Usually, the local hard rock concert calendar slows down in the autumn (Halloween aside), but that is not the case this weekend, as we have enough concert previews for two full posts, with at least one needing to be in a third post! As such, here's the schedule. This post has two SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS and our Cancer Bats preview (as that show is tonight), while we'll tackle the Whoop-Szo, Chase Wigmore, Soundcheck, and Wyld Stallyns concerts later today, with Peril's St. Ignace dates to follow tomorrow morning along with other recent stories. Hopefully that covers everything, so here's what you should know to start the weekend!
Joining his regular Gliss Restaurant matinees TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT, local acoustic solo musician Tym Morrison will reportedly play at Thomson Farms Cider & Winery on Third Line West for a third straight week TONIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, a Facebook event page has not visibly been created to plug this show at press time, but the mill advertised Tym as performing on their Facebook page, and the show is also listed on SooToday's events calendar. Whether this is an extended weekly arrangement for the fall season or not, the third time may be the charm for fans of Tym's unplugged hard and classic rock covers, so look for him in the wine barn TONIGHT! For what it's worth, Thomson Farms will have pumpkin spice cider on sale starting today, but if you're not into that, their selection is large. Of course, Tym's ongoing Gliss shows should provide more entertaining unplugged music for your dinner-time entertainment tomorrow and Saturday, so don't miss out!
As was the case in the past two weeks, all three of these shows are age limit-devoid and have no stated cover charges (though mind the locales), and while the Gliss shows are at 6:00 PM as usual, the Thomson Farms show TONIGHT is at 5:00 PM. Visit the Gliss concerts' Facebook event page and the above links for more details, and here's Tym live!
Next up, The Soo's Got Talent officially kicks off it's sophomore installment TOMORROW NIGHT at The Grand Gardens Verdi Ballroom (p.k.a. The Verdi Hall), and there will be one metal band/performer on the preliminary competitor roster, namely the returning Apocalypse Afterparty! Again, apologies for the short notice, their involvement only broke this week when organizers unveiled the first round lineup, and the band proper didn't publicize their Wacky Wings audition last month for us to get an advance teaser. This will be X and z's first public concert since their run of pop-up gigs in mid-2017, so can they shake off the stage rust in time for TOMORROW's talent competition? For what it's worth, their Facebook page teases a new setlist and band member, though of course, remember that they were infamous for wearing masks on stage. However, do not expect a long performance, as twenty-three acts are playing TOMORROW. I won't attempt to list all 23 here, especially as many are unfamiliar to me, but a few other familiar faces are competing!
Regarding returnees from last year, the only finalist that I can discern as playing year #2 is singer Bethany Pelletier (LeBeouf), while L!me's Madi Schomogyi is also advertised as returning. Some other familiar names may include Colin Gasparelli (from this year's Fringe North/Up The Arts music stage), 2017 Soo Youth Songwriters Contest winner Juliana Regan, and local beatboxer Killabeatz, among others. Of course, with a lineup this big, it's hard to predict who will advance, but remember that The Apocalypse Afterparty did mount a surprise finals run in 2015's VM Radio Battle of the Bands, and "songwriter" Paul Stanghetta did place in earlier battles with The Fury. However, remember that this is not a battle of the bands, and expect to see non-musicians TOMORROW NIGHT, including The Dancing Divas. Moving to The Verdi Hall after the closure of The Tech, this event is a fundraiser to support the ARCH Hospice.
Bands selected to advance at night's end will compete again next Friday, September 20th, with semifinals on September 27th, and the finals taking place on October 11th, so be sure to visit the Facebook event page for continuing updates on the competition as it progresses. The show starts TOMORROW NIGHT at 8:00 PM, with a $10 cover charge for adults, $5 for kids 16 and under, and those prices and times also apply for later rounds too. Things sound bigger and better for The Soo's Go Talent II, but who will move on to next week, and what do The A.A. have up their sleeves? See above for more details, and stay tuned for updates!
Finally, here's a big concert taking place TONIGHT at Soo Blaster, as Toronto hardcore punk/sludge metal quartet The Cancer Bats will make their long awaited return to the city for what should be a brutal time! Many fans may recall seeing these four time Juno nominees open for Billy Talent at the Gardens 9½ years ago, but this will be their first headlining show here since 2006. After too long of a wait, The Cancer Bats' hard hitting modern metal attack should melt many faces again tonight! Note that Alexisonfire's Wade MacNeil will be filling in for new dad Scott Middleton on guitar for this tour. Support will come from London post-hardcore quintet The Single Mothers and Baltimore hardcore punk band Sharptooth, who each bring proficient sounds and direct lyrics to the table for sub-genre fans, while Thunder Bay female-fronted punk quintet Forever Dead were quietly added to the bill themselves late last month. Apparently playing here last ca. 2008, Forever Dead have became a very
prominent band in Thunder Bay with their fast-paced and energetic sound, and it'll be great to see them back!
Local support will come from punk trio Redundant in their first public show of 2019, where they will reportedly unveil their new bassist, so who's handling the low end now? Find out TONIGHT! Presented by Thunder Bay's Loffredo & Associates (who brought Monster Truck here this summer), this 19+ & 8:00 PM concert has $20 tickets available at this link and presumably at the door. With this huge lineup and The Cancer Bats' positive reputation, I'm hopeful this will be a big hit at the gate and with fans, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's The Cancer Bats live!
That's all for now, but stay tuned for our Whoop-Szo, Chase Wigmore, Soundcheck, and Wyld Stallyns previews next! Thanks everyone!
It's gonna be May, indeed, so let's kick off the month with a new news post featuring new videos from recent downtown concerts, and leading off, a big LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for later this fall! Here's what you should know!
Toronto hardcore punk/sludge metal quartet The Cancer Bats will return to Sault Ste. Marie on Thursday, September 12th when they headline at Soo Blaster! Four time nominees for the Juno Award for Heavy Metal Album of the Year, local fans will have last saw The Cancer Bats when they opened for Billy Talent at what's now GFL Memorial Gardens back in March 2010, but as far as I know, this will be their first headlining show here since 2006. Fans will surely know how entertaining The Cancer Bats' subgenre hybrid is, let alone with 9 years of built-up good will and new material to show for it, and they should get a great crowd at Soo Blaster this fall! London post-hardcore quintet The Single Mothers will open in their first local show on record, and their varied sound and often pointed, direct lyrics should attract them to a solid local audience! Also playing is Sharptooth, a female fronted hardcore punk quintet from Baltimore, Maryland.
With a strong political slant in their lyrics and an explosive sound of their own, Sharptooth should get lots of fans in their own right! Local punk trio Redundant will kick things off in their first advertised concert of 2019, though no word as of yet if their teased bassist switch has had any public update. Solid choice to set the tone in their Soo Blaster debut! Notably, this concert is a presentation of Loffredo & Associates, a long-running and respected promotion agency out of Thunder Bay, and their reputation and past concerts both there and elsewhere in Northwest Ontario speak for themselves, so I wouldn't expect any Rock The Border Fest-style hangups. Hopefully Frank and company bring some more big shows out east, it's great to have them doing some work out here! This 19+ concert has doors opening at 8:00 PM, and tickets are available in advance for just $20 at this link (+ a $5 service fee) or at Soo Blaster.
There's a few months of anticipation ahead, but this is a huge show for metal & punk fans alike, and hopefully The Cancer Bats deliver strongly after nine years away! Visit the official Facebook event page for current details, and stay tuned for potential updates as they roll in!
We'll close today with new videos, starting with local promoters Six, Two, Oh.'s own videos from The Faps' headlining concert at The New American Pub on April 23rd! Much like at the West of Hell show, the guys filmed short videos during the show, but here, they did actually film the local openers. These include one video of revived local acoustic folk solo act Slumshine (link here), and Brent does show promise in a more reserved setting like this, hopefully he keeps at it! Two videos were streamed of new local indie/alt-rock supergroup Dusty Hazelwood that you can see linked here & here, albeit from an oddly distant camera angle. While not heavy by any stretch in these videos, Dusty Hazelwood have a talented base and nice melodies, and I think they'd play really well at a venue like LopLops! Of course, Six, Two, Oh. filmed the headlining Saskatchewan trash-punk duo for three videos, so you can see The Faps in action at the links here & here, plus the longest video embedded below.
The Faps delivered in their usual eclectic way on this night, with their impeccable yellow/cross-dressing stage attire and a nice aggressive, minimalistic, and lively sound all at once! I need to get out and see The Faps at some point, as I'm sure these videos don't do their live show justice, but give them a look above and below, and hopefully they come back soon!
Finally, here's local power rock band Re:Born's own videos from last week's Killer Dwarfs concert at the aforementioned Soo Blaster, as per their Facebook page on Sunday! Three videos were taken from their own camera during their set on the "Soo Lounge", including their covers of Edguy's "Lavatory Love Machine" and Black Sabbath's "Children of the Sea", but embedded below is their original/Project 421 carry-over "Running Away". Nice quality aside from somewhat over-exposed lighting, and the performances are overall very solid, with Elly more than holding her own on vocals! Give Re:Born's videos a look above and below!
That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews & our next "Where Are The New Albums?" post soon! Thanks everyone!
Things are picking up lately, aren't they? March was seeming to go really slowly for news and updates in the local metal universe, but 5 straight days with new posts most say something! Here's some new news and updates!
(EDIT, MARCH 25: Well, I made a dumb mistake, though to be fair, the link wasn't clear about it at first. I initially reported that hair metal bandCinderellawere coming toKewadin Casino in May. Well, Cinderella will be there, but NOT the band, a live production of the play. Kewadin only updated the info today to clear up that it was the play, rather than the band. I assumed (as I'm sure some of you would have as well) that it was the band coming here in May, not the actual fairy tale story. Might be a dumb mistake, but you can see where I was coming from. The band Cinderella have a tour in the works, and Kewadin Casino frequently books classic hard rock and hair metal bands (like Tesla in June), so that seemingly made more sense than Cinderella the play coming here. And it wouldn't have been the first time that a show was announced on Kewadin's ticket page before the artist announced it, as in last year's Ace Frehley concert. Still, this is my fault, and I give my deepest apologies, especially to anyone who I got the hopes up of!)
Next up, it's time for some more local videos! And we'll start with another clip from this past Saturday's one-off set from Fitswitch's original lineup at The Elks Hall for guitarist Kevin Powe's stag and doe! This time, it's of their song "Only Wanna Be With You", featuring guitarist Rick White on vocals! It appears that Krista Kelly filmed this one as well, or at least the same camera was used. Great audio and decent quality, though the room is really dark. Still good though, check it out below! Now, let's all cross our fingers and hope that Fitswitch, whatever the lineup, play another public concert down the road, I'd for sure be there!
The second new video I have to share today comes from Sault natives Sue Inside! Yes, the metal band featuring Saultites Shane Lipsit-Fraser and Jeff Vogel are still active, though as I've said on here, have since moved to Oil Springs and London. Now a three piece with Adam Veen on bass, the band have periodically released some jam session recordings to Shane's YouTube channel, as well as some new stuff on their CBC Radio 3 page! Shane uploaded three new acoustic video clips the other day, of the songs "New Jersey", "Skeleton Surprise", and "Wine"! They feature Shane and Adam on guitar and a guest, Craig MacDonald, on one of those stand-up hand drums, not sure of the technical name. "Skeleton Surprise" isn't bad, though it does run long. Solid acoustic rock, no major complaints. "New Jersey" takes a stranger turn. It's more spoken word anthology horror story than song. Definitely worth seeing for the uniqueness of it! "Wine" is a bit softer than "Skeleton Surprise", kinda strange even still, but Sue Inside have never stuck to convention, not that that's bad!
The videos are also unique in that Shane's not singing on them, Adam handles the vocals, and you know what? He isn't bad at all, he has a really good hard rock voice on "Skeleton Surprise", that impressed me! He also shows off some unique talents on the other two vocally, nice to see! I'll show you guys one of the new videos, the heaviest of the three, so here's "Skeleton Surprise"! Hopefully we'll see more from Sue Inside real soon, and check out the new videos (and more) at this location!
Now back to stuff from The Cancer Bats' show on Monday, in support of Billy Talent! I still haven't found any new videos from the show of them, or any band for that matter, though a YouTube user from Thessalon may be posting some soon according to one of his other videos, so that may be something! Of course, if you took video of The Cancer Bats, or found footage of their set, let me know! I haven't seen any new news articles either, though Donna Hopper's photo album from the show is now online on SooToday! 44 photos of Billy Talent, Alexisonfire, and the crowd, with no signs of Against Me! or The Cancer Bats. I wasn't sure what to think of that at first, but Lucas Punkari (who covered and photographed the show for SooNews.ca) told me yesterday that press photographers were restricted to only photographing two bands. I find that very odd, but it does makes sense to photograph the two biggest bands rather than the openers. Still, Donna's photos are awesome! I recognized Albert from Out Of The Mouth Of Babes and Wayne from Renderware/Nebraska Arms in a couple pics, and it also includes photos from the afterparty at The Rockstar Bar, so it's definitely worth checking out, which you can do at this location!
And finally, a second Facebook event page has been launched for April 3rd's Destroyer concert at The Rockstar Bar! Remember, Destroyer are "Canada's premier tribute to Kiss", and will surely tide over Kiss Army members impatient for our yet-to-be-announced Sault Ontario show! Nothing new about elements of the concert to be discussed, it's still $12 in advance, $15 at the door, with tickets available at The Algonquin Hotel & The Rad Zone, with a 10:00 PM start time, but it has some great bio info now too! It tells of how they're a family friendly band and talks about their own accomplishments as a Kiss tribute, it's cool to see! Also, there's a poster for the show now, which you can see on your right! Hopefully this show's a success, click here for full details and to confirm your attendance!
That's all for now, hopefully I'll have a new post with some big updates very soon! Keep your browsers pointed here!
Hey everyone, lots of news to get to today, and we'll start with LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS!!! Also, I have stuff coming out of last night's Cancer Bats/Billy Talent show, new video footage of a local band's one-off return, Lion Ride's newest battle of the bands, and a local radio station's logo contest!
SATURDAY NIGHT (short notice again, my apologies), local hard rock cover band Turner Up will be playing for the first time at The Canadian Nightclub! Yes, they're heading up town for this show, and it looks like they have a lot planned for this one! The band are giving out "Official Crew Member" shirts to the fans, and are going to have some professional filming done as well for a video! Might there be an original in store? I don't know, we'll have to find out this weekend! It looks like they're going to try and make this their biggest show yet, so there's all the more reason to go! I'm thinking I might head on out there on Saturday myself, I'm overdue to see Turner Up as it is! No cover charge has been announced, a start time of 10:00 PM is listed on the Facebook event page, confirm your attendance there! I'll keep you guys posted with any updates I come across, and hopefully I'll be there!
Also, this is worth noting, Turner Up's weekly jam nights at Foggy Notions have been postponed due to "circumstances beyond our control", according to a post on the jam nights' event page. Apparently though, there is a new band providing the music on Wednesdays at present, but the door is not shut on Turner Up there, so if they return, I'll let you know!
Now as you may know, yesterday was the much-hyped Billy Talent concert at The Essar Center! Remember, it DOES have a metal connection, as The Cancer Bats opened the show, and there's stuff online from the concert! First place most people would go for a review and photos would likely be SooToday, and Donna Hopper indeed has an article up about it! Only about 2,000 fans shown up, which apparently was below expectations, though she praised the concert and environment! I find it curious that she mentioned that everyone was there for a different band, doesn't really seem like a large unifying fanbase was there specifically for one band like usual. She has photos, but they aren't online yet, I'd expect them later today.
If you want photos, other sites have you covered! The Sault Star's Rachele LaBrecque has a photo album from the show online, but if you're hoping for shots of Alexisonfire, Against Me!, or The Cancer Bats, this won't be what you're looking for, every picture is of either Billy Talent or the crowd. Great quality, but just one band? Lucas Punkari from SooNews.ca got more photos, though none are of Against Me! or The Cancer Bats. However, he does go into a lot more detail about the concert itself, he said that The Cancer Bats delivered a "fine half hour set", even if their metal sound wasn't expected from many concert-goers. Frontman Liam Cormier told the crowd "The last time we came in 2006, I think like two people watched the whole set, so to have this many people see us tonight is awesome!" Nice to see them finally get a good turnout here, I wish I could have seen them in 2006! And yes, they covered "Sabotage"! Check out Lucas' review at this location!
Is there video from The Cancer Bats' set online yet? Yes, actually, though with a slight catch. It's only about 9 seconds of The Cancer Bats' set, starting 3:35 into this clip, which is partly a video blog posted by YouTube user HAliRoarz! The rest is clips of the other three bands, with about 30 seconds of vlogging at the end. It's the only video I've seen of any segment of the concert yet, the quality isn't terrible but the sound is a bit patchy. Nice to see footage of the show though, I bet there's more coming! Check it out below, and remember, the concert footage begins at around 3:35!
Next up, we have video footage online from the return of a notable local punk/metal band! Well, even if it is just a one-off, it's still new stuff! As you may remember, the original lineup of Fitswitch returned for a one-off performance at The Elks Hall on Saturday night! It was in honor of the stag and doe for original guitarist Kevin Powe, who joined J.D. Pearce, Rick White, Andrew MacDonald, and Larry Mousseau for a night full of classic Fitswitch songs! I didn't consider this as a real "concert" because really, it wasn't, it was a stag and doe graced with the presence of awesome music, and it wasn't a publicly advertised event. And though it'd be awesome to see the original lineup again, I figured I wouldn't take a ticket away from someone who was a close friend/relative or expected guest. Luckily, for those of us that didn't make it out, the band uploaded an HD-quality clip of their performance of the classic song "Bitch Anthem" onto their YouTube channel! The description says the reunion comes after "4 years of no practice", but it still sounds good! The video was filmed by Krista Kelly, and the quality ain't bad, check it out below! Hopefully this isn't the last of Fitswitch we'll get to see, cause I bet even a one-off show at Coch's Corner like last March would draw! Fingers crossed!
And now we come to some more news from the Lion Ride camp! They sure have been busy lately, haven't they? They'll be one of four bands competing on Thursday in a Battle of the Bands in Toronto, but this one has a prize-related twist! They're in The Great Canadian T-Shirt Battle, with the winner recieving 200 free custom band t-shirts! That's the only prize, but for what it's worth, the four judges are all music industry professionals, so this could be a chance to make them take notice of Lion Ride as well! No word on who's playing bass for Lion Ride at this battle, my money's on Carmine Romano again, but the band haven't said. It will be taking place at The Hideout in Toronto on Thursday, best of luck to Lion Ride! I wish I could be there! My sources for this info are from band members' Facebook statuses. As for their Ernie Ball Battle quest, they are currently in 79th place, just five votes out of 74th. VOTE FOR THEM BY CLICKING HERE! (Also, Sykotyk Rampage have just 29 votes, 63 out of the top 100. VOTE FOR THEM TOO!)
And finally for today, a local radio station is looking for help designing a new logo! WLSO 90.1 FM: The Sounds of Lake State announced on campus on Monday that they are looking for student-created designs for a new logo! This was initially announced via e-mail last month, but public campus notice didn't start until Monday. This is ONLY OPEN TO CURRENT LSSU STUDENTS, so keep that in mind if you want to enter. Basically, what you need to do is create a new logo for WLSO (no listed limitations), and submit it to either the WLSO office at the Cisler Center on campus, or e-mail it to wlsomusicdirector@gmail.com! You have until FRIDAY to submit your entry! The winner will be chosen on Sunday, and will win a nice selection of prizes, including the adoption of your design as WLSO's new logo, a $50 Wal-Mart gift card, a stack of CDs from WLSO's music library, two WLSO t-shirts (one with the old logo, one with your design), stickers with your logo, and an on-air shoutout!
So there you are, Lakers, you could design your campus radio station's new logo! It needed an upgrade anyway, to be honest, it looks too plain for a radio station. I've always been a fan of WLSO's, I love the metal blocks that air (thanks to the students who man those slots), and the idea of giving students the power to control the airplay is just cool! If you go to LSSU and have some drawing or graphic design talent, send an entry in! And listen to WLSO at 90.1 FM! (P.S., sorry for the picture quality, I didn't think to not fold the poster.)
That's all for now, lots more news and updates in the near future, including the event page for an upcoming show, more photos/video from The Cancer Bats' show, and more! Stay tuned!
Greetings metalheads! The weekend's almost upon us, and as usual, there's concerts to preview! Four in fact (remember, the Garden of Bedlam fundraiser is postponed, details in yesterday's post), so I'll tell you what you need to know about this weekend's metal concert schedule! And then, it's poll time, we'll discuss the results of last month's poll and go over this month's! But now, let's start with the weekend previews!
As I first told you guys about yesterday on short notice, local hard rock cover band Turner Up will be back at The Nicolet Tavern for the second straight weekend tomorrow night and Saturday night! Last weekend's set went over so well, they're back already, so you know they must do an entertaining show! Full of talented local music veterans, expect a great night of your favourite covers this weekend! I believe both shows have a start time of 9:30 PM, there's no announced cover charge, and I'd assume there's a 19+ age limit. For full details and to confirm your attendance, visit the official Facebook event page! And if you miss them this weekend, just head to Foggy Notions on Wednesdays to check out Turner Up at weekly jam nights! But this is a proper full concert set, so make sure to consider it! Check out more from Turner Up at their official Facebook group! No video or audio to share yet, hopefully I will soon!
Then on Saturday, get ready for some original crash music from the original crash band! Sykotyk Rampage will hit The Outback at Sault College for their first non-battle of the bands performance since October when they headline this year's Tyler Yuke Memorial Night concert! These have been held in honour of Tyler's memory since 2003 when he tragically died, and his former campus has paid tribute to him ever since! Usually we don't hear about the lineups at the Tyler Yuke Memorial shows, but this time, Sykotyk Rampage are the announced headliners, so get your rocking shoes on! I also understand that there will be open mic performances before Sykotyk Rampage take the stage, which are a common custom at these events. Should be some good stuff there too! Another band named "6th Edition" is credited on the Facebook event page, but I have never heard of them, can anyone help? The festivities start at 8:00 PM, but Sykotyk Rampage have an announced start time for their set at 10:00 PM. I haven't seen any of the "You must be a student or be signed in by a student" rules, so that little inconvenience may not be a problem this time! There is a cover charge by donation to the Sault College music chapter, and it actually IS an all ages show!
Should be a fun show, the unique experience that is Sykotyk Rampage is back for another fun concert, though hopefully the sound's working better than it was at the October show. With the Garden of Bedlam postponement, I'm considering heading to The Outback on Saturday for this one instead, and hopefully some of you guys can make it out too! Confirm your attendance at this location, check out more from Sykotyk Rampage on SoundClick, and for a preview, here's one of the band's videos for the song "Called In Dead" live at the Scotties Tournament/Sault College Battle from last month!
And this leads us to Monday, for a major concert that, though not a "metal concert" on the surface, does count, and I'll explain why. This show is more of a punk show than anything, and a big one at that, as Juno winning Mississauga punk rockers Billy Talent will be headlining at The Essar Center! But what makes this show metal? The Cancer Bats, that's what! A popular metalcore band from Toronto, they're the first band playing on Monday night, in support of Billy Talent, St. Catharines screamo band Alexisonfire, and Florida punk rockers Against Me! All three of those bands have huge followings, especially Billy Talent, best known for hit songs like "Try Honesty" and "Rusted From The Rain"! But of course, as this is The Sault Metal Scene, we must give the metal band it's due! This is actually The Cancer Bats' second show in Sault Ontario, playing here with The Chintzy Slicks way back on June 23, 2006, at The Speakeasy! They're currently touring in support of their upcoming studio album "Bears, Mayors, Scraps & Bones", and should bring a good onslaught of metalcore to open the show on Monday!
So, how can you get tickets? Well, you can still order them online from The Essar Center's website or LiveNation, click here for all ordering details! Or just click here, might be easier! You can also buy them at The Essar Center's box office, or by calling 1-866-775-9422. All tickets, floor or not, are $42.50, and if that seems steep, keep in mind the bands you're getting combined! And we've had lesser shows priced higher, so it could be worse. Doors open kinda early, at 5:45 PM on Monday, with The Cancer Bats kicking off the show at 6:45 PM! If you're into punk rock and screamo, you'll wanna be at The Essar Center on Monday night! And hopefully, if you're a metalhead as well, The Cancer Bats will bust out some heavy stuff to open the show! I'm not big on the three other bands, so I won't be there, but I hope it's a huge success! For a preview, here's The Cancer Bats' newest video, for their Beastie Boys cover "Sabotage"!
And now, it's poll time! Since today is the 18th of the month, it's time to close last month's poll, discuss the results, and launch the newest poll! As you may recall, last month's question was "What was your favourite metal concert in Sault Ontario in 2009?" Only 46 votes, which isn't bad, though I was hoping we'd crack 70 again. Because there's a ton of choices, I'll just list the results, then go over them quickly afterwards, and here they are!
