Theatre of Night Updates, The Highest Of Fives' New Video, And More!!

After a day off, we're back with some big news today, and while we're focusing mostly on Sault Michigan, there is a shorter note relating to a Sault Ontario band's upcoming t-shirt plans. Among others, we also have a new video to take note of, and first, some long overdue news and updates from a talented regional band, so here's what you need to know!

Remember how Sault Michigan classical metal band Theatre of Night have recently been overhauling their online pages, which coincided with a de-emphasis on older material and drummer Greg Giles' sudden departure? Well, there's more to outline now, so here's what's been going on in their camp! New Theatre of Night pages and websites don't include the past art styles used in their media, which were largely Greg's work, and he's now compiling and featuring them as part of his new artistic company Giles Arts. Surviving regional T.O.N. members Craig Harrison & Steve Giles remain hard at work with the band, remodeling their website again, where they're readily referencing their "Christmas Night" and "The Dawn's Early Light" albums again, even offering free downloads of the latter! A release of their full song "The Killing" featuring Italian singer Ida Elena DeRazza is still planned (likely for this weekend), while their website now includes links to Craig & Steve's own artistic work, plus this interesting "behind the music" feature where Steve remarks on "The Dawn's Early Light".

Aside from retroactive mentions there and in their biography, the new website doesn't mention Greg too much, but he's staying busy with Giles Arts, which encompasses his work in photography, music, and other areas. Though his music work with End of Existence and Theatre of Night is acknowledged therein, Giles Arts (who are now in our "Other Local Metal Links") will also cover a new side project that Greg has yet to announce, so we'll have to see what comes of that! A new Theatre of Night E.P. is still in the works (likely still featuring Gaby Koss on vocals), while assorted newer songs have been posted on their Reverbnation page in recent days, including (but not limited to) the fast and heavy "Hellride", a "Metal Mozart" concerto, and a live version of the dramatic "The 11th Hour" with Craig and Steve's fellow I.S.O.M. alumnus Bart Rennels on guest drums. In terms of YouTube, it looks like all of the postings on their YouTube channel have sadly been either privatized or deleted (for what it's worth, the channel now links to Giles Arts rather than the band itself), but they now have a new active channel, so what's been uploaded there so far?

A mixture of things we've previously seen on Facebook and new uploads, but mostly surrounding recent studio sessions over the past month, so click here to give them a look! Mostly, these are straight jam session videos, with filming done by Electric Motor Fish alum Fran Blackwood, while Sault Realism's Eric Demaray is credited for guest appearances. Interesting fish-eye view of the sessions on most of these new clips, with the guys working well on these newer instrumental tracks, and it will be very interesting to see where things go from here! See above for Theatre of Night's newest uploads, and here's a 12 minute studio session video!



Also today, here's the newest video upload from Sault Michigan hard rock collective The Highest of Fives! In a short break from their recent "Bang!" short film postings, they posted this music video of their previously-uploaded song "Take My Time" from the upcoming "Bang!" album onto their YouTube channel, so what's to expect here? Directed by drummer Devin Anderson with singer Travis Theel receiving co-production credit, The Highest of Fives' in-video lineup features Devin alongside singer/guitarist Mitch Goetz (recently of The Bottom Line) and bassist Marcel Grengs (albeit out of his Crusty Puck character.) Like their other recent videos, this is very well shot, with performance footage, shots of Mitch singing in some very nice looking nature scenery, and even some interesting shots of what appear to be Chinese drummers (apologies if I labelled them wrong.) A light modern rock song with a nice melody, it's good to see the band continuing work on their upcoming album and original tracks, so check the full music video out below!



Finally for this post, here's three assorted shorter news stories from the last little while! As usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:

• Sault Ontario death metal standouts The Bear Hunters are planning to release their first official band t-shirts as part of the early planning for their "Eternal Hibernation" CD release party, and with that, are looking for input as to what sizes to make for interested fans, specifically if they should make shirts smaller than medium or larger than extra large. Voice your opinion at this link!
• Sault Michigan metal band One Hour Till Dawn (formerly The Eleventh Hour) have changed their name once again, this time to When All Fell Silent. A reason for this newest name change hasn't been revealed, but it quietly happened yesterday morning. We haven't heard from the guys (aside from the name change) since February, but hopefully they have some more news coming soon!
• This is admittedly overdue, but I've promoted Sault Michigan concert venue The Savoy Bar & Nightclub to our active concert venue listings on the site, mainly due to their ongoing Summerfest series of concerts, featuring a number of regional hard rock bands (with that, I also updated their link to change it to their current active Facebook page.) Don't miss Plastic there this weekend!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's Saultites In Out Of Town Bands Profile in our next post! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The Pixo Control), A New Band Page, And Sault Michigan Videos!!

It seems like too long since we've had a news post on here that focuses mainly on the Sault Michigan area, but that's the case today, as we have new videos from two E.U.P. projects and the long awaited first online page from a regional hard rock band, but we do have a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for Sault Ontario as well! Without any further adieu, here's what you need to know!

Over two and a half years after their formation, Sault Michigan hard rock cover trio Power Slug finally have their own Facebook page, so we can finally add them to our active Sault Michigan metal/hard rock band links! I have no idea what took them this long, but it's great to finally have a formal online page for them! Succeeding the short lived River Witch in late 2011, Power Slug's lineup has continually featured singer/bassist Chris Leask and bassist Chris Gurnoe from the earlier band, with drummer/prolific local metal singer Bob Helsten (also of Nose Dive) rounding out their ranks. The band has carved out a solid reputation since their debut, playing numerous weekend gigs at regional bars, along with a few appearances outside of our area, and sets at some major concert events like LemmaFest. Currently, Power Slug has out of town gigs lined up at the Kewadin Casino in Manistique through September, but their new Facebook page has yet to plug any upcoming dates , so hopefully some more are forthcoming!

Power Slug's few online videos (some of which you can see here) show off a solid and gritty hard rock sound that fans of the members' prior bands should appreciate, and it's easy to see why they have a following! Be sure to check out Chris, Bob, and Chris at a local stage near you hopefully in the near future, so you too can chug your mug with Power Slug, and stay tuned for updates from their camp!

Next up, here's that LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, as local hard/alternative rock trio The Pixo Control will take the stage for a show on Monday, June 16th at Cafe Natura! If you're not familiar with it, this venue (located at 75 Elgin Street, just seconds from Sears at the Station Mall) is a whole foods restaurant & natural medicine shop that also doubles as a concert hall (mainly for acoustic, indie, and folk bands), and they have a unique and successful thing going, so give them a look above! This show will be headlined by Halifax folk/alternative musician Jon McKiel (who The Pixo Control covered at the Hard Times Bar & Grill on Sunday) and fellow Nova Scotia indie/experimental duo Construction & Destruction, both of whom have a talented and experienced sound that will fit well at Cafe Natura, so keep them in mind as well! Promoted by Jackson Reed at the local music/art collective Ears & Eyes, this concert (the first at Cafe Natura that we've ever formally covered) is ALL AGES, starts at 8:00 PM, and has a $10 cover charge.

For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! While this may seem like an odd genre fit on the surface for such a grungy band, The Pixo Control are huge Jon McKiel fans, have a good relationship with Ears & Eyes, and frontman Michael Mikus has played this venue before with Great Chamberlain, so things will work out! The Pixo Control should set the tone nicely on the 16th with their alternative & grunge originals, so keep this unique show in mind!

We'll close today with some new Sault Michigan videos, including the long awaited first part of local hard rock collective The Highest of Fives' short film "Bang!" Uploaded to member Devin Anderson's/the band's YouTube channel on Thursday, what can you expect to see in part 1? It starts with an introduction to guitarist Marcel Grengs' "Crusty Park" alter-ego and the revelation that he's been kicked out of his parents' home, followed by an introduction to The Highest of Fives' in-movie lineup (singer Mitch Goetz, guitarist Devin Anderson, bassist Jack Slater, and drummer Mike Pascoe) and whether they should practice or not, with their related storylines being expanded on in the last minutes of this video, presumably to merge in part 2. Note that member Travis Theel is not featured on camera in this section, but he is listed as a co-producer in the credits. Also, while there is some of the band's music featured, it's not a widespread focus after the opening titles.

