LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Project 906, Tarnished, And The Nameless) & Weekend Concert Previews!!

An extremely eventful and busy weekend of hard rock concerts is in store for the Twin Saults and area this weekend, so much so that I might have to break our previews into three posts! For now, this post is 100% devoted to Sault Michigan and the E.U.P., including LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, two on SHORT NOTICE, so here's what you should know to start the weekend!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Tarnished will return to The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Ste. Marie Kewadin Casino TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, I was aware of these shows for a few weeks now after being announced on Kewadin's entertainment page, but they got lost in the shuffle in a very busy month (not helped by the glut of new-to-the-EUP touring bands playing there this summer that I covered initially). Last seen at the Soo Kewadin in May when they were late replacements for The Louie Longoria Band, these will be another good chance to see Alex, Josh, Chris, and Ron's 1980s-leaning hard rock covers all weekend long, so don't miss out if this is up your alley! No word on if SATURDAY'S booking is why their sister band Crush aren't defending their title at the second annual Superior Whitefish Festival Battle of the Bands in Brimley or not though.

As usual for Kewadin lounges, TOMORROW & SATURDAY'S shows are 21+ affairs at 9:00 PM with no announced cover charges.  If you can't make their next two shows in St. Ignace, then don't miss out on Tarnished here TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT, so visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, here they are live!

Next up, let's head to Rudyard, Michigan, where Sault Ste. Marie blues/hard rock cover quintet Project 906 will return to Huck's Pub & Grill TOMORROW NIGHT, but in a new confirmation, they will also return to the annual Government Bay Barge Bash in nearby Cedarville on Saturday, August 1st! The #summerof906 marches on first tomorrow with a show timed with the annual Summerfest in Rudyard, and while this isn't an official Summerfest event, there should be a good crowd at the former Joe's Bar for Project 906 (or "906 Band", as it were) rocking out tomorrow! This is a one-nighter due to or resulting in Saturday's Private Drive concert, and it goes down at 8:00 PM on Friday with a 21+ age limit and no cover charge. While we're on the subject, let's discuss the aforementioned Government Bay Barge Bash one week from Saturday, which will again see Project 906 in Cedarville for quite a unique outdoor concert on the local summer calendar!

Billy, Joe, Dustin, Jason, and Brian have played this event many times, which is quite literally named, as the bash takes place on a barge in the water off the coast of Government Island near Bumpas on East Hodeck Street in Cedarville, and attendees are more than welcome to swim or boat over to the stage! 906 and Cedarville classic rock veterans Shipheads On Shore are both returning from last year's Barge Bash, while The Haske Brothers (formerly of Oddfellow fame) will replace The Mark Bowen Band as the third band this year, though of course, Jason Haske was in Mark's band last year. Project 906 are this year's headliners, with their set likely beginning on August 1st at around 5:00 PM, with the Shipheads playing a mid-afternoon set likely around 2:30 PM or so, and The Haske Brothers kicking things off at 12:00 PM  This is a fun event for those in and around the Les Cheneaux Islands, so keep it in mind, especially if you love being out on/in the water!

The Barge Bash is a FREE & ALL AGES event, and remember to please drink responsibly if you are so inclined here, especially given the nature of the concert being literally held on the bay. Visit the above links for more details on the Barge Bash and tomorrow's Huck's show in Rudyard, with lots of hard rocking covers in store from this talented local band at both events, and for a preview, here's Project 906 live! 

Finally for this preview post, we'll head back to Kewadin Casino in Sault Ste. Marie, where local hard rock cover quartet The Nameless will serve as the musical entertainment at the third annual American Legion Riders' Hell To Paradise motorcycle rally on SATURDAY NIGHT! Apologies for erroneously noting when this was first announced that they'd be at The Rapids Lounge (Tarnished are there, obviously), the band has since confirmed that they'll actually be playing in The Dreammakers Theatre, so the ending banquet will be well staged! The two-day Hell To Paradise rally will see bikers drive north from Stockbridge to the Soo (15 minutes west of Hell & an hour+ east of Paradise respectively) to support awareness of post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health, as those battling depression can feel lost between Hell and Paradise. Click here for full details and how you can support the cause!

The Nameless will be rocking out after a buffet dinner and awards ceremony, and as best as I can tell, you do not have to pay a dedicated admission fee or buy dinner to see the concert, which will be 21+ at 8:00 PM. If you'd rather see them in normal concert confines, Kewadin's entertainment page confirms that their previously teased Kewadin dates (lounge then unclear) will indeed be at The Rapids Lounge on Friday, August 28th & Saturday, August 29th, so consider those LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS too! Same ground rules as Tarnished this weekend. Visit the above links for more on Josh, the Mikes, and Jamie's Kewadin gigs of any scale ahead, and for a preview of the Hell To Paradise afterparty, here are The Nameless live!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for previews of Sault Ontario concerts and the Superior Whitefish Festival Battle of the Bands next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Blitz, Nolium, Rock N' Roll Ave, And Project 906!!)

Before we dive into weekend concert previews on both sides of the border, let's take a trip to Sault Michigan and the E.U.P. for this all-American SMS post, which solely features LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for the coming weeks! Here's what you should know on this Wednesday night!

Local hard/blues rock cover quintet Project 906 will apparently return to Huck's Pub & Grill in Rudyard for one night only on Friday, July 24th! The show was announced via this concert calendar image on Huck's Facebook page, which calls them "906 Band", but who else could they be referring to? Fans last saw Project 906 at Huck's on Halloween last year, and their show in two weeks will actually coincide with another special occasion, as that will be during Summerfest weekend in Rudyard (click here for this year's program), but events at the former Joe's Bar are not official Summerfest events, just well timed. As such, things should be busier that night, so hopefully Project 906 have a strong night of live hard rock action! Note that singer Billy Bernier will actually be playing a solo gig at Huck's tomorrow (source here) as this week's Bike Night entertainment, but I don't know if his solo shows are basically 906 unplugged or take new paths.

