LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Biipiigwan, Beaumont Avenue, And Lucky 13), And The Exes For Eyes Concert Preview!!

Hope everyone's having a great week so far! I'm currently out of town due to a family emergency, hence the delay in our recap of Wednesday's VM Radio Battle of the Bands semifinal, but it is coming! I have one more post to get up beforehand, due to it having a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for this weekend, and a preview of one more big concert TONIGHT, but also read on for two more big shows taking place next weekend and next month that fans should enjoy! Now, here's what you should know, and thanks for your understanding at this busy time!

Sault Ontario alternative/hard rock cover quartet Lucky 13 will return to the stage TOMORROW NIGHT for a one-night-only gig at The Rockstar Bar! Apologies for the short notice, the band only confirmed the gig via it's Facebook event page yesterday. Fresh off of their short notice weekend at The Rednecks Saloon, this talented veteran quartet will be playing their first announced concert there since January, but this is a one nighter due to the previously announced Journey tribute concert tonight (more info here.) Despite the limited notice again, Lucky 13's talent and experience speaks for itself, so for look for a solid night of hard hitting covers TOMORROW at 10:00 PM! There's a 19+ age limit, and no announced cover charge, so visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's the guys at Toystock last fall!

Also in new concert announcements, local hard rock quartet Beaumont Avenue will return to the stage on Friday, March 20th & Saturday, March 21st at The Rednecks Saloon! Last seen in January at The Rockstar Bar (and at Rednecks on Boxing Day), the former Suicide Kings had originally announced that they wouldn't be back until the summer, but they timed these shows with the March break, which makes sense for availability! However, drummer Ben Boudreau isn't available to come home from Hamilton for the shows, so bassist Mitch Sirie's Bear Hunters bandmate Johnny Belanger will fill in for the weekend, and he should fit in well with the 2013 Rockstar Bar Battle winners! Just in case we don't see Beaumont Avenue back until the summer this time around, don't bypass these shows next weekend, which both have 10:00 PM start times, 21+ age limits, and no announced cover.

For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! It's great to see the guys back together (though it'd have been nice to see Ben back too), so stay tuned for updates on Beaumont Avenue's March break reunion when and if they come in, and hopefully we hear much more from them in 2015!

Finally for new shows, the previously teased return of Ottawa sludge metal trio Biipiigwan to the Soo will take place on Thursday, April 30th at 180 Projects! Last seen in November 2013 at The Moose Lodge, this hard hitting and doomy trio have made many fans in the area, and it's great to see them finally back in our neck of the woods! Joining them at this show are Sudbury studge/stoner trio Horse Lung, who some of you may recognize as one of the bands scheduled for Das Bunkerfest II in August, but are otherwise making their local debut next month. Their hard hitting, doomy originals should also find a strong audience on April 30th, so be sure not to miss them! Local support will come via local doom metal trio AlgomA, in their first concert of the year and their first since the release of their "Reclaimed By The Forest" CD last fall (might this count as their official release concert?) Nice to see them back on stage in any event, especially on the same bill as Biipiigwan!

This show will be opened by local alternative/grunge trio The Pixo Control in their 180 Projects debut, and though they're the only non-doom band on the bill, their rising talent and energy will set the tone well next month! The first metal show that we've heard about at 180 Projects since AlgomA opened for Skynet last year, this show is promoted by drummer Jamie Vincent & Oh! Right Arm! Promotions (their first show of the year too), this is an ALL AGES event with an $8 cover charge & a 7:00 PM start time. For more details, visit the Facebook event page, and stay tuned for much more on what should be a great doomy time for local metalheads!

Finally for today, we close with our preview of arguably the biggest of this weekend's metal and punk concerts, as Toronto/Montreal groove metal quartet Exes For Eyes will make their local concert debut TONIGHT at The Canadian Nightclub, in a nice intermission of sorts from that venue's battle of the bands! Fronted by Endast's "Big" James Arsenian, Exes For Eyes are touring in support of their new album "Tongues Like Figure Eights", the subject of their recent "platinum project" to sell 1 million copies of the album for $1 in an attempt to go platinum. Exes For Eyes' brutal and intense sound should endear them to local fans, be you an Endast fan already or not, so be sure to come on out for their original attack! Joining them on this local stop on their "Tours Like Figure Eights" tour are three local bands, including local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades in their first local concert set of the year, and I know the show ties in with frontman/promoter J.D. Pearce's birthday, so be sure to wish him a happy birthday TONIGHT!

