Last Month's Poll Results & Our Newest Poll!

It's now time for last month's poll results and our newest poll, as we're finally closing down our "favourite _____ of 2015" polls by revealing the results of last month's question, which was "What was your favourite local metal, hard rock, or punk concert of 2014?" Only 15 votes, which I did expect would occur, as past years have seen a drop off when we combined shows that recieved votes in the half-year polls for one last go around. There's some interesting results though, so here they are!

Fuck the Facts at The Oddfellows Hall on May 4th (3 votes, 20%)
Anvil & Caym at The Canadian Nightclub on March 15th (3 votes, 20%)
Pillory & Rotopsy at The Oddfellows Hall on January 24th (3 votes, 20%)
The Ripcordz at The Rockstar Bar on October 11th (2 votes, 13%)
Gob & Jack Spades at The Rockstar Bar on October 29th (1 vote, 6¾%)
Swampstravaganza at The Oddfellows Hall on May 10th (1 vote, 6¾%)
Late & Loud at The Rockstar Bar on February 21st (1 vote, 6¾%)
Other (1 vote, 6¾%)
Punch at The Roosevelt Hotel on February 6th (0 votes)
Jack Spades at The Rockstar Bar on May 16th (0 votes)
Anciients & Havok at The Canadian Nightclub on June 24th (0 votes)
Late & Loud and Haggith at The Rockstar Bar on August 1st (0 votes)
IDNS at The Oddfellows Hall on September 6th (0 votes)
Random Killing at The Rockstar Bar on September 13th (0 votes)
Devil's Night at The Oddfellows Hall on October 30th (0 votes)
Halloween Party at The Algonquin Pub on October 31st (0 votes)

What do you guys think? Well, while I expected the lower vote turnout this month, I did not expect both Jack Spades' CD release show in May or October's Halloween Party (featuring Frightlight's last gig) to not get a single vote, after each winning this poll's half-year versions. I know it's all in who votes, but it's quite a drop! Actually, most of the options here fell to 0 votes after getting at least one before, with only two summer or fall shows getting even one vote, which is very odd, but you can't predict stuff like this. The Ripcordz' concert from October did get bumped up to fourth place, which is encouraging, and as for the winner amidst the three way tie? Though last January's weather-impaired Oddfellows Hall show and the spring's Anvil & Fuck The Facts concerts all tied for first place with 3 votes, we always give ties in polls like these to the most recent of the deadlocked choices.

As it had less time in our minds to get the same number of votes, I'll declare last May's Fuck The Facts-headlined concert at The Oddfellows Hall to have "won" the poll! This was a solid concert from this brutal Juno nominated band who I've been lucky to check out twice, especially bolstered by Shit Liver's first homecoming, and I know fans there enjoyed it! Thanks to everyone for voting in these polls, and here's to a continued great 2015!

As for this month's poll, I'm posing this question to you guys: When you attend a local concert, what's your ideal number of bands on the lineup? I was inspired to have this as our next poll following the very uneven attendance at Swampstravaganza V earlier this month, which featured 9 bands and 2 hours of open mic, yet only attracted a medium attendance at it's peak just after the show's midpoint. While I know you can't expect m most people to attend a show of this length from bell to bell, this is a topic worth addressing again, albeit while noting that we have touched on similar material in the past for our polls. From weekend cover bands to major festivals, local concerts come in all shapes and sizes, but you guys might have a preference for the bands you want to see, or can manage seeing in a given night, so let's tackle this poll with the choices below!

Just one act: Do you prefer seeing just one band at a local concert, or only come out usually to see just one? This choice can apply to people who only tend to go see weekend cover bands at local bars, especially as most original bands nowadays play with other bands on the same bill. Maybe you tend to only attend shows for your favourite band, or your friend's band? This is the choice for you in this case!

Two bands: You don't see a whole lot of two band shows nowadays, but maybe you only come out to most shows for the two headlining bands, or can only attend for a short time? If you'd rather see two bands at a concert over a larger number, vote for this!

3-4 bands: Many local concerts nowadays have a lineup of this size, including most of this year's Gonqshow events and the vast majority of old Rosie metal nights, just as an example. A headliner and 2 or 3 local openers makes for a nice sized event, without stretching for too long, but is this the option for you, or do you crave more (or less?)

5-6 bands: Now we're getting into larger events, such as many Oddfellows Hall events and some of the larger one day battles of the bands. Such shows are often all ages events that start in the early evening, but is this an ideal size for your concertgoing?

7 or more bands: Here's our maximum for the poll, which would include events like the Swampstravaganza, Toystock, most summer concert festivals, and many Heavy North Entertainment shows, among others. These concerts often have an afternoon start time, run all day, and often have a wildly varying attendance depending on who plays when. Are you among the fans who love to stick through it and take in all of the bands on the lineup of a show of this size, or the vast majority of them?

No preference: Do you go to concerts regardless of band amount or a number you'd intend to see? If I was voting, this would be my choice, as I'd hope most people would go to concerts because they wanted to see the whole thing, or at least support every band while focusing on a favourite, but it'll be interesting to see the final results. If you go to shows for the music and don't pre-plan what bands you're going to stay for, vote here!

VOTE TODAY!! You guys have until June 18th to cast your votes, so do so at the above links, and stay tuned for more news and notes over the coming week! Thanks everyone!

Last Month's Poll Results & The Final Poll On Your Favourite Concerts Of 2014!!

For this second post today, we're looking at the results of last month's poll on the site and unveiling our newest poll, but check out some new show announcements and more in the post below this one! As you may remember, last month's poll on the SMS posed this question: What was your favourite local metal, hard rock, or punk concert in the second half of 2014? Only 22 votes, which seems a little low, but we do have clear results, so thanks to everyone for voting, and here are the final scores! 