This concert is a one-nighter due to or resulting in a show on Saturday the 25th from a mystery band named Private Drive, and we'll let you know if we hear anything about them. "906 Band" take the stage for this 21+ concert at 8:00 PM with no cover charge, and there will be an outdoor cash bar on site. Before we get too far, Project 906 played their second show of this year's #summerof906 in Curtis (90 minutes west of here) on Wednesday, July 1st at the Erickson Center For The Arts as part of their own Music In The Park series. Curtis is outside of our hour's drive coverage area, but I hope the outdoor show went well! Visit the above links for more from Project 906!

Next up, Kewadin Casino has updated their entertainment page for bands playing at the Soo and St. Ignace branches through the end of August, and there's some newer touring faces to look out for, starting with the local debuts of Petoskey-area classic/hard rock cover quartet The Blitz at The Rapids Lounge in Sault Ste. Marie on Friday, July 31st and Saturday, August 1st! The Blitz have been rocking Northern Michigan and the tip of the mitt since at least the late 2010s, and they reunited in 2022, but as far as I am aware, their shows in three weeks will be their first in the E.U.P.. Videos on their Facebook page show The Blitz covering the likes of Def Leppard, Better Than Ezra, and Royal Republic, and were recently tapped to open for a cancelled Firehouse concert in Wolverine, so they definitely have a good array of hard rock-leaning covers, and it will be interesting to see how they go over in the Soo!

As usual for concerts at Kewadin Casino's on-site lounges, their shows on the 31st and August 1st are 9:00 PM affairs with 21+ age limits and no cover charges. Hopefully The Blitz deliver a solid weekend of rocking covers for fans in a few weeks, so visit the above links for more details!

Also new at The Rapids Lounge next month is the local debut of Mount Pleasant classic/hard rock cover quintet Rock N' Roll Ave (as in "avenue"), who will rock the Soo Kewadin on Friday, August 7th and Saturday, August 8th! A recently reunited cover band featuring Brock Williams from the defunct Central Michigan metalcore band Black Out, the Sault Ste. Marie dates will actually be Rock N' Roll Ave's first anywhere after their return, which is unusual when you consider that Mount Pleasant is 3 hours south of here, but they are a talented band with a good ear for hard rock! In their three jam session videos from this summer on their Facebook page (all shot vertically, alas), you can see them covering Poison, Stone Temple Pilots, and John Mellencamp songs, though tread lightly when backtracking there, as Black Out videos are also posted on their page, and R.N.R.A. aren't that heavy by comparison!

They should get a good reception from Yooper fans at the Soo Kewadin next month, so welcome Rock N' Roll Ave here in style then! Like with The Blitz the previous week, these are 21+ shows with no cover charges and 21+ age limits. See above for more details on their local debut weekend!

Finally for today, The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino isn't lacking for new touring rock bands either, as Ontonogan hard rock quartet Nolium will make their own EUP debut at that branch on Friday, August 7th and Saturday, August 8th! Their Facebook calendar says that the shows are in the Soo, but Kewadin's entertainment page confirms that Nolium are in St. Ignace with Rock N' Roll Ave playing an hour north that same weekend. Nolium may actually be the heaviest of the three touring bands in this post (the likes of Tool, System Of A Down, and Silverchair are covered in their set), and they actually have their own original music that fans of modern hard rock and grunge will take to, and it will be neat to see them make the 4½ hour drive east next month! If you really want a big sampling of Nolium live, here's an 80 minutes long concert of theirs from 2021.

As above, these are free concerts with 9:00 PM start times and 21+ age limits, just at the St. Ignace Kewadin. It's not every day when we get bands from that far west in the Upper Peninsula coming here (Nolium play a lot of Wisconsin dates as such), so give them a warm welcome in Mackinac County next month if this interests you! Visit the above links for more details on all of these newly confirmed hard rock shows in the E.U.P., and stay tuned for weekend concert previews on the SMS next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Headrush & A.S.D.P.), Unfortunate Sun Updates, And More!!

Before we begin today's news post, I wanted to profusely apologize for a missed concert last month, as Sault Michigan hard rock quartet Unfortunate Sun returned to Huck's Pub & Grill in Rudyard on January 17th. This was a 4:00 PM matinee concert for unannounced reasons (Unfortunate Sun's prior gig there in November was a normal nighttime booking), and while the band only promoted this Saturday nighter once on their Facebook page on the previous Monday, Huck's Facebook page had promoted it multiple times in the early weeks of last month. How this slipped me by, I don't know, but I hope the show was a hit for all involved despite the early start time, and we won't miss Unfortunate Sun's next shows (stay tuned on Thursday for our next weekend concert previews!) There was something newsworthy beyond last month's show being their first of 2026, as it was their final gig with ex-Shift bassist Tony Rogers, who "has decided to move on".

The band did not outline why Tony left otherwise, but things are definitely amicable, and they thanked him for "making playing music fun again and saving our band". Replacing Tony is his former Clownsack colleague Brett Blackwood, who was most recently seen in the 2023-2025 hard rock cover band Dirty Musky, and was among the past bassists in Unfortunate Sun's predecessor group Fake Chow. Brett's a talented artist and it will be good to see him back with familiar company, and we'll preview his debut gigs with Unfortunate Sun on the SMS in a couple of days!