Joining them tomorrow are two bands from this month's VM Radio Battle of the Bands (our recap is coming next), including death metal standouts (and finalists) The Bear Hunters  and new local punk quartet Stereo North in their third local concert set, and fresh off of a strong performance in Wednesday's semifinal. so come early for their fast-rising punk renditions! This ALL AGES concert has a 7:00 PM start time and a $10 cover charge, so visit the Facebook event page for more details! This should be a great concert for metal and punk fans alike, and it's great to see Exes For Eyes finally in the Soo, so don't miss TONIGHT's action at The Canadian! For a preview, here's Exes For Eyes' music video for "Stop Thinking, Start Feeling"!



That's all for now, but stay tuned for our recap of Wednesday's second night of the VM Radio Battle of the Bands later today, I promise! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide), New Videos, And More!!

Before likely Treble Charger concert fallout comes in, we have a new news post featuring some other recent items that should be of interest themselves, so what's on tap? New videos from two former bandmates in solo settings, and some assorted notes, but first, here's a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for next month!

Local/Toronto Celtic punk quartet Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide will play their first local show of 2015 on Saturday, March 21st at the Searchmont Resort! Our source is the new Tidal Records concert schedule, which was posted on their Facebook page on Wednesday. The show is the only local date on the current schedule for Dustin & company, who will be touring Ontario next month, June, and in August for short runs, and the Searchmont gig will cap off their March touring. Further details are not out concerning their Searchmont gig next month, but the venue isn't all that odd for The Rising Tide, as they have played at (and been filmed at) the regional ski resort in the past, and their fun hybrid sound should fit in well next month! For reference sake, the "Soo CD release party" that is listed on the above Tidal Records schedule relates to Rising Tide members Sheldon & Marshall Jaaskelainen's roots band The Boot Hill Crooners' concert the previous day, not The Tide, but congrats to them on the pending CD release!

Details are to be confirmed for the March 21st D.J.R.T. concert, including on start times, possible age limits, and cover charges, but stay tuned for more as it rolls in, and check the above links for more updates!

Next up, here's some new video finds from Redundant/Elements bassist James White, which are actually his first performance uploads on his YouTube channel in over four years! Actually uploaded early last year, the five bass covers are of Sublime's "Don't Push" & "Date Rape", Metallica's "The Four Horsemen", and Iron Maiden's "Aces High" &, embedded below, "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", so how does he sound here? At times, his bass can be heard to hear over the original tracks, but his skill is clear, and it's interesting to see him tackle songs that are a bit heavier than what his recent local bands have tended to play! Give them all a look above, and watch for a cameo by James' dog below!



Also, here's the newest studio track from James' former Haggith bandmate Mike Haggith's upcoming solo album "The Warinside", though it's also an old track, as it's a re-recording of his older song "Lay My Body Down To Rest". Originally from his 2009 album "I Hate My Life & I Want To Die" (which you can hear here), listeners of both songs will notice that the new version is longer, better produced, fuller, and has a new intro, but the basic structure is intact. We won't review the re-recorded song here, as I still expect to look at "The Warinside" in full upon release, but give the full song (which was uploaded to Mike's YouTube channel on Thursday) a listen below!



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

• Though admission for the show is only $10, you do have the option to buy tickets for the Exes For Eyes concert at The Canadian Nightclub online, so if you want to get yours online instead, click here! Our source is promoter J.D. Pearce on the Facebook event page on Wednesday, and stay tuned for updates on the rest of the lineup!
• Local/Toronto classical punk trio RedD Monkey apparently reunited for a set yesterday in Toronto at The Coalition Lounge during a short film screening, which marked their first show together since December 2013 (source here.) No word yet on if this was a one-off reunion or the start of something more, but the above link says that they were asked to play by their friends that were screening the film. Great news either way, and stay tuned for potential updates!
• Local Chinese buffet restaurant Waterfront Legend (formerly Docks Riverfront Grill) is apparently trying live bands again for the first time since the name and theme change, as local blues rock cover band Mojo have brought their weekly jam night to the Foster Drive venue for at least the rest of the month, as per their Facebook group. Intriguing news, but will this lead to hard rock bands back there in the future? We'll keep you posted!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Exes For Eyes) And Lots Of VM Radio Battle Of The Bands Updates!!