Halloween Party at The Algonquin Pub on October 31st (7 votes, 32%)

Gob & Jack Spades at The Rockstar Bar on October 29th (4 votes, 18%)

Random Killing at The Rockstar Bar on September 13th (4 votes, 18%)

IDNS at The Oddfellows Hall on September 6th (3 votes, 14%)

Devil's Night at The Oddfellows Hall on October 30th (1 vote, 4.5%)

The Ripcordz at The Rockstar Bar on October 11th (1 vote, 4.5%)

Late & Loud at The Rockstar Bar on August 1st (1 vote, 4.5%)

Other (1 vote, 4.5%)

The Bear Hunters at The Rednecks Saloon on July 25th (0 votes)

Archspire at The Oddfellows Hall on August 12th (0 votes)

Endast at The Rednecks Saloon on August 27th (0 votes)

K-Man & The 45s at The Rockstar Bar on September 18th (0 votes)

Zombie Walk at The Bushplane Museum on October 25th (0 votes)

The Brains & Boids at The Rockstar Bar on November 2nd (0 votes)

Rock For Dimes at The Delta Hotel on November 14th (0 votes)

Sault Band-O-Rama at The Primavera on November 21st (0 votes)

The Bear Hunters at The Canadian on November 29th (0 votes)

White Cowbell Oklahoma at Rockstar Bar on Nov. 30th (0 votes)

Tidal Records at The Rockstar Bar on December 20th (0 votes)

X-Mess 2 at The Algonquin Pub on December 20th (0 votes)

Detroit at The Algonquin Pub on December 23rd (0 votes)

What do you guys think In ascending order, I'm very surprised that 13 of the 20 shows picked for the poll received no votes, including none from November or December. In particular, I assumed there'd be votes in particular for The Bear Hunters' CD release show & the Detroit reunion, but there's the joys of who ends up voting! Of the four shows with a single vote, I assumed that the Ripcordz-headlined Rad Zone anniversary show would get more of a response, but at least it got some love! The IDNS concert surprised me with it's fourth place run, especially among other Oddfellows shows late last year that had bigger lineups. The top three were all J.D. Pearce-promoted events, with the Gob and Random Killing concerts finishing high (as expected) with a second place tie, while last year's annual Halloween party won the half-year poll with 7 votes and 32% of the final tally! Good sign for this popular annual event, and Frightlight deserved the big send-off, but another poll awaits!

As usual for our end-of-year polls, we'll close them with this question: What was your favourite local metal, hard rock, or punk concert of 2014? As you may remember, we polled you guys on your favourite shows in the first half of 2014 last July, and then the second half last month, so to determine the "winner", we're gathering all of the choices (15 in this case) into one final summative poll, so you guys can determine what your favourite show was of last year in full! All choices in both of our half-year polls are back, plus "Other" in case your favourite was never in the half year polls or didn't get your vote at the time. For reference, the half year poll winners were the Jack Spades EP release show in May and last fall's Halloween party, but will history repeat itself? Jack Spades played on 5 of these 15 shows, but will the odds play in their favour? Here are your final choices in this poll!

Bands: Pillory, Rotopsy, The Strange Coyotes, Crucify the Whore, The Bear Hunters, Project 421, Chase Wigmore, Brutally Fatal, and Mike Haggith & The Din
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: January 24th, 2014
Info: Inclement weather forced planned headliners TheKillingField & Buried Out Back to drop out on short notice, so there was a lot of late lineup shuffling and additions for this show, Heavy North Entertainment's first since launching as a company. Notably featuring the reunion of Mike Haggith & The Din, Project 421's first show with singer Curtis McKenzie, and the last official appearance by The Strange Coyotes, did you brave the storm to take in this all ages action?

Bands: Punch, The Bear Hunters, and The Elements
Venue: The Roosevelt Hotel (now Reggie's West)
Date: February 6th, 2014
Info: The first installment of the short lived Heavy Thursday series at the former Roosevelt Hotel saw Rosie favourites The Bear Hunters, debuting funk/hard rock quartet The Elements, and the last show from Haggith/Beaumont Avenue hybrid Punch, who all delivered solid sets! J.D. Pearce had a great idea in resurrecting a Thursday series at The Rosie, but was this the best show of 2014?

Bands: Late & Loud, The Danger Cats, and Redundant
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: February 21st, 2014
Info: Classic metal favourites Late & Loud held a one-off reunion set on February 21st at The Rockstar Bar, reminding all of the Loudmouths how exciting and talented they were in their heyday! Also featuring all-female rockers The Danger Cats and punk trio Redundant's first proper attended concert in 6 months (The Marquee notwithstanding), this was a great way to welcome back Late & Loud, but would you agree?

Bands: Anvil, Caym, Jack Spades, The Suicide Kings (now Beaumont Avenue), and Project 421
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: March 15th, 2014
Info: After two years away, Toronto metal legends Anvil brought the metal on metal back to The Canadian this spring for another well attended and very heavy night of hits! Also featuring the return of extreme metallers Caym and a trio of known and rising local hard rock bands, all of the metal pounders in attendance ate up the action before them, but was Anvil's grand return tops to you last year?

Bands: Fuck the Facts, Empyrean Plague, Shit Liver, The Bear Hunters, Crucify the Whore, and This Is Your Band on Drugs
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: May 4th, 2014
Info: A lower than expected attendance couldn't stop the metal intensity on this night, with Fuck The Facts and Empyrean Plague making the trip west for long awaited returns to the Soo stage! Also featuring Shit Liver's grimy homecoming and CD release, and one of the first local appearances by This Is Your Band On Drugs, fans at The Oddfellows Hall had a definite blast, but was it your #1 metal show of 2014?

Bands: The Bear Hunters, Sykotyk Rampage, Haggith, Rotopsy, Aggressive Acoustic, Pete Mozarowski, Rihkee Strap, the second Brutaly Fatal (now The Revolution), This Is Your Band On Drugs, DJ Seith, Mike Haggith, and open mic performers
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: May 10th, 2014
Info: The fourth annual Swampstravaganza returned to the spring months on May 10th with it's longest lineup yet, including four time Swampfest veterans The Bear Hunters, Sudbury hard rock from Aggressive Acoustic, Sykotyk Rampage & Haggith's first concerts of the year, a rare Mike Haggith solo set, and an entertaining block of open mic artists to kick off the day! Did last year's Swampstravaganza top the year to you?

Bands: Jack Spades, The Elements, Project 421, and Johnny Belanger & Jesse Cook
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: May 16th, 2014
Info: Punk/metal quintet Jack Spades launched their debut EP "The First" in style on May 16th at The Rockstar Bar with an explosive set of originals and covers, with members Johnny Belanger and Jesse Cook reprising Johnny's acoustic open mic set at the Swampstravaganza to open this show! Also featuring The Elements and Project 421 (with guest singer Travis McKenzie), a lively crowd reaction and great reviews followed, but would you agree?

Bands: Anciients, Havok, Wretched, Black Wizard, and The Revolution
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: June 24th, 2014
Info: Arguably the last major metal show of 2014's first half, J.D. Pearce brought in a huge bill of metal via two converging tours, with Vancouver progressive metal standouts Anciients, Colorado thrashers Havok, and North Carolina death metallers Wretched combining for one intense and well received show! Though attendance wasn't as high as hoped, fans in attendance didn't miss out on the brutality, but was it your favourite?