Today's post otherwise has some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS and new videos from Sault Ontario, and we'll start with the "Not A Leap Year Party" on Saturday, February 28th! Now, this is a house party event on Bruce Steet that is not being held at a proper public venue, but this show is publically advertised, it will be 19+, and it has entry via a suggested donation of $10. The host location will even have balloons outside so you know where to go, so this isn't intended to be private or invite-only! More specifics can be seen via the poster, but they're calling the location "Mellow D's Basement" (yes, this is related to the former pop-up venue Mellow D's Underground). Six acts are scheduled at month's end, including three bands (new local ska punk trio A.S.D.P., party metal trio The Apocalypse Afterparty, and online page-less space rock duo The Spaceship Opening. Three solo acts will round out the night's festivities.

They are Sylo frontman Eli Russell, folk singer/guitarist Gimiiwan Ikwe, and former Vanity First frontman Andrew Beggs (a.k.a. Andrew Keith).  This show is being put on by A.S.D.P. frontman/Apocalypse Afterparty bassist Mikhal Muto's new agency Underground Events SSM, and doors will open at 5:00 PM. Intriguing event on multiple fronts, so visit the above links for more on this rare 100% public house party concert later this month!

Next up, here's one more new show announcement ahead, as local classic/hard rock cover quintet Headrush will return to The Full Throttle Saloon for one night only on Saturday, March 28th! Announced with lots of advance notice on Sunday, this follows the band's successful return to the former Primavera Hall two weeks ago, and you know things are going well for Headrush there when they're getting a publicized booking over a month away like this! Time will tell if we see the guys somewhere else before then, but if you've liked the 1980s-leaning range of well performed rock covers from this veteran group, you know when to see them in Steelton next! This will be a 9:00 PM concert with a 19+ age limit and no announced cover charge. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and while we're on the subject, we have a new video to share from their last Full Throttle Saloon gig last month!

Normally, I'd wait to share this until we had an imminent show of theirs to preview, but the focus is more on attendees rocking out than the band proper until the last third. Shared to Headrush's Facebook group by attendee Stacey Cleave, the 96 seconds-long and (sadly) vertical video was shot during their cover of Boston's "Foreplay/Long Time", with some female fans happily singing along. Not a bad rendition from what we hear, and Stacey got some good angles of the interior of the saloon with a strong and fun crowd enjoying the music, so give it a watch below!

Finally for today, this leads from our review last week of defunct local grunge/alt-rock trio No Arrow's long-awaited album "Souls For Sale", as frontman Dann Pichette has uploaded a few more songs to his YouTube channel in the past year that are credited to the band! Along with a free streaming copy of all 12 songs from the CD, Dann uploaded an extended 6+ minutes-long version of "Colderside Of The Sun", a cover of Bruce Springsteen's "I'm On Fire" from 2009 that Dann self-recorded, and two non-album originals named "Question Marked" and "Obliterator". The former was remotely recorded by Dann, former bassist Brad Griffith, and a drummer (likely not Joe Falco) credited as "GliTcH!?" circa 2014, and Dann remastered it for a re-upload on his channel last year. I have no idea how recent "Obliterator" is, but it's a slower and sludgier track compared to the more typically grungy "Question Marked".

 Of course, Dann has gotten involved in those "DIY independent musician showcase/networking" channels and communities in recent years from hosts like Thomas Christ and Frank Terzo, so his music (No Arrow or otherwise) has been getting a lot of diverse and far-flung attention as of late, perhaps spurring along the idea of posting these songs online, let alone finally releasing "Souls For Sale". No Arrow are defunct, but it's cool to see Dann bringing them back and giving them a new belated platform, and hopefully we hear more new/old music from him soon! Check out "Obliterator" below!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews and more on the site soon! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Guilty Party) & Most Of This Weekend's Hard Rock Concert Previews!!

Another weekend is upon us, arguably the start of the Christmas season for many given Moonlight Magic tonight and the Santa Claus Parade on Saturday, so here's our look at most of the hard rock shows taking place in the Sault Ste. Marie area this weekend! Sunday's Tym Morrison matinee at Beck's will be previewed in our next news post. Let's lead things off with SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS in the west end!

New local classic/hard rock cover trio The Guilty Party will set up shop TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT at Jay's Piston Broke Pub! Apologies for the short notice, the band only announced these shows via their Facebook event page on Friday. Since debuting as a live band in September, the Separate Wayz side project have one weekend a month at Jay's in the latter half of each month, so TOMORROW & SATURDAY's show establishes a pattern that time will tell if we see continued in the last two weeks of the year. In any event, these are The Guilty Party's first shows since their pre-Halloween weekend gigs in October (also at the former Reggie's West), and hopefully there's a strong turnout for Brent, Terry, and Jim's selection of rocking covers! Everything goes down TOMORROW & SATURDAY at 9:30 PM with 19+ age limits and no cover charges. Visit the above links for more details!

For a preview, here's a new video of them live, as shared to their Facebook page on November 5th! This was shot by attendee Audrey Marshall, and captures The Guilty Party covering Seether's "Rise Above This", The Stone Temple Pilots' "Interstate Love Song" and Collective Soul's "Gel". Singer/drummer Brent Royer handles lead vocals on all except "Rise Above This", which guitarist Terry Eaton sings lead on. Whether you're familiar with members' prior bands or not, these are soundly performed covers with good enthusiasm, and Audrey captures some good angles (and shot this horizontally!), so check them out below in advance of The Guilty Party's Jay's return TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT!

Next up, we'll head to The Water Tower Pub, where local classic/hard rock cover quartet Double Down will set up shop TOMORROW NIGHT! Last seen at the Great Northern Road nightclub two months ago, this continues their relatively busy fall slate with what should be another fun evening of hard rocking and Canadian content-laden cover action, so don't miss the Syrette cousins and Ric back at it tomorrow! Bassist Dan Beaupre will again miss tomorrow's concert (hopefully he gets well soon!), but as their regular guest bassist Lori Reinholtz is playing with Mid Life Crysis at The Esquire Club this weekend, they will have someone else helping out tomorrow. Double Down confirmed on their Facebook page that "our fill-in for our fill-in bass player" is male, but have yet to confirm his identity (note that their only other fill-in bassist this fall was Alex White, who played a weekend at Jay's in September).

