LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Oddzfest II), Windigo/Id Iota Concert Preview, And More!!

Here's one more SMS post before Easter Sunday, so what's in store for today? A few assorted news updates, our preview of a special Easter Monday concert, and to kick things off, a big LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for this summer, so here's what you should know!

Remember Oddzfest 2013 Metal Mash-Up, the all ages Oddfellows Hall metal concert that helped send off Bring The Fallen's Josh Stephney & Nolan Rainville prior to their moves out of town that July? Well, after a nearly four year wait, Josh is promoting a sequel, as Oddzfest II goes down on Saturday, June 17th! Headlining this show are Toronto death/groove metal quintet Sludgehammer in their local concert debut, and their brutal and fast paced aggression combined with diverse vocals should helped them pick up where West of Hell left off four years ago, so definitely give them a listen! Local/St. Catharine's grindcore trio Shit Liver will return to the local stage for the first time since last April as co-headliners, while local death metal veterans The Bear Hunters will return to the stage themselves for their first concert appearance of 2017, and first set with Josh on rhythm guitar since May of last year. We've definitely missed both bands on the local stage in recent months, and it just feels right to see them sharing the stage at Oddzfest again, so don't miss out in June!

Local death metal quartet Exploring Detritus are also scheduled to play at Oddzfest II in their first concert appearance in about a year, and their first since parting ways with guitarist Daeson Lesage & changing their name from Kaepora Gaebora. No idea where they've been, but it's great to have the guys back, especially with the tie of having Josh's former Bring the Fallen bandmate Dan Souliere on guitar! Bear Hunters drummer Johnny Belanger's new punk/alternative trio Handsome Sandwich will open in their Oddfellows Hall debut, so come early to see what they hype is all about! This is an ALL AGES concert, and while a start time of 4:00 PM is currently advertised, I'd honestly be surprised if that held up, as 2013's Oddzfest I had one more band and started 2 hours later. No word on admission prices yet, but 4 years ago, entry was $5 (though wearing band merchandise got you in free.) I'd also be surprised if that deal recurred, but stay tuned for confirmation on admission in any event!

This sounds like a fun concert for death metal fans, and it's a nice throwback lineup to boot, especially with Shit Liver and Josh Stephney having moved out of town and The Bear Hunters not performing as often as they used to (did you know that they only played live twice in 2016?) Visit the official Facebook event page for more on Oddzfest II, and stay tuned for updates as they roll in, including on recent queries on if this should become a 2 day event?!

Next up, here's that preview of a special concert THIS MONDAY NIGHT, as local alternative/hard rock quartet Id Iota will return to The New American Pub when they open for Calgary psychedelic pop band Windigo & New Jersey surf rock group Dentist in both bands' local debuts! This show will be a nice capper for a busy weekend for Id Iota, who stepped out from the studio on Friday to open for K.I.C.K., and they should have another fun set of new and old originals ready for their first New A stop of 2017! The headliners don't largely fall into our typical genre ranges on the SMS, but Windigo's often trippy and creative pop rock sound should find an audience on Easter Monday, and Dentist do have some punk-influenced material in their sets that will appeal to fans, even if you're not high on surf rock! Apparently self-promoted by Id Iota (though Six, Two, Oh. & Ears and Eyes are given special thanks), this 19+ concert has a $5 cover charge and 9:00 PM start time.

Though officially called an "indie Easter show", there's enough hard rock and punk-tinged material on display to keep SMS readers happy on Monday at The New A, so keep this show in mind to end the season with! Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Id Iota live!



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

• In their belated first reveal of a new band member on their Facebook page, local punk/metal favourites Jack Spades have announced the addition of Eclipse guitarist Daniel Horton to their new lineup, replacing the already-departed Jesse Cook. Daniel's a solid choice that should add a lot to the band, so don't miss his debut with Jack Spades at the CKY concert in June! No word though on if his addition means anything for the active status of Project 421, who have not issued a public update since February, or played live since October.
• Pillory bassist Jordan Leach (going under his full last name Leach-Berube) is now offering his services as a session bassist for live concerts and recording projects, and he does have his own gear. Jordan is a talented artist in different rock genres, so message him at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from last month if you're interested in working with him in some form!
• New private concert venue Mellow D's Underground will host an "Easter Eafterparty" (sic) TONIGHT after Live705's Easter Bash! This is a private event with the the address obtained by personal request at The Rockstar Bar after the show, but it will be a concert with live bands, including The Noochin' Lanterns and mystery guests, plus an open mic component. This is a licensed event, but it is also all ages. Invite-only as it may be, keep it in mind if you want to extend the bash into the wee hours of the morning!

That's all for today, but I hope to see you guys at The Rockstar Bar TONIGHT for Live705's Easter Bash! Thanks everyone!