This is an amusing first part of "Bang!", with some appropriate cliffhangers for the next installment, and I like the spirit and imagination employed (though some of the post-production effects seem a bit out of place.) Things have been a slow go in terms of finishing and completing their film and album, but check out part 1 of the film below, and stay tuned for more from The Highest of Fives!



Finally, Sault Michigan classical metal band Theatre of Night posted a sample of their new original song "The Killing" onto their YouTube channel on Thursday! As previously teased on their website, this song features guest vocals from Italian singer Ida Elena DeRazza, who is a member of singer Gaby Koss' classical vocal group Cantus Lunaris, though it's not clear yet whether Gaby sings on this song too. The video is naturally heavily filtered, though the end does confirm that the full song will come out on iTunes on August 1st, so we'll have to see if that holds up. We don't get a huge glimpse of the song, but it has a haunting and dark quality, so give it a look/listen below, and keep an eye out for more Theatre of Night updates!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for a new news post in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Strange Coyotes & Banned) And Highest Of Fives Updates!!

Before we get to our review of last night's Late & Loud reunion concert, we have a new news post to get to as we slowly clear out our news cache! For reference, I've postponed this month's YouTube Channel Profile to tomorrow to help keep the news rolling, so I would expect that and another news post then! Now, we have a bunch of updates & a new video from a rising Sault Michigan outfit and LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for next weekend and this summer, so here's what you need to know!

Local funk/metal trio The Strange Coyotes will apparently be heading north to play at Slopefest 2014, a freestyle skiing & snowboarding/music festival at the Searchmont Resort on Saturday, March 1st (one week from tomorrow!) An official confirmation of the full performer lineup has yet to be made beyond the Facebook event page confirming that local indie/punk quintet Northwest will be playing (along with "support"), but Strange Coyotes drummer Mike Haggith confirmed the band's participation on the event page on Thursday. The music stage will be outdoors at the base of the mountain, and while the outdoor winter setting is similar to The Marquee at Bon Soo, I assume there will be a lot more people for Slopefest, which has open registration for interested skiiers and snowboarders to compete for $300 in first prize cash in their events! For all non-musical details, check the above links, and while I assume this is all ages, I have not heard of a spectator entry fee (though the listed event timeframe is 10:00 AM-4:00 PM.)

I'm very curious to hear the full lineup, but Northwest have the veteran skill to provide a solid punk set, and The Strange Coyotes have been making steady fans since their fall launch, so keep your eyes peeled for Slopefest updates, as this could be a very exciting event for sports and music fans if all goes well!

Next up, and rounding out yesterday's new hard rock show announcements from Kewadin Casino's concert calendar, Kinross hard/classic rock trio Banned will return to The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Michigan branch for an additional weekend on Friday, August 22nd & Saturday, August 23rd! Coming over 4 months after their next Soo Kewadin dates, these add to Alex, Jim, and Don's surely busy slate of regional concerts in 2014, which should reassure fans who haven't heard of any pre-April dates on the horizon! Their diverse and often heavy covers & originals will be on display that weekend at 9:00 PM each night, you must be 21 to attend, and there's no announced cover charges. For more details, check the above links! It's nice to get lots of advance word for these upcoming Banned concerts, and hopefully they're a blast, so stay tuned for updates from their camp as they roll in!

Lastly for this post, here's a long awaited new video from Sault Michigan hard rockers The Highest of Fives! Posted to guitarist/drummer Devin Anderson's YouTube channel last week, it's a music video for their original "The U.P. Song" (as composed by members Travis Theel & Marcel Grengs), and Devin has asked me to include this press release on the SMS, so read on below for official direct word from the band on this new song & video:

Hello, friends. Travis Theel, Mitch Goetz, Marcel Grengs, and Devin Anderson are proud to present their newest original material from their debut album, BANG. This song is a tribute to our roots here in Northern Michigan.