The Water Tower Pub does not host the same band on Fridays and Saturdays of a given weekend, so Saturday's band there will be pop rock cover veterans Encore, as per the venue's November concert calendar. Tomorrow's one-nighter has an 8:00 PM start time, 19+ age limit, and no cover charge. Visit the Facebook event page for more details, and here's Double Down live!

Next up, we'll head to Beck's Bar, where they'll host a rare (but increasingly not so rare) Friday night concert TOMORROW, where former Haggith/Project 421 frontman Curtis McKenzie will open for local Pink Floyd tribute band Dark Side Of The Soo! Curt hasn't been too active this fall, but a high profile opening slot will get his name out there with a heavier start to the proceedings (if still unplugged), so whether you're a Floyd fan or not, Curtis will get things off on the right foot! Dark Side Of The Soo are the sporadically seen tribute band led by members of pop rock cover band Bourbon Blue, and if you've caught them live before, you'll know that Jules and company do a solid job paying homage to the progressive rock titans, so keep their return in mind tomorrow! If you're curious, Saturday's nightcap at Beck's will be headlined by party rock cover band The Barbarians (featuring Elements and Handsome Sandwich alumni).

Meanwhile, Sylo frontman Eli Russell will make another return home from college as the 3:00 PM matinee act that day, so if you like his unplugged indie rock originals, keep that in mind! Tomorrow's concert has no cover charge an 8:00 PM start time, and a 19+ age limit. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Curtis live!

We'll close today's preview post in the E.U.P., where fans can check out hard rock cover quartet Unfortunate Sun live at Huck's Pub & Grill in Rudyard for one night only on SATURDAY NIGHT! Last seen at The Merch on Halloween, this will be the Fake Chow successors' first concert in Rudyard in four months, and as you can see via this show's poster, they're definitely aiming this one towards deer hunters (firearm season in Michigan began on Saturday). This should be a fun night of rocking covers at the former Joe's Bar, so consider a trip to Rudyard (40 minutes southwest of the Soo) for all of the action if you're not in the area already! Huck's does not typically book bands on Fridays, so this is a one-nighter. "Your favourite rockin' band" will take the stage on Saturday at 8:00 PM, this is a 21+ event as usual, and there is no announced cover charge, and if you can't make it, they'll be back at The Islander Bar in Hessel on Wednesday.

We'll preview that concert closer to, but the mid-week timing is due to the American Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday. Visit the above links for more on Unfortunate Sun's Rudyard return on Saturday, and here they are live!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for the Tym Morrison preview and more on the site next! Thanks everyone!

Halloween Night Concert Previews!!

As it turns out, this weekend is scheduled advantageously for Halloween, as October 31st is a Friday, a.k.a. tomorrow! Even still, some venues are hosting Halloween-themed concerts on Saturday as well based on band or venue preference. Today's first weekend concert preview post will focus on hard rock shows taking place tomorrow proper, and we'll dive into the honestly busier Saturday slate tomorrow, as well as Peril's St. Ignace Kewadin gigs. Here's what you should know to kick off the spookiest weekend of the year!

We'll start with the only hard rock show of consequence in Sault Ontario on Halloween night TOMORROW (though there are definitely other concerts concurrently from general classic or pop rock bands), and it takes place at Beck's Bar in a rare deviation from their Friday DJ/dance party nights. Your headliners are the debuting & online page-less local Pearl Jam tribute band Even Flow, who will reportedly feature ex-Garden of Bedlam drummer Derek Turner alongside former Sense Of Truth/Parabol guitarist Steve Myers and a musician named Cameron Brock (as far as I can tell), but we await further public confirmation of them and their lineup. Pearl Jam aren't often covered locally, so it'll be interesting to hear how this band handles the grunge legends! New (and also online page-less) local party rock quartet The Barbarians will join them tomorrow, so if you've liked former Elements/Wyld Stallyns frontman Rob Speers' recent solo work, keep that in mind!

In a late confirmation via Beck's Facebook page, Sylo frontman Eli Russell will return home from university as the opening act. His solo material leans more to indie rock than his band work, but it'll be good to see him back in the Soo for Halloween! Costumes are absolutely encouraged tomorrow, with prizes to be awarded for the best makeup, most creative, and best duo/couples costume, while Tarot card reader Stephanie Poitras will be on hand as well. This concert has a 9:00 PM start time, a 19+ age limit, and no announced cover. Visit the above links for more details, and no preview videos yet!

The rest of today's previews take us to Halloween night concerts TOMORROW in Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula, and we'll start at The Driftwood Sports Bar in St. Ignace, where local hard rock/classic metal quartet Tarnished will set up shop for their Halloween night party! Part of the guys' expansion of gigs in St. Ignace beyond the Kewadin Casino umbrella (they've played four different venues there this year), this will be their first gig there since last month's Richard Crane Memorial Truck Show weekend. As you might expect, this one-nighter is a full-on Halloween party, with a mystery grand prize for the best costume, hourly prize giveaways,"thrilling vibes, haunted music, and dancing till dawn". Maybe you can do the latter, but Alex, Josh, Chris, and Ron are blocked from 9:30 PM-1:00 AM for this 21+ concert, which has no announced cover charge. Visit the above links for more details!