Before we get to the meat of today's post, we have a clarification regarding announced concerts for Sault Michigan classic/hard rock quartet Highway 63 that Kewadin Casino's entertainment page were advertising for this weekend at the Soo branch. According to their Facebook page yesterday, there was "some mix up with the contracts", and their planned gigs have been rescheduled to a later date, though they have yet to confirm when. At least they were honest and told everyone beforehand, and don't miss them in St. Ignace next month! Now, today's post features plenty of updates to an upcoming battle of the bands, and a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, so here's what you should know!

Toronto/Montreal groove metal quartet Exes For Eyes will make their local concert debut on Friday, March 13th when they headline at The Canadian Nightclub! Fronted by Endast singer "Big" James Arsenian, some readers may be familiar with his other band from their recent "platinum project", where they have been aiming to sell one million copies of their new album "Tongues Like Figure Eights" for $1, in order to go platinum. I like Exes For Eyes' ambition, and they have a crushing sound that Endast fans and newcomers alike should enjoy, so keep this show in mind for March! Local support for this show (the first of their "Tours Like Figure Eights" Canadian tour that month) will include local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades in their first show of the year, and their hard hitting originals and covers should do the trick as usual on March 13th! Two more local opening bands are to be confirmed, but message promoters on the Facebook event page for more info on that front. Promoted by Jack Spades frontman J.D. Pearce (whose birthday will kick off at midnight late in the show), this is an ALL AGES concert and fully licensed, and as a result, there will be an earlier start time of 7:00 PM, so under-19 fans can come on out!

Admission will be $10, but it's not clear yet whether there will be advance ticket sales. For more information, visit the above links! This should be a solid concert for metal fans, so stay tuned for more on it as more info comes in!

Next up, here's the latest on the battle of the bands on each Wednesday in March at the aforementioned Canadian Nightclub, which now has it's official title and poster! The VM Radio Battle of the Bands (as presented by Tidal Records) is supported by all of the great sponsors depicted on the poster on your left, which was designed by Chronic Demonic guitarist Kevin Powe (and solidly done as always!) Regarding band registrations, the deadline for bands who already reserved a spot has been extended to Monday morning, and they can pick up their forms at The Rad Zone before then! Remaining forms will be released to any and all interested bands after that. Promoter J.D. Pearce revealed a list of bands who had reserved a form on the Facebook event page, and it includes two bands not previously confirmed publically, so who else has a tentatively reserved slot for the battle in March?

The new confirmations are local post punk quartet Gnaeus (pictured) and progressive/indie rockers Mannapool, both of whom would be making their local battle of the bands debuts. Both are intriguing additions, but of course, we await full confirmation of all 12 bands once they submit their full registration forms. They join The Apocalypse Afterparty, The Danger Cats, Haggith, Honest Job, Late Shift, Project 421, The Revolution, and Them among pre-registered bands, though at last word, Project 421 & The Revolution have paid their registration fees and recieved their forms. Remember, whether you're among the above bands or plan to sign up after Monday morning, the entry fee is $100, which you'll get back in full if you sell the ticket packages that your band recieves with your registration forms, so don't let the amount scare you!

As for the prizes, here's a further breakdown of what to expect for winning & placing bands (and beyond) come the finals on March 25th! While not all publically confirmed yet, the first place band will win $1,000, a trophy, an in-studio live performance at VM Radio, and a guaranteed high profile opening slot at one of J.D.'s upcoming concerts. Among the individual awards (similar to those from 2012's Humane Society Battle), the best guitarist & bassist will win packages to be detailed from Case's Music, the best drummer will win a prize from Maxx Graphix, and the best singer will win a new microphone from Right Hook Mics and other merchandise, while the most energetic band will still get cases of Bomb Energy Drinks and t-shirts for each member. There are more prizes to be announced, so stay tuned for more on that front!

Remember, this battle takes place on March 4th, 11th, and 18th, with four projected bands competing each night, and each week's winner (plus the top scoring runner-up) will advance to the finals on March 25th! This is ALL AGES, tickets will cost $15 for the full event ($5 a night for the three semifinals & $10 for the finals if you can't commit for the full month), and each night's bands will kick off at 8:00 PM. Stay tuned for more updates on this huge battle of the bands in the coming weeks, and get all current public information at the above links!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more updates and news soon, plus this month's new poll on Sunday! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Peril & Tantrym Tyme) Plus More Recent News!!