Frightlight & Half Past at Coch's Corner, October 31 (13 votes, 28%) Kiss Battle of the Bands at The Canadian, Nov. 29-Dec. 1 (5 votes, 11%) Lion Ride at The Rockstar Bar, December 27 (5 votes, 11%) Cattle Decapitation at The Oddfellows Hall, April 12th (3 votes, 7%) Caveman Morrison at various venues, December (3 votes, 7%) Sense of Truth at Foggy Notions, December 18 (3 votes, 7%) Detroit & Destroilet at Coch's Corner, December 29 (3 votes, 7%) YMCA Battle of the Bands at The Grand Theater, March 20 (2 votes, 4%) Garden of Bedlam at The Canadian Nightclub, July 3 (2 votes, 4%) Garden of Bedlam at The Canadian Nightclub, October 17 (2 votes, 4%) Other (2 votes, 4%) Ministry of Zen & Fingerbone at Coch's Corner, January 24 (1 vote, 2%) Upheaval of an Exorcist at The Oddfellows Hall, October 30 (1 vote, 2%) Garden of Bedlam at Madison's Pub, December 5 (1 vote, 2%) Blessed By A Broken Heart at The Oddfellows Hall, Jan. 9 (0 votes) Who Made Who at The Canadian Nightclub, May 15 (0 votes) Today I Caught The Plague at Oddfellows Hall, June 11 (0 votes) Woods of Ypres & Inflict at The Speakeasy, August 16 (0 votes) Lion Ride at Coch's Corner, August 28 (0 votes) Ultraviolence at Coch's Corner, September 3 (0 votes) Grady & Domenica at The Canadian Nightclub, October 25 (0 votes)
Well to start, a few of the concerts that got no votes really surprised me, especially the Woods of Ypres show! NO ONE picked it? Very odd. I also find the fact that Ministry of Zen only getting one vote is odd too when you consider that people voted that as their favourite show in the first half of 2009 on the SMS poll in July! The rest of the choices with one or no votes I can at least understand to varying degrees. For the choices with two votes, I'm glad that "Other" is low, so I know people approved of my choices, and I find it strange that Garden of Bedlam-headlined concerts didn't individually do too well, but if you combine them all, it'd be near the top. Nothing above that really surprises me, except for first place: Frightlight, Half Past, and Glamoween at Coch's Corner from Halloween! If you'd have asked me to place a bet on what show would win, I'd have said the Kiss Battle, but wow! 13 votes came in for that, I suppose horror-influenced punk/metal and the return of Half Past won a lot of support! I missed the show too, damnit! Also, just another observation: Of all the shows with 3 or more votes, only one (Cattle Decapitation) took place earlier than October. Was the concert quality better later in the year, or were they just fresh in our minds? Things to think about!
So now it's time for a new poll, and for the first time in 2010, we have a question not relating to the best "something" of 2009! This time, we're dipping into recent events, mostly the local FM radio situation. A lot of you guys are probably still disappointed that we lost The Bear, and now that it's gone, we have just one local rock station, Rock 101...well, two if you count when WLSO airs metal....and maybe three if your radio is strong enough to pick up Real Rock 105.1 out of Cheboygan. You get my point though, FM radio in Sault Ste. Marie has a lot less variety and choice for the rock lover now that we have one less rock station. I'm among you guys who'd like to see something new or changed in the area to bring back what is missed, but what should be done? I pose this question: What would you like to see happen in the local FM rock radio scene? Here are your choices!
(Note: None of the choices involve format changes to existing stations. I don't want drastic changes to what we have, that'd piss off a lot of people in itself. So if you wanna say "OMG I WANT Q104 TO BE A DEATH METAL STATION", vote for "Other". Also, "a new active rock station" isn't a choice because we have one, Rock 101, and it works just fine!)
A new classic rock station: After all, we lost a classic rock station when our Bear station, WIHC in Newberry, wasn't purchased by Sovereign Communications, so a whole radio format disappeared from the area. Classic rock fans would no doubt like to see a classic rock station of some type here again, and some probably think Rock 101 airs too much new stuff anyway. Would you like this to occur at some point?
A new modern rock station: We're talking new stuff here, rock from the past 10-15 years. We used to be able to sometimes pick up a modern rock station here, WLJZ 94.5 out of Mackinac City, which simulcast Northern Michigan's Modern Rock, The Zone, from 2000-2006. Then the guys in Mackinac abandoned the simulcast to launch a variety station, which annoyed me. And I'm sure some modern rock fans think Rock 101 airs too much classic stuff. But is there a market for a rock station catered to younger fans for just recent stuff in the area? Would it be more successful than a new classic rock station?
A rock station in Sault Ontario: Do you know that we only have two FM radio stations fully based out of Sault Ontario that air mostly music? Just Q104 and EZ Rock, and no, I don't count EZ Rock as a "rock" station like we mean here. We used to have more stations on AM, but those got shut down in 1992. I don't think we've ever had a full "rock" station on FM radio in Sault Ontario, wouldn't you say we're overdue? It'd give more locals some jobs, and it's give Canadian bands much needed exposure! And of course, it'd be variety! What do you guys think?
An AM radio rock station: Is it cheating to include AM as a choice for what do about FM radio? Maybe, but most radios pick up AM reception, so it counts! Remember, AM radio isn't just for tourism and talk programs, we do have AM music stations (WNBY 1450 AM airs classic country, for example.) We only have 4 AM stations, and there's plenty of open space for a rock station there, even if it isn't as convenient or clear as FM. Some of you had no problem with CKCY and CFYN on AM way back, I'm sure us younglings could manage! Would you prefer this?
Simulcast an existing station: ...Or in easier terms, air what some other Michigan/Ontario station airs, like how MCTV in the Sault simulcasts what Sudbury produces. This is not a foreign concept, The Bear was part of a simulcast, as are numerous existing local stations (CBC Radio One, for example.) It would be cheaper than actually starting a brand new station, I assume, though there admittedly wouldn't be much of a local connection compared to something actually based here. What do you guys think of simulcasting a station?
Bring back The Bear: Ah yes, there's lots of sentiment for this idea, especially in the aftermath of the local radio buyout stuff. Lots of us miss The Bear, Bob & Tom, Alice Cooper, and the great classic rock! It still lives on in Glen Arbor and Cadillac, so we're left out in the cold now. Essentially, this is the same choice as simulcasting, but this would be having a new company get the rights to simulcast The Bear up here once again. Unlikely, but you never know! I'm for it, is this what you guys would want? Or is there a better option?
More rock music on WLSO: Admittedly, this is an idea that will likely differ all the time, as WLSO, a college radio station, has programming schedule changes every semester thanks to the student-programmed blocks and shows. The Sounds of Lake State airs some real good stuff if you tune in at the right time, lots of more obscure and underground metal bands depending on the time you turn your dial to 90.1 FM, but it's mostly a variety of music and talk programs. A rock-centric format is unlikely as long as WLSO lets students choose the programming (which I completely support), but if WLSO played it more, would it be more of a suitable change/alternative?
Move Energy Rock Radio to FM radio: If you count internet radio with FM and AM, then Sault Ontario DOES have a rock radio station, and it's Energy Rock Radio! Ryan McQueen and the guys over there have done a great job with ERR, awesome playlists and fan interaction, I highly recommend you listen! A move to FM seems unlikely, especially with likely costs and rules and what-have-you, but if you're an Energy Rock Radio fan, wouldn't it be cool to just turn the dial to listen to it when you can't get to a computer?
Take the Hounds games off of Rock 101: The Sault's Rock Station is by far my favourite local station, it has been for years! And now, it's the only station we have where the odds are good that you'll get hard rock when you tune in. However, thanks to their airing of Soo Greyhounds games, we lose over 200 hours of time that used to feature music, and that doesn't count The Denny Lambert Show. I remember when Rock 101 acquired the Greyhounds radio rights from Q104, many friends of mine were pissed about that. I don't mind as much, though I do prefer to actually watch the games, but with few options for other rock stations to flip to during the game, what's a rock/metal lover to do? Would you pick this choice?
I'm happy with what we have currently: Are you in the boat that's just fine with Rock 101 alone? Is WLSO a good enough second choice, when something good comes on? Don't really miss The Bear at all? Or are you a devoted fan of some non-rock station? Vote here!
Ah, so none of this affects you. If you're the type that would rather listen to CDs, mp3s, satellite radio, cassettes, vinyls, 8-tracks, or nothing at all, vote here!
Other: Did I miss something you'd prefer to see happen in the local rock scene? Vote for it here!
VOTE TODAY!!! This will be really interesting to see what you guys would want out of the local FM rock radio situation, because we really could use something to give the area more variety and choices in the rock we listen to! That's all for now, I'll be back with news and updates soon, hopefully!
Well everyone, I wasn't anticipating that I'd have another post so quickly, but the news just seemed to pile on after I posted yesterday, so here we go with plenty more updates! And there's two LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS to kick things off!
Our first one is a Sault Metal Scene EXCLUSIVE (fancy, huh?) We're bringing this to you guys first, so here's what you need to know! Despite speculation that their Boxing Day show at Foggy Notions was their last before hitting the studio, Garden of Bedlam are back at Foggy's on February 27th! Frontman Buzz gave me the details in a Facebook chat today, so if you don't believe the story, ask him! And they won't be alone either, for Garden of Bedlam are bringing an inactive metal band back as openers, who are no strangers to the Sault area! London's own Papa Fogals Chair (featuring Garden of Bedlam drummer Derek Turner) will be the openers! Though not locally based, they've played here more than once, including notable shows like in August 2006 with Gates of Winter, and Garden of Bedlam's first ever concert from February 2008! And if you're not aware of the sound Papa Fogals Chair will bring, check out their MySpace page! Very heavy and very easy to headbang with, should go over well!
Doors are likely to open at 9:00 PM, with Papa Fogals Chair kicking things off at 11:00 PM! A cover charge is currently not known. Of course, when more details are announced, you'll find them here! Nice of Buzz to give me the first notice of it and break the news! And now you guys know too, hopefully we can all make it to Foggy's on February 27th for a night of heavy metal mayhem! If I'm in town (I may not be), I will be there myself! Stay tuned for more details!
