fitting for them to play openers next month! Note that this is a one night only event, as AC/DC tribute Hells Bells are playing at The Rockstar Bar that Saturday. Promoted by Project 421 bassist/Eclipse guitarist Daniel Horton, a $5 cover charge is apparently in effect, and there is a 19+ age limit and 10:00 PM start time as well.

For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, and here's a new preview video for the concert! Uploaded to Project 421's Facebook page yesterday, this edits together assorted live clips with ominous music, as if Project 421 were a returning horror movie villain, before closing with the poster above. Nicely done, but imagine if they'd went even bigger on the theme? Check it out below!



Next up, here's the latest from local alternative hard rock trio The Din, starting with the reveal of the name and cover art for their forthcoming debut CD! As previously teased in this Facebook preview video (of the pixelated cover art set to performance audio), the album will be called "Give In To The Din", referencing a frequently used quote from band promotion, with the cover art basically a posterized version of a recent band photo, as created by fan Forrest Heard. Simple, but it gets the job done! Further details on "Give In To The Din" are to be announced, so stay tuned for them! In terms of other new videos from The Din, their newest clip features frontman Mike Haggith explaining how and why they need to test CDs for quality (hint, they're outdoors), but embedded below is a new concert video from The Din's runner-up performance at last month's second annual VM Radio Battle of the Bands at The Canadian Nightclub, so what should you know on it?

Filmed on a stationary camera and posted to The Din's YouTube channel on Thursday, this is of Mike, Tammy, and Brandan playing their song "In Search Of The Perfect Moment", and while the camera angle would have been better if centered, it's a strong performance with solid video quality, so give it a look below, and stay tuned for much more from The Din!

Also today, here's the latest from fellow local alternative hard rock quartet Id Iota, who are currently in the midst of their "Skate By Day, Rock By Night" tour run with Tidal Records and local favourites The Pixo Control and Gnaeus! In the past few days, the Habitat Shuffle/Free Beer successors have been very busy on their online side of things, with numerous photos and collages from the tour available to check out on their Facebook page, including everything from t-shirt pressing and drive-time shots to sightseeing, and yes, pictures from their concerts in Toronto and Barrie from the last few days. Possibly of the most interest there is this photo that finally unveils the cover art and track listing for Id Iota's newly released debut EP "Maudlin Fair" (a low quality reproduction can be seen on your right), and the four featured songs are named "California Wasted", "Permanence In Pencil", "One Cent Vaudeville", and "Bitter Tea". Remember, local copies go on sale THIS THURSDAY when the tour heads back home to LopLops Lounge!

Four short videos have also been posted to their Facebook page (none longer than 16 seconds, curiously) in the last few days, and they include a live video of Gnaeus' new lineup that we'll separately spotlight next week, this clip of a filmer entering The Hideout in Toronto before their show there, a 10 second slow motion clip of drummer Blair St. John, and as embedded below, new bassist Dan Linklater jamming outside with Pixo Control frontman Michael Mikus on their electric (yet unplugged) instruments. Fun previews of what appears to be a fun tour, so check everything out above & below, and don't miss Id Iota and company at LopLops on Thursday!



Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist or station name:

• Defunct local hardcore band As It Stands posted a new status onto their Facebook page yesterday, where they gave fans two options: Like the status if you want the band to compile past studio recordings as a free download, or share it if you want the band to reunite, write a new record, and return to the stage. Either would be awesome, as A.I.S. have been missed since their last concert in 2012, but will either happen? Voice your opinion above!
• Local grind/thrash band Them revealed on their Facebook page that they're now officially working on their debut EP! It will have 4 songs, and songs from it were debuted at their set opening for Gorod on Friday at The Oddfellows Hall. Good to hear, so stay tuned for updates on that, and for our review of the concert next!
• Lake Superior State University's campus radio station WLSO 90.1 FM (which does occasionally air metal and punk music) is planning to launch an online sister station this fall! Public details are scant at present time, but the reveal was recently made on the station's Facebook page, and a contest for LSSU students had been active to find a name for the station, with a pair of Beats headphones awaiting the winner. It'll be interesting to see how this develops, so follow WLSO at the above links for details on it and their FM station!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for our review of last night's Gorod/Bookakee show next! Thanks everyone!