LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Soundcheck), A New Music Video, And Much More!!

A second post wasn't in the cards for today, but thanks to a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, I've bumped our planned Sunday post up a day. To round things out, we also have some assorted news and notes, and two new videos from each side of the border, so here's what you should know!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will help ring in 2019 with a concert at Reggie's West TONIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, we only learned of this show via singer/guitarist Terry Eaton's personal Facebook page this morning, and I could not find any public confirmation of it on the band's Facebook page, let alone the venue's. Also, I cannot confirm if Soundcheck played at the Reggievelt last night too (obvious apologies if they did), but again, I can't cover it if it's not publicized in advance. As for TONIGHT'S show, this will be Soundcheck's first (announced) concert since rocking The Esquire Club last week, but fans haven't seen Terry, Travis, Paul, and Glen at this Korah Road venue in over a month. Despite the minimal notice, fans should get their fill of Soundcheck's hard rocking covers TONIGHT, so keep this one in mind! Expect a 10:00 PM start time, no announced cover charge, and a 19+ age limit for this concert. See above for more details, and here's Soundcheck live last year!



Next up, relocated local alt-hard rock musician Mike Haggith unveiled the official music video for his single "The Nature of The Times" via his YouTube channel on Wednesday! Posted online as the build for his new solo album "Bridges" continues, this video was filmed in various outdoor locations in Mike's current Thompson, Manitoba homebase, and was directed and edited by Dag Deschambeault of Thompson filmmaking/production company Natural Aspects Promotions. I'll hold full thoughts on the song until our likely review of "Bridges" later this year, but the video is well shot, and you get some nice views of Thompson landmarks, buildings, and scenery! I particularly like the effect of the snowfall when Mike's flanked by a nearby forest and frozen lake/river. Also, I presume the security camera footage of Mike being kicked out of a building was in jest. Give Mike's newest music video a look below, and stay tuned for more on "Bridges" when it rolls in!



Also, here's a very belated video from local classical metal project Theatre of Night's Facebook page from December 23rd, as shared from keyboardist Craig Harrison's personal Facebook page at the time. Filmed prior to their headlining concert at The Dreammaker's Theater at the Sault Ste. Marie Kewadin Casino on the 15th, this is a 16 second soundcheck clip of the band (sans Craig & drummer Erik Sales) tackling the Christmas carol "Silent Night". It's a shame this is so short, as the laid back acoustic nature seems to work well, and Rachel's vocals are very strong while we hear them! Give it a look below, and stay tuned for more from Theatre of Night in 2019!



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 Celtic punk quintet Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide were spotlighted in this Sault Star article from Brian Kelly last week, where Dustin talked about why the band went on their 2016-2018 hiatus, their planned fourth studio album, and their LopLops Lounge headlining concert on December 27th. The article also confirms that the first single from their new album will be named "All Broke Down", with sessions to come over the winter, and a tentative release date and short support tour planned for the fall. The insight to recent Tide happenings and future plans is welcome, and fans will want to give the full article a read above!
• Former Suicide Kings frontman Mike Gaetano is looking to start a new local band, with "90s alt-rock, pop/rock, (and) pop punk" cited as preferred genres. Mike does hope to play live again, and he does have original music ready. It'd be great to see Mike back on stage with a new project, so message him at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from Wednesday for more details!
• The newest installment of Ernest Skinner's Rock Talk column was posted onto SaultOnline on Wednesday, where Ernest interviewed former Headpins frontwoman Darby Mills. Entrtaining article with some solid insights from her career, so give it a look above, and look for Ernest's next interview with Sean Kelly in the near future!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Ten Kings), Stereo North Updates, And Much More!!

Before we get into the meat of this post, I want to note that a planned 5th Bloody Basement Jam from Blood Shed Productions this Saturday was quietly cancelled before we could even plug it on the site, though it's lineup would have been familiar to other recent house party concerts from the label. Disappointing, but be sure to check our Blood Shed acts on March 7th at The Oddfellows Hall! Now, today's post features assored updates, what a veteran quintet are planning, and a new punk band's next shows, but first, here's some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS!!

New Sault Michigan hard rock quartet Ten Kings will make their live debut a little sooner than expected, as they'll be rocking The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino THIS FRIDAY & SATURDAY! Announced on their Facebook page on Thursday, this will mean that the new band featuring Nixxon Dixxon, Bottom Line, and Scofflaw alumni will be playing at the Soo Kewadin's bar for two consecutive weekends, and this will be a good way for the guys to establish themselves and work out the kinks at a familiar venue! For reference, these new shows have not been confirmed on Kewadin's entertainment page yet, but this weekend's Rapids Lounge dates were previously blank on their schedule. Like their other upcoming dates, Ten Kings are scheduled to rock at 9:00 PM both nights, you must be 21 to attend, and there's no announced cover charges. For more details, visit the Facebook event page, and stay tuned for more later this week!

