LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Bone Yard 225) & Homeroom Hero Updates!!

For our first proper news post of the month, we're diving into LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS and related updates from a veteran local rock band, plus new info on a recently debuted punk band that they'll be sharing the stage with later this month, so here's what you should know!

Local southern/hard rock trio Bone Yard 225 have announced concerts through August 2027 on their newly redesigned website's concert calendar earlier this week! Our rule of thumb re: our own local concert listings is to only go as far in the timeline as where multiple bands have announced shows that far ahead, so we'll stop in May for now, and will address Bone Yard's June-August bookings once other shows from other artists are announced in that timeframe. "The Dirty Three" are next scheduled to headline the previously announced Toystock on November 29th, but the first of the brand new confirmations will be on Friday, December 11th at The Water Tower Pub. As usual for gigs there, this will be an "uncorked" show, not a full electric date (even though they do host plugged-in bands regularly), and it will be a one-nighter, as the Pub doesn't book the same band on back-to-back nights. This will be at 8:00 PM with a 19+ age limit and no cover.

All other new Bone Yard dates (so far) are at Beck's Bar, all being Saturday-Sunday doubleheaders on January 23rd & 24th, March 6th & 7th, April 17th & 18th, and May 22nd & 23rd! If they're playing single night bookings at all at Beck's in early 2027, they're to be announced, but all four weekends will see Greg, Alex, and Warren in their full electric splendour as the Saturday night headliners before playing "uncorked" Sunday matinees. Of note, the May shows will be on the Victoria Day ("May 2-4") long weekend. The three current public local dates for the summer will be confirmed when someone else confirms shows that far along, but keep all of these shows in mind for your local 225 fix! The Beck's shows are at 9:00 PM on Saturdays and 3:00 PM on Sundays, with 19+ age limits and no cover charges across the board. Visit the above links for more details, but while we're on the subject, let's look at their new website!

The front page goes into greater detail about their cover range live than I have ever seen, and of note, it really downplays the southern rock/country side, perhaps a definitive sign of their drift from country to rock (insert Q104/The Fox analogy here) by the late 2010s. Interestingly, their electronic press kit is now password locked, perhaps to ensure that only prospective bookers can see the numbers, but Bone Yard are definitely taking bookings for next year, so we are bound to see them at other nightclubs and events in 2027. In fact, to hype that search for 2027 bookings, they posted this hype video to their Facebook page featuring clips of them covering The Tragically Hip, Golden Earring, The 4 Non Blondes, and Pink Floyd at various venues here and afar, plus an instrumental section and one of their originals. Hard-coded captions run on the screen to point to what they offer as a live band.

I'm not sure that "What's Up" is an ideal example of an audience participation song (I may be biased from local band overplay of it), but it's an effective highlight reel to show off a range of what the 2022-present version of Bone Yard bring to the table, and hopefully we see the guys at lots more local and out-of-town dates in the new year! Give the new video a watch below, and stay tuned for more from Bone Yard 225!

Lastly for today, I wanted to mention the live debut of new local pop punk/emo quintet Homeroom Hero at The Art Hub At Spring this past Friday, so first off, who has replaced Larry Babic as their new lead singer? Former Quite Frankly frontwoman Haley Alopaeus, who was a semifinalist in The Soo's Got Talent in 2024 and guested with her old band at their Prince Township show last month. If you missed the Devil's Night concert with Ha!ls, you may have been able to see a video featuring four covers from their set, but alas, it was only uploaded and shared as a "Story", meaning that it was only viewable for a day, was forciblty letterboxed into vertical dimensions, and if you watched it, it vanished forever. I do not like "Stories", and I'd want new fans to be able to see the video in perpetuity, especially given that they're relatively original as current local bands go, but what can I do? The video featured clips of Homeroom Hero covering My Chemical Romance's "Helena", ...

...Green Day's "Holiday", Fall Out Boy's "Sugar, We're Goin' Down", and SR-71's "Right Now". I typically don't review "Stories" as they're not something that I can link to, but as this was our first proper video of Homeroom Hero, I did check it out when able, and they have a good sound that mid-2000s Oddfellows Hall concert-goers should appreciate! Maybe a little stiff yet, and you could tell that Haley was unsteady with these songs, but that will surely improve by the time of their next show (PetFest at Blaster Powerhouse on November 21st). Hopefully some permanent and linkable videos will surface soon, but see above for more on Homeroom Hero, and look for weekend concert previews next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Tym Morrison) & More Halloween Weekend Concert Previews!!

Here's the third and final Halloween weekend concert preview post on the SMS for 2026! Here, we're looking at three big Halloween party concerts in Sault Ontario tomorrow night, with a new video of one of the bands for good measure, but leading off, we have a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT attached to a preview of a Sunday matinee concert, so let's start there before winding back to the apex of spooky season!

Joining his previously announced matinee concert on SUNDAY at Beck's Bar, local classic/hard rock singer/guitarist Tym Morrison will also perform at Beck's one week later on November 8th! I forgot that Tym announced this Sunday's show well in advance on his batch Facebook event page for fall shows there, but the gig one week from Sunday is a new addition. Of course, this Sunday's matinee concert is first on tap, and hopefully there's a good sized crowd for both the euchre tournament and his unplugged rocking covers! I have no idea if Beck's will lean into any Halloween frills or branding a day late, but remember that Tym's strong religious faith may not jive with spooky goings on. Of note, Tym's show is the same day as the first elimination round for the venue's Vocals & Victory karaoke competition, with $2,500 awaiting the winner later this year. Good luck to the singers competing on Sunday night!

As usual for Beck's matinee concerts, Tym is up this Sunday and next at 3:00 PM, there is a 19+ age limit, and there are no announced cover charges. Visit the above links for more details, and here's Tym live!

Next up, we'll snap back to TOMORROW'S Halloween slate, and in the arguable main event, local classic/hard rock cover quintet Headrush will open for local/Toronto pop rock quartet The Killer Hooks at The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Centre for Fright Night At The Museum! Similarly to this summer's Cory Marks show, the hangar will be open for a big production concert, with The Killer Hooks (led by Gsis Murphy alum Tony Marcello) breaking out their video dance party-format concert for the occasion, so expect big video screens to accentuate their set, which does include the occasional hard rock cover. Headrush will fill the quota in their set, and it should be a fun night of live rock music with all of the spooky frills you could ask for! There will absolutely be a costume contest, with prizes for the best individual and group costumes. This show is sponsored by Northern Superior Brewing Co., hence the lack of a Tap Room show tomorrow.

Unlike most shows this weekend, this will be a ticketed event, and tickets cost $35 at this link, at the Bushplane Museum, or at Northern Superior. Unfortunately, this is a 19+ concert (but it will be licensed!), and doors open at 8:00 PM. Visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's a rare long-form video of The Killer Hooks playing hard rock covers, specifically of them tackling Queen classics at the former Canadian Nightclub in 2019! Had to wade through a lot of sub-30 second "Reels" to find this, but they sound good, and still do, so look for more tomorrow night!

Also on the Halloween slate, local classic/hard rock cover trio The Sidekicks will return to The Water Tower Pub to headline their Halloween party TOMORROW NIGHT! Playing their first Water Tower Pub show since the spring (and fresh off of a Beck's show last week), The Sidekicks will topline this special 1980s-themed Halloween party, and while I doubt the AI generated poster nailed Tracey, Steve, and Dan's costumes, break out your best from that decade to party along with The Sidekicks, who have a number of 1980s covers in their back pocket! The poster (whose logo doesn't seem to know how our Water Tower is shaped) claims that there will be "prizes", but doesn't outright confirm if there will be a costume contest and/or some other type of giveaway. This is a one-nighter as usual for The Water Tower Pub, who are hosting RPM tonight, while bassist Dan Beaupre is playing a short notice gig with Soundcheck TONIGHT at Beck's Bar.

Tomorrow's '80s party with The Sidekicks is at 8:00 PM with a 19+ age limit and no announced cover charge. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details on what should be a fun night of classic and hard rock covers from this year's closing band at Rotaryfest, and here they are live!

Finally, also taking place TOMORROW NIGHT is a double whammy of local tribute bands at Blaster Powerhouse, where Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band Mellowship Slinky and Pearl Jam tribute band Even Flow will join forces! Both bands have had productive years (Even Flow actually debuted on Halloween weekend last year), and if you like 1990s-leaning rock, you should find something to like between the two bands, including lots of grunge classics from Even Flow, plus some heavier early RHCP tracks from "the Soo's slinkiest" Chili Peppers tribute band (is there a less slinky active one?). Of note, if you were hoping to see Mellowship Slinky frontman Brad Irwin this weekend, be at the former Soo Blaster tomorrow, as his active original band The Reeves dropped out of tonight's Art Hub At Spring concert. Aside from the tribute action, this is plugged as "one spooky Saturday night".

If there are frills beyond Halloween decor, no one has publically said anything, but there is no firm public mention of a costume contest tomorrow at Blaster. Even Flow will kick off the night at 9:00 PM, this is all ages and licensed, and tickets run for $20 at this link, through band members, or at the Queen Street East venue, with the door charge jumping to $25. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and for a preview, here's a new jam session video of Even Flow covering Pearl Jam's "Daughter"! This was shared from frontman Rob Speers' personal Facebook page to the band's Facebook page to promote tomorrow's show, and while it sounds good with Rob sounding like Eddie Vedder in the ways you hope, the tight camera angle completely blocks out bassist Mike Bird and drummer Derek Turner from view (apologies, PFC fans!). Also, this video is needlessly letterboxed into vertical "Reel" dimensions despite being in landscape.

Yes, they fill one of the black boxes with text captions about tomorrow's concert (at least it's not hard-coded on the video proper), but I'd far prefer if this was uploaded in full horizontal resolution so it's not so unnecessarily tiny no matter how you watch it. Regardless, it's a good preview, so give it a watch below!

That's all for our marathon Halloween concert preview slate, so go occupy a venue of some kind this weekend tonight or tomorrow night, and we'll be back next month! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The Nameless), And Halloween Concert Previews, Part 2!!

For Halloween weekend concert preview post #2, we're heading largely to the Eastern Upper Peninsula via two concerts tomorrow (one a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT), but to fill things out and commemorate this rare Saturday timing for October 31st, I'll take some time in the back half to note what non-hard rock/punk acts are playing publically verified concerts tonight or tomorrow. Now, here's what you should know in the EUP (and remember, bridge fares are slashed to $1.50 USD or $2 CAD tomorrow from midnight to midnight to celebrate the International Bridge's 50th anniversary, so if that's an incentive to head across to enjoy concerts for cheaper on either side of the border, keep tomorrow's discount in mind!)

Local hard rock cover quartet The Nameless will return to The Merchants Bar to headline their Halloween party TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced on their Facebook page this past Saturday, and as usual, The Merch doesn't acknowledge bands playing there by name on social media. This actually won't be The Nameless' first Halloween concert of the month, as they hit the road to play at The Paradise Inn's annual Halloween bash two weeks ago. Paradise is just outside of our coverage range (an hour's drive from the Soo), but hopefully The Nameless had a good show out west! If you're wondering, The Paradise Inn has their Halloween party early because they close for the season in late October. TOMORROW'S Merch show (their first in the Soo since August at Kewadin Casino) promises "fun", "music", "prizes", "Lume (Cannabis Co.) swag", and "gift cards", presumably as prizes.

As you'd hope for Halloween night, there will be a costume contest TOMORROW, where the top three costumes will net their wearers $300, $200, and $100 (Not bad!). The Nameless have also revealed that TOMORROW'S concert will be their final one with drummer Jamie Costner, who is "shipping off downstate" next month. As old Dirty Musky fans know, she is a talented drummer, and best of luck to Jamie in her move and in whatever comes next! Everything goes down TOMORROW at 9:00 PM with a 21+ age limit and no cover charge. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and for a preview, here's The Nameless live earlier this year!

Next up, let's take the half hour drive southwest to Rudyard, where local blues/hard rock cover quintet Project 906 will headline the Halloween party at Huck's Pub & Grill TOMORROW NIGHT! Last seen in Eckerman last week and in Rudyard during Summerfest weekend in July, tomorrow's concert will be far from 906's first rodeo as Halloween headliners, and they should have some fun costumes to go along with their hard rocking cover slate! In terms of seasonal frills, Huck's hasn't given much away, but there will be a costume contest, with prizes going to those with the best overall, funniest, and best couples costumes. Billy, Joe, Dustin, Jason, and Brian hit the stage at the former Joe's Bar tomorrow at 8:00 PM, expect a 21+ age limit, and there's no announced cover charge. Visit the above links for more on all of the action at at Huck's tomorrow night, and for a preview, here's Project 906 on Halloween at The Islander Bar in Hessel a few years ago!

To cap off this post (the other heavier previews are coming), as a public service, I wanted to run through all of the other known musicians playing shows tonight and tomorrow in the region that aren't hard rock or punk acts. Halloween on a Saturday only comes once every 6-11 years, after all! In Sault Ontario tonight, RPM plays at The Water Tower Pub, The Preacher & His Jackleg Band will be at Outspoken Brewing, and Frankly Speaking will rock The Whiskey Barrel. For bands doubling up tomorrow & Saturday night, Jay's Piston Broke Pub will host Bourbon Blue and Reggie's Place will welcome Smokehouse. Tomorrow only, Beck's Bar will welcome The Stumpy Coldwater Trio (matinee) and Elly McWatters & The Drifters (night), the relocated Full Throttle Saloon hosts Flathead Ford, Matthew James will be at the aforementioned Whiskey Barrel, and for Saturday matinees, Leslie Cook is at the Royal Canadian Legion and Forty Creek (not Fort Creek) are at The Moose Lodge.

Over in Sault Michigan and the EUP, NuCorp will be the final band to ever play at The Rapids Lounge at the Soo's Kewadin Casino tonight & tomorrow night before their heavy renovations begin, while Tom Katalin & Highway 41 will be playing at The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin those same nights. Tomorrow, Viscera frontman "Blind" Bob Quinn & Louie Radecki will be playing at Moloney's Alley, Shipheads On Shore will be at The Islander Bar in Hessel, and Frank Gillotte will be performing at The Lakeside Lounge at Bay Mills Resort & Casino in Brimley. Note that this just counts bands within an hour of the Soo, but if you're up for a drive, Tarnished will be playing at The Pine Bar in Engadine on Saturday. Remember, levels of Halloween celebration and frills (from decor to drink specials to costume contests) will vary from venue to venue, so check in with each establishment and/or band before you commit to anything.

If you're free and able, go occupy a venue this weekend! The calendar blessed us with an ideal weekend for Halloween concerts, and there won't even be an October 31st on a Friday until 2031, so take advantage where you can. We'll wrap up our Halloween previews with three shows tomorrow night and one short notice Sunday matinee, so stay tuned then! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Soundcheck & Dos Amigos) And Devil's Night Concert Previews!!

Halloween weekend is upon us and for the first time since 2020 (when the pandemic threw a monkey wrench into the holiday for many), October 31st is on a Saturday! There's no shortage of live music to take in at local concert venues this weekend, and things will need at least three posts to get to everything! We'll start here with Devil's Night shows tomorrow, including two SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS and one previously announced Friday nighter, so here's what you should know for the end of spooky season!

Local acoustic punk cover duo Dos Amigos will cap off their run of fall festival gigs at Thomson Farms Cider & Winery TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, we only learned about this booking via (you guessed it) a Facebook "Story" shared by the band members' personal accounts, as the band's social media hasn't publically acknowledged TOMORROW'S booking, let alone the mill, whose AI generated poster for this weekend's festivities doesn't even mention live music. For the closing day, Thomson Farms will have the haunted corn maze open for one more night, and the usual family entertainment, vendors, and refreshments seen throughout October should also be on hand. Dos Amigos will be playing from the 5:00 PM opening TOMORROW until 8:00 PM, this is definitely all ages, and there are no cover charges. Proceeds TOMORROW will be helping the U12 AA Soo Jr. Greyhounds hockey team.

The haunted maze proper costs $15, and while Halloween decorations are certainly implied, the farm hasn't 100% confirmed anything about costumes (they don't appear to be open on Saturday, so I assume they'd be okay with costumes TOMORROW). 9&10 News is calling for mostly cloudy skies with temperatures of 7-8°. I do wish that Dos Amigos were plugging events in permanent posts through the band's own accounts, but hopefully their unplugged punk covers provide a fun soundtrack to the evening! Visit the above links for more on TOMORROW'S festivities at Thomson Farms, and for a preview, here's Dos Amigos live!

Next up, local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will return to Beck's Bar for one night only TOMORROW NIGHT! Again, apologies for the short notice, we only learned about this Devil's Night gig when Beck's announced their weekly entertainment schedule on their Facebook page on Tuesday. Now, these shows were originally announced as being for fellow classic/hard rock cover quartet Silent 9 on that band's website's calendar, but it has was quietly updated in recent weeks to remove both tomorrow's gig as well as one at Beck's on Saturday, November 14th (all that is listed there now are private events). A reason for Silent 9 dropping out of both dates has not been publically announced, but hopefully all is well in their camp! Soundcheck have taken on TOMORROW'S gig, and in a mild surprise given their increasingly rare social media updates, they have plugged them on their Facebook page!

As such, they have finally acknowledged the "Soundcheck 7.3" branding from their recent AI generated artwork on Facebook, but have yet to confirm online if they have indeed changed their name or if it's just a logo element (let alone what "7.3" means. Richter scale?). Also, TOMORROW'S show is not advertised as an "epic crossover" gig with their sister band Separate Wayz, who have not updated their Facebook page in over a month. In terms of Halloween accoutrements, while Beck's is hosting Elly McWatters & The Drifters on Saturday night, TOMORROW will also be a Halloween party, with costumes encouraged, and there will be a contest, with prizes in store for those with the scariest and funniest costumes, as well as the best character impersonation. Soundcheck will kinda sorta have an opener TOMORROW, namely local magician Ryan McFarling at 7:00 PM.

I say "kinda sorta" as Ryan's show will be ticketed, whereas Soundcheck have no cover charge for their 9:00 PM-starting concert, which is 19+ as usual. There's a lot more than this going down at Beck's, so be sure to check their Facebook page for the complete weekend itinerary (Sunday matinee included), but hopefully Soundcheck (7.3?) hold up their end of the bargain with their hard rocking old school covers at the Goulais Avenue nightclub TOMORROW! See above for more details, and here's Soundcheck live!

Finally for weekend concert preview post #1, we'll head to The Art Hub At Spring (technically at 504 Queen Street East) for a FREE multi-band Devil's Night concert TOMORROW NIGHT, but there has been a late headliner switch. Originally, local alternative/hard rock quartet The Reeves were supposed to headline, but they dropped out "due to unforeseen circumstances" on Monday, as per the official Facebook event page, though they promised that "we will still be in attendance". If they'll still be there, is someone sick or hurt? No idea, but hopefully everyone's alright! Replacing The Reeves tomorrow are local crossover thrash trio Hails, who are no strangers to The Art Hub following frontman Brenton Ellis' recent art exhibit residency there, and with the cancellation of the private Devil's Night At Dirtbag's tomorrow, their schedule was open! Ha!ls will be joined by debuting pop punk/emo quintet Homeroom Hero.

This promising band has yet to reveal the identity of their new female singer, but you can be the first to find out tomorrow (possible Halloween costume acknowledged), and click here to sample them covering The Offspring! Opening is former Stereo North frontman Andrew Pucci, so if you've missed him and were curious what his solo material sounds like following the cancellation of his open mic set at Rotaryfest Stage 2 following the air quality index concerns, keep this in mind! A dance party is planned after the bands, there will be complimentary food and drinks, and costumes are welcomed (no word on a contest). While this will be a free and all ages concert at 8:00 PM, organizers recommend RSVPing first, and while the event page suggests contacting performers/organizers to "get on the list", I did see a reference on Facebook where just saying that you're going on the Facebook event page would be enough. I'm assuming all of this is due to The Art Hub's smaller size.

Compared to some of the other multi-band events for Halloween downtown, this one's punk slant, price point, and Friday scheduling will definitely appeal to some, and while it is unfortunate that The Reeves aren't playing despite their promotional involvement, hopefully there's a strong turnout at The Art Hub tomorow night! See above for more details, and here's Hails live!

That's all for now, but our weekend concert previews continue tomorrow with shows actually on Halloween night! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Project 906, The Sidekicks, And TNT) & Weekend Concert Previews!!

Not the busiest weekend going for SMS-amenable concerts, possibly because Halloween weekend is more of a focus, but there's still enough shows this weekend to warrant two weekend concert preview posts. As such, we'll look at Saturday night's Customer Service and Who Made Who shows tomorrow, as well as Tym Morrison's Sunday matinee. Tonight's post focuses on a big multi-band show in the EUP and SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, so let's lead off on the Canadian side of the border!

Local acoustic classic/hard rock cover duo TNT (Soundcheck's Terry Eaton and Travis Sharpe) will return to Beck's Bar for a matinee concert on SATURDAY! Apologies for the short notice, Beck's only announced the show in their weekly entertainment schedule post on Wednesday (two days late due to ownership's work on the Misty's Fifties renovations). Regardless, TNT still don't have a known public social media account to promote their gigs with. Trav n' Terry last rocked Beck's two weeks ago for the Thanksgiving long weekend (you may have seen "Stories" on Facebook from that gig). If you like Soundcheck and don't hate unplugged covers, then you will enjoy what TNT bring to the table! No word on if cajon player Rusty Barrel will join them on SATURDAY, but he is (at least) a frequent guest, and he was supplying percussion two weeks ago, as seen in the aforementioned "Stories".

SATURDAY'S matinee concert is at 3:00 PM running until 7:00 PM, it is a 19+ event, and there is no announced cover charge. No public/permanent and embeddable videos of Terry n' Trav(is) yet, but visit the above links for more on this show, and we'll let you know if more comes out on TNT!

Next up, who is playing at Beck's Bar on SATURDAY NIGHT? Local classic/hard rock cover trio The Sidekicks, and they'll also be rocking The Water Tower Pub for their Halloween party on Saturday, October 31st! Again, apologies for the short notice on THIS SATURDAY's concert, it was announced by Beck's when they announced the TNT matinee. Speaking of which, Travis & Terry welcomed Sidekicks bassist Dan Beaupre into Soundcheck not too long ago, so could there be any crossovers between the two bands at any point on SATURDAY? Fans last saw Dan, Tracey, and Steve together as the closing band at Rotaryfest Stage 1 in July (they are not seen on the weekend nightclub circuit as regularly as many other bands), with SATURDAY'S concert being their first at a standard indoor venue since May. As for next weekend, The Water Tower Pub's Halloween party will be 1980s themed, which will be right up the alley of many concergoers.

The Sidekicks do play their fair share of 1980s covers, and while the AI-generated rendering of the band likely won't represent their 100% attire, costumes referencing the decade are encouraged! There is also a teased costume contest (or "prizes", at least). THIS SATURDAY's Beck's show is at 9:00 PM (TNT aren't "opening" for them, there's a two hour gap between bands), the Water Tower Pub Halloween bash is at 8:00 PM, and both events are 19+ with no cover. Get more details on both events at the above links, and for a preview of THIS SATURDAY's concert, here's The Sidekicks live!

Let's head to Michigan for the back half of the post, and we'll next take the hour's drive west to Eckerman, where local hard/blues rock quintet Project 906 will return to the stage at The Strongs Tavern on SATURDAY NIGHT! Apologies again for the short notice, both the band and venue only announced this show via different AI-generated posters on their respective Facebook pages on Tuesday. After a quieter-than-usual #summerof906, the guys will be playing their first publically advertised gig since the Barge Bash in Cedarville in early August, and their first concert at The Strongs Tavern in four months. Good to see Billy, Joe, Dustin, Jason, and Brian back at it, and this could be a good warm-up gig for their Halloween party in Rudyard next week! The Strongs Tavern doesn't book the same band on back to back nights, though note that Friday's 5:00 PM concert from Will Springsteen wouldn't conflict.

SATURDAY'S concert will take place at 8:00 PM with a 21+ age limit and no announced cover charge. Project 906's entertaining mix of hard rock covers should go over well at one of their favourite venues, so don't miss out on the action in Eckerman on SATURDAY, and here they are live!

Finally for weekend concert preview post #1, we'll head back east to Sault Ste. Marie, where the latest multi-band concert in the basement of Pizza Hut goes down TOMORROW NIGHT! Promoted once again by Serious Business, this show will unite three touring acts from points south and west, including headlining Detroit experimental/progressive duo MRKT, who will keep with the promoters' eclectic multi-genre tastes for sure. The other two out-of-town bands are no strangers to the EUP, including Marquette art punk duo Bimbo (who headlined a prior Pizza Hut show in May) and Muskegon punk trio Violet Scum, who you may recall from a Pickles Bar & Grill show in Brimley last year before Serious Business shows largely moved to the Soo proper. Your local openers are punk duo About:Blank, just two days after frontman Parker Talentino competed at the LSSU Battle of the Bands (fallout coming soon).

Parker & Kade were openers at both of Bimbo and Violet Fuse's past local dates, so they're ideal to call on for this show! Tomorrow's festivities at 2255 Ashmun Street will have a $15 door charge, a 7:00 PM start time, and an 18+ age limit. Hopefully there's a sizable turnout of punk fans at the Hut for this concert, and kudos to Brighton and crew for bringing these touring multi-band shows to the area! Visit the above links for more details, and here's Bimbo live (gotta love the lo-fi VHS 4:3 aesthetic!)

That's all for now, but stay tuned for the rest of this weekend's hard rock concert previews next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Dos Amigos), Recent Facebook "Story" Videos, And More!!

Before we begin this post, I wanted to offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of veteran local musician and Soo's Got Talent co-producer Darren Robertson, who passed away at the Algoma Residential Community Hospice on Wednesday, just three days after his 56th birthday. Darren had been fighting esophageal cancer since May of last year, and you can read more about his fight via this GoFundMe campaign on his behalf. He is survived by his parents, wife Judy, his kids Aiyah, Jaeden, and Julian, his brother Ryan, and other extended family. A recognizable face in the local music scene for decades (even if his band work largely predates social media), Darren primarily crossed our radar for his work as a producer, judge, and MC of The Soo's Got Talent, who have done a lot to promote rising local singers and other performers since 2019, while supporting deserving charities along the way, and he was promoting this fall's event online earlier this month.

Darren was also the creator of the free news/entertainment publication Soo Now, and you may recognize him from his one-time day job at Eazy Express. Cremation has taken place, and a celebration of life will be held at a later date, but arrangements were entrusted to the Damignani Burial, Cremation, and Transfer Service. A kind supporter of local music and wonderful causes, and a talented musician in his own right, Darren has been rightfully eulogized by so many people this week, and with The Soo's Got Talent returning with a non-competitive winter gala next month, there will be more chances to remember him and his work to come. R.I.P. Darren!

Today's post otherwise looks at recent video shares that many may not have even had the chance to see, some assorted recent updates, and leading off, a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, as local acoustic punk duo Dos Amigos will play their second show in three days TOMORROW when they return to Thomson Farms Cider & Winery! Apologies for the short notice, Thomson Farms only confirmed that Mikey & Dustin would be playing via this AI-generated poster yesterday. While music has been a frequently advertised component of their fall fair this month, Dos Amigos are the only act credited by name in any of the AI-generated posters, having played at the Third Line West cider mill two weeks ago. Fresh off of last night's intimate Village Media gig, hopefully their unplugged punk covers get another strong reception TOMORROW! As usual, lots of family entertainment and activities are also going on.

TOMORROW's fall fair activities run from 11:00 AM-5:00 PM with Dos Amigos playing from 12:00-3:00 PM, and it is definitely free and all ages, on-site purchases notwithstanding. Assuming the concert will be outdoors (the patio will be open), temperatures will noticeably warm up from what we have seen recently, as 9&10 News is calling for mostly cloudy skies with a high of 15°, and no chance of rain. Thomson Farms says that it will be "at the Wine Barn" (at, not in). Visit the above links for more details, and here's Dos Amigos live!

Also today, a lot of Facebook "Stories" have popped up in recent weeks from concerts at Beck's Bar featuring videos from concerts there. My dislike of "Stories" is well known by now, as even beyond the brief and vertical trappings, they are basically temporary videos that self-destruct and vanish forever after being seen once or twice on your news feed. I'm sure I missed others from Beck's that didn't turn up on Facebook for me, but I can confirm that recent "Stories" of theirs included Curtis McKenzie covering Velvet Revolver's "Fall To Pieces", Stones At The Alter covering Lit's "My Own Worst Enemy", and online page-less Soundcheck sister band TNT covering both Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' "Mary Jane's Last Dance" and Fastball's "The Way". Terry Eaton and Travis Sharpe sang each cover respectively, while Rusty Barrel joined them on cajon as a guest percussionist again.

My job isn't to call out Beck's over posting "Stories" (they have their reasons), but if it was me, I wouldn't give a fleeting teaser of a show in progress that people can't re-watch and share, let alone this frequently. If you're one to skip the "Stories" strip, you might want to give it a look, as occasional videos that aren't permanently uploaded elsewhere do turn up there, even if I wish they were!

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

 

• Local crossover thrash trio Hails will play Sudbury for the first time with their current lineup on November 21st when they head to The Townehouse Tavern to open for Hamilton punk band Losing Streak. Sudbury is, of course, a 3+ hour drive east, but we do have readers who live/work out there, so keep this show in mind if you'll be in the area next month, and best of luck to Brent, Tony, and Keeghan on their upcoming road trip!
• Among recent shares of photos from their ongoing recording sessions at The Loft on their Facebook page, local hard/blues rock quartet The Reeves confirmed on Wednesday that they are indeed working on an EP, something that was previously only stated in public writing in the Rotaryfest program. As of Tuesday, frontman Brad Irwin was tracking guitar parts, and hopefully things are progressing as well as they seem from the outside!
• In one more note from a Facebook "Story", Riverside Stasis frontwoman Tea Emlaw's solo Facebook page revealed last week that the band is recording new singles in studio. The verbiage used was "singles", not an album/EP, though that doesn't necessarily mean that we aren't getting one either. Why you'd want to reveal this in a post that vanishes upon viewing, I don't know, but keep things in mind from this talented group! She also starred in this short black & white video on the band's Facebook page to plug last week's set opening for The Lazys (though oddly not their headlining show at Beck's later that night.)

 

That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the SMS next week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The T.R.I.P.) & More Weekend Concert Previews!!

Before we finish off this weekend's hard rock concert previews, just a heads up that a celebration of life for former Rising Tide/Wild Turkeys bassist Marshall Jaaskelainen will be held tomorrow night at The Tap Room at Northern Superior Brewing Co. at 6:00 PM. The brewery announced this on their Facebook page yesterday, and members of Marshall's family had announced it on personal social media accounts prior. The event will have an open mic aspect where friends, family, and bandmates can talk about Marshall and/or play music in his honour, though as far as I can tell, there are no formally scheduled bands. Of course, kudos to Northern Superior for hosting this, and given Marshall's talents and nature, I'm sure it will be packed tomorrow night to pay tribute to him. As of this writing, an obituary or details of further services have not been publically released, and we will let you know if/when they are. R.I.P. Marshall!

Today's post otherwise caps off this weekend's known and advertised hard rock concert previews in the area, and we'll start with a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, as sporadically seen acoustic classic/hard rock cover band The T.R.I.P. will reportedly be performing at The Water Tower Pub TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced via personal Facebook postings this week, though note that The Water Tower Pub's October schedule (since yanked off of their Facebook page) originally had TOMORROW as being a Beej Syrette solo concert. As you may recall, The T.R.I.P. (no word on what the acronym means) started as a side project for cousins & then-Double Down bandmates Joel & Beej Syrette, though after that band abruptly disbanded in March, The T.R.I.P. returned for a Beck's Bar gig last month, now with bassist Dan Beaupre joining them.

Now, this show conflicts with Soundcheck's short notice gig TOMORROW NIGHT at Jay's Piston Broke Pub (Dan joined them in August). He is listed by name in personal postings referencing TOMORROW'S T.R.I.P. concert, but where will he be? I'll clarify if something comes out! Regardless, if you've missed Double Down over the past seven months, keep this gig in mind, even if it's unplugged and sans Ric! Remember, The Water Tower Pub doesn't host the same band on back to back nights, and classic rock veterans 46th Parallel are playing there tonight. TOMORROW's show is at 8:00 PM with a 19+ age limit and no cover. See above for more details, and no T.R.I.P. videos yet!

Also this weekend are local classic/hard rock cover quartet Generations' newest concerts, which will see them rock Reggie's Place TOMORROW NIGHT! They were originally advertised to be playing tonight too, but the band confirmed that they are not playing tonight due to "certain circumstances", as per their Facebook group. As such, their defunct predecessors Jus' Chillin will perform instead with guest guitarist Michael Yurich. Usually, a Jus' Chillin reunion is prompted by Valerie being unavailable, but if Mike is sitting in, maybe Joe is absent (too)? The post said nothing about tomorrow night, so hopefully the status quo returns then. Here's hoping that there's a good turnout downtown regardless! Tomorrow's show is at 9:30 PM with a 19+ age limit and no cover charges. See above for more details, and for a preview, guitarist Joe Miller has shared two new videos of them live onto their Facebook group! Both see them covering Pat Benatar songs at their most recent Water Tower Pub show, one being "Heartbreaker", which was originally filmed by attendee Kyle McGinnis.

Sadly, that one is vertical and only 93 seconds long, but it's a strong performance that lets Valerie let loose on vocals! Embedded below is the slightly longer (and horizontal!) video of Generations covering "Hit Me With Your Best Shot", which Joe shared from his own personal Facebook page. Not as challenging of a song for Valerie's range, but a classic rock staple that they know well, and despite the venue's extremely blue lighting, this video is well shot and framed. Give these a look above and below, and don't miss Generations at Reggie's Place tomorrow!

We'll close this weekend's hard rock concert previews in Sault Michigan, where local punk/alternative duo About:Blank will play a rare headlining concert TOMORROW NIGHT at The Merchant's Bar! The second of at least three gigs (private and public alike) for Parker and Kade this month, this will be their first public show in the Soo since their acoustic matinee outside of Moloney's Alley in June. Coming less than a week before they open for Bimbo at Pizza Hut (no word yet on if they're in the LSSU Battle of the Bands on Thursday), hopefully the guys tear things up at The Merch, where fittingly, they will have new merch for sale! Tomorrow's concert is a short one, running from 10:00 PM until midnight, so no openers and no stuffing four sets with covers.This is a 21+ concert with no announced cover charge. Visit the above links for more details, and here's About:Blank live!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the SMS this weekend! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (TNT) & More Thanksgiving Long Weekend Concert Previews!!

As promised, here's the rest of this weekend's hard rock concert previews, including a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, so here's what else you should know in the area from tonight onward!

Local acoustic classic/hard rock cover duo TNT will return to the stage on SUNDAY NIGHT at Beck's Bar! Apologies for the short notice, Beck's only announced the matinee show in their weekly concert calendar announcement on their Facebook page on Monday, and TNT still don't have a dedicated social media page to promote their own shows with (granted, their sister band Soundcheck rarely updates theirs much anymore either). This is Travis & Terry's first announced acoustic concert since their set at Maddy's Mighty Mutts' Family Fun Day in August, though I did want to acknowledge here that the guys did play a run of eight Saturday matinee concerts at Misty's Fifties from May-July, which I belatedly discovered on the Second Line West nightclub's Facebook page via a bunch of mostly AI generated promotional images. This notably made them the last hard rock-leaning act to play there before Becky Sawyer of Beck's Bar bought Misty's.

I do profusely apologize for missing those shows for coverage here, but alas, they were mostly on late notice on the venue's end, and TNT don't have their own page to plug upcoming shows with. Hopefully they were all a hit, and could Terry n' Trav(is) play there more once Misty's reopens? At least we know about SUNDAY'S Beck's show, which takes place at 3:00 PM during their weekly euchre tournament, and it is 19+ with no cover once again. Visit the above links for more details, hopefully some public videos turn up soon, and stay tuned for more from TNT and Soundcheck (7.3?)

Next up, let's jump over to Sault Michigan briefly, where Traverse City classic metal trio Peril will play their final gigs at The Rapids Lounge at the local Kewadin Casino branch TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! Peril are alive and well, but frontman Jeff Hudson confirmed on their Facebook page that they won't be back at the Soo Kewadin "for the foreseeable future" due to "the upcoming construction changes". It's well established by now that The Rapids Lounge is closing soon for heavy renovations in advance of a new sports bar opening on site or nearby in 2027, and based on updates to Kewadin's entertainment page for upcoming lounge schedules, it does appear that the NuCorp-headlined concerts over Halloween weekend will be the final ones at The Rapids Lounge as we know it. As such, Peril are the last hard rock-leaning band to play there, and they have played there loads over the years, so come on out for all the action this weekend!

These will also be Peril's last EUP gigs for 2026, but their sister band Scarkazm will be back at The Northern Pines Lounge in St. Ignace before the year is out though, and we'll have more on that in an upcoming post. Tonight & tomorrow's concerts are at 9:00 PM with 21+ age limits and no cover charges, and if you're curious, cover band Detour and Detroit blues rock musician Chris Canas will play the next two weekends before NuCorp send out The Rapids Lounge at months end. See above for more details, and for a preview, here's Peril live in St. Ignace!

Also this weekend, Sault Ontario classic/hard rock cover quartet Silent 9 will return to The Esquire Club TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! This double shot in the west end will mark the long awaited return to the weekend nightclub circuit for Jess, Ryan, Paul, and Steve, after their annual summer spell of just festivals and private gigs extended through September (their last gig of any kind was opening for Fefe Dobson). As such, it's been a long and silent six months for Silent 9 at The Esquire Club, but hopefully their fan friendly classic and hard rock covers get a solid reception this weekend as they return to the regular bar grind! Tonight and tomorrow's shows are at 9:30 PM with 19+ age limits and no cover charges. Visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's a brand new video of Silent 9 live at Wolf Fest II at The Roberta Bondar Pavilion last month! This was uploaded to the band's Facebook page on September 15th, a few days after Wolf Fest took place.

As usual for their own social media video uploads, this is (sadly) short and vertical, with the 39 second clip seeing the guys covering AC/DC's "Shoot To Thrill". Despite the above issues and some recurrent light reflections, Silent 9 do a solid and upbeat job with this song, one of my favourite AC/DC singles, so give it a watch below, and look for much more this weekend!

Finally for our Thanksgiving long weekend previews, we head to The Sault Community Theatre Center at White Pines Collegiate & Vocational School, where Oshawa-based Bon Jovi tribute band Bon Jovi Forever will rock the Soo once again TOMORROW NIGHT! Bon Jovi Forever just played at the former Kiwanis Theatre last fall, while they also headlined at The Rockstar Bar a decade ago, so clearly they've done something right to make returns here in the mid-2020s. Covering both the 1980s and early 1990s hair metal days and their more general rock sound of more recent times, BJF deliver the goods for fans of the New Jersey legends, and if you know how Jon Bon Jovi sounds live nowadays, Baz will take you back to what you're used to! All of the east end action goes down tomorrow night at 8:00 PM, and tickets are still on sale at this link, at the door, or at the community box office at Station Mall. The first six rows in the center section are completely sold out, as are the front rows on the left and right, but there's plenty of seats left!

Adult tickets cost $61.02, seniors 65+ and students 13-21 years old cost $49.72, kids under 9-13 cost $16.95, and kids 8 and under are free, and use the promo code group6+ for a discounted group rate if you are buying for 6 or more people. Visit the above links for more on what should be a fun night for Hair Scare fans, and here's Bon Jovi Forever live at the SCTC last year!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the SMS over the long weekend! Thanks everyone!