For a preview, here's a rare live video of the band's current lineup from their Facebook page, but there's a reason this got filmed. As you may remember, Tarnished played at The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Ste. Marie Kewadin Casino this past weekend, and were rocking out after Saturday night's Trixter-headlined Spirit Of 1989 concert at The Dreammaker's Theater. Among the fans to stop by after the big show was one its performers, namely Jake Curtis Allard, the guitarist of Pretty Boy Floyd, and he actually guested on vocals with Tarnished for a cover of The Scorpions' "Rock You Like A Hurricane". Definitely impromptu, as evidenced by how Jake got the lyrics, but a fun bonus for hair metal fans, so give it a watch below!

Making our way north, fans in Rudyard will get Halloween concert action of the hard rock variety TOMORROW as well, as local hard/blues rock quintet Project 421 will take the stage at Huck's Pub & Grill for their October 31st festivities! Last seen in Hulbert Township four weeks ago as the post-poker run musical entertainment, this will surprisingly be 906's first show at Huck's all year, and what a way to end that gap by rocking out with their Halloween best for what should be a packed and eclectic night! As you might expect, there will be a costume contest at Huck's, with prizes to be awarded for the best overall costume, funniest costume, and best couples costume, so come dressed to impress! Project 906's fan friendly brand of hard rock covers are up at 9:00 PM with a 21+ age limit and no cover. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Project 906 live at The Islander Bar in Hessel for Halloween in 2022!

We'll close this preview post in Sault Ste. Marie, where local hard rock cover quartet Unfortunate Sun will headline The Merchant's Bar's Halloween party TOMORROW NIGHT! Now, before we get too far into this preview, note that drummer Jason VanLuven is a member of both Unfortunate Sun and Project 906, but neither band has confirmed whether they'll have a guest or fill-in drummer or not. Project 906 had recruited Exit 808's Jackie Moon to fill in for Jason when they played in Kinross last month, and they have played shows with just hand drummer Brian Duford on percussion in the past, and while I believe Unfortunate Sun (and Fake Chow before them) tend to get priority for these conflicts, I have no idea which of the two bands Jason will be playing with. Tomorrow's Halloween party at The Merch will be Unfortunate Sun's first show since rocking the St. Ignace Kewadin in mid-September, and their first show in the Soo (or the Merch) since the spring.

The Merch rarely promotes bands playing there on social media, but their Facebook event page confirms that there will be drink specials and prizes on offer. including for best costume, so expect a fun night of spooky music and good vibes tomorrow! "The hottest band in Sleepy Hollow" will take the stage at 9:00 PM with a 21+ age limit and no announced cover charge. Hard rock fans will have a lot to like in the Soo tomorrow, let alone Rudyard and St. Ignace, so visit the above links for more on this trifecta of local band-headlined Halloween parties in the E.U.P., and here's Unfortunate Sun live!

That's all for now, but stay tuned in our next post for our previews of this weekend's Peril, Bone Yard 22, Tym Morrison, and Generations concerts! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Project 906), Weekend Concert Previews, And More!!

Our first weekend concert previews of October 2025 are here, so let's dive in with some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, one on SHORT NOTICE! Saturday's Tym Morrison concert and Sunday's Ikons of Rock concert will be in our next news post, so don't worry, they are hitting the site soon!

Sault Michigan hard/blues rock quintet Project 906 will return to Hulbert Happy Hour in Hulbert Township for one night only on SATURDAY NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, the band only announced this gig via their Facebook page on Monday. Believe it or not, this will be Project 906's first show at the 10402 South Maple Street nightclub since February 2022, and thusly their first there with Jason VanLuven and Brian Duford on percussion, but there is a reason for this return booking beyond just rocking out. SATURDAY is the Hulbert Freedom Festival's ATV Poker Run, with 906 serving as the night cap to the day's events, so definitely visit the official Facebook event page for the poker run's details. Meanwhile, one of the stops for the poker run is Huck's Pub & Grill in Rudyard, and they'll be hosting Project 906 on Friday, October 31st for their Halloween party, as announced on the bar's Facebook page yesterday!

As you might expect for a Halloween concert, Huck's will be hosting costume contests at month's end, with the best overall, funniest, and best couples' costumes winning prizes. Good to start seeing another Halloween concert on the schedule, so stay tuned for more as spooky season continues! Project 906 will bring the hard rock on SATURDAY at 8:00 PM and on Halloween at 9:00 PM, neither show has an announced cover charge (you don't have to register for the Poker Run to come to Hulbert), and these are 21+ events. See above for more details, and here's Project 906 live!

Next up, we'll head north to Sault Ste. Marie, where San Francisco hair metal quintet Night Ranger will headline at The Dreammakers Theater at the local Kewadin Casino TOMORROW NIGHT! The first of two 1980s glam metal concerts at the Soo Kewadin this fall, Night Ranger will be rocking the casino for the first time in over 12 years tomorrow, and they will remain very familiar to local rock fans from their hit songs "Don't Tell Me You Love Me" and "Sister Christian", among others. With more classic songs, three new albums, and a switch from Joel Hoekstra to Keri Kelli on guitar, hopefully they deliver a solid night of glam metal action for fans tomorrow! Santa Monica glam rock duo Nelson (of "(Can't Live Without Your) Love & Affection" fame) will open tomorrow with an acoustic set, so come out early for Matthew & Gunnar setting the tone with some unplugged rock!

Tickets for this all ages concert are still on sale at this link, at 1-800-KEWADIN, or at the in-person box office. Limited seats are still available for $80 in rows 1-10 and $70 for seats further back, but the vast majority of tickets are sold, so act now if you haven't already just in case. VIP passes with extra perks are also available online if you are so inclined. This should be a fun night of 1980s metal action for you Hair Scare fans, so visit the above links for more details on this Rock 101-sponsored concert, and for a preview, here's Night Ranger live in the Soo in 2013!

Also this weekend, let's head to Sault Ontario for a special memorial concert on SATURDAY NIGHT at Soo Blaster, as local musicians will gather that night for Riffs For Rememberance: A Memorial For Tori! The show is in honour of Victoria Childs, an avid local music fan who suddenly passed away last month at the age of 34. Victoria was my ex-girlfriend and was a great person & mother who I actually met at Oddfellows Hall punk concerts in 2005 when we were in high school, and I know she would be absolutely thrilled that friends and musicians were coming together to pay their respects like this! Local party metal trio The Apocalypse Afterparty (featuring her cousin Mikhal Muto) will headline on Saturday, and it was Paul & Amanda's idea to host a tribute concert to her, so all kudos to them for taking the initiative like this! A very diverse lineup will also include three solo artists.

These include her friend Gimiiwan Ikwe, country cover veteran Leslie Cook, and folk singer/guitarist Linsaey L.W. while the last mystery act is Bards With Beards. Paul told me that they're a new band from HeadF1rst drummer Anthony Boudreau, but I don't have any other information on them at press time. We'll know more on Saturday! This all ages event has doors opening at 7:30 PM, and admission will be $5, with all proceeds going to Hope House - Club 84, a psychosocial rehab program for those with mental illness, and who helped and supported Victoria in times of need. Visit the official Facebook event page for more on what should be a great night in Victoria's memory (I'll absolutely be there), and here's The A.A. live!

Finally, I wanted to acknowledge advertised shows for this weekend that I have doubts are on as scheduled. When local classic/hard rock cover quartet Double Down announced their fall calendar a few months ago, this included a return to Reggie's Place for concerts tomorrow & Saturday night (here is their Facebook event page). However, if you were following the social media promotion for Bone Yard 225's shows there last week, there was a lot of teased finality regarding the gigs. Bone Yard are alive and well (they'll be at The Esquire Club next week), but band members, attendees, and the venue dropped a number of Facebook hints towards Reggie's ending or closing in some form or fashion, with your local 225 saying that this would be their "last weekend playing there" on September 26th. What we do know is that last week's shows marked the five year anniversary of Reggie's under Randy Lapossie's management, but is he opting out after that long?

No one has come right out and said what was going on at 458 Queen Street East, but regardless, Double Down haven't newly promoted this weekend's Reggie's dates, and the venue hasn't posted on Facebook since Saturday, so with all of that acknowledged, I'm going to treat the Double Down shows as off unless otherwise confirmed. Whether Reggie's is closing, rebranding, or changing operations in some form, we'll let you know when something is firmly and publically said! That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site soon! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Ikons Of Rock), More Weekend Concert Previews, And New Videos!!

A slight delay for this second weekend concert preview post, but it is supplemented with a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for this fall and some new videos from another band playing this weekend, so here's what you should know on this Saturday morning!

Winnipeg/Las Vegas classic rock tribute band Ikons Of Rock will make their local concert debut on Sunday, October 5th at The Sault Community Theater Centre! This wide ranging tribute pays homage to hard rock legends from the 1970s onward, and as you can see in promotional materials, members (including Harlequin & Streetheart alumni) dress up as the covered legends in questions, with an emphasis on heavier artists, including female rockers and even going as recently as Rob Zombie! Ikons of Rock's multimedia-friendly live show is sort of a "jack of all trades" approach that you might recall from Las Vegas residencies, and there's definitely lots of talent in their ranks, so it will be neat to see them at the former Kiwanis Theater this fall! Unlike the newly announced Steve-O show at the S.C.T.C. this fall, tickets have not went too fast yet, so there's plenty of good seats available for Ikons Of Rock!

This all ages concert has a 7:30 PM start time, and tickets are only being sold in the lower area, not the gallery. All seats have flat prices regardless of location, those being $65 for adults and $55 for kids 12 and under or students with valid student ID. As of this writing, there are open seats in all rows, so act now before things start filling up! Get yours at this link or at the in-person box office at Station Mall, and visit the above links for more details!

Next up, let's finish up this weekend's known hard rock/punk concert previews, starting with new local acoustic punk duo Dos Amigos' involvement in the Lot & Loaded Parking Lot Jam outside of Forty Five Social TONIGHT! This is an outdoor acoustic concert taking place during/after the Sault Ste. Marie Festival Of Beer down Queen Street East, which has bands of their own at the Downtown Plaza (as previewed in our last post), so the 117 Spring Street men's clothing store is capitalizing on the festivities by hosting concurrent live music along with offering cocktails behind the store on their patio and attached parking lot. Of course, Dos Amigos bandmates Dustin Jones & Mikey Hawdon are also playing at the Festival Of Beer at 3:30 PM with their alternative punk sextet Bookclub, so it'll be a busy day for them!

Dos Amigos play at 7:00 PM when the Festival of Beer is slated to end, with veteran local singer/guitarist Jay Case headlining at 9:00 PM, while folk artist Matthew James at 4:00 PM, Pillory bassist Blair St. John at 2:00 PM, and country musician Marty Frolick at 1:00 PM will kick off the program at Forty Five Social. Nice change of pace and alternative for music (and beer) fans today, so keep all of the action in mind downtown, and Dos Amigos' unplugged punk covers should find an amenable audience! Lot & Loaded is a free event, and 9&10 News is currently calling for mostly cloudy weather at 17° with no chance of rain. See above for more details, and no public Dos Amigos videos yet, we'll let you know when there are!

Lastly for this weekend's hard rock concerts, we'll zip across to Rudyard, Michigan, where local hard rock quartet The Nameless are advertised to return to Huck's Pub & Grill TONIGHT! Now, I do want to preface this by noting that the band has not publicized this concert on social media, and also did not do so for their advertised Huck's concert last month, while Huck's Facebook page hasn't acknowledged this show at all since this concert calendar from May 9th. At the same time, no one has said that it isn't happening, so I'll treat it as on unless otherwise stated, but it is odd that The Nameless would promote their recent shows at The Merch but not these. Assuming all is well, tonight's Rudyard gig will be The Nameless' second there with their current lineup, and their first show anywhere since the end of May. They are a talented hard rock band with lots of fun covers, so don't miss them tonight!