Next up, here's the latest from new Sault Ontario punk band Stereo North, so when will we be seeing them next? Likely at next month's VM Radio Battle of the Bands, as they are the 10th confirmed band for this highly anticipated battle on every Wednesday in March at The Canadian Nightclub! Our source is promoter J.D. Pearce on the Facebook event page yesterday. Unless you saw them at Bon Soo, they'll be a wild card for many attendees, but can they make a big splash next month, and can bassist Bill Bennett improve on his 2012 Humane Society Battle run with T-Rex Manning? Stay tuned for more on the battle, including the complete daily schedule for the bands, and sign up A.S.A.P., as there are only two slots left! That said, if Stereo North don't play until March 18th's semifinal, then you'll next see them at the same venue on the 13th, as they and local death metallers The Bear Hunters (also in the battle) have been added to the lineup of that night's Exes For Eyes show!

Again, our source is J.D. on that concert's Facebook event page yesterday. Stereo North's addition is a little unexpected, especially considering Exes For Eyes' death & groove metal sound, but they're paired well with fellow openers Jack Spades, and any exposure will be a benefit, so don't miss them on March 13th or in next month's battle, and we'll let you know when more comes out on each!

Also today, have you been wondering where veteran classic/hard rock quintet That's Chester have been in the last 6 months? So have I, but we now know their next project, and it's an ambitious one, as they will be providing the live music in an upcoming local stage production of The Who's classic rock opera Tommy this November! The band revealed the plans on their Facebook page on February 3rd after prior personal postings. There is a lot to be revealed about this production, including the host venue (possibly the Kiwanis Theatre?), performance dates, actors, and admission criteria, but this is a famous musical with many classic songs like "Pinball Wizard" and "I'm Free", and a talented band like That's Chester should be up to the challenge! Note that the post revealing the Tommy plans also hinted that they're working on multiple "bigger projects", but the other(s) haven't been revealed yet. We'll keep you guys posted when more is announced on this local Tommy production as we approach November!

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

• Local alternative/grunge quartet Haggith (at 8:00 PM) goregrind duo Rotopsy (at 7:15 PM), and pageless newer metal trio Them (at 5:30 PM) are new confirmations for the Benighted concert at The Oddfellows Hall on March 7th, as per promoter Tyler St. Amour on the Facebook event page on February 6th. Strong choices (though Haggith aren't a perfect genre fit), so be sure to come early for their sets! Remember, this is ALL AGES with $12 admission, $7 in advance, and see above for more info!
• Beaumont Avenue frontman Mike Gaetano is looking for a bass player for his new local music project (ability to sing harmonies is a plus), and this band would play multiple genres and originals. No word on what this means, if anything, for Beaumont Avenue and Urawk, but message Mike at this link or through his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from Thursday if you're interested in trying out or getting more details!
• Local punk/grunge solo project Telephone & Address revealed on their Facebook page on Friday that physical copies of their new album "Rust Orchid" are back from being pressed, and that they're just awaiting printing of the front and back covers. No word yet on when they go on sale in CD or digital formats, but we'll keep you guys posted when we hear anything!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes this week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Turner Up), A Local Band's Return, Battle For The Blood Updates, And More!!

Here's another news post for this Friday afternoon, but are you wondering where my review of yesterday's 45th Roosevelt Hotel metal night is? I was there, and it's definitely coming, but my Changing Waves video is out of sync for who knows what reason (blame my camera), so I've gotta edit it and re-sync the audio. It's noticeable, especially for the vocals, and you can see for yourself by clicking here until I replace the video. So until then, we have SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for THIS WEEKEND, a local band's return under a new name, a prominent out of town band's search for a new local date, an upcoming battle of the bands' new updates, and more, so read on below for all of the new stories! (Updated on Sunday at 2:57 PM)

I apologize for the short notice on these concerts, but Sault Ontario classic hard rock quintet Turner Up will hit the stage for two more shows TONIGHT AND TOMORROW NIGHT! These new dates, which will see them return to The Nicolet Tavern once again following their shows there last month, were only announced yesterday, so I again am sorry for the late word. Keep the weekend's shows in mind though, as if you wanna hear Turner Up rock some solid covers with a bit of a harder edge than most of the band's Havadder work, then don't miss them at The Nic tonight or tomorrow! They may be sans bassist Travis Sharpe this weekend according to their Facebook page, but that info was oddly put on the "About" section there, so I can't attest to if that refers to this weekend or not, or which member's playing bass instead. If anyone knows for certain, let me know! Admission should be free, both of these gigs should be 19+, and a 10:30 PM start time is advertised. For more information, visit the official Facebook event page! These should both be solid concerts from Turner Up, as always, so don't miss their classic hard rock attack tonight or tomorrow! For a preview, here's the old Turner Up covering a Guns N' Roses classic at The Rockstar Bar last year!



