Realignment Project Updates, Including Their First Full Length Album's Release!!

Here's the latest from local industrial metal solo outfit The Realignment Project, so what have they been up to in recent months? With lyric video uploads from their fourth EP "Let You Fall" concluding by early February, project leader Matt Hicks announced in this vertical Facebook video on February 10th that his fifth T.R.P. release would be a full-length album with nine songs, rather than a six song EP like with their first four releases, confirming Matt's teaser that he was "working on something that's... a little bigger". He noted that he didn't have much of a strategy for what he was putting out at first, but was encouraged by his label East London Recordings to work on a longer album. While some music was heard in the background of that clip, we hear a little more in the vertical video embedded below from February 19th, which revealed the title of the album ("Long Cold Winter", which is not a hint towards the release timeframe, as you'll see later in this post.)

The video just lets us see a song in progress on a tracking computer, and my guess is that this is the opening of one of the songs based on the slow build. No point commenting on the fragment yet, but the Lego Mario figurines (misplaced heads and all) seem into it, so check out this early clip below!

The following week, Matt was interviewed by Jay Kelly of the British alt-rock band The New Serpents for an episode of his YouTube interview series The Snakepit Dialogues! It's called a "podcast" but I haven't found audio-only versions on podcasting services. Interestingly, we never see Jay throughout the interview, with most of the video featuring the show logo and text links, with Matt seen in black and white in a vertical strip on the left for the duration. After discussing the wintry weather still in the Soo at this point, Jay asks Matt about his styles of music, his recording methods and processes as a solo artist, what it's like coming up with lyrics, his then-newest EP "Let You Fall", the personal inspirations behind its songs, his quick EP recording pace to start, why he took such a long break from music after 2010 (Dirty Virgin and Riverin are briefly brought up here) and what led him back to music, ...

...its affect on his health and well-being, his hopes and dreams for his son, and where you can hear The Realignment Project online. This is a good interview that lets Matt dip into personal territory to explain his music and his background in a casual manner with thoughtful remarks, and Jay has a good presence as an interviewer, even if you can't see him! Not much talk of the full-length album ahead, but it covers some solid ground for Matt, let alone the music he's working on, so give his interview a watch below!

After showing a sample video of him playing a Realignment Project EP on vinyl, Matt uploaded this video on March 12th of him observing a new song on his computer, namely "An Ounce Of Your Cure", which was later confirmed to be the first single off of "Long Cold Winter". The following week, Matt revealed the cover artwork for the new album, and on April 7th, Matt confirmed that recording sessions had wrapped up. Remember, he moves quick to record and release new material! The full track listing was also unveiled then, and before he could even announce a release date, he announced on April 18th that he was already working on demos for T.R.P.'s next studio album! To hype "Long Cold Winter", Matt posted three videos (linked here, here, and here) featuring electronic beats from the album (I'd assume) along with imagery that he will likely use for each song's lyric video.

On May 29th, Matt announced that "Long Cold Winter" would be released on June 5th (this past Friday!) on "all streaming platforms", which definitely isn't true, as it's not even on Boomplay yet. You can actually stream it in full on Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube, Spotify, Bandcamp, and KKBox, and buy it on CD through East London Recordings. At press time, the vinyl copies of the album are not on sale yet, but CDs cost $17.90 via ElasticStage's print-on-demand setup. Digital mp3 copies are on sale on Amazon for $8.35, on iTunes for $9.99, and on a "name your price" model on Bandcamp. To further hype The Realignment Project's full-length debut, Matt filmed his first ever music video for the aforementioned "An Ounce Of Your Cure", which was uploaded to T.R.P.'s YouTube channel on Wednesday! This is a performance video in black and white with a grainy filter added in post-production.

The video features Matt singing and playing guitar, bass, drums, and keyboard across four different camera angles at his home studio. Maybe not ideal to visualize the lyrical themes, but it does show off Matt's multi-instrumental talents very nicely! I'll hold comment on the song pending our review of this album, and given our immense backlog and the glut of albums released in the past six months, I'm likely going to review it in February, shelving our planned review of "Let You Fall" (which was scheduled for October) for now so we can move later reviews up a month and try to ease back into a timely schedule. Stay tuned for all that and more on the SMS soon! Thanks everyone, and here's The Realignment Project's music video!

Defunct Local Band Profile Series: Long Shot

It's now time for our first Defunct Local Band Profile of 2024! This long-running monthly feature looks at randomly selected local metal, hard rock, and/or punk bands from the past, in order to spotlight them and their run for current readers. We drew a band who seemed to come from out of nowhere and vanish similarly during their mid-2010s heyday, so here's what you should know on them!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Long Shot

Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario

Genre: Hard Rock

Lineup: (Members not in their last full lineup are in italics)

Evan Dawe, vocals/guitar
Nathan Muto, guitar
Adam Dawe, bass/backing vocals
Jeremy Ganuelas, drums/backing vocals

Audio/Video: In one of their last acts before dissolving, Long Shot released a self-titled EP on their Bandcamp page in July 2016, featuring three original songs, and it remains on sale for $4 (it can be streamed for free as well). Unfortunately, the vast majority of their public videos were taken down when they deleted their Facebook page after their breakup, but at least two videos are still extant, including one of them covering The Foo Fighters' "Everlong" at Rotaryfest Stage 1 in 2015, and as embedded below, Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love" at the Speak Easy Battle of the Bands!

Info/Analysis: Quietly launching in early 2014, and uniquely comprised of musicians not known from any prior local bands on record, Long Shot eased into things with private and corporate bookings for much of that year before ramping up their presence as a live act in 2015. Publically debuting that March via a second place finish in the fan voted Speak Easy Battle of the Bands, Long Shot would also be seen that year at Rotaryfest and Passport To Unity, while also bringing live music to the Fraternal Order of Eagles club in Heyden, and playing an increasing number of traditional nightclub gigs. After spending early 2016 in the studio, Long Shot returned for one more gig that July at LopLops alongside the now also-defunct Stereo North, before abruptly deciding to part ways the following month. A varied range of covers (including some surprises) bolstered by solid hard rock originals served Long Shot well, especially with Nathan's skilled lead guitar work, and hopefully we see him, the Dawes, and Jeremy again down the road!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

I hope that you guys liked this month's Defunct Local Band Profile! This series will return on or around February 10th for our first Sault Michigan profile of 2024, where our next randomly selected band will be 2007-2012 hard rock band Free Refill! Look for that then, and for weekend concert previews on the site next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Obsession), Their Belated Addition To Our Band Links, And More!!

Every so often, I'll re-evaluate what bands do/don't fit our criteria for full coverage on the SMS, hence why bands like Stiffler's Mom, Havadder, The Crossed, and RedD Monkey weren't instantly covered upon our/their inception. Today's post is devoted to one such instance on the classic/hard rock cover spectrum that I've been thinking about adding for a while now, and with concerts starting to ramp up in bookings, let's finally give them more of the coverage they deserve (and expect LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS!) To cap things off, we have a new video of a familiar local guitarist in a somewhat unlikely setting, so here's what you should know!

Today's belated addition is veteran local classic/hard rock quartet Obsession, who have been a mainstay of the live circuit since debuting back in 2005! Their current lineup has been intact since 2017, and it features ex-Patches/Domina singer Valerie Powley, former That's Chester/Agave Blue guitarist Gabe Tessaro, ex-Shades of Blue/Rumours bassist/vocalist Jim Michaud (the only remaining original member), and ex-Whiskey River/Redline drummer Steve Porco. Surviving public details on the band's first decade are in short supply nowadays, partly due to their long-time Facebook group being taken down, but former band members at least include singer Lorrie Bolduc (Lorrie Lynn & The Sinners), guitarist Alex Trecroce, and drummer Rich Trevisanut (Bud Shamble). Readers may primarily be familiar from Obsession's ample appearances at nightclubs on weekends, but they have played at multiple major festivals and community events as well!

Notably, Obsession have played at Rotaryfest eleven times, a mark that only three other bands have topped since 2001, with Obsession rocking the main stage each year since 2008 except 2012, 2018, and (obviously) 2020. Their website features lots of band photos, individual member biographies, links to many videos of them live (even a Facebook video interview with SaultOnline's Andy Martens), and an extensive setlist of their covers, which include many heavier cuts from the likes of AC/DC, Joan Jett, Poison, Trooper, The Black Crowes, and numerous other bands (expect Janis Joplin covers too, which goes without saying given Valerie's vocal talents!) In a change of pace from some of their classic rock cover cohorts, Obsession list concert dates on their website's schedule through June.... of 2023, so when can you see Valerie, Gabe, Jim, and Steve live next?

Their next advertised gig is at Shooters Downstairs Lounge on Saturday, May 7th at 8:00 PM, followed by appearances in The Esquire Club's Saturday matinee series on May 28th & June 11th, both being 3:00 PM affairs (they just played there yesterday too, FYI). Their next scheduled non-private gigs after that are way ahead in the timeline, as Obsession are booked at The Esquire Club almost monthly from October through next summer, notably all currently scheduled as full weekend sets with 9:30 PM start times, pandemic willing, of course. While I'll hold on listing 2023 gigs in our calendar for now, Obsession are booked at the Second Line East nightclub on October 28th & 29th and then on December 16th & 17th. All of the above shows have no announced cover charges, and all are 19+, but keep an eye out for all ages festival appearances this summer.

While I can't speak for Lorrie-era Obsession, their work with Valerie has consistently been entertaining and impressive, with strong musicianship, an easy rapport with live audiences, and diverse setlist that will appeal to hard rock fans! Plus, having a female lead singer helps them stand out, let alone with Valerie's impressive singing abilities, so don't bypass them for quality live music if you get the chance! See and hear much more from Obsession above, including via their Facebook page & YouTube channel, where this video comes from, featuring them and frequent Rotaryfest guest guitarist Dan Belanger covering Chuck Berry's "Maybellene" last July!

Finally for today, here's a surprise video of a familiar local guitarist in action in a more professional setting than you may expect! As you may know, former Jack Spades/Stegadeth guitarist Tiffany Stocco moved to the Sudbury area in 2019, and while I don't normally discuss musicians' day jobs unless it directly comes up in their interviews or musical career, it does in this case. Tiffany currently works at the Long & McQuade music store in Sudbury, who had the chain before the Northland/Thomas Walls merger ever happened in the Soo, and the Sudbury branch recently began a "Staff Licks" video series on their Facebook page, featuring short clips of employees playing music in the store proper to show off in-stock gear and their own talents,. This video has Tiffany covering the riff for Black Sabbath's "Sweet Leaf" on (fittingly) a Tony Iommi Signature "Monkey" SG Special guitar, before busting out a much faster original riff of her own.

It's a short clip, and not framed ideally for the sake of her performance, but you get a nice sampling of Tiffany's guitar skill and the tone of this guitar, so the video serves a dual purpose! Give it a watch below, and hopefully we hear more music from Tiffany soon!

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

COVID-19 Pandemic Updates For The E.U.P., Plus More News & Notes!!

To end a quieter but eventful month, here's a new news post that mostly takes us to the Sault Michigan area for recent news, positive and negative alike. Here's what you should know!

Hopes of more indoor concerts taking place in Michigan's Eastern Upper Peninsula in the near term have taken a hit, as Governor Gretchen Whitmer has signed executive orders that will limit indoor gatherings to 10 or fewer people in the state as of today, including in the U.P. and Northern Michigan regions. As well, nightclubs and bars in the state are now restricted from indoor service if they earn 70% or more of their income from alcohol sales. Read more on the executive orders at this link or your preferred state news services. Obviously, this is a step backwards, but if you've been following local or Detroit news as of late, you will know that COVID-19 cases are rising in Michigan, so this is to try and slow the spread of the virus once again. Noting that this is the SMS, I won't comment further on the non-musical aspects of the pandemic, other than to remind everyone to stay safe, wear your face masks, and use common sense out there.

Given how the coronavirus pandemic has ravaged the local concert calendar, this news won't affect too much in the way of announced hard rock concerts, but we can confirm that the planned Spun-headlined concerts at The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino next weekend have been cancelled, as per their their Facebook event page. Publically, a reason wasn't given for the cancellations, but I do know that they were called off before Governor Whitmer's announcement, as they had announced on Sunday that they would be playing an outdoor benefit gig in northern Wisconsin next weekend. Also, note that the Marquette hard rock quartet weren't prior Kewadin regulars, but hopefully Spun come back when the time is right! As of this writing, Kewadin's entertainment page still says they will "tentatively" resume their live concert schedule next month.

Lastly, what does this mean for Tarnished's planned Rock The Block sequel in the Soo next month? A 10 person limit for social gatherings would theoretically wipe out any indoor crowd, but assuming they were planning to host it at Crooked Music again, would they try and chance it, given that stores are not affected by the executive order? Tarnished have not posted on their Facebook page since before their EP release, but if they confirm a cancellation, postponement, or relocation of the event, we'll let you know. Stay tuned for more relevant updates on the COVID-19 pandemic!

Next up, let's stay in the E.U.P. for the latest from St. Ignace progressive metal band Heavy Lies The Crown's Facebook page! On July 2nd, singer Brandon West was featured in this short video plugging an upcoming interview that he and guitarist Ted Olson would be doing an interview with an Instagram page named Everythingcore. Maybe I am missing something totally obvious, but I have yet to find the posted interview, so either this page isn't the one Brandon meant, or it was yanked after it's live airing. I'll let you know if it surfaces! Five days later, the band shared this 10 minute video of them working in studio on their forthcoming full-length album, though the visuals aren't great, and not because of the vertical camera angle. It almost feels like the video is constantly buffering, and it has a tendency to pause on itself, but the music you hear sounds promising. However, embedded below is the first formal teaser clip from the sessions!

Uploaded to Brandon's YouTube channel, this is set to a parody clip of Brandon as a western movie gunslinger (randomly in what looks like a home under construction), this has a 15 second instrumental segment from their new song "Dead Teeth", which should whet fans' appetites until the full CD is on sale! Give it a watch/listen below, and stay tuned for more updates from Heavy Lies The Crown in the near future!



Finally for today, here are three assorted shorter Sault Ontario news items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by business or artist name:

• Over six months after announcing the big move, the local Long & McQuade music store opened in it's new location at 647 MacDonald Avenue (the former Northshore Sports & Auto site) on Monday, July 20th. As well publicized online, Northland Music and the Thomas Walls School of Music merged operations last year in order to become the local branch of the national music/lesson store chain, and now they have a bigger (if more eastern) storefront. Be sure to check out Long & McQuade to see what they have to offer!
• Reggie's Place will reportedly be re-opening under new ownership in the near future, as per their Facebook page! The popular 458 Queen Street East nightclub abruptly closed in September of last year (just four months after re-opening following the 2017 fire upstairs), and while Reggie Daigle himself has sold this location, it will retain the Reggie's name, and it has a new logo designed by Destroilet's Matt Waples. There are a lot of unknowns yet, not just because of the pandemic, but will concerts remain country-centric (Soundcheck aside) when they can host them? Stay tuned!
• Local metal guitarist Shane Desjardins is again looking to jam with other musicians, as per his newest posting on his Musicians Wanted Facebook group from Tuesday. Readers there and here may recall his search for musicians to jam and write with in May 2019, and you can hear his old music recordings on his YouTube channel. He has clear talent, so message Shane at this link or above for details!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Black Label Society & Matthew Good), Plus More Updates!!

Before we dive into this weekend's concert previews, here's a stacked local news post for your Wednesday night delectation, and it includes some assorted updates from the last while, and leading off, two big LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for both sides of the border! Here's what you should know!

Los Angeles groove metal quartet Black Label Society will make their local concert debut on Friday, March 13th when they headline at The Dreammakers Theater at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino! Fronted by long-time Ozzy Osbourne guitarist Zakk Wylde, B.L.S. have forged a loyal following in the past two decades with well received songs like "Stillborn", "Parade of the Dead", "My Dying Time", and many others, and with their hard hitting, leather-clad brand of metal and Zakk's considerable guitar skill in tow, you know they'll melt many faces in the E.U.P., this coming spring! Tampa, Florida death metal legends Obituary will open in their own local debut, and they have 35 years of brutality to unleash here, including cuts from one of the best selling death metal albums of all time, 1992's "The End Complete." It's awesome to see the Tardy brothers and company on a local stage, so don't bypass their set either!

This stop on Black Label Society's North American Crusade Tour will be opened by Portland sludge/death metal quartet Lord Dying, whose own technical approach and aggressive material should provide a welcome appetizer in three months! I am unsure if there is a specific local promoter putting this on, but at press time, it's not credited to Allstar Promotions on social media. Tickets for this all ages, 7:00 PM concert run for a flat $27.50, as this is a standing room only concert without seats. They go on sale this Friday at 10:00 AM at this link, at 1-800-KEWADIN, and at the in-person box office, and visit the official Facebook event page for further details. I have had the privilege of seeing B.L.S. live in Detroit multiple times, and they are a great live band with loads of familiar originals, and with ticket prices like this, I hope this show does well so that more extreme metal hits the American side of the border down the line. Get your tickets on Friday, as this concert should sell quickly!

Next up, here's another big new show announcement for March 2020, and it's very surprising in different ways, as acclaimed Coquitlam, B.C. alternative rock musician and political activist Matthew Good will return to Sault Ontario on Thursday, March 26th at The Sault Community Theatre Center! This will be the former Matthew Good Band frontman's first local stop since his acoustic Speak Easy show here in October 2007, which had a.... mixed reception, to put it mildly. If you want to relive that story from both sides, click here, but I don't want to dredge up the ill feelings or take sides. I just hope that this concert is better received by both Matt and the audience alike! Of course, Matthew has multiple gold records in Canada from his later, more varied solo work like "Weapon" "Born Losers", and his new CD "Moving Walls", but he still plays many M.G.B. songs live, including such heavier classics as "Hello Time Bomb" & "Load Me Up". It'll be cool to see him and a full band again locally, a'la his 2005 show at The Roberta Bondar Pavilion and his prior Band gigs here, which I know went well!

Opening locally is Halifax pop musician Ria Mae, who has been gaining in prominence on the Canadian charts with singles like "Clothes Off" & "Bend", and she should provide an interesting genre contrast in March! Presented by SL Concerts, this all ages concert has a 7:30 PM start time, and tickets run for $44 plus fees and taxes. They also go on sale Friday morning, albeit at 10:45 AM, and can be bought at this link, at (705) 945-7299, and at the Station Mall's Community Theatre Box Office. In spite of the divisive back-and-forth in 2007, I'm glad to see Matthew coming back to the Soo after over 12 years, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details!

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

• The merger of Northland Music and Thomas Walls School of Music into a local branch of the Long & McQuade music store chain will take place as soon as the spring at 647 MacDonald Avenue, the former home of Northshore Sports & Auto and Bazaar & Novelty. For now, both stores remain open with lessons and Long & McQuade stock availability, before they both formally merge into the larger east end location. Sounds like a great location for the expanded operations, so click here to check out SooToday's recent coverage of the merger and "new" store!
• The Rad Zone has found it's new home, as the local used record/video game/book/etc. store will move from The Wellington Square Mall in the new year to the old Foch Cleaners building at 721 Queen Street East, near Coch's Corner, as revealed in this Facebook video. A more central, downtown location without mall rent seems to make sense, and I hope Monk and company find continued success there! For now, The Rad Zone remains open at the mall, with continuing close-out sales throughout the holidays before they move, so click here for details on that front!
• Apologies for the delay in this making the site, but journalist & writer Ernest Skinner left SaultOnline in February for a new gig with Wawa-News.com, and his columns (Rock Talk included) went with him to the new site. Unfortunately, SaultOnline took down all of his old articles under any banner title afterward, but he has continued anew at Wawa-News.com with even more interviews with notable metal and hard rock musicians, plus Soo Greyhounds coverage. Click here to read his recent articles and interviews there, and the Rock Talk link on the SMS is updated as such!

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

Life Like Fire Concert Preview, An Upcoming Live Album, And New Videos!!

Here's a new news post for your Tuesday night delectation, so what's on tap? New videos, mostly, with one attached to album news from a prominent solo artist, but let's kick things off with a preview of a special Wednesday night concert featuring out of town talent that you can hopefully check out!

Calgary hard rock quartet Life Like Fire will make their local concert debut TOMORROW NIGHT when they headline at The New American Pub as part of an all-touring package of bands! This female fronted group have an edgy yet accessible brand of rock n' roll to bring to Soo fans tomorrow, and if you like bands like New Years Day or Halestorm, you might not want to miss this stop on their ongoing It's Too Spicy Tour if you can help it! In fact, this show is a merger of converging tours, with Life Like Fire sharing the New A stage tomorrow with Powassan, Ontario alt-hard rock band The Long Nines, also making their Sault Ste. Marie debut here. Solid, no-frills melodic rock sound from this rising Northern Ontario group, and they should put in a well received set also, especially with their new single "Northlander" now out! Temagami folk/indie rock solo artist James Crate will open as part of his ongoing dates opening for The Long Nines, and he should set the tone well with his reserved material!

Seemingly promoted in-house (albeit with involvement from The Long Nines' label Ego & Pessimism Records), this 19+ concert has an advertised 8:00 PM start time and a 10:00 PM start time. While the Wednesday night scheduling and lack of local openers may not be optimal for many fans, this should be a solid triple bill of performers, with a little something for every heavy music tolerance level, so consider a trip to The New A tomorrow! Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Life Like Fire live!

Next up, here's the latest from prolific local alt-hard rock musician Mike Haggith, so what's he up to in his current Thompson, Manitoba homebase? You may have caught some of this already in last week's "Where Are The New Albums?" post, but either way,  Mike returned to Thompson's annual Nickel Days summer festival on June 22nd for a second solo set, and like last year, he recorded the set for another live album! Similarly to "From The Nickel Stage" (his first album release since the big move), Mike worked with Thompson's The Music Makers to record his whole headlining set, and while Mike disclosed some difficulty with the single tracking technique therein, he does seem pleased with how everything turned out. A sample video was posted on his Facebook page on June 28th featuring Mike's newer original "Come On Home", and the featured image, presumably the album cover, indicates that the live album will be called "Carnival: A Live Spectacle By Mike Haggith."

As precedence for our monthly CD reviews goes to studio albums, I won't immediately review "Carnival" upon release, due to the (hopefully) impending release of his upcoming CD "Bridges", but I can tell you that the audio recording sounds good, and this will be reminiscent of many of Mike's Thompson-era videos, where many of these songs were already in an acoustic setting. Give the live Nickel Days version of "Come On Home" a listen below, and stay tuned for more on "Carnival" & "Bridges"!



Also today, here's a new video from the Slaughter-headlined concert at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino last month, courtesy of attendee/Troy's Trail co-organizer Annette Chandler's YouTube channel on Sunday! Like her videos from 2017's Bret Michaels show in Sault Michigan, this is an untitled clip, but it's actually of opening Pasadena hair metal band Autograph playing their song "Send It To Me." Nice and melodic performance that suits their style well, and the house looks nicely packed for this one, so kudos to Annette for filming this one! Check it out if you want below!



Finally for today, here's a new video of Kinross/Mount Pleasant hard rock solo artist Alex Traynor live at Biggby Coffee in Sault Ste. Marie during his two most recent acoustic matinee gigs there! One is from his Independence Day show there on Thursday, where the ex-Banned frontman and an uncredited guest performer are jamming a familiar instrumental piece for the requisite tips and coffee. Short video on a vertical camera angle, but Alex and the guest sound good together, so check it out below! For what it's worth, the new video that wasn't working during Facebook's outages on July 3rd was actually a re-upload of his Stevie Ray Vaughan cover from March.



That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's Defunct Local Band Profile tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Life Like Fire) & More Weekend Concert Previews!!

Now, let's wrap up this weekend's hard rock concert previews (late notice possibilities aside), and if you're looking for previews of concerts that had a Friday component, check the post below this one! Today, we're looking at bands who are only playing tomorrow night, but to fill things out, we do have a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for next month to lead things off with! Yes, I am aware of the big rescheduled punk show this fall, stay tuned for more on that in our next proper news post. Now, here's what you should know!

A trifecta of hard rock-centric acts (all local newcomers) are coming to The New American Pub on Wednesday, July 10th, including headlining Calgary hard rock quartet Life Like Fire! Self-described as "a dirty, in your face, female fronted rock n' roll band", Life Like Fire have already attracted some local fans with their heavy hitting yet melodic sound that reminds me somewhat of bands like New Years Day, and if you can make it out for a mid-week concert, L.L.F. would be worth your time next month! Joining them at The New A on this night are Powassan, Ontario alt-hard rock band The Long Nines, who are on a separate Canadian tour, but the two bands' paths cross in the Soo on July 10th, hence the double bill. Ironically also a quartet with a female singer, The Long Nines aren't as heavy as Life Like Fire, but their melodic, to-the-point sound and new single "Northlander" should give them a good base!

The show will be opened by Temagami folk/indie rock solo artist James Crate, who is touring alongside The Long Nines. Much softer launch than you may expect, but James has talent, and he'll set the tone well before things get plugged in on the 10th! Apparently booked in house through The New A (though The Long Nines' label Ego & Pessimism Records will assist in production), this 19+ show has a $10 cover charge and an advertised start time of 8:00 PM. Visit the official Facebook event page for more on this intriguing Wednesday nighter next month!

Next up, let's continue this busy weekend of hard rock concert previews by tackling three Saturday night-only concerts, starting with a huge (and surprisingly affordable) show at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino TOMORROW NIGHT, as Las Vegas glam metal quartet Slaughter will play our area for the third time in the past 11 years! After previously opening for Jackyl in Sault Ontario in 2008 and Stryper in Sault Michigan in 2012, it's time for Slaughter to headline with their familiar blend of originals like "Fly to the Angels", "Up All Night", and "The Wild Life". If you Hair Scare loyalists are up for an hour's drive south to St. Ignace, then you should get a great show from Mark, Dana, Blando, and Zoltan tomorrow! Pasadena glam/hard rock quartet Autograph will also head north for this concert, and with "Turn Up The Radio" and other deep cuts in their repetroire, hair metal junkies should be more than excited to see them on a local stage as well, so don't miss either band then!

Presented by Classic Rock: The Bear (which can be picked up easily in St. Ignace on 95.3 FM), this rare major hard rock show at the St. Ignace Kewadin will be an indoor event at their on-site events center. Tickets for this 8:00 PM concert are surprisingly just $10, and lots are still available, so visit this link, the Sault Kewadin's in-person box office, the St. Ignace Kewadin's gift shop, or 1-800-KEWADIN to get hooked up. At this price, how can glam metal fans in Mackinac Country say no? