The Full Rundown Of Mike Haggith's Live-Streamed CD Release Concert!!

As was well publicized on social media, local/Thompson, Manitoba solo artist Mike Haggith released his 50th canon studio album "If Ever Comes The Day" yesterday, complete with a live-streamed release concert on his Facebook page! Of course, we all wish this could have been at LopLops with a full band, but the ongoing pandemic had other plans, so at least Mike found a way to make due! This live-stream also doubles as #LockdownLive VII, breaking from the Saturday pattern this week, but we are covering it on a Saturday, for what that's worth. Unlike past installments, this was filmed at "a top secret location" that may or may not be in Thompson, and you can tell that the spot is dolled up like a full concert stage. Before the set proper begins, Mike announced a contest for live viewers where the person who shared the live-stream the most times will get to request any song for Mike to cover next Saturday, and he has to cover it!

While this is not Mike's first live-stream to focus on the songs from "If Ever Comes The Day" (that'd be #LockdownLive II), this installment is very different in setting and approach, as you'll see across it's 2+ hour runtime, notably by narratively scripting much of the set, rather than going by the album's track listing. The set proper begins with Mike discussing the August 2019 local concert at Outspoken Brewing on the trip that kickstarted the album, before covering "Girl From My Dreams" by local folk musician Jacob Quarrell, who co-headlined that show and would have played guitar in Mike's backing band tonight if not for COVID-19. After jokingly turning off the nonexistent drummer, Mike plays "Take Back The Moon" from the new album, as tied into anecdotes about playing the song at the local show. He next covers Tears For Fears' "Everybody Wants To Rule The World", which folds right into his rendition of the album's title track, "If Ever Comes The Day".

Mike next covers Death Cab For Cutie's "I Will Possess Your Heart", which had a similar impact on Mike personally as the Tears For Fears cut. That is followed by the original "Into The Setting Sun", before Mike takes a call from ex-RedD Monkey cellist Pete Mozarowski, who recorded the instrumental track "This Page Intentionally Left Blank" for the new CD, and plays it on speakerphone held up to Mike's mic. These obviously isn't the ideal conditions, but it's nice to hear Pete's thoughts on the recording! In concert and on the album, this leads into "Back Away Slowly", followed by "Morningstar", and an old Din original that he played on August 10th, "Missing". The second half of the live-stream begins with another caller, namely Re:Born/ex-Din drummer Brandan Glew, and their conversation is just as irreverent as you may expect from his regular #LockdownLive commentary, if not moreso! Mike then covers Tears For Fears' "Shout", allegedly Brandan's 9th favourite song.

The personal emotion of the original material returns with "The Best You Never Had" and "Visual, Descending For The Field", before talking about local internet radio station The Borderline, who recently interviewed Mike on air and have featured his album in full (we are behind in talking about the station, stay tuned for more on them next week.) The set resumes with "Communique", which folds right into a surprise cover of Prince & The Revolution's "Purple Rain", before discussing the album's symbolic 8 & 10 second blank tracks, and then playing the last song on the CD, "2145". The final 20 minutes of the live stream include Mike playing Bruce Cockburn's "Lovers In A Dangerous Time" and his troll rendition of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" (bookended by a story of his Windsor trip in the winter), followed by closing thoughts and thank yous to everyone who watched, though I did not catch if he announced who won the contest for most shares.

Kudos to Mike for making lemons out of lemonade with this release concert, wherever it was held, and we got a nice selection of original songs and covers with a unique presentation, and the balance between the emotional and personal lyrics and the humorous conversations with live-stream viewers was done pretty well! Time will tell how #LockdownLive VIII looks next week, let alone the rescheduled local release concert in November, but support Mike's new album and the work he put into it by buying or streaming "If Ever Comes The Day" watch the whole thing below, and stay tuned for more news and notes on the site tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

Lots Of New Video Uploads, Including Details On Mike Haggith's New Album!!

(Updated on Saturday at 11:01 AM) Believe it or not, this is our 60th straight daily post at the SMS, and frankly, I am very surprised that I've had new content on the site this regularly during the pandemic! Here's hoping we can stretch this out further in the timeframe ahead. As for today's post, it's video-centric once again, so here's what you should know!

We'll start with a teaser video for TONIGHT'S Mike Haggith live-streamed CD release concert (a.k.a. #LockdownLive VII), which is expected to begin on his Facebook page at 7:30 PM, so tune in then to watch the whole live event as it happens! Mike is expected to play "If Ever Comes The Day" in full tonight, which he also did during #LockdownLive II, but this will be a distinct set with surprises ahead. The big advance reveal is that Mike is not streaming this set from his apartment, rather "a top secret location", though even if he revealed where, it may only be of direct relevance for Thompsonites, assuming the filming spot was in his current homebase. And yes, "If Ever Comes The Day" is now publically on sale on his Bandcamp page for $10 (or $5 for a digital streaming copy), so visit the above links to pick up your copy and/or stream the whole thing! Bandcamp also has lots of liner notes on the album concept, which could be very handy for context if you don't know what happened.

Mike shared a rehearsal teaser video on Wednesday of him playing "2145", and while he did warn viewers that "the human element is on full display", remember that the whole album was based around very personal events. It's not fair to critique the rehearsal clip when we're so near to the main event, but give it a watch below, and follow above for full album details!

Next up, this post originally featured one of two new archive Inner City Surfers videos shared on drummer Mikey Hawdon's YouTube channel earlier this week, but both were quietly made private for unknown reasons overnight (for what it's worth, the channel is now named "Mikey & His Uke" after his ongoing quarantune ukelele cover video series, so he may have felt those didn't fit anymore). One was them playing an original song live at The Canadian Nightclub in 2009, and the other was them covering The Muppet Show's theme song & Van Halen's "Panama" at Foggy Notions in 2007 or 2008. It's a shame that they're no longer public, as they were fun performances from the Surfers' heyday, and hopefully they pop up publically again down the road on this or another channel!