Bands: Late & Loud, Haggith, and The Danger Cats
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: August 1st, 2014
Info: In advance of singer/guitarist Brendan Christie's move to England, defunct local classic metal quartet Late & Loud reunited one last time on August 1st for what they hyped as their "last show ever", giving Loudmouths a bittersweet presumed send-off! Also featuring hard rock action from Haggith (with then-new bassist James White) and The Danger Cats, did this win out in late 2014 to you?

Bands: IDNS, Catharcyst, Rotopsy, The Apocalypse Afterparty, Telephone & Address, and Crucify The Whore
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: September 6th, 2014
Info: Despite the late drop-out of Bring the Fight, Heavy North Entertainment still delivered a solid night of action via Toronto crust punk quartet IDNS and Sudbury metal veterans Catharcyst, each brutalizing fans in their own diverse ways! Also featuring the public concert debut of The Apocalypse Afterparty & the CD release from Telephone & Address, does this get your vote?

Bands: Random Killing, Jack Spades, Destroilet, Gatgas, and The Elements
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: September 13th, 2014
Info: It was time for Hardcore Homecoming on this September night, as Toronto punk legends Random Killing (featuring the Soo's own Drew Kiteley) played locally for the first time in 17 years at The Rockstar Bar to a huge reception! Also featuring London hardcore punk rockers Gatgas (with the Soo's own Bob Bromley & Garry Ingram), did you love this huge homecoming concert the most?

Bands: The Ripcordz, Jack Spades, Destroilet, and DJ Seith
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: October 11th, 2014
Info: Popular local music/skate shop The Rad Zone celebrated it's 30th anniversary in October at The Rockstar Bar, where Montreal hardcore punk legends The Ripcordz headlined this huge concert for Monk and company! Numerous draws and giveaways also populated this very well attended concert, and the local support delivered nicely, but was this your favourite show of 2014?

Bands: Gob, Jack Spades, Northwest, and Redundant
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: October 29th, 2014
Info: It took 6 years for Langley. B.C. punk veterans Gob to come back to Sault Ste. Marie, but they sure made the most of it with a great night of original hits for a packed crowd at The Rockstar Bar over the Halloween season! Featuring local support from Jack Spades, Northwest (with new drummer Marc Santos), and Redundant, the crowd at this show spoke for itself, but did you enjoy it too?

Bands: Chase Wigmore, Archelon, Haggith, Crucify The Whore, Project 421, The North Shore, Rotopsy, The Revolution, James Watterworth & friends, Mikey Thomas, Miracle Man, and Phat Boii
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: October 30th, 2014
Info: Heavy North Entertainment's second annual Devil's Night concert at The Oddfellows Hall brought another diverse lineup of local bands to the stage last fall, with Sudbury death metal band Archelon devastating fans late in the night! Notably also featuring the local homecoming of Chase Wigmore & the rebirth of The Strange Coyotes, did you love Devil's Night the most?

Bands: Frightlight, Destroilet, and Sykotyk Rampage
Venue: The Algonquin Pub
Date: October 31st, 2014
Info: If local horror punk/metal quintet Frightlight had to disband after a successful five year run, then going out at frontman Johnny Pints' 10th annual Halloween party (where they debuted in 2009) was the perfect way to do it! Though Jesse Cook filled in on guitar for the absent Rick White, they left on a high note, and the openers set the tone well, but was this your favourite show in the poll?

Other: Did we miss your favourite? For reference, metal, hard rock, and punk artists like AlgomA, Archspire, Bad Back, Boids, Brad Example & The Role Models, The Brains, Buried Out Back, Chronobot, Commencing Human Desperation, The Cover-Up, Crued, Detroit, Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide, Endast, The Faps, The Fever Tops, Fist Fighting Stephen Hawking, Glitch, Gnaeus, The Great Sabatini, Griphook, Havadder, Heart & Jason Bonham, Infamous, James Watterworth, K-Man & The 45s, Late Shift, Like Animals, Livid & The Bloodthirsty, Long Shot, Lucky 13, The Merves, Michael White & The White, Mourning Wood, The Northern Tragedy, The Paceshifters, The Pixo Control, Public Animal, RPM, Skynet, Stiffler's Mom, That's Chester, Them, The Thrill Junkies, T-Rex Manning, Tym Morrison, White Cowbell Oklahoma, and Who Made Who played live in 2014 in the Soo, along with additional shows from bands in the above choices, and possibly some in private-only gigs. Maybe your favourite concert was one without a 50% majority of metal, punk, and/or hard rock bands, one in Sault Michigan, or one that doesn't dip into our range, or one that didn't get a vote in our half year polls? If your preferred choice isn't above, vote for "Other"!

VOTE TODAY!! You guys have until May 18th to make your voices heard, so who will win out in this last poll on your favourite shows of last year? I'm very curious to find out, but as usual, I'll please ask for potential voters not to turn this into a popularity contest with online voting campaigns for one specific show. I'm hoping for a fair sampling of what everyone thought, not who can gather together the most votes for their preferred choice. VOTE A.S.A.P., and stay tuned for more news and notes over the coming week! Thanks everyone!

Last Month's Poll Results & Our Latest Poll!!

Before we head off to TONIGHT'S last semifinal in the VM Radio Battle of the Bands, here's the results of last month's poll and the launch of our new poll, as it is the 18th of this month! As you may remember, we posed this question to you guys last month: What was the biggest local metal, hard rock, or punk news story of 2014? We got a decent amount of votes (25), which was easy to add up percentages with, but I was hoping that there'd be more of a response. Now, here are your final results!

Frightlight says goodbye at 10th Halloween Party (7 votes, 28%)

Das Bunkerfest debuts in Garden River in August (3 votes, 12%)

Gob headlines at The Rockstar Bar in October (2 votes, 8%)

The Emergency Festival debuts in August (2 votes, 8%)

Late & Loud reunites for "last show ever" (2 votes, 8%)

Alice Cooper headlines at Kewadin Casino (2 votes, 8%)

VM Radio & VM Rocks go on the air (1 vote, 4%)

AlgomA release "Reclaimed By The Forest (1 vote, 4%)

Random Killing returns for Hardcore Homecoming (1 vote, 4%)

Jack Spades releases debut EP "The First" (1 vote, 4%)

Anvil headlines at The Canadian in March (1 vote, 4%)

Heavy Thursday series starts (and ends) at The Rosie (1 vote, 4%)

Other (1 vote, 4%)

The Bear Hunters release "Eternal Hibernation" (0 votes)

Bret Michaels returns to Kewadin Casino (0 votes)

Detroit reunites at The Algonquin in December (0 votes)

Docks Riverfront Grill becomes Waterfront Legend (0 votes)

Heart & Jason Bonham rock The Essar Centre (0 votes)

Hempfest relocates to Moonbeam (0 votes)

Papa Fogals Chair return for stag & doe in May (0 votes)