Notably, veteran local country musician Gary Hatch is playing a matinee concert today to tie in with Huck's customer appreciation day (complete with a pig roast!), but this is a separate 3 hour concert, and he isn't "opening" for The Nameless. That said, Huck's recent "nighttime" concerts have all had early start times, usually at 6:00 PM, tomorrow included, so don't be late! Expect a 21+ age limit and no announced cover charge. Visit the above links for more details, and here's The Nameless live!

Lastly for this post, let's look at some new videos from local hard rock quintet HeadF1rst in advance of their debut at Beck's Bar tonight! To promote the concert, one more teaser "Reel" was shared to their Facebook page, which features frontman Red Jettison and guitarist Rainey Rancourt standing outside of Beck's physical signage while debating ways to get the word out about tonight's concert. Rainey has many ideas, but will Red like any of them? Find out there, and then go see them on Goulais Avenue tonight! For something longer and embeddable, the band posted a second music video from their new album "Road Trippin'" onto their YouTube channel on May 28th (apologies for the two+ week delay), and this time, it's for the song "Steam"! Red compiled this video entirely out of public domain black-and-white cartoons from the 1930s, expanding on that concept after using an early Disney cartoon in the "Slay The Dragon" video.

This video was edited around cartoons that had something to do with trains given the song's allusion to steam engine trains, namely the Looney Tunes short Porky's Railroad and the Fleischer Studios cartoon Betty In Blunderland (a pre-Hays Code cartoon, at that!). I'm a classic cartoon buff, so I approve of re-appropriating public domain cartoons from Porky Pig & Betty Boop in this manner, and while I might prefer actually seeing HeadF1rst in their own video, Red did a good job editing this to match the song. Check out the "Steam" video below, and you may hear them play it tonight at Beck's!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Ripcordz, B.A. Johnston, The Nameless, And Dodge This!!)

Today's post is devoted to LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS over the next three months, with two of the cited bands also having lineup changes to take note of, so here's what you should know in chronological order!

Hamilton outsider folk/punk musician B.A. Johnston will return to Sault Ste. Marie for his sixth local concert on Friday, May 23rd! Notably playing all of his local dates at different local venues without ever repeating, that pattern will continue for this show, as he will be headlining at... Venue? Yes, that is its name, and it is a new public events space at 482 Queen Street East that is capable of hosting small & intimate concerts (their website lists a capacity of 60 guests, 30 seated). While new to the SMS, readers may recognize 482 Queen as the former location of the Fortune Shop, Queen Street Beads, and the boutique store/cafe Void Vinyl. B.A. Johnston was last seen here at The Whisky Barrel in September of last year, and his eclectic blend of punk, offbeat humour, and audience interaction is well worth checking out and remains as hard to sum up and detail in text as ever, so do watch some live videos for more of an idea!

Former(?) Wyld Stallyns/Elements frontman Rob Speers will return as the local opener on the 23rd, after doing the honours for B.A.'s last local stop, and who knows if he'll have any familiar faces guesting with him, which has been common at his recent solo dates! This show has an 8:00 PM start time, no announced age limit, and a $10 cover charge. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details on B.A.'s return! 

Next up, local classic/hard rock cover duo Dodge This will return to The Dive Gastro Pub for another headlining concert in "The Naughty Corner" on Saturday, May 31st, as per the venue's Facebook page's concert calendar! For a second straight month, Jason & Jamie are hitting the stage at the former Low & Slow on its final Saturday, and hopefully they keep the good vibes rolling with some more solid rocking unplugged covers in a few weeks' time! Like last month, singer/guitarist Jason Taillefer will also play a solo show without Jamie (or Jeff) beforehand, as he'll take the stage this Saturday the 17th, but whether his solo gigs differ substantially, I couldn't tell you. As usual for The Dive, this month-capping concert has a 10:00 PM start time (Saturday shows now start a half hour later than Thursday nighters), a 19+ age limit, and no cover. See above for more details!

Also newly confirmed is the return of Sault Michigan hard rock cover band The Nameless to Huck's Pub & Grill in Rudyard on Saturday, June 14th! The guys just returned there for a headlining date this past weekend at the unusual matinee timeslot of 4:00-8:00 PM, but matinee concerts appear to be the new normal at the former Joe's Bar, as all of their advertised concerts since the end of February have been matinees starting no later than 6:00 PM. That is when The Nameless will be playing over the Father's Day weekend, and they'll be preceded on the 14th by local country veteran Gary Hatch at 2:00 PM (he isn't "opening" for The Nameless, this is a separate 3 hour concert earlier in the day). It's worth noting that The Nameless have officially parted ways with drummer Justin Lawless and backing vocalist/his wife Anna for unannounced reasons, and they have enlisted Dirty Musky drummer Jamie Costner into their lineup.

Our source is the band's Facebook page's updated lineup, plus personal Facebook postings. Jamie debuted as a fill-in drummer with The Nameless when they played at The Merch last month, and she did indeed drum with Joshua and the Mikes in Rudyard this past Saturday. Hopefully things are still amicable with Justin & Anna, and that we see them back out there in due course, but Jamie is a strong drummer and she will definitely fit in well here! Next month's Huck's show runs from 6:00-10:00 PM with a 21+ age limit and no announced cover charge. See above for more details on this show!