Also today, here's a new video from local indie punk quintet Northwest's Facebook page! Much like their "Sorry Sunday" video from last month, this features frontman Wayne Watkins and guitarist Mike Yakasovich remotely performing an acoustic rendition of one of their originals, specifically "True North". Mike's oddly cut off in frame here, but this is a fine unplugged take on this fan favourite original song, and it sounds like how I'd expect given the circumstances, so give it a watch below!



Finally, here's a new solo vocal cover from former local concert promoter and metal guitarist Rich Moreland, as posted onto the Dismembertainment YouTube channel over the weekend. This karaoke-style cover of Five Finger Death Punch's rendition of The Animals' "House of the Rising Sun" is well done and matches the 5FDP cover, though Rich's vocals can come out a little quiet through this camera's audio recording. Give this video a watch!



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

Mike Haggith - "If Ever Comes The Day" CD Review!!

It's now time for our 130th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and in a rare surprise, it's of an advance copy of an album not even on sale yet, namely local/Thompson, Manitoba alt-hard rock solo musician Mike Haggith's 50th canon studio album "If Ever Comes The Day"! The album's official release is not until May 15th, but Mike asked if I would like a digital copy early for review purposes, and sent me everything last week, so thanks to Mike for his generosity! The first solo studio album Mike has released since "The Warinside" five years ago, and his first since moving out of Ontario, this independently released album was primarily recorded in late 2019 and early 2020 in Thompson, with August 11th, 2019 (the weekend of his local concert last year) heavily cited as a launching point for "If Ever Comes The Day" coming together, and personal feelings abound in the included songs as a result, especially so if you are a close friend of his.

Mike performs almost all instruments on this release, save for ex-RedD Monkey cellist Pete Mozarowski, who is the sole performer on track 6, and Mike's Between The Ditches bandmate Justin Fuciarelli, who performs guitar solos on two songs. "If Ever Comes The Day" was expected to be launched at a CD release concert at LopLops on May 15th, but the ongoing shutdown of concert venues forced it to be postponed to Mike's birthday on November 6th, so time will tell if the new date holds up. In any event, the album will go on sale as scheduled next month, with digital streaming copies hitting Bandcamp and similar services then, and physical CDs can be mailed to Ontario at that point, which is especially notable because who knows when he can get copies on local storefronts at this rate. Based on Mike's solo and Din album releases in the 2010s, CDs would likely run for $10 (not counting shipping), but recent Bandcamp copies have tended to cost less than that.

Song names below are linked to online streaming copies where available, though some songs are linked to live performances, as the album proper is not on sale yet. With 10 (technically 12) songs running for 47 minutes in length, let's begin this review with the opening song, "The Best You Never Had"! Lyrically themed around optimism towards a relationship that cannot be, this song has a steadily driving rhythm that has a 1980s essence, and low, affecting vocals from Mike that get more intense and direct for the choruses, and increasingly hopeful by the end. This song is heavier in lyrics than composition, but it's a well composed song with clear emotion, and the piano input adds to the presentation, and is in line with his Sault-era solo albums. If you're more familiar with Mike's Din work, this may be a bit of a jump in tone, but it's a solid opener that sets the tone for the album ahead, though the personal back story may be lost on listeners who don't know Mike very well.

Next up is "MorningStar", which is about lamenting a lost love, but musically, the verses have a very bluesy tone, before oddly getting more cheerful and lively in the choruses. The backing instrumentation has a little of the orchestral tinge that was common on his last few solo albums, but the presentation of the song is a little spare and empty, like a guitar part was left out before mastering. Pleasant song with catchy lyrics, but it feels somewhat unfinished. Third is the album's title track "If Ever Comes The Day", which tells of expecting the end of a relationship in the distant future, which is contrasted by the most upbeat music yet on the album. Mike sings with a full voice here, and the music has a bright and grandiose nature that definitely calls to mind the 1960s, if that makes any sense. You almost feel motivated despite the melancholy resolution that Mike's expecting! As pure music, this is my favourite early song, and you really feel what he's going for!

Song #4 is "Into The Setting Sun", with it's lyrics seeming to deal with managing grief and loss. This is definitely a more melancholy and downbeat song, with more lower-register singing and more direct, to the point instrumentation, though Justin Fuciarelli's first of two guitar solos does add some welcome variance, though it doesn't sound cohesive with the rest of the song. Well-written with real emotion, this song works on that level, but if you want a more upbeat rock song, this isn't it. That's followed by "Communique", reflecting the break-down of a relationship and the communication between both parties. Musically, this has a campfire song vibe to it, only with some added orchestration, and this is definitely one of the better adaptations to acoustic format if you've seen Mike's live-streams. For what this is, I like how it turned out a lot, and it's easy to sing along with too! It's got the right emotion and tone while also keeping a lively pace!

Sixth is "This Page Intentionally Left Blank", a 64 second-long intro track to the next formal song, as recorded in Winnipeg by the aforementioned Pete Mozarowski. Compared to his RedD Monkey work, this is very much a classical composition, and a very pretty one, so it's an effective way to set the tone for "Back Away Slowly", which more directly outlines the moment in the field that Mike has alluded to in prior album materials as helping instigate this album, and the lyrics are very candid as to what went down. Given the lyrical content, Mike does contrast it with a more upbeat, mid-tempo rocker with an orchestral backing, and it's one of the stronger compositions on the album, with solid guitar work and a tight structure overall. Mike's emotion and real feelings come through very well in his vocals too, as you would expect if you know the back story, so this is another solid recommendation!

Track #8 is "Take Back The Moon", which breaks from the album's otherwise personal concept for a song about reconciliation with Indigenous peoples of Canada, albeit from the perspective of not knowing how to approach the situation from the outside. More of a melancholy sing-along track, this features the second Justin Fuciarelli guitar solo, and it does fit better into the existing composition. The mood the song is going for is sincere and extremely valid, but it's sleepier and not as strongly written as the ones where Mike is laying his own personal feelings on the table. Ninth is the album's longest track, "Visual, Descending For The Field", which seems to be reflective of a relationship that has ended and the hopes of seeing each other again. This is more of a musical showcase, with a very intricate, sweeping composition that seems like it was written with a field in mind, and this song would presumably work just as well as an instrumental in this regard. Not a heavy song, but it's a strong piece of music that'd be well worth relaxing to!

After two blank tracks running for 8 and 10 seconds each (I don't really see the point), the album closes with an epilogue of sorts, "2145", which reflects on time since the apparent break-up and hopes for the future on both sides. A softer ballad, this is another nicely written song with a pretty, affectionate overtone that helps end the album on a happy note, and the optimistic guitar work and backing instrumentation nicely builds as the song moves forward. The song ends abruptly, but it's an effective coda that's in line with the earlier songs. So, what are my final thoughts on "If Ever Comes The Day"?  While this is a big departure from his heavier and more power-pop work with The Din, Mike Haggith's new solo album is a success in concept in story-telling alone, and even if you don't know Mike that well, the meanings and emotions behind the songs come through very strongly! Opting to postpone "Bridges" for this very personal album was the right move for Mike to address his own story, and he gave these songs the care and attention they deserved!

There are musical similarities to his early-mid 2010s solo output, especially with the return of keyboard and orchestral parts, but he has matured as a musician so much in the past 5 years, and if you compare to those albums, it's really obvious. Myself, I do prefer his heavier and more direct songs, so this isn't my favourite release in Mike's extensive back catalog, but I do respect what he's doing here, and the effectiveness peaks on the title track and "Back Away Slowly. Some songs did sound a little empty or too melancholy, but as a concept album, this meets the goals he set for it, and I'm sure it will hit home for many listeners who have had relationships in need of repair. You can hear for yourself via the singles and live cuts linked above in the interim, but buy or stream the album when it officially comes out on May 15th! I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, but what are we reviewing on the site next month? I don't immediately know, but here's what I can tell you.

If nothing new comes out for sale (possibilities can be seen in our next "Where Are The New Albums?" post on May 2nd), we will dip into the archives, and while I would like to tie in a review with a musician playing live next month, I don't know if concerts will take place in any capacity in May 2020. In any event, I will not look at another Mike Haggith, Chase Wigmore, or Haggith (the band) album next due to our 6 month anti-bias buffer period. Time will tell, but stay tuned for details on that front, and for more news and videos on the site soon! Thanks everyone!

More COVID-19 Coronavirus-Related Concert Cancellations & Updates For The Spring

After a two day sojourn into single topics from the E.U.P., we have a new news post today, including updates on an upcoming concert (we hope!) and a related video upload, but let's begin with the latest updates regarding the ongoing COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and it's affect on local hard rock and punk concerts. On Monday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer issued stay-at-home orders, ordering only essential services to stay open as part of the efforts to contain the coronavirus. Click here and here to read news articles from the province and state about these announcements, or visit your favourite news outlets. In Michigan, the executive order is for 3 weeks for the period starting yesterday and ending April 13th, while in Ontario, the stay-at-home period is just 2 weeks starting today and ending on April 7th, though those could always be extended if things aren't appreciably better by next month.

Of course, concert venues and nightclubs are not and should not be considered essential services, so concert cancellations in the above stay-at-home periods are now inevitable. That said, the only shows directly affected by this news that were listed on the site are Scarkazm's planned St. Ignace Kewadin Casino stops on the April 10th weekend. As such, they have been removed from our calendar, but look for the guys back in the E.U.P. this fall! The Ontario stay-at-home order ends sooner than Michigan's, so for now, the April 10th shows in Sault Ontario from touring tribute bands Sandman and Just Heart are not directly affected, but the status of either one isn't looking amazing, especially as Sandman's Thunder Bay show on the 11th has already been postponed. Neither the bands nor venues have announced that they are off as of this writing, but we will keep you posted. One concert that was definitely cancelled over the weekend was the Whoop-Szo concert at The Sault Ste. Marie Museum on April 16th, for very obvious reasons.

As well, Ottawa thrash quartet Lycanthro have postponed their upcoming Tour of the Wolf, including their planned Rockstar Bar stop on April 21st, as announced in this Facebook video regarding their upcoming plans, though local promoters have not corroborated this on social media. No word as of yet regarding the First Jason concert on April 26th, but absolutely stay tuned for updates. Just in case anyone was wondering, I am not listing Tym Morrison's usual weekly matinee shows at Gliss or Sault Michigan hard rock band Tarnished's Thursday matinees at Biggby Coffee until we hear from either venue that their dine-in operations have resumed. I would have been mentioning their April slates in this weekend's concert previews, had we had any shows to preview, so I just wanted to be clear and up front regarding those weekly arrangements. Looking ahead to May, promoters The Diamond Mine Agency have revealed that they have a backup date in place for the Buckcherry concert at Soo Blaster on May 13th if they have to postpone it, so visit the official Facebook event page for more on that front.

Looking ahead to May, one concert that month that could very well be affected by COVID-19 is local/Thompson, Manitoba alt-hard rock solo artist Mike Haggith's planned CD release concert at LopLops Lounge on Friday, May 15th. Last week, Mike posted on his Facebook page to clarify that, as of then, the release show was still on, but they would absolutely postpone the event to a later date if circumstances warrant it. However, like A Dire Setback this Saturday, Mike will still be releasing "If Ever Comes The Day" digitally and through streaming platforms on schedule, with in-person and mail delivery of CDs also available, so fans will have that to look forward to! Assuming the release concert goes on as planned, Mike announced his backing musicians for his set that night via the show's Facebook event page, so who's joining in? On drums is Re:Born's Brandan Glew, who was Mike's Din bandmate in their post-acid jam run and at his "The Warinside" release show in 2015.

Rather than his bass role with The Din and at the 2015 release party, Mike is playing live guitar this time, with A Dire Setback bassist Matt Quinn rounding out the apparent trio lineup in May. Solid and talented choice, though will this be the second release concert that Matt's involved with in a two month span to be postponed due to the coronavirus? I sincerely hope not, but Mike did elaborate on much of the above notes in this new Facebook video embedded below, where he also revealed that there could be a live-streamed event of some kind on May 15th if the concert is postponed, and he even teased plans to film a music video for a single from the album in the Soo if things level out. In any event, he is teasing a new single release and more info about the songwriting in the interim. Give Mike's video a look, and stay tuned for updates on the release show and "If Ever Comes The Day", plus this month's YouTube Channel Profile tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Femur And Late & Loud), Plus New Videos!!

Here's a new news post on this rainy Sunday, and it's devoted to some big new video updates from a pair of prominent local acts, plus two notable LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for next month! Here's what you should know!

Thunder Bay "pisscore" trio Femur will return to the Soo area for the second time this year when they headline at Room 21 on Saturday, October 5th! Some readers will have just seen this band at the third annual Oh!No festival in Leeburn earlier this month as one of the later bands on night #2, but this will be their first ever advertised concert in Sault Ste. Marie proper. Femur impressed many Oh!No attendees with their harsh and unforgiving brand of original hardcore punk, and it'll be great to see them back just four weeks later for an encore! Another act from Oh!No III will be opening this concert, namely local cybergrind solo act Malignant Neoplasm, which you may recall is a side project of C.T.W.'s Tyler Gibson, though much like Slumshine, Tyler played under a mask in Leeburn when representing Malignant Neoplasm. Blood Shed loyalists won't wanna miss this one either! Like at the festival, this is promoted by the former Six, Two, Oh., now known as the Oh!No Collective, who now utilize that full name.

"Co." didn't stand for "company", I wouldn't have guessed that! In any event, this will be the Oh!No crew's first metal concert post-renaming, so come down to Room 21 for all of the action next weekend! This concert has a 10:00 PM start time, it is a 19+ event, and while a $10 suggested cover charge is advertised, so is the "pay what you can" option. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details!

Next up, here's a surprise, as local classic metal quartet Late & Loud will reunite for one night only on Thursday, October 10th with a headlining concert at The Rockstar Bar! Many local fans will recall their well received active run from 2010-2014, and after over 5 years away, the guys will return for this special concert, intended as a fundraiser for bassist Benn Garside's upcoming wedding to ex-Danger Cats bassist Jamie VanSchooneveld. If you're keeping track at home, this will be the second marriage between the two bands this year, joining Josh & Kate this summer (what are the odds?!) It is great to see Late & Loud back, if only for one night, so if you've missed the Humane Society Battle winners in the mid-late 2010s, don't bypass this one! The surprise opening acts are DJ Seith and his hip-hop duo project Planet Rock, and while not perfect genre-matches, they should keep ther party vibe going! I don't know if Seith will be mixing songs between sets, or if he's just playing with St. James.

A $10 cover charge is in effect on this night, expect a 19+ age limit, and while an early 8:00 PM start time is advertised, I doubt the bands will be playing that early, potential DJ Seith mixing aside. Note that the poster implies that Late & Loud are "returning to the stage one last time", which could very well be true, but we heard similar finality in August 2014. In any event, this should be a must for fans and friends of Late & Loud who've missed them in past 5 years, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details!

Also today, local alt-punk trio A Dire Setback released their long-teased debut music video to their YouTube channel yesterday! Of course, this is for their song "Kicking & Screaming", which is the first single from their forthcoming debut album, which their Facebook page newly confirmed yesterday will be self-titled. If you've seen prior teasers for the video, you'll know that property destruction appeared to be a common theme in the video, and now we get context as to why that is (the song lyrics may have given that away.) If you're hoping to see the full band playing the song, then you may be disappointed (only frontman Chris Nielsen appears on camera), but it's well shot and captures the lyrics and requisite emotion well! Give the full video a look below, stay tuned for more on "A Dire Setback", and don't miss the Michale Graves concert on Saturday!

We'll close with the latest from local/Thompson, Manitoba alt/hard rock musician Mike Haggith, who we haven't heard anything substantive from regarding his solo project since his trip home last month, so what's new to report? Well, Mike posted this teaser video on his Facebook page last night, saying that he's "been hard at work behind the scenes, and we're switching gears a little." The video proper features a computer monitor with what looks like the cover artwork for a new(?) album named "If Ever Comes The Day", plus a 30 second sample of a new song named "The Best You Never Had" that clearly has a full electric band behind it, compared to the music he had showcased from his upcoming solo album "Bridges", which leaned towards acoustic content. Is Mike revising/shelving "Bridges", or is this just another album he's working on too? Remember that he has also announced plans this year for a live album from Nickel Days in Thompson and a remaster of "A Place Of Our Own", neither of which is out yet.

Mike does have a lot on his plate on the best of days (remember what his day job is), but if this is basically "Bridges" being reworked or replaced in his discography, I can't complain about it having more of a rock edge with a full band, be it all him or with other collaborators. Time will tell what exactly is going on, but give the teaser video a look below!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates on the site soon! Thanks everyone!

Telephone & Address - "Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been..." CD Review!!

Merry Christmas, everyone! As a little early present for the occasion, here is our 90th monthly CD review at the SMS, and final one of the year, as we're taking a look at local punk/grunge solo project Telephone & Address' fourth official album "Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been..."! Alternately titled without the final word in some physical copies, this album was recorded over the past year, and independently released through Harmisntus Productions on October 26th when they opened for Iansucks at The Gore Street Cafe, but it's digital release didn't occur until this month. Featuring project leader Christopher Shoust on vocals & all instruments, "A.Y.N.O.H.Y.E.B." is available for $8 on their Bandcamp page in mp3 formats, while you can order limited copies of the physical CDs (with slightly varying hand-drawn artwork of the cover character) for $10 through there. The album is also presumably available at upcoming Telephone & Address concerts, though note that prior releases were charged at $15 when sold that way.

And yes, you can stream the whole album on their Bandcamp page for free, but consider buying it to support Chris' work! Featuring 8 songs clocking in at 26 minutes in length, let's begin this review with the first song, "Army Song"! Musically, this song and album are basically a hybrid of his first two official albums, adding the guitar from "The Rotten EP" to the bass & drum-centric style of "Need Not Apply". The lyrics are repetitive (especially the repeated "Left! Right!" chorus), but it has a laid back, grungy feel that Telephone & Address fans will take to, and it gets the job done musically with enthusiasm, if you don't mind the repetition. Second is "He", a mid-tempo number that has more lyrical variance and a solid casual riff, but the song can be a little dizzy at times, and the lo-fi production may not have benefited this song as a result. Chris' high-registered vocals suit the material though, and fans should take to it if you like earlier material!

Next is the album's longest song, "Ignore The Platitudes", which takes more of a folksy punk bent, and keeps up the laid back feelings while retaining Telephone & Address' alternative stylings.  Repetition rears it's head here again, this time via over-long recitations of the song's title in the choruses, but beyond that, it works for Chris' established sound, and the drums suit the song's pacing pretty well! I imagine this song would work very well in an acoustic setting. Then we have "Not the Only One", whose drum-heavy instrumentation sounds like a lo-fi "Foxy Lady" on repeat. Again, we have repetitive singing of the song's title here, but in this case, that's basically the song's entire lyrics, and after a while, you get the idea. This is my least favourite song so far, especially with the minimal guitar usage aside from post-verse bridges, and the repetitive singing, but it is catchy early on.

Fifth is "Protest March", as self-identified by Chris at the song's beginning, and thankfully, this song has more varied lyrics, some of the best yet on this album. The track truly has a marching feel, with solid drumming and a fitting riff, while his vocals have a little more grit here than we have seen on some prior songs. For my money, this is my favourite song so far on "Are You Now...", and it has the most variance in structure and music styles so far! That's followed by "Sing On", a slower ballad of sorts that is well performed, but again dips into the repetitive song-title-as-chorus well, which hasn't helped prior songs on this CD. That said, this is another song that I have a feeling would work better as an acoustic number, as it has that mood to it, but if you can get past the repetitive lyrics, it works well enough!.

The penultimate song is "Test", which is a mid-tempo punk song that has a nice instrumental melody and steady rhythm, and while the lyrics are repetitive again, they're at least more spread and stretched out than they have been previously. Not the most memorable song in terms of music that this album has, it more sort of came & went to me, but fans of Telephone & Address' more reserved originals will likely be right at home. "Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been..." closes with "You Say", which runs for an album low 2 minutes in length. Possibly thanks to that, this song doesn't get repetitive, nor does it overstay it's welcome, delivering some steady lo-fi punk to close this album in style, with his instrumental talents and distinctive vocals on good display! Solid track that suits Telephone & Address nicely!

So, what are my final thoughts on Telephone & Address' newest CD? Well, it's definitely a return to form compared to last year's highly experimental ambient CD "Rust Orchid", with Christopher Shoust tackling punk and grunge originals with enthusiasm and raw energy, seemingly putting together the pieces of his first two official albums to make more of a total package here. His nasally vocals and the lo-fi production quality may still be acquired tastes, but they suit his music and it's intent, and I like the back to basics approach here, even if this album is shorter than anything he's made since "The Rotten EP". The achilles heel of "Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been..." is repetitive lyrics, particularly during choruses, as repeatedly singing the song's title did get old to me pretty quickly, but that might not be as jarring for devoted fans. That said, songs like "Protest March" and "You Say" play to his musical and lyrical strengths the most, and are among my highlights..

A return to form for Telephone & Address despite repetitve chorus lyrics, this album is well worth checking out for fans of Chris Shoust's lo-fi punk originals, so be sure to buy or stream this CD at the above links, and look for "Monster" in the new year, one assumes! I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, but what's coming next month to start 2017? I'm not 100% sure at this juncture, but of course, a new CD would gain precedence if it is released and I'm able get a copy of it! In any event, "Monster", an archive SweetKenny album, or "The Din Does Laundry" will not be next, due to our 6 month anti-bias buffer. If we have to dip into the archives for review #91, an older album from A Fall From Innocence or a Mike Haggith project could easily come next to tie in with perfomers at next month's Live705 show at The Canadian, as could Stiffler's Mom's newly located 2004 demo, if any of Greg Simpson's bands play live next month. In any event, stay tuned for our next CD review in January, and have a Merry Christmas, everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (A Dire Setback), New Online Album Uploads, And More!!

Hello everyone, it's time for another news post at the SMS, and on this cold Saturday afternoon, we're tackling a new digital album posting or two, a new solo performance video, and first, a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT! Here's what you need to know!

New local alternative/punk quartet A Dire Setback will reportedly make their Canadian Nightclub debut TONIGHT when they perform at Underground Empire Records' first ever YouTube party! Apologies for the extremely short notice, we were waiting for official announcements on the lineup from promoters, which surprisingly have never came, but A Dire Setback confirmed their involvement on their Facebook page last week. This event is the first ever YouTube party in the Soo, which will feature DJs, live artists, and activities and competitions, though no word on if the YouTube branding means that there will be filming or streaming of any kind (this is the label's YouTube channel, just in case.) Money raised will go to developing future entertainment events and providing a venue for them, which sounds like a good plan!

Promoters still have not unveiled a performer lineup publically for TONIGHT, but for what it's worth, Underground Empire Records are primarily active in rap and dance music. Also, The Din expressed interest in performing, but they have not publically confirmed any involvement. Admission for TONIGHT'S YouTube party is $10 ($15 with a friend), this is a 19+ event, and doors open at 10:00 PM. I wish we had more info on this event, but hopefully A Dire Setback knock it out of the park for their second live concert set TONIGHT, and if we hear any extra details or fallout, we'll let you know! Visit the Facebook event page for more, and here's A Dire Setback live!



Next up, the newest album from local punk/grunge solo project Telephone & Address was finally posted to their Bandcamp page over the past week! Though originally independently released on October 26th when the Chris Shoust-led project opened for Iansucks at The Gore Street Cafe, it's digital release was delayed for unannounced reasons until this month. Officially considered their fourth album (anything pre-2013 isn't canon now), the album now appears to be titled "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been...", adding the final word that isn't present on all prior album references. A physical copy's artwork is used for the digital cover art too, in a departure from the separate covers used before on Bandcamp, while the hand-drawn character on the front will vary if you have bought your own CD copy. "A.Y.N.O.H.Y.E.B." was recorded over the past year, and it features eight songs, entitled "Army Song", "He", "Ignore The Platitudes", "Not The Only One", "Protest March", "Sing On", "Test", and "Your Say".

This album can be bought at the above links for $8 on mp3 format, or $10 for a physical copy plus digital download (only 50 are available!), but you can also stream the album for free on Bandcamp too. With this album now at access, I can safely say that Telephone & Address will be the subject of this month's CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, so give it a listen above, and stay tuned for our review in the next two weeks!

Also in the realm of album releases, did you know that local party/hard rock cover trio Stiffler's Mom recorded an primarily-original demo CD back in 2004? I knew about it and have alluded to it in the past, but it never crossed our radar in even a streamable form... until now! Last month, fan Alex Moore uploaded the demo, fittingly titled "The Demo", to his YouTube channel, and the EP-length release features Greg, Mike, and Jon playing four songs, including a cover of Gordon Lightfoot's "The Wreck of The Edmund Fitzgerald" and the originals "Yesterday", "Pearl's Necklace", and "Enjoy the Show" (originally by their predecessor band Sin Stereo.) This is a mock-up of the cover art, though the band's name isn't exactly the same font. It's great to finally hear this elusive demo in full, and it shows Stiffler's Mom's original songwriting talents that may have fallen by the wayside for many fans only familiar with their covers, but is "The Demo" possible for a CD review at the SMS in 2017?

By all means, yes, but as it's over 12 years old, it'd have to be in a month with nothing new obtained, though given how often singer/drummer Greg Simpson plays live with this and other bands, I'd have no problem tying it in with one of their gigs! Give the full demo CD a listen below, and kudos to Alex for posting this online!



Finally for today, here's a new original song in progress from Sault Michigan classical metal band Theatre of Night! Uploaded to their YouTube channel on Wednesday, the song is entitled "If I Could Just Tear Down These Walls", which keyboardist Craig Harrison noted was "for those walls our loved ones put up." I have a feeling there's some personal meaning behind this song, which currently exists as a melancholy piano ballad complete with a monochrome video to suit the mood. There's something here given it's emotion, but it does need extra instrumentation to fill it out, and perhaps lyrics if they wouldn't get in the way. Check it out below!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for much more next week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Moon Tan, Project 421, Tym Morrison, And Telephone & Address), And Weekend Concert Previews!!

Another concert weekend is upon us, and due to a number of SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (plus recent slow news stretches), this post is entirely devoted to weekend concert previews referencing concerts that hadn't been formally plugged on the site until now! Apologies abound here (especially for Project 421), but had we known about them earlier, we'd have covered them here earlier! That said, our preview of the previously announced Highway 63 shows in Sault Michigan is coming in our next post, in order to spread things out. Now, here's what you need to know for this weekend, and in one case, beyond!

Winnipeg progressive/funk rock trio Moon Tan will make their local concert debut TONIGHT when they rock The New American Pub! Apologies for the short notice, this was only announced locally via it's official Facebook event page on Friday, too soon to plug without a redundant similar write-up. Touring in support of their new EP "The Faceless Knight", Moon Tan have a very creative visual look (complete with moon phase-themed costumes) and technical prog rock originals, and they should leave a firm impression on local fans TONIGHT, so be sure to check them out, as they aren't a cookie cutter band by any stretch! Though the feature touring act, they are actually playing second TONIGHT, between headlining local alternative hard rock trio The Din (fresh off of the Bloody Diamonds show this past weekend) and funk/hard rock quartet The Elements to kick things off. Solid choices to compliment Moon Tan, so don't miss out TONIGHT!

I'm not entirely sure who is promoting this show (for reference, The Din alerted me to it), but it has a $5 cover charge, 19+ age limit, and 10:30 PM start time. This should be a fun way for Moon Tan to kick off their Canadian tour, so don't miss out on what should be a creative and funky night of hard rock TONIGHT at The New A, and here's Moon Tan live!



Next up, we'll add the month of October's concert slate for Caveman Morrison frontman Tym Morrison, as he will (in all likelihood) continue his long-term weekly concert arrangement at Gliss Steak & Seafood with solo headlining concerts TONIGHT, TOMORROW, and SATURDAY, plus the next three weekends (October 13th-15th, 20th-22nd, and 27th-29th!) Apologies for the short notice regarding this weekend's shows, we typically wait for Facebook confirmation of his solo shows in this lengthy run before adding another month's worth to the site. With his thrice-weekly schedule maintaining at The Quality Inn's house restaurant, fans can check out Tym's proven blend of acoustic hard rock hits this month, including TONIGHT, TOMORROW, and SATURDAY, so don't miss out if you're up for a more reserved night of classics! No word though on if the 27th-29th weekend will have any Halloween themes.

As usual, these are 6:00 PM matinees with no announced cover charges or age limits, but remember that this is a formal sit-down restaurant. Visit THIS WEEKEND's official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Tym live in concert a few years back!

Also new for this weekend, local classic metal quintet Project 421 will return to the stage TOMORROW NIGHT for a headlining concert at The Rednecks Saloon! Profuse apologies for the short notice, this show was announced last Tuesday via it's Facebook event page, but in the midst of a slow news period last week, it got too delayed, hence why it's only getting wrote up here now. After taking a month off from the stage, this will be Project 421's first show since opening for Dumpster Mummy at The New A, their first Rednecks gig since June, and their first solo headlining concert since the spring, so if you want wall to wall classic metal favourites and select originals, head to the former Nicolet Tavern TOMORROW NIGHT! Just to clarify, there is no advertised opening band (not even Eclipse), so prepare for 421 all night! This show has no cover charge, a 19+ age limit, and a 10:00 PM start time, so visit the above links for more details, apologies again for the delay, and here's Project 421 live!



Finally for this concert preview post, local post-punk solo project Telephone & Address will return to the stage THIS SATURDAY NIGHT at The Gore Street Cafe when they open for Winnipeg indie pop quartet Iansucks in their local debut! Again, apologies for the short notice, this show was only just announced via it's Facebook event page on Tuesday, despite being the official CD release party for Telephone & Address' new album! No word on why this was announced with under a week's notice, but copies of Chris Shoust's fourth official solo CD "Are You Now or Have You Ever." (no "Been" at the end anymore) will officially go on sale on SATURDAY at the laundromat, so definitely consider a trip down to get your copies first! As for Iansucks, they're a somewhat gloomy yet poppy alt-rock outfit that should be a good fit at the cafe, so don't bypass them either if you're a genre fan! As is typical for The Gore Street Cafe, this is an ALL AGES, pay-what-you-can event, with an advertised 7:00 PM start time.

For those curious about the album, the above photo is a mockup of the front cover (based on this picture Chris shared on the event page), and it looks to be packaged similarly to his prior 3 albums, which will also be on sale on SATURDAY. No word yet on online availability, prices, or full track listing, but for reference, last year's "Rust Orchid" was sold for $15, and was also launched with a concert at the same venue. We'll keep you posted, but consider making it out THIS SATURDAY for Iansucks & the acoustic punk action, and here's Telephone & Address live!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for our Highway 63 concert previews and more next! Thanks everyone!

Project 906 & Telephone And Address Updates, New Archive Videos, And More!!

I know things have been slow on the site lately, but we are back with a new news post on this Wednesday morning, which features some new archive video finds, details on upcoming albums, and more, but first, we have some big updates from a prominent local cover band!

Here's the latest from Sault Michigan hard/blues rock quartet Project 906! On Sunday, the band announced via their Facebook page that they're "taking a short break" from live concerts, as half of the band are either expecting or new fathers. They didn't publically note who the new dads specifically are, but congratulations all around to them! This somewhat mirrors the baby-related break that guitarist Joe Jenkins' old band Exiled took in late 2014, but unlike then, hopefully Project 906 do actually come back as planned! With the above post, Project 906 also put up this new compilation video (made using the WeVideo mobile application) that includes clips of their early Van Halen, ZZ Top, and Stevie Wonder cover videos, and the end of their Van Halen cover from their Brimley concert debut over the St. Patrick's Day weekend in March.

There's nothing pressingly new here, and the videos aren't optimal looks at the guys in action (Billy Bernier isn't in frame at all on most clips, the Pickles video is only the song's tail end), but it's a nice extra to help tide fans over to start Project 906's break, especially as they only cited "the time being" for it's length. Hopefully we see them back in the new year at some point, and check out their new compilation video below!

Next up, we have some long awaited album updates from Sault Ontario grunge/punk solo project Telephone & Address! In his first Facebook page posting in over three months, project mainman Chris Shoust revealed that their fourth "official" album" is "Are You Now or Have You Ever Been...", confirming the earlier announcement from former collaborator Sam Decter, who mentioned that the album would be released through his BGP Tapes label on cassette. Chris didn't acknowledge that, possibly due to Sam moving out of town, but he noted that it's "being pressed as we speak", implying that it will be available on CD. This also seemingly confirms that "The Rotten EP", "Need Not Apply", and "Rust Orchid" are the first three "official" Telephone & Address albums, indicating that anything pre-2013 isn't in this canon, not that they were publically available anyway. Chris also noted that the previously announced album "Monster" is on track to be pressed in November, and he blamed money issues for the delays on both.

This picture went up today along with the album news, but it's unclear if it's a planned album cover, or one of Chris' own art pieces (for reference, physical copies of Telephone & Address albums have tended to come out in minimalist cardboard cases with stamped artwork.) The planned last song from "A.Y.N.O.H.Y.E.B.", entitled "You Say", can be streamed at the project's Soundcloud page as well, and while I won't review the track yet pending a possible review of one of these albums, "You Say" bears musical resemblances to the 2014 album "Need Not Apply". It's great to hear more from Telephone & Address, so stay tuned for more on their next albums!

Also today, here's some new archive videos of defunct local metal band Hollow that were posted on YouTube on Monday! Courtesy of drummer Vinnie Milosevich's YouTube channel, these both come from concerts at the former Eastgate Hotel in the early 1990s, including this 1992 cover of Collective Soul's "Shine", and as embedded below, Pantera's "Cemetery Gates" circa 1993 when they opened for Wild T & The Spirit. As per Vinnie's personal Facebook page, the band's lineup on the "Cemetery Gates" cover features Bob Cook (a.k.a. Schloppy from Sault Michigan's Clownsack) on vocals, guitarists Terry Eaton (Mourning Wood) and Tym Morrison, bassist Matt Miller (ex-Tripod the Dog), and Vinnie (now of the Kitchener rock band Knee Deep) on drums. I can't confirm if the "Shine" cover has the exact same lineup, especially as only Terry & Vinnie were in each of their various incarnations, but I believe they're mostly similar. The video quality is mixed (the joys of VHS camcorders), but you get a sense of Hollow's talents on each!

Bob has a nice vocal range that wasn't always as evident in the Clownsack days, Terry & Tym are solid guitarists as ever, and they do get a good crowd response (look at the turnout on the "Shine" cover!) That said, if you're more familiar with their late 1990s incarnations with Gigi, Dan, Adam, and the like, you may not appreciate these as much. Check out Vinnie's newest Hollow videos above & below, and visit his channel for more old Hollow clips!