The Ripcordz at The Rad Zone's 30th anniversary show (0 votes)

The Roosevelt Hotel is sold, becomes Reggie's West (0 votes)

Shit Liver releases self-titled debut CD (0 votes)

Swearnet movie released in theaters & on DVD (0 votes)

Tuned with Donna Hopper begins on Local2 (0 votes)

Woods of Ypres' first CDs reissued by Earache Records (0 votes)

What do you guys think? In ascending order, I am surprised that more than half of the included choices didn't get any votes, including the Heart and Ripcordz concerts, and The Bear Hunters & Shit Liver's CD releases, but it's all in who votes! The voting was for the most part evenly spread out between choices, so comparatively, I see why most stories got the votes that they did, but I did assume that album releases would get more votes as a whole, and it is very surprising that the private Das Bunkerfest in Garden River finished in second with 3 votes. Good sign for the sequel in August! Winning the poll, in a slight surprise with 7 votes and 28% of the final total, was Frightlight's farewell after their Halloween Party headlining set last October, which is a nice validation for their 5 year run, and even with Rick White absent, the guys delivered one last fright night that fans definitely seemed to enjoy! Thanks to everyone for voting!

As for this month's poll, we're in the home stretch of out "favourite _____ of 2014" questions, so we'll pose this topic to you guys this month: What was your favourite local metal, hard rock, or punk concert in the second half of 2014? We already took care of this poll for the first half of last year, but now, we're looking at a strong back half to 2014, as there were many major concerts for metal, hard rock, and punk fans to take in, but where will the votes fall before we gather the top vote-getters for next month's final poll on favourite concerts from the whole year? We've picked 20 concerts (plus "Other") for you guys to choose from, and remember, to be included in the poll, the show must have taken place between July 1st and December 31st (we already covered shows in June and before, and anything later is obviously 2015.) Also, concerts must have at least 50% of their lineup comprised of metal, hard rock, or punk acts, so shows like Toystock, Rotaryfest, and The Emeergency Festival aren't included.

Also, we're only listing public concerts in the poll like before, hence the absence of Das Bunkerfest and Blood Shed Productions' house parties, but if one of those was your favourite, "Other" is for you! With all of that said, here's some info on all 20 concerts in the poll!

Bands: The Bear Hunters, Jack Spades, and Redundant
Venue: The Rednecks Saloon
Date: July 25th, 2014
Info: The former Nicolet Tavern is best known for hosting cover and bar bands, but this concert last July started to help turn the tide, as The Bear Hunters (with returning guitarist Josh Stephney) put on this hard hitting concert that was uniquely streamed live online for fans who couldn't make it! Also featuring punk rock intensity from Jack Spades & Redundant, was this your top show in the poll?

Bands: Late & Loud, Haggith, and The Danger Cats
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: August 1st, 2014
Info: In advance of singer/guitarist Brendan Christie's move to England, defunct local classic metal quartet Late & Loud reunited one last time on August 1st for what they hyped as their "last show ever", giving Loudmouths a bittersweet presumed send-off! Also featuring hard rock action from Haggith (with new bassist James White) and The Danger Cats, did this win out in late 2014 to you?

Bands: Archspire, Shit Liver, The Bear Hunters, Rotopsy, Crucify The Whore, Brutally Fatal, and James Watterworth
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: August 12th, 2014
Info: One of the many entertaining all ages concerts from Heavy North Entertainment last year saw Vancouver technical death metal band Archspire brutalize a lively crowd of fans at The Oddfellows Hall, leaving hope for them to return in the future! Also featuring the surprise return of Shit Liver, and the reemergence of both Brutally Fatal & the Delusionair himself, was this your favourite?

Bands: Endast, Haggith, and The Revolution
Venue: The Rednecks Saloon
Date: August 27th, 2014
Info: Just a month after The Bear Hunters' successful concert at The Rednecks Saloon, guitarist Mitch Sirie revisited his old promoting days by booking Montreal death metal band Endast there on August 27th, in what proved to be their last Sault Ste. Marie concert before their impending breakup. Also featuring PaperClip acts Haggith & The Revoluton, was this your #1 show in this 6 month span?

Bands: IDNS, Catharcyst, Rotopsy, The Apocalypse Afterparty, Telephone & Address, and Crucify The Whore
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: September 6th, 2014
Info: Despite the late drop-out of Bring the Fight, Heavy North Entertainment still delivered a solid night of action via Toronto crust punk quartet IDNS and Sudbury metal veterans Catharcyst, each brutalizing fans in their own diverse ways! Also featuring the public concert debut of The Apocalypse Afterparty & the CD release from Telephone & Address, does this get your vote?

Bands: Random Killing, Jack Spades, Destroilet, Gatgas, and The Elements
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: September 13th, 2014
Info: It was time for Hardcore Homecoming on this September night, as Toronto punk legends Random Killing (featuring the Soo's own Drew Kiteley) played locally for the first time in 17 years at The Rockstar Bar to a huge reception! Also featuring London hardcore punk rockers Gatgas (with the Soo's own Bob Bromley & Garry Ingram), did you love this huge homecoming concert the most?

Bands: K-Man & The 45s and The Danger Cats
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: September 18th, 2014
Info: Under a year after their well recieved local debut, Montreal ska-punk quintet K-Man & The 45s made their long awaited return to Sault Ontario on September 18th for what was originally intended as the after-party for the cancelled Misfits concert. They delivered a fun set of their originals and "Ska-Mones" covers, with The Danger Cats opening in kind, but was this your top choice?

Bands: The Ripcordz, Jack Spades, Destroilet, and DJ Seith
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: October 11th, 2014
Info: Popular local music/skate shop The Rad Zone celebrated it's 30th anniversary in October at The Rockstar Bar, where Montreal hardcore punk legends The Ripcordz headlined this huge concert for Monk and company! Numerous draws and giveaways also populated this very well attended concert, and the local support delivered nicely, but was this your favourite show of late 2014?

Bands: Haggith, Sykotyk Rampage, and Greg Callaghan
 Venue: The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre
Date: October 25th, 2014
Info: The annual Soo Zombie Walk enjoyed it's second year headquartered at The Bushplane Museum last fall, with the primary band lineup again moved to the pre-show entertainment, with Haggith, Sykotyk Rampage, and Northwest's Greg Callaghan each delivering special sets with visual or audio influence from the brain-eaters around them! Everything was entertaining, but do you agree?

Bands: Gob, Jack Spades, Northwest, and Redundant
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: October 29th, 2014
Info: It took 6 years for Langley. B.C. punk veterans Gob to come back to Sault Ste. Marie, but they sure made the most of it with a great night of original hits for a packed crowd at The Rockstar Bar over the Halloween season! Featuring local support from Jack Spades, Northwest (with new drummer Marc Santos), and Redundant, the crowd at this show spoke for itself, but did you enjoy it too?