Travis, Mitch, Marcel, and Devin are currently the main lineup of The Highest of Fives, but there are many more members. In the coming months, you'll see the group collaborating with various members including stars of the upcoming BANG film: Crusty Puck, Jack Slater, and Mike Pascoe. So think of The Highest of Fives not as a band but as more of a production collective.

In addition to "The U.P. Song," another single from BANG called "Take My Time" will be released to iTunes on Valentines Day.

Make sure to follow @HighestFives on Twitter and subscribe to our Youtube channel to stay in the loop. ENJOY.

Thanks to Devin for the above information! In terms of the video, it's self-described as "a farcical interpretation of our homeland", and it includes numerous amusing clips of the group members in such activities as frisbee golf, and while the audio sync isn't perfect, it has a likable quality and easy going nature! Assuming we'll be reviewing "Bang!" upon it's release, I won't comment too much on the song itself, but it has more of a rock base than some of Travis' earlier solo songs, though it remains to be seen how many of the clips in the video will be expanded on for the teased "Bang!" short film. It's also interesting to see that The Highest of Fives are identifying themselves more as a collective, but the fluidity of membership should be interesting for diversity, and hopefully we hear Mike and Jack on some new songs too (and remember that Crusty Puck is an alter ego of Marcel's.) As for the teased "Take My Time" iTunes release, the Valentine's Day plans don't appear to have went through, but you can stream the song above, and give "The U.P." song a look below! It's well done, hopefully they keep up the good work!



That's all for now, but stay tuned later today for our review of last night's Late & Loud reunion show! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The Bear Hunters), Upcoming Album Updates, And More!!

The first month of 2014 is now over, and we're kicking off February in style with a packed news post, so what's on tap for this morning? A new live concert video, upcoming album updates (including some audio recordings for one), and leading off, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT concerning a new weekly series' debut installment, so read on below to get caught up!

THIS THURSDAY'S first installment of local concert promoter J.D. Pearce's new Thursday metal/punk concert series Heavy Thursdays at The Rosie is now official with a complete 3 band lineup, so who's slated? Fittingly, local death metal quartet The Bear Hunters (the original Rosie metal nights' most frequent band) are the listed headliners in their first Roosevelt Hotel appearance of the new year, and they should brutalize their fans on familiar ground this coming Thursday! Newer local hard rock quartet Punch (featuring 2 members each of The Suicide Kings & Project 421) will also play on Thursday in their Rosie debut, first show of 2014, and just their third live concert set, and it's nice to see that they're still active and gigging after some recent quietness, so watch out for their high impact originals and covers! The third slot will go to a new local band named The Elements, and while they don't have a known online page yet, their lineup features Side FX singer Rob Speers and Redundant bassist James White alongside a yet-unidentified guitarist & drummer

Unless things have changed since Rob's post on the Musicians Wanted Facebook group last month, Elements appear to play a mix of funk rock and alternative music, which should be interesting to check out, so don't miss their debut on Thursday either! There's a $5 cover charge and 19+ age limit in effect, and the announced start time is 10:00 PM. Click here for more details! Sounds like a really solid way to kick off the new Heavy Thursdays series, so hopefully there's a big turnout for the debut, and stay tuned for updates! (As for The Side FX's current status, I'm waiting for a bit more info before we assume anything either way.)

Next up, local hard rock standouts The Suicide Kings have unveiled two new studio recordings via their Facebook page in the past week! Presumably recorded at The Smoke & Oak Room last year towards their forthcoming debut CD, the songs were posted as Facebook videos, and they include their first original "Into The Fray" and, as embedded below, "Jesus Concubines", which I think is a somewhat newer song. Given that I still expect to review their CD upon release, I'll hold on major comments at present, but fans shouldn't have anything to complain about for the sound or recording quality! Note as well that their Facebook page on Thursday suggested that they have "some important news & maybe a surprise or two" to unveil at some point, but it remains to be seen what's specifically intended from said teaser. Check out The Suicide Kings' new studio tracks above and below, and keep an eye out for more news from their camp!