Let's continue our clearing out of backlogged news items with our second news post of the day! Below, we have lots of assorted recent notes and LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for this month (including THIS WEEKEND), so here's what you should know, and check out more new shows, concert previews, and more in the post below this one!

Charlevoix metal/hard rock trio Peril will return to the The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino for their first concerts of 2015 TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, the band just announced the shows on their Facebook page this morning, and Kewadin's entertainment page hasn't been updated to reflect 2015 bookings yet. Coming just three weeks after they capped 2014 at the St. Ignace Kewadin, it's great to see Jeff & company back so soon to deliver their high impact metal covers to the E.U.P. once again, so if you're looking for some concert action across the river, TONIGHT and/or TOMORROW NIGHT's shows wouldn't be bad ideas to hit! There are no announced cover charges, 21+ age limits, and 9:00 PM start times in effect for this weekend, so for more details, visit the above links, and don't miss Peril this weekend! Here at the guys covering Ozzy Osbourne a few years back!

Next up, Sault Michigan hard rockers Tantrym Tyme will make their first concert appearance of 2015 when they play at The Elks Lodge in the Soo on Sunday, January 25th! Surprisingly the first announced concert on their Facebook page in four months (though I believe they've played unadvertised gigs in the interim), this will apparently also be their first announced concert since parting ways with bassist Quinton Jacobson, who was quietly removed from their Facebook page's lineup late last year. A reason for his exit has not been announced. Quinton had played with the former Abstract since the spring of 2012, and it is disappointing to see him apparently leave, but hopefully he turns up in another band soon! In his place, guitarist Mike East is listed now as Tantrym Tyme's bassist (reverting the band to their 2011-2012 trio lineup), and he and Quinton had alternated roles in concert, so this isn't that big of a big jump!

To be hosted at The Elks Lodge at 1111 East Portage Avenue (though I'm unclear if the venue or Sunday placement indicates a special reason for the show), this will have an early 3:00 PM start time, no announced cover charge, and likely no age limit. For more details, visit the above links! It's great to see Tantrym Tyme staying busy, so keep this Sunday afternoon gig in mind for later this month, and follow the guys on their new Twitter page!

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

• New Sault Ontario goregrind duo Das Skalpell Kampf revealed their three songs for the upcoming Blood Shed Productions 11-way split demo on their Facebook page on New Year's Eve, and they'll include the previously revealed "Thanks For The Ride" and new songs named "Handing Out Headshots" and "Deep Fried (Long Pig) Steak (Sandwiches)". Interesting, so we'll have to see where this leads, and stay tuned for the full track listing when posted publically!
• According to the newest update on his promotional Facebook group, local concert promoter J.D. Pearce is apparently bringing Toronto metal band Exes For Eyes (featuring Endast frontman James Arsenian) to the Soo in March, though the date and venue are to be announced. That would be a great concert, so stay tuned for updates when they come in!
• Local alternative hard rock quartet Haggith appear to have officially confirmed Jordan Leach as their new full time bassist (replacing James White), as he was included in their "Happy New Year" post on their Facebook page yesterday. Sounds good, he fit in well with them at The Bear Hunters' CD release, but he does need to work on his stage presence. Look for more from Haggith in 2015!
• In his Christmas day post on his forum Freq's Music Planet, prolific local drummer Glen Thomas revealed that his recently dormant progressive hard rock project The Mourning Glory will be releasing new music this year. This is just their second public update since 2013, and it's nice to hear that Glen's still working on Mourning Glory material! See above for more info, and they're now back in our active band links!
• Local goregrind duo Rotopsy have revealed the cover artwork, release date, and title for their upcoming full length demo on their Facebook page in recent days. To be called "Sexual Assault Rifle" (they titled it, don't shoot the messenger!), it's planned for release on April 20th, but we will not share the cover artwork here due to potentially offensive content. Give everything a look above if you want though!
• Sault Michigan classical metal band Theatre of Night released a new original instrumental named "Foster's Death March" to their Soundcloud page on Sunday! Uniquely featuring more of a tribal and deliberate sound than their usual epic metal, give the song a listen above, and stay tuned for more on them and their album plans!

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