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 alternative/hard rock quartet Id Iota will open for ex-Pixo Control frontman Mike Mikus during his first ever solo tour next month! Running from October 7th-16th, the tour run will see run through Southern Ontario & Sudbury, but it's not clear if there will be a Sault Ste. Marie stop during it or afterwards. Sounds like a good way to introduce Mike's new solo sound and material to the masses, and Id Iota should bring some heaviness as openers, so click here for details! For reference, the Sudbury show listed at "The Speakeasy" is not a typo for a local gig, Sudbury does indeed have a concert venue with that name also.
• Former Bring the Misery bassist Kyle Derasp has issued an open call via the Musicians Wanted Facebook group for local artists to come by a jam session at 124 Anna Street (the site of a few Blood Shed-affiliated house party concerts) this Sunday! No times were given, but if you're interested in attending, bring your amplifiers, chords, and perhaps beer. Keep this in mind if you want to jam with other musicians this weekend!
• Tidal Records is hosting a songwriters competition at LopLops Lounge on Saturday, October 15th, where aspiring singer/songwriters can showcase their original material for the chance to win recording time at Mission Control Studios and a digital release package for their song. Entry is $25 for competitors and $5 for attendees. No word yet on who's performing, or if there will be any semblance of hard rock or punk musicians taking part, but this isn't a traditional "battle of the bands", it's geared to solo artists. Just in case, visit the official Facebook event page for full details!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews next! Thanks everyone!

A New Local Band, Local Summer Festival Updates, And Much More!!

Here's some news and notes for your Saturday morning, including assorted updates, big updates regarding a returning summer concert event and the imminent future of some outdoor summer festival events, and leading off, a new local band, so here's what you should know!

We have a new local band to add to our band links, ans they are Caroline Divine, the new local rock trio that debuted at last night's Id Iota-headlined Gonqshow event at The Algonquin Pub, so what should you know on them? Not to be confused with defunct local hard rock band Borderline Divine (the former Stillbroke), Caroline Divine are essentially the successors to defunct pop rock band The Frasiers (albeit sans frontman Charlie Derrer), with their lineup featuring singer/guitarist Anthony Marcello, bassist Brenden Fitzgerald, and drummer Devin Williamson. Compared to The Frasiers, Caroline Divine definitely play heavier material, with their Facebook page describing their sound as "hair/glam metal infused power pop" and "party rock" that is reminiscent of bands like Van Halen and Motley Crue while remaining modern. Interesting description, and the guys have clear talent from their Frasiers run, but when can you check out Caroline Divine for yourself?

If you missed yesterday's concert, you can also see Caroline Divine TONIGHT at Lopstock II at LopLops Lounge and then at The Rankin Arena on Friday during fellow Lopstock performers The Pixo Control's fundraising concert, so definitely consider checking them out at either event! Stay tuned for more info and media on Caroline Divine as it comes in, like them above & on Twitter, and they're now in our band links!

Next up, here's some good (and bad) news regarding downtown outdoor summer concerts, starting with the good news: Rotaryfest's Second Stage is officially coming back next month! After earlier teases via The Bear Hunters' petition to get on that stage, the local summer festival's website has restored a "Stage 2" tab to their music section, which does confirm that Tenaris Algoma Tubes will return as presenting sponsors of the event. As you may remember, the Second Stage ran annually from 2005-2013 before financial issues forced it to take a hiatus last year, and it was the official Rotaryfest outlet for original local bands and select out of town acts, which will hopefully be maintained come July 16th-18th for it's 10th installment! No, the schedule isn't out for either the first or second stages, we will let you know when they're announced. With that said, will the Second Stage return to it's usual placement on Queen Street between Brock and East?

That appears to be up in the air, at the very least, as there's currently a push by some downtown business owners to disband The Sault Downtown Association, which helps organize and put on many downtown street parties and festivals on Queen Street, including some outdoor concert events like The Emergency Festival. Some local business owners want the Downtown Association abolished because they find that it's ineffective, isn't worth the cost that they put into it, and focuses on too small of an area, as they want to promote all of downtown rather than just a section of Queen Street, and there is a debate around this topic ongoing at City Hall. I won't pretend to be a scholar in finance, event promotion, or local business ownership, so visit SooToday and The Sault Star's articles for further details. While not publically stated yet, the fight to save or disband the Downtown Association will apparently result in Queen Street not hosting any further outdoor festivals or parties this summer.

No word yet on the new(?) location for Rotaryfest's Second Stage, but personal Facebook postings suggest that The Emergency Festival (which basically replaced the Second Stage for it's debut last year) will have a new home for 2015. Maybe that's why we haven't heard details on the stages and schedule yet? I hope things work out so that the Downtown Association can host events again, and hopefully there's a compromise struck that can please everyone, so stay tuned when we hear a resolution or details on upcoming outdoor concert events!

Finally for today, here's some assorted shorter updates from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist or venue name:

• Remember how Waterfront Legend (the former Docks Riverfront Grill) opened a restructured live venue named Club 89 in January? Well, updates on their Facebook page haven't came since March, and now, a new Facebook page for an apparent renamed or replacement nightclub named Club Current is now active, hyping the fact that it's a waterfront patio bar with live DJs. Fun idea, but are bands still a part of the plan here? We'll keep an eye on this and let you know if we hear anything!
• Have you noticed that local punk trio Redundant haven't played live or posted any updates all year? No word on where they've been, but bassist James White has indicated on his personal Facebook page that he's moving to Toronto in September for college. No word on what this would mean for Redundant or The Elements, but we'll keep you posted, and best of luck to James this fall!
• In recent days, you may have seen references to local lo-fi/punk project Telephone & Address adding Boxes of Boom's Sam Decter as their full-time drummer (making them a duo), as well as Chris & Sam launching a separate linked new band named Are You Now? or Have You Ever? (interesting name), but all references to the lineup addition and A.Y.N.O.H.Y.E. have quietly been deleted from Facebook without explanation. Hopefully nothing bad happened between Chris & Sam, but stay tuned for updates!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates in the coming days! Thanks everyone!