Speaking of upcoming albums, Sault Michigan hard rock group The Highest of Fives recently reemerged from a few months off to resume public work on both their debut CD and their short film (both titled "Bang!", likely cover art featured) as per their Twitter page last week. Guitarist Devin Anderson shared some extra info with me the other day on Facebook that he wanted me to pass the word on, so here's what you should know! The CD has 10 tentative songs (including a self-titled song and the previously previewed "Sweet Apple Pie"), while they'll also be releasing some full length songs soon, including a song written by singer Mitch Goetz named "Take My Time" and one written by recent collaborator Travis Theel (who I believe is a member now) named "The U.P. Song". Plans for media postings, including the short film and new songs, are currently in the works, and we'll have them for you guys when they're public.

I admire The Highest of Fives' ambition, and I'm curious to see what they have in the works! A lot of their recent activity has been related to the short film and collaborations with Travis' solo material (his song "Look How Far We've Come" is also planned for "Bang!"), though the other samples I have heard are promising, so hopefully things work out well for the gang in 2014! Keep an eye out for updates at the above links!

Finally for today, local/London deathcore band Saints & Serpents (a.k.a. the successors to The Valentine's Day Massacre) are the subject of a new YouTube video posting from their live debut in December! Uploaded onto singer Steve Rhodes' girlfriend Taylor Phillips' YouTube channel on Tuesday, this is of the band playing their original song "Lovecraft Cthulhu" at The Richmond Tavern in London, and I'll note that this song is a holdover from the V.D.M. days, being unveiled shortly after the members moved south in the fall of 2012. This is of better video quality than their prior video from this show (especially in terms of lighting), and it's nice to see the guys on stage together again, which we'll get a reunited taste of in May when they open for Fuck The Facts at The Oddfellows Hall! Also, the video's information hypes their drummer search to replace Ian Timmermans (who left after this show), so if you are or know a drummer in the London area, message the guys above, and check out this new live video of Saints & Serpents!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post TOMORROW! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Banned), New Sault Michigan Videos, And More!!

While I rock out at TONIGHT'S Airbourne concert, here's a post for Yooper readers out there, as everything today relates to bands and shows across the river! This includes updates to one of our monthly feature series, new videos from both a local band and major recent concert, and first, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT and related updates from a prolific local band, so here's what you need to know!

Kinross classic/hard rock quintet Banned will be playing a solo concert set at this year's Chippewa County Fair on Friday, August 30th, the night after their Rock Till You Drop battle of the bands appearance at the fair! This isn't cited on the fair's website, but I believe they aren't alone for bands playing live sets this year. According to Banned's Facebook page, they'll be playing at the pavilion near the Lions Club's food trailer from 4:00-7:00 PM that day. An admission fee isn't announced beyond fair entry fees, which you can get details at via this link, while there's definitely no age limits. Check the above links for more details! Note as well that Banned (fresh off a Drummond Island show this past weekend) will also take another road trip to Gould City this coming Saturday, but barring an interim announcement, their next shows within an hour of the Sault will be their Chippewa County Fair sets. Nice to see Banned keeping busy, so don't miss their varied mix of heavier and more general covers and originals at the fair, but can they top RamWagon or Tantrym Tyme at the battle on the 29th?

Also to note: The picture above (posted on their Facebook page by attendee/band member relative Holly Traynor) shows guitarist Alex Traynor's former TraynWreck bandmate Sam Lalruatpuia playing keyboard with Banned at their Pickford concert on August 3rd, with singer Tara Starr noticeably absent. Banned haven't listed their official lineup on Facebook since Tara and Denny Smith joined, so I have no idea if she's out and/or if Sam has signed on, but I'll note that Sam's personal Facebook page still lists him as living in Pennsylvania. If I hear any confirmation either way, I'll let you guys know!