Bands: Chase Wigmore, Archelon, Haggith, Crucify The Whore, Project 421, The North Shore, Rotopsy, The Revolution, James Watterworth & friends, Mikey Thomas, Miracle Man, and Phat Boii
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: October 30th, 2014
Info: Heavy North Entertainment's second annual Devil's Night concert at The Oddfellows Hall brought another diverse lineup of local bands to the stage last fall, with Sudbury death metal band Archelon devastating fans late in the night! Notably also featuring the local homecoming of Chase Wigmore & the rebirth of The Strange Coyotes, did you love Devil's Night the most?

Bands: Frightlight, Destroilet, and Sykotyk Rampage
Venue: The Algonquin Pub
Date: October 29th, 2014
Info: If local horror punk/metal quintet Frightlight had to disband after a successful five year run, then going out at frontman Johnny Pints' 10th annual Halloween party (where they debuted in 2009) was the perfect way to do it! Though Jesse Cook filled in on guitar for the absent Rick White, they left on a high note, and the openers set the tone well, but was this your favourite show in the poll?

Bands: The Brains, Boids, and The Elements
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: November 2nd, 2014
Info: The last show of Johnny Pints' "Punkrocktober" slate of punk and metal shows was this clash of Montreal punk bands, with psychobilly fan favourites The Brains and punk standouts Boids rocking The Rockstar Bar on this Sunday night to close out the Halloween season! Also joined by local funk/hard rockers The Elements, were you there to back up this show as your favourite of late 2014?

Bands: Redundant, The Thrill Junkies, Mannapool, Mourning Wood, The Elements, Haggith, and Late Shift
Venue: The Delta Waterfront Hotel
Date: November 14th, 2014
Info: The second annual Rock For Dimes funraiser for the March for Dimes took place at the former Holiday Inn last November, with 7 bands convening for a great cause, including a rare Redundant headlining set and The Thrill Junkies' first show in 10 months! Though the planned youth battle of the bands was cancelled, did you still love Rock For Dimes?

Bands: The Pixo Control, Haggith, Project 421, The Thrill Junkies, Redudnant, Dillinger, Tym Morrison, Infamous, Shit Creek Survivor, Bocturoc Academy of Music students, Rotopsy, and The Strange Coyotes 
Venue: The Primavera Banquet Hall
Date: November 21st, 2014
Info: Mourning Wood bandmates Terry Eaton & Steven Flint put on Sault Band-O-Rama on November 21sr, uniting a dozen local musical acts for an all day, all ages event at The Primavera Hall, including headliners The Pixo Control, the debuting Infamous, and Haggith's last set with bassist Caleb Cachagee. There are hopes for this event to return, but did you like this event the most?

Bands: The Bear Hunters, Livid & The Bloodthirsty, and Haggith
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: November 29th, 2014
Info: After a lengthy recording process for their debut album "Eternal Hibernation", local death metal favourites The Bear Hunters finally released it to a strong reception at The Canadian last fall, with Josh Stephney back for the occasion! Also featuring Brampton death metal band Livid & The Bloodthirsty and Haggith's first set with new bassist Jordan Leach, did this reign supreme to you?

Bands: White Cowbell Oklahoma & The Paceshifters
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: November 30th, 2014
Info: On the same night as Toystock, Toronto southern hard rock veterans White Cowbell Oklahoma returned to the Soo for the first time in 4 years at the end of November to rock fans with their over-the-top, power tool infused stage show once again during their 15th anniversary tour! Also featuring Dutch hard rock band The Paceshifters, is this your preferred show?

Bands: The Cover-Up, Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide, The Boot Hill Crooners, and Frank Deresti
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: December 20th, 2014
Info: This seasonal concert served as a Christmas showcase for bands from local punk/roots record label Tidal Records, with pageless new cover punk quartet The Cover-Up headlining alongside Celtic/punk mainstays Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide, and more! Fans of Tidal Records definitely ate this up, but were you among them over the holidays?

Bands: Sleigher, Ms. Tillers, and The Elements
Venue: The Algonquin Pub
Date: December 20th, 2014
Info: While Tidal Records ruled upstairs, the second annual X-Mess acoustic concert took over The Algonquin Pub downstairs, with Jack Spades members rocking as Sleigher, Danger Cats members playing as Ms. Tillers, and The Elements playing a special unplugged set of their own! Another fun unique event, but does this get your vote from this 6 month period?

Bands: Detroit, Destroilet, Bad Back, and Jack Spades
Venue: The Algonquin Pub
Date: December 23rd, 2014
Info: After a breakup lasting almost 5 years, local/Toronto hardcore punk quartet Detroit held a one-off reunion at The Algonquin Pub just before Christmas Eve, delivering their fast and furious originals to a local audience once again! Also featuring singer Brent Ellis' first set as a co-vocalist with Destroilet, this was a great way to end the year, but do you agree with that?

Other: Did we miss your preferred concert from July-December of last year? For reference, hard rock, metal, and punk bands like Beaumont Avenue, The Faps, Gnaeus, Griphook, Havadder, Long Shot, Lucky 13, Michael White & The White, RPM, Stiffler's Mom, That's Chester, Them, and Who Made Who all played public local concerts in the latter half of 2014, not to mention shows featuring bands already included in the chosen concerts. Maybe you want to vote for a private event, a show with less than 50% heavier bands, or maybe one from Sault Michigan? If, for any reason, your preferred choice isn't above, vote for "Other"!

VOTE TODAY!! You guys have until April 18th to cast your votes, after which we'll compile the top scoring shows with the high vote-getters from last summer's poll on the first half of 2015, in order to determine your favourite concert from all of last year! These results should be interesting, so cast your votes A.S.A.P., stay tuned for weekend concert previews TOMORROW, and we'll see you guys at The Canadian TONIGHT for night #3 of the VM Radio Battle of the Bands! Thanks everyone!

Last Month's Poll Results & Our Newest Poll!!

With the 18th of the month upon us again, let's close down last month's poll and begin anew with another poll! As you may remember, last month's poll posed this question: What was your favourite new local metal, hard rock, or punk band of 2014? We received a respectable 22 votes in the poll, but with some surprising results, so here are the final totals from last month!