Next up, do you guys remember the short lived Sault Ontario death metal band Bring The Misery, last known as Unleash The Blackened Sky? Well, they're back..... sort of! Their Facebook page has been reactivated to reflect the band's return (having last done any real band updates last July), although there's a lot of differences. They've changed their name to March Into Regression (no word on why they dumped the U.T.B.S. name), and their current lineup now only includes guitarist Ray Cowan & drummer Travis St. Amour, indicating that 2011 members Steve Rhodes, Daeson Lesage, and Travis's brother Tyler haven't been retained. Note that Ray's other group Social Suicide's Facebook page hinted that Ray was doing a "different band", though it's not clear how linked the two are otherwise. However, recent postings indicate that March Into Regression plan to write new original material and play shows once again, hopefully including some touring. While I thought that Bring The Misery's two concerts last June were works in progress, I'm glad to see Ray & Travis keep the band alive, and the new name is definitely an improvement! They're back in our active Sault Ontario band links, and stay tuned for updates from March Into Regression as I hear them!

Thirdly, here's the latest updates on the Battle for the Blood! The recently announced battle of the bands to find a second local opening band for 3 Inches Of Blood's show at The Roosevelt Hotel on July 9th will apparently be moving to a later date than the original placement for it this coming Tuesday. The move was necessitated due to scheduling conflicts with Desbarats death metal quartet For All That Is Lost, as guitarist Brook Moreau has to work on Tuesday night, according to postings on the Facebook event page. Originally, F.A.T.I.L. just dropped out of the battle, but I'm glad to see that they're looking into rescheduling for a few reasons. F.A.T.I.L. deserve the opportunity (and singer Tyler Sperry suggested the battle concept early on), you need at least 4 bands for a good battle (none recently in the Soo have had less), and if it's postponed, it gives more time to advertise and get the word out, so this can only benefit the battle itself! Stay tuned to the SMS for more details on the Battle For The Blood & when it will take place as I hear of it!

Also today, a prominent Northern Ontario metal band are looking to come back to Sault Ste. Marie for another concert, but they need help and/or contacts to make it happen! Empyrean Plague frontman "Builder" Mike Burge contacted the SMS' Facebook page earlier this week asking if I could help the North Bay black metal standouts get a concert booked for the Soo, presumably later this year. I forwarded him some contact information, but I don't believe they have anything firm set up yet, so I thought I'd spread the word on here! As you may remember, Empyrean Plague headlined the 34th Roosevelt Hotel metal night last September, and were among the featured out of town bands at the Ypres Metal Fest in April, so they're certainly no strangers to Sault Ste. Marie! Their brutal black metal stylings fit in very well at local shows, and it's be great to see the guys back here, so if you can help Empyrean Plague get a new local booking later this year, contact Mike at this location or the band at the above links! Let's get some more Northern Ontario black metal up here!

Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter stories from the last little while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by band or musician name:

• New local grunge band Haggith posted an acoustic version of their original song "Rage Train" onto their Facebook page yesterday! I can't embed it here, as it's a Facebook video, but it's a nice different take on the song, so give it a look at the above links, and remember to see Haggith's debut at The Canadian Nightclub on Sunday!
• Mike Gaetano from Docks Riverfront Grill (and a former metal booker at The Other Place) is looking for a guitarist and bassist for a current band project that he's a part of that primarily plays 1990s alternative rock covers. If anyone out there is interested in trying out for this band, message Mike at this location or through his post on the Musicians Wanted Facebook group last night!
• YouTube user Toxic Doll has uploaded 8 videos from the David Gold memorial concert in Toronto on April 5th at this location, including all 7 songs from Chicago doom metal headliners Novembers Doom's set (including their cover of Woods of Ypres' "Wet Leather") and frontman Paul Kuhr's guest spot with Musk Ox covering "You Are Here With Me", so give them a look at the above links! Fuzzy video quality, but the audio's very good!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for my review of last night's Rosie metal night later tonight! Thanks everyone!