Finally for today's new show announcements, it's a big one for punk fans, as Montreal hardcore punk icons The Ripcordz will return to the Soo on Friday, July 25th when they headline at The Distraction! Their tenth local date in the past twelve years, Paul Gott and crew will return to the basement of the former East Street barbershop once again, memorably kicking off concerts in what was then known as The Stellar Door in August of last year, with The Distraction permanently moving all of their concerts downstairs afterwards. The Ripcordz raved about the basement space and atmosphere last year, both during and after the show, so if you want more of the same or missed out, you know where to be this summer, let alone to experience their fast-paced and hard-hitting hardcore punk originals! Crossover thrash/skate punk quartet Hails will return as local openers from last year's Ripcordz concert, and they should keep the ferocity up with their high impact originals!

In a mild surprise, local hard rock band Sylo will also open here in their first public gig since headlining at Soo Blaster in August. The former Raincourt had been on hiatus while frontman Elijah Russell attended university out of town, so it is cool to see Eli bring them back while home for the summer! Their Instagram page implies that they are looking for more summer dates, and also now credits Owen Middleton on guitar. Nominally, he's replacing Owen Dearing (same name, different musician), but Owen Dearing was their bassist, so my best guess is that Alder DeVries is handling bass right now? I wish Sylo had more of a social media presence, but hopefully they make a good impression in the coming months! Promoted by Ha!ls guitarist Mikhal Muto, this all ages concert has a 7:00 PM start time and an admission fee of $20 or "pay what you can", though message Mikhal if you want advance tickets.

Visit the official Facebook event page for more details on what will be a huge concert for hardcore punk fans, and stay tuned for more news and notes on the site this week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Generations, The Nameless, And Unfortunate Sun), Plus More Concert Previews!!

As promised, we're wrapping up this weekend's concert previews today, complete with LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (mostly SHORT NOTICE ones), so here's what you should know on this Friday morning!

Local hard rock cover quartet Unfortunate Sun will rock The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Ste. Marie Kewadin Casino TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, but these shows are legitimately on late notice, as Unfortunate Sun have stepped in as the replacement band this weekend. According to Kewadin's entertainment page, Lansing classic rock veterans Showdown were supposed to make the trip north TONIGHT & TOMORROW, but they have quietly dropped out of this weekend's gigs for unannounced reasons. Hopefully all is well with Showdown, and that we see them back in the E.U.P. this summer, but kudos to Unfortunate Sun for taking on these bookings! As far as I'm aware, these will be the Fake Chow successors' first shows at either regional Kewadin Casino lounge (they were previously scheduled to debut at the St. Ignace branch in July), and will come two weeks removed from their last shows in Rudyard.

Unfortunate Sun will grace the Rapids Lounge stage TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT at 9:00 PM with 21+ age limits and no announced cover charges. Visit the above links for more on Unfortunate Sun's shows on unfortunately short notice this weekend, and for a preview, here they are live!

Next up, fellow local hard rock cover band The Nameless are advertised to rock Huck's Pub & Grill in Rudyard TOMORROW! Again, apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced on Tuesday via this promotional graphic on Huck's Facebook page. At press time, (The) Nameless have yet to publically promote TOMORROW'S show on social media, but if this is 100% on, it will be their first stop at the former Joe's Bar since September of last year. Yooper fans will have last seen The Nameless at The Merch last month, and TOMORROW'S concert will likely see the return of drummer Justin Lawless after he missed their most recent gig. Assuming the venue is correct about this booking, it will be good to see The Nameless back at it TOMORROW, so don't miss this talented hard rock quintet then! Intriguingly, this show is slotted in the 4:00 PM matinee timeslot, running until 8:00 PM.

A reason for the early scheduling wasn't announced, but Huck's wasn't advertising a separate musical act for tomorrow evening, so inquire within if you're curious. Visit the above links for more details on TOMORROW'S Nameless show in Rudyard, and here they are live!

Before going back to this weekend's previews, let's flash forward to Saturday, May 31st, where Sault Ontario classic/hard rock cover quartet Generations will take the stage for one night only at The Water Tower Pub! This show was announced by drummer Tony Santoro on their Facebook group on Wednesday, and it will be their first public booking there in almost two months. Good to see bookings tick up a bit for this talented veteran group, and hopefully they end May in style at this Great Northern Road nightclub! Remember, The Water Tower Pub hosts different musical acts nightly, so Generations won't be playing there on Friday the 30th. Of course, if you can't wait to see them in action, they'll be at Jay's Piston Broke Pub next weekend, but on the 31st, this is an 8:00 PM concert with a 19+ age limit and no announced cover charges. Visit the above links for more details on Generations' May concerts!

Finally for today, let's wrap up this weekend's hard rock concert previews by staying at the aforementioned Water Tower Pub, where local southern hard rock trio Bone Yard 225 will take the stage TOMORROW NIGHT for another "uncorked" concert! If you like seeing Greg, Alex, and Warren's acoustic concerts (or miss The Bearded Lounge), then tomorrow will be your first chance to see them thusly in city limits since they rocked the same venue in February (their unplugged Thessalon gig last month aside). Though bands can and do play at The Water Tower Pub with full electric setups, Bone Yard historically show off their lighter side there, and you can sample that in this brand new "Reel" (unembeddable as always) of the guys playing, as far as I can tell, Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" there. In any event, it's an instrumental clip. Sounds nice while it lasts, though the vertical dimensions and restrictive nature of "Reels" are always noted.

As The Water Tower Pub hosts different nightly musical acts, tonight's band there is classic rock quartet RPM. Your local 225's latest "uncorked" sermon goes down tomorrow at 8:00 PM with no cover and a 19+ age limit as usual. Visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, here they are live in a video that I can embed here! 

That's all for now, but stay tuned for this month's Defunct Local Band Profile on the site next! Thanks everyone!