Other (5 votes, 23%)
Them (4 votes, 18%)
The Elements (3 votes, 14%)

 Fist Fighting Stephen Hawking (3 votes, 14%)
Gnaeus (2 votes, 9%)
Long Shot (2 votes, 9%)
The Apocalypse Afterparty (1 vote, 4⅓%)
Mourning Wood (1 vote, 4⅓%)
The Revolution (1 vote, 4⅓%)
The Bottom Line (0 votes)
Exiled (0 votes)
Full Throttle (0 votes)
Highway 63 (0 votes)
Infamous (0 votes)

What do you guys think? I will admit that the results are a little unexpected, as "Other" technically won the poll, being the only choice to attain 5 votes. This has happened before on this question, but in a surprising second place was the newer local metal trio Them, who barely made the poll via a late 2014 house party concert appearance, won't play a formal venue until next month, and still don't have an online page or public media. As "Other" likely wasn't intended for one specific band by it's voters (though I assume The Pixo Control, who launched publically in late 2013, were among consideration), we will consider Them to have "won" the poll, and hopefully we hear much more from them in 2015! As for the other choices: most of them weren't as surprising, but Fist Fighting Stephen Hawking's tie for third was unexpected given that they were only active for a few months, while I expected at least one Sault Michigan band to have gotten even one vote. It's all in who votes though, and for those of you that did, we thank you for voting as usual!

As for this month's poll, we're continuing our usual "Favourite _____ of the year" polls with this question: What was the biggest local metal, hard rock, or punk news story of 2014? An annual occurrence at this time of the year, it's always interesting to look back at big news stories, events, and concerts of the year that was, and it definitely was difficult to pare down a productive and generally positive year for metal, hard rock, and punk activity! Still, I was able to cut a year down into 25 choices of various events and shows in 2014 for you guys to vote on that hopefully sum up the biggest events of the year, but as usual, "Other" is available if we missed one. Remember, this poll is to determine the biggest & most newsworthy story of the past year, not the most popular, the happiest, or the "best". This is not intended to be a popularity contest, so I discourage Facebook campaigns to get your friends into voting for your band or event's choice, as that's not the point. So, what are the choices? Read on below for info on each!

AlgomA release "Reclaimed By The Forest: One of the biggest new CD releases of 2014 was via local sludge metal trio AlgomA, who put out their anticipated debut EP "Reclaimed By The Forest" in October through Deadbeat Media, which soon attracted attention both locally and all over the globe! That said, did you think that it's release was last year's top local metal news story?

Alice Cooper headlines at Kewadin Casino: Fans of shock rock legend Alice Cooper were definitely excited to see him in the Sault area for a sixth time (and first in almost seven years) in June at The Dreammaker's Theater, and videos from the show definitely prove that he was up to his usual theatrical tricks! It was definitely a well recieved concert, but would you agree?

Anvil headlines at The Canadian in March: Toronto metal legends Anvil made their second local concert appearance since their career resurgence when they returned to The Canadian Nightclub in March, delivering more of their time-tested metal on metal! Also featuring fellow Toronto metallers Caym and three local opening bands, was this #1 in 2014?

The Bear Hunters release "Eternal Hibernation": After years worth of recording sessions, preparations, and setbacks, local death metal quintet The Bear Hunters finally released their debut CD "Eternal Hibernation" in November through a CD release party at The Canadian, gaining lots of positive notices from fans in the process! Was this CD release your biggest event of last year?

Bret Michaels returns to Kewadin Casino: A light year for hard rock shows at Kewadin Casino's Dreammaker's Theater began in earnest with Poison frontman Bret Michaels' return to Sault Michigan last January, continuing his frequent string of regional solo concerts! Also featuring fellow hair metal favourites FireHouse, was the 2014 Bret Michaels show last year's big story?

Das Bunkerfest debuts in Garden River in August: Though hosted at a publically unannounced venue outside of Sault Ontario, the ambitious collaborative concert event at "Das Bunker" was very well recieved, almost instantly spurring discussion of it's second installment this summer. Featuring bands like The Archaics, Shit Liver, and Algoma over two days, can you vouch for Das Bunkerfest in this poll?

Detroit reunites at The Algonquin in December: Hardcore punk fans were more than excited in December when local/Toronto quartet Detroit reunited after an almost 5 year hiatus to rock The Algonquin Pub for one night only! Given their pedigree, you know that their intensity and fast (but short) songs went over well in their return, but were you there to pick it as last year's biggest event?

Docks Riverfront Grill becomes Waterfront Legend: Though this Foster Drive venue recently returned to concert bookings with the jam band Mojo, the Soo still lost a popular venue when Docks Riverfront Grill was sold to new owners last spring, who turned it into a Chinese buffet restaurant in September. I've heard good things about Waterfront Legend, but did losing Docks top the past year to you?

The Emergency Festival debuts in August: With Rotaryfest's Second Stage taking a one year(?) hiatus, the crew from LopLops Lounge shifted attention to their own upstart music festival the following month, featuring a similar lineup to past Second Stages, albeit across numerous downtown locations. Featuring locals and out of town acts alike, did you love The Emergency?

Frightlight says goodbye at 10th Halloween Party: After a successful 5 year run, local punk/metal quintet Frightlight announced that they'd end their run where it began during frontman Johnny Pints' annual Halloween party at The Algonquin Pub, the 10th straight that he had put on! Though Rick couldn't make the event, it was great closure to their run, but was it high on your rankings from last year?

Gob headlines at The Rockstar Bar in October: After almost six years, British Columbia punk veterans Gob made their long awaited return to Sault Ontario last fall for a packed headlining concert at The Rockstar Bar that definitely got a huge reception! Also featuring locals Jack Spades, Redundant, and Northwest, was this show the big event of 2014 in your mind?

Heart & Jason Bonham rock The Essar Centre: Major hard rock concerts have been increasingly scarce at The Essar Centre, but experiencing Heart live in June helped fill in the gaps! Featuring a well received Led Zeppelin tribute from the Wilson sisters, Jason, and company, this was among last year's biggest hard rock shows in the Soo, but was it the biggest news item of all?

Heavy Thursday series starts (and ends) at The Rosie: Fans of the former Roosevelt Hotel's early 2010s Thursday metal night series were excited to hear that J.D. Pearce would be promoting a spiritual successor series last February, which started to a positive reception ,but only ran for 3 installments before Reggie's Place bought the venue. Still, was this last year's big story?

Hempfest relocates to Moonbeam: Adding to the drop-off in local summer festivals last year was the loss of Hempfest, as promoter Robert Neron moved the annual marijuana culture/concert festival 8 hours north to his hometown of Moonbeam due to rising costs in Ophir. Though some regional acts (like The Elements) still made the trip, was the loss of Hempfest the top news item of 2014?

Jack Spades releases debut EP "The First": Local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades released their well recieved EP "The First" in April, which they followed with a attitude-fueled CD release concert at The Rockstar Bar the following month! Featuring five entertaining originals from T-Rex Manning & Bear Hunters alumni, did you find this CD to be the big event of last year?

Late & Loud reunites for "last show ever": Though inactive since the spring of 2013, popular local classic metal quartet Late & Loud came back for two one-off concerts last year, with the latter in August serving as their "last show ever", partially due to guitarist Brendan Christie's move to England. Was their announced farewell show the biggest story of 2014 in your eyes?

Papa Fogals Chair return for stag & doe in May: Featuring a lineup full of past & present Saultites, London metal band Papa Fogals Chair have been a popular sight when they're reunited locally, including at bassist Mike Bird's stag & doe in May at The Moose Lodge, which Local2 even covered! Also featuring Garden of Bedlam's last live concert set (to date?), did this top last year for you?

Random Killing returns for Hardcore Homecoming: Toronto hardcore punk legends Random Killing (and Saultite frontman Drew Kiteley) made their first local concert appearance in 17 years when they headlined Hardcore Homecoming at The Rockstar Bar in September, taking the local scene back to a fondly remembered era! Also featuring Gatgas & local openers, can you vouch for this huge concert?

The Ripcordz at The Rad Zone's 30th anniversary show: Another big Sault Ontario concert in October saw Montreal hardcore punk notables The Ripcordz come back to the Soo to headline popular music/skate shop The Rad Zone's 30th anniversary concert! Whether you were a fan, regular, or both, this was a huge event for all involved, but was it 2014's biggest event?

The Roosevelt Hotel is sold, becomes Reggie's West: A very popular venue for metal concerts ended as we knew it in March when Reggie's Place bought The Rosie, turning the Korah road venue into Reggie's West and re-opening it after renovations later in the spring. Though we have seen hard rock back there via Mourning Wood, was the loss of The Rosie last years #1 news story?

Shit Liver releases self-titled debut CD: Also among last year's major local metal CD releases was local/St. Catharine's grimecore trio Shit Liver's self-titled first album in April, which had itself been long anticipated! Running for just over a half hour (yet featuring 15 songs), fans of their crust infused death metal responded in kind, but was this last year's top news story?

Swearnet movie released in theaters & on DVD: Two years after filming in Sault Ontario took place, the long anticipated feature film Swearnet (starring the cast of The Trailer Park Boys and featuring Sebastian Bach) was released to theatres last August, later being released on DVD by year's end as well! Though critics and fans were divided, was this long awated movie your top event last year?

Tuned with Donna Hopper begins on Local2: Joining Local2's expanding roster of webseries in February, the Donna Hopper hosted webseries Tuned has spotlighted artists and concerts regularly for the past year, featuring interviews, performance footage, and more from a diverse array of acts! Tuned has provided some great episodes, but was it's inception last year's big news item?

VM Radio & VM Rocks internet stations go on the air: The local radio market gained some appreciated alternatives in November when SooToday parent company Village Media launched VM Radio, a new network of five (now six) internet radio stations, including VM Rocks, which has metal and punk on rotation! The stations have been positively received by listeners, but are you among them?

Woods of Ypres' first 3 CDs reissued by Earache Records: After frontman David Gold's sudden passing in 2011, copies of defunct local metal band Woods of Ypres' first three albums became scarcer to find, but that was remedied when Earache Records gradually reissued each of them throughout 2014. This was great news for fans, but was it locally notable for you?

Other: Did we miss your preferred news story of 2014? Perhaps your preferred big event was a new local band's debut, or a major lineup change? Maybe a regular annual concert event like Rotarfyest or the Swampstravaganza is your choice? Maybe we forgot to include your preferred album release? If for whatever reason, we missed what you'd rather vote for, "Other" is for you!

VOTE TODAY!! You guys have until March 18th to cast your votes, and I'm definitely curious to see which choice comes out on top for this annual poll, so be sure to cast your votes A.S.A.P., and remember please don't turn this into a popularity contest. That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and weekend concert previews in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

2014: A Look Back In The Year Of Local Metal, Hard Rock, And Punk

For our last post of 2014, we're taking one big look at the year that was, as there were plenty of big events, concerts, stories, debuts, farewells, and CD releases that happened among local metal, hard rock, and punk bands in the past 12 months! Hopefully I'll touch on all of the biggest and most noteworthy elements of each category below, so let's dive right in and reminisce on 2014 in the Sault Ste. Marie area!

Partly due to the ongoing hiatus from Allstar Promotions, the area didn't see as many major concerts at The Dreammaker's Theatre at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino in 2014, but one big Essar Centre show helped out a great deal! The year started in earnest with the return of Poison frontman Bret Michaels (with North Carolina hair metal veterans FireHouse in tow) for a well recieved Kewadin concert on January 18th, before The Essar Centre's full hard rock concert drought ended on June 20th with a huge show headlined by Seattle hard rock legends Heart! Alongside Jason Bonham, fans were treated to Heart classics and a special Led Zeppelin tribute set to a rousing fan response,a and here's hoping that spurs more heavier shows at the Sault Ontario arena! The sixth local concert from shock rock legend Alice Cooper followed just one week later at Kewadin Casino, while the return of Georgia hard rock favourites Jackyl (and hair metal veterans Winger) capped the heavier year at the casino on August 21st, and hopefully paving the way for more big shows in 2015!

Outside of the shows above, there was plenty of big concerts in the area to take in over the course of 2014! In Sault Ontario, we welcomed notable out of town bands like Anciients, Anvil, The Brains, Crued, Empyrean Plague, Endast, Fuck The Facts, Gob, K-Man & The 45s, The Merves, Michael White & The White, Random Killing, The Ripcordz, White Cowbell Oklahoma, and Who Made Who for local concerts, among many others, courtesy of promoters like J.D. Pearce, Tidal Records, Oh! Right Arm! Promotions, Heavy North Entertainment, and more! Also this year, Sault Ontario saw the short lived Heavy Thursday series at the former Roosevelt Hotel earlier this year, rare outdoor winter concerts at the Bon Soo Marquee, 10+ band shows via the fourth annual Sewer Swampstravaganza, Dank Fest, and Sault Band-O-Rama, the debut of The Emergency Festival in August, J.D. Pearce's 10th annual Halloween Party & 2nd annual X-Mess, The Rad Zone's 30th anniversary party with The Ripcordz, and charitable events like Rock For Dimes & the third annual Toystock, among many other major concerts in the past year!

Though activity for concerts and original bands was slower across the river in Sault Michigan this year, there was still their own fair share of entertaining live music! Out of town bands like Infathom, Nudge, Driven, and all four of Jeff Hudson's active hard rock bands (Peril, Scarkazm, Audio Circus, and Kiss'd) graced Eastern Upper Peninsula stages in the past 12 months, including many concerts at the regional Kewadin Casino branches! Arguably the peak of the hard rock concert year was the fourth annual LemmaFest outside of the Dondee Lanes on June 21st featuring numerous local artists, while bands like Division of Sanity, Tantrym Tyme, and Train Wreck made their presences felt at local summer festivals and beyond. Normal weekend concert runs at local bars saw bands like Banned, Power Slug, and 415E rock local stages throughout the year, while RamWagon and successors The Bottom Line, Full Throttle, and Highway 63 all made their successive marks thoughout 2014, among other Yooper hard rock bands this year!

Aside from local concerts, there were plenty of big news stories in 2014 that affected local bands, shows, and fans. In terms of concert venues, Sault Ontario said goodbye to The Roosevelt Hotel, Smack Daddy's, and Docks Riverfront Grill, but welcomed Cafe Natura and Studio 10 as new active venues for heavier bands. The local concert festival calendar took hits as well when Rotaryfest's Second Stage took a one year hiatus and Hempfest relocated 8 hours north to Moonbeam. The Soo did gain an internet rock radio station though when Village Media launched VM Rocks as part of their new umbrella of 5 VM Radio stations, giving fans added alternatives! Also this year: Earache Records reissued Woods of Ypres' first 3 CDs, The Suicide Kings changed their name to Beaumont Avenue (and opened for Randy Bachman in Spanish), Local2's Tuned web series debuted, Papa Fogals Chair headlined a stag & doe in May, and the Sebastian Bach-featured Swearnet movie (filmed in the Soo) was finally released, joining other big news stories in 2014!

In terms of new CD and album releases, there were no shortages in that department! On the metal side of things, The Bear Hunters helped cap off 2014 in style with their debut album "Eternal Hibernation" and it's preceding "Collapse The Sun" single, while AlgomA's Deadbeat Media-released "Reclaimed By The Forest", and Shit Liver's long awaited self-titled CD also kept the brutality going for fans & customers! Punk and metal fans alike took in the release of Jack Spades' debut EP "The First" in June, while The Northern Tragedy's EP "Home Ice" came out in March, and Tidal Records-affiliated digital EPs from Northwest and the brand new Habitat Shuffle were put out over the summer. Also this year: Blood Shed Productions put out new demos from Crucify The Whore, Rotopsy, and This Is Your Band On Drugs, Bad Back put out two minimally advertised demos, and Mike Haggith, Michigan's SweetKenny, and Telephone & Address put out solo albums of their own, all a good harbinger of new releases to come next year!

2014 also saw it's fair share of new and debuting local bands, with few making such a unique splash as The Apocalypse Afterparty, the masked rap metal duo whose unique mid-2014 gigs left many fans wanting more! Other bands that debuted included local funk rockers The Elements and the short lived punk band Fist Fighting Stephen Hawking (both among the last bands to play at The Rosie), young local post punk quartet Gnaeus, doom/punk trio The Revolution, Free Beer successors Habitat Shuffle (with new album in tow), classic hard rockers Mourning Wood, Robert Sartini's short lived newest metal projects Shadowthrone & Gorrifier, and Anthony Boudreau's new bands Infamous & Them, among others! Sault Michigan saw it's own debuting hard rock bands too, including hard rock cover bands Highway 63 & Exiled, the short lived Bottom Line & Full Throttle, and LemmaFest one-off bands Mr. Fister & Nightmare Grin. Hopefully these bands and more take further hold in 2015!

Like in any past year, numerous local bands saw lineup changes in 2014 for varying reasons, with none seeing more changes than The Revolution (originally the second Brutaly Fatal), who ran through three drummers & parted ways with bassist Rainey Vincent this year. Meanwhile, Haggith saw the departures of bassists Caleb Cachagee & James White, while their singer Curtis McKenzie joined (and left) Project 421, with existing guitarist Blair Burch now singing in his place. Also this year: ex-Gates of Winter drummer Jonathan Harvey replaced Mike Vincent in Chronic Demonic, The Danger Cats parted ways with singer Summer Snow-Leopard, Destroilet enlisted Brenton Ellis as their co-lead singer, The Strange Coyotes split with frontman Chase Wigmore, bassist Mike Mannarino left Skeyes of Seven, and Rick White replaced Scott McLurg on drums with The Thrill Junkies, while in Sault Michigan, 415E rounded out their lineup with Mitch Goetz & Tony Hubbard, Banned welcomed bassist Wayne Lawrence, and Theatre of Night split with drummer Greg Giles, among other band member switches this year!

Where new bands debut, others are bound to disband or fall inactive, with Frightlight's farewell concert at the annual Halloween Party being among the most notable and public farewells of 2014, though almost all of the band can still be seen in other active projects. Also in 2014: Caveman Morrison, Crimson Crusade, The Fury, Glitch, The Hydra's Teeth, Pillory, Punch, RedD Monkey, and Sailor's Tongue all fell inactive or announced their own breakups, while the already defunct Late & Loud announced that their second reunion show on August 1st at The Rockstar Bar was their "last show ever", and bands like The Billy Bastards & Garden of Bedlam, while not defunct, have not played a public concert at all this year. In Sault Michigan, popular hard rock trio Scofflaw ended their local run, while RamWagon, both versions of Full Throttle, and The Bottom Line saw their brief runs all come to an end, and the tumultuous run of Chained Memories came to a close this year as well. Hopefully everyone in these bands stays musically active!

As usual for our year-end posts, we'll close on a high note with comebacks, as the Sault area saw a number of comebacks from breakups and hiatuses this year! The longest such ended break came via local/Toronto hardcore punk quartet Detroit, who just headlined at The Algonquin Pub to end a 4+ year breakup, and hopefully it's not the absolute last we'll see of them! Also in 2014, we welcomed Haggith back after a 4 month breakup with almost immediate album plans, while their side project Mike Haggith & The Din, the soon to be renamed Strange Coyotes, the original Brutally Fatal, "derd rockers" The Issues, and pop punk project For July all resumed activity after their original disbandings. Late & Loud brought their classic metal back for two reunion shows this year, while Pixo Control predecessors The Fever Tops held their own one off reunion in April as well, giving their run proper closure. As well, Frightlight, Mike Haggith's solo project, Shit Liver, The Side FX, and The Thrill Junkies all made their returns to the local concert stage after 8+ month breaks, and hopefully we get more similar returns next year!

2014 was another big year for the local metal, hard rock, and punk scenes, and here's to a great 2015! We'll spotlight some of the events to come in a special preview post hopefully tomorrow, so look for that and much more usual business on the site shortly! Thanks everyone!