Next up, here's another new video from last week's Pop Evil/Team Jessica benefit concert at The Dreammaker's Theater at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino! This was uploaded by YouTube user KFNightFire23, who previously uploaded a clip of Pop Evil's Leigh Kakaty playing an acoustic version of "Hey Mister" at their 2010 show here, but this video is of the full band playing their hit single "Trenches"! The first Kewadin hard rock video in a while to be filmed on our left side of the theatre, KFNightFire23 got a great side-stage angle that catches Pop Evil well, but the audio sounds muffled and slightly scratchy during choruses. Still, this is a very solid video, so check it out below, and stay tuned in case more videos turn up!



Also in new videos, another teaser clip for local hard rock band The Highest of Fives' film/possible show pilot "Bang!" was posted onto the band's YouTube channel yesterday, so what's in it? It basically features band members daring Crusty Puck (who is one & the same as guitarist Marcel Grengs, I think) to jump off a cliff, with text teasers asking "What will happen?" It's just 27 seconds long, and we don't learn a whole lot about the end product, but give the video a look below and see what you can deduce!

Finally for today, here's some recent updates to some of our Defunct Local Band Profiles from Sault Michigan bands! First, I did update, remove, and note as many changes and deletions as possible that were caused by the recent MySpace layout/profile edits (namely for information and videos) through mid-2012, and expanded videos to fit the bigger post field we have now, but I'll just acknowledge visible changes below to avoid soudning like a broken record. In our Lower S.E.S. profile, I replaced the embedded MySpace video with this 1996 clip when they opened for L.A. Guns, and I also replaced Bludgeoned and Sadomasochism with Train Wreck and Dirtbag In A Dress when noting members Erik Rintamaki & Mikey Bishop's other band work, just to keep it current. I also added links to Melissa Krahnke & Jason Mapes current out-of-town solo projects on our Bad Side profile, and added former Bent Rollercoaster singer Jeff Parish (who was only minimally acknowledged in later band postings) to their lineup on their profile, while also noted drummer Paul Burns' current work in Plastic as well there.

We'll edit and update the last year's worth of Sault Michigan profiles (and begin on Sault Ontario) in this series in upcoming posts, and for now, stay tuned tomorrow for my review of TONIGHT'S Airbourne concert! Thanks everyone!

A New Local Band, Suicide Kings Concert Preview, And An Upcoming Local Album!!

I hope everyone out there had an awesome Christmas! We're back to the normal swing of things on this snowy Boxing Day, and that includes information on a new and in-progress CD from a local hard rock solo project, a preview of a holiday concert TONIGHT in Sault Ontario, and leading things off, news and information relating to our newest band addition on the SMS! Without any further adieu, here's what you need to know!

We have a new-ish band to add to our local metal band links, and they are Sault Michigan hard rock/metal quartet The Highest of Fives! We actually touched on them on the site last summer following their participation in last year's Sugar Island Music Festival, but I only just heard about their recent activity and online information this week. As it turns out, they are indeed heavier in sound, and their disappearance following their gigs last summer was part of what's described as a 6 month hiatus on their new official Twitter page. Fully returning to activity in March, the band (who are presumably named after a reference from "How I Met Your Mother") still features Hoist the Sails bassist Mitch Goetz on vocals alongside 415E's Jack Slater on bass & Devin Anderson on drums, while they added Mitch's Hoist the Sails bandmate Marcel Grengs on guitar earlier this year. Note that it looks like Devin switched to drums to replace ex-Free Refill bandmate Mike Pascoe in the band, and though his departure hasn't publically been addressed, I understand that he is attending college out of town currently.

With their return, The Highest of Fives are actually working on a debut EP entitled "Bang!", so what should you know about it? I can't say much yet, but on Saturday, they did post a video onto Devin's YouTube channel previewing it. Enclosed are a number of short clips (many from a cell phone camera) of the band members tracking instruments and/or having fun, along with some other random asides (including cameos from Marcel's alter ego), and it somehow shows us a lot without telling us much. The music we do hear has promise and some clear heaviness, but hopefully we won't have to wait too long to get some longer "Bang!" samples! Check the above links for more details, and huge thanks to Devin for alerting me to these and other updates concerning his local bands, including a correction I should mention. In his other active band 415E, Devin's actually the drummer, not "Sonny Menard", who I had credited in the role last month. Sonny is actually 415E singer Dave Menard's nickname, but both names are credited separately on their Facebook page, so that (plus only knowing of Devin as a guitarist & not a drummer) added to the confusion on my end.

My sincere apologies to the guys in 415E for the mix-up, and thanks again to Devin for the news! Of course, stay tuned to the SMS for updates on the quartet 415E as they come in, but for now, check out The Highest of Fives' new video below, and they're now in our active Sault Michigan band links!



Next up, here's a preview for a special Boxing Day concert going down TONIGHT at The Canadian Nightclub in Sault Ontario, where two recently prominent rock bands will return to the stage, including new local hard rock quartet The Suicide Kings and local rock veterans Stiffler's Mom! This is only the latest in The Suicide Kings' frequent concert schedule, but this will be Stiffler's Mom's first concert since Toystock last month, an event that The Suicide Kings also played at. Aside from the seasonal aspect of it all, there isn't a huge amount of differences with this show compared to either band's usual gigs, but I can confirm that the bands will alternate sets through the night, with The Suicide Kings playing first & Stiffler's Mom playing last overall (thanks to Suicide Kings guitarist Steven Flint for the info!) The pairing is fitting beyond the Toystock connection, with Stiffler's Mom drummer Greg Simpson being an ardent supporter of the new alternative hard rock band, and Stiffler's Mom are known to throw down some heavy metal covers here and there live, so you won't wanna miss this show!

Admission should be in the $5 range for this 19+ concert, and a 10:00 PM start time is listed. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! This should be an entertaining concert full of rock covers and originals from two very talented bands, so don't miss out on the Boxing Day action TONIGHT! For a preview, here's Stiffler's Mom embracing their metal side with an Ozzy Osbourne cover at Toystock!

Finally for today, here's the latest from Haggith drummer Mike Haggith's solo project! Following the release of his newest solo album "Neighbourhood Watch" last month, he's been working on new original material for future release, and that includes his planned 46th album "The Present Din"! Planned to be recorded and released through his solo label Galactic Records (though potentially with some work through the Haggith band's label PaperClip Productions), Mike has said that this album will be lighter than his last album, with many slower "piano-based jams" and occasional heaviness. A 2013 release is likely for "The Present Din" (cover on the left), but a timeframe is not out yet, and like Mike's last album, this is all subject to change. However, he did post two instrumental demos of planned songs for the album onto his solo Facebook page (where we got the rest of these updates) last week, including tracks named "Careless Space" and "Her Song", so click each link to hear them! As Facebook video uploads, I can't share them here, but there is some softer promise in the songs, so keep an eye out for more "Present Din" updates, and hopefully we'll see this album's release quicker than "Neighbourhood Watch"!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's Saultites In Out Of Town Bands Profile TOMORROW! Thanks everyone!

Local Metal Video Showcase!!

It's video time at The Sault Metal Scene! Today, we have a bunch of new videos to share in this local metal video showcase, including our first live videos of a new local band, our first taste of a new Lion Ride song, some solo work from a local guitarist, and this week's classic video! So sit back, relax, and enjoy these new videos!

The first video footage of new Kinross hard rock trio Banned is now online! Two videos from the band's set at last month's Music In The Park event in Rudyard are now online courtesy of YouTube user Ashley Traynor's YouTube channel, who uploaded them yesterday. We previously saw videos she uploaded of a Banned predecessor, featuring Banned members (and her father & brother) Don and Alex Traynor from a January talent show, but these new videos are officially of Banned! Two videos were uploaded, which feature Banned covering Bad Company's self-titled song, The Red Hot Chili Peppers' "Under The Bridge", and Quiet Riot's "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)", with each member handing lead vocals on a song! Alex handles Quiet Riot well especially, but it's nice to see all three members getting a crack at lead vocals! Solid performances for a debut, though I have to ask, where are they playing? Just in front of a random building with no stage? Hey, it works! Check out the Banned videos at the above links, take a look at their cover of "Bang Your Head (Metal Health)" below, and go see them in Pickford this weekend!



Next up, this video comes from the weekly series "The Unscene", about the culture & lifestyle of longboarding (a surfing/skateboarding hybrid sport), and it documents The Brittania Classic finals from Brittania Beach, British Columbia this past April. Directed by Marcus Fryia (who posted this onto Lion Ride's Facebook page last month) and featuring narration by longboarder Riley Harris, it was uploaded to YouTube by longboard manufacturer Sayshun's YouTube channel on June 30th. But wait, why are we talking about longboarding on a local metal site? Simple, because new Lion Ride songs make up the soundtrack! The video first features "Snail Trail" from their forthcoming full length album, which is a great song, but after that, we get our first ever look at the studio version of "Bang Bang, Bye Bye"! This song had only previously been heard from live recordings and concerts, but the guys at Sayshun must have gotten clearance to use the new song for the video! Awesome to finally hear it, even if it's overlayed with longboarder comments!

Sounds great, but of course, I'll hold complete judgement until we hear the full unedited version on the CD. Plus, the video has some cool insights and looks at longboarding, and Lion Ride suit the sport well for a soundtrack! Check the video out below, and for reference sake, "Snail Trail" starts 44 seconds in, while "Bang Bang, Bye Bye" starts at 3:29.



Thirdly today, here's some new solo videos I've came across of a Sault Michigan-area guitarist! These come from current Swayze Train guitarist Scott Savoie, who you may also recognize as a former guitarist in the defunct local death metal band Insipid Brutality. Scott's been running a YouTube channel since February, and it currently features three videos of him playing some solo guitar pieces. I can't prove the genre of Swayze Train yet, but there is some heavier stuff on his channel, including a shred solo & a tapping riff (both recorded in April) that show off his skills well! However, the newest and most substantial video posted is of Scott covering "Spoils" by Protest The Hero, and it's a solid rendition! It blends into the song well, and his guitar ability is clear and very nice, thought the video is a touch fuzzy. Good stuff though, hopefully Scott posts some more videos on his channel! Check out his Protest The Hero cover below!



And finally for today, here is this week's classic video! I contemplated using one from a Hollow band member, but I was having trouble converting files for those, so this week, we'll tie in the video with two members of Changing Waves, who'll be playing tomorrow night at The Roosevelt Hotel! Three years before launching their current band, the Hagerman brothers (Mike on guitar & Alex on drums) initially rocked the scene in the defunct hardcore quintet Paraside, who were visibly active from November 2007 through the spring of 2008. Also featuring singer Jake Vachon and guitarists Brock Kinnunen & Greg Sacco (Mike played bass), Paraside made their own waves during their brief local run, including opening slots for bands like Dead & Divine, The Holly Springs Disaster, and The Imports! Material of theirs is hard to come by online, mostly consisting of low quality live recordings on their MySpace page, but I did come across some video footage of Paraside in action! Three videos from Paraside jam sessions circa February 2008 were filmed by Krystal Crosato and uploaded onto the band's Facebook group on February 6th of that year. The video quality isn't spectacular, and it suffers from low lighting and distorted audio, but you can make the band out well enough, even if I can't name the songs!

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED!!! All credit for these videos (which I combined into one single video) goes to Krystal Crosato and Paraside! Besides, this video does not have a wide audience anymore, especially when there's no video tab on their Facebook group to make these easily accessible (it took trial and error to find these), so if you want to see the original videos, head to http://facebook.com/video/?oid=7086500431. That said, take a look at the only video footage I've found of Paraside below!



That's all for now, but stay tuned later tonight or early tomorrow for our weekend metal/hard rock concert previews! Thanks everyone!