The other new concert to alert you guys to isn't newly announced by any stretch, but the addition of a metal band qualifies it for SMS attention! A new band has been added to the Billy Talent concert at The Essar Center on March 22nd, and it's none other than Toronto metalcore band The Cancer Bats! (Source is from this post on SooToday's entertainment page.) Signed to Metal Blade Records, The Cancer Bats have acquired a loyal following in recent years, and even graced the cover of Kerrang! Magazine in 2008! This will not be their first time in Sault Ontario either, having came to The Speakeasy way back in June 2006! They will join the previously announced Billy Talent, Alexisonfire, and Against Me! on the lineup for this concert. Now, aside from The Cancer Bats, it's not a metal show (more of a punk/screamo mix), but I know a number of you are punk/screamo fans, so you should have a good time if you're planning on going!
If you're interested in attending, tickets are $42.50 for general admission and $72.50 for reserved stands. Head to The Essar Center box office, call 1-866-775-9422, or order online at LiveNation or The Essar Center's website to get your tickets! The Cancer Bats open the concert at 6:45 PM on March 22nd, doors open at 5:45 PM that day!
Next up, some more stuff relating to the book "Castle Stories: A Rock N' Roll Scrapbook" that I've been mentioning on here lately! It's now on sale at Hole In The Wall Books at The Wellington Square Mall, which is the bookstore connected to The Rad Zone! The local connections don't stop there, as I've been reading the book, and though I'm not finished yet, there is references to the Sault dotted throughout! Three "Castle stories" featured come from Saultites, including a story about John Mellencamp's show at Castle Farms in Charlevoix from Suzanne Fillion, photos taken by Susan Just Jakomit from shows featuring Foreigner and The Cars, and even some from Rock 101 DJ Scott Cook, who looks back on seeing Whitesnake, AC/DC, and Def Leppard there! I love the book, and when I'm completely finished reading, I'll likely post a review of it!
A bit of foreshadowing in it too, as author Duane Roy recalls the New Years Day show at Sault Memorial Gardens from 1990 featuring Alice Cooper and Great White. Remember when I mentioned that he was contemplating writing a book about the concerts and stories of them from the Gardens? Well, he's officially launching the process into making that book a reality! Just like with "Castle Stories", he's looking for any concert stories, memories, photos, ticket stubs, memorabilia, news articles, and anything else of note from concerts of any type at Sault Memorial Gardens. I never hit any major ones there (too young), but some big name metal and hard rock bands played there, like the afromentioned Alice Cooper & Great White, as well as acts like Ted Nugent, Helix, and Rush (who rocked the Gardens 35 years ago), among likely many others! If YOU have a story, photos, or any memorabilia that you'd like to submit to Duane for inclusion in his next book, message him on Facebook, or e-mail him at duane@duaneroy.com or duanemroy@yahoo.ca! Help Duane out, this will be a fun read too!
And finally for tonight, a quick update on Tesla's show at Kewadin Casino on June 26th: Tickets will be $38.50 for the concert, but still don't go on sale for another week. Thanks to SooToday for mentioning that in a post they made about the current Kewadin concert schedule today, link here! More on the Tesla show to come!
That's all for tonight, your next post will (unless something major happens in between) feature my review of tonight's Ultraviolence/Sense of Truth concert! Also be on the lookout soon for my first entry in my profiles of out of town bands with local members (I'm thinking about Phatstick and Will of the Ancients to start, though that's subject to change), and a new poll will be posted on Monday that will also talk about the best of "something" in 2009. Stay tuned for more!
Next up, The Soo's Got Talent officially kicks off it's sophomore installment TOMORROW NIGHT at The Grand Gardens Verdi Ballroom (p.k.a. The Verdi Hall), and there will be one metal band/performer on the preliminary competitor roster, namely the returning Apocalypse Afterparty! Again, apologies for the short notice, their involvement only broke this week when organizers unveiled the first round lineup, and the band proper didn't publicize their Wacky Wings audition last month for us to get an advance teaser. This will be X and z's first public concert since their run of pop-up gigs in mid-2017, so can they shake off the stage rust in time for TOMORROW's talent competition? For what it's worth, their Facebook page teases a new setlist and band member, though of course, remember that they were infamous for wearing masks on stage. However, do not expect a long performance, as twenty-three acts are playing TOMORROW. I won't attempt to list all 23 here, especially as many are unfamiliar to me, but a few other familiar faces are competing!
Finally, here's a big concert taking place TONIGHT at Soo Blaster, as Toronto hardcore punk/sludge metal quartet The Cancer Bats will make their long awaited return to the city for what should be a brutal time! Many fans may recall seeing these four time Juno nominees open for Billy Talent at the Gardens 9½ years ago, but this will be their first headlining show here since 2006. After too long of a wait, The Cancer Bats' hard hitting modern metal attack should melt many faces again tonight! Note that Alexisonfire's Wade MacNeil will be filling in for new dad Scott Middleton on guitar for this tour. Support will come from London post-hardcore quintet The Single Mothers and Baltimore hardcore punk band Sharptooth, who each bring proficient sounds and direct lyrics to the table for sub-genre fans, while Thunder Bay female-fronted punk quintet Forever Dead were quietly added to the bill themselves late last month. Apparently playing here last ca. 2008, Forever Dead have became a very
prominent band in Thunder Bay with their fast-paced and energetic sound, and it'll be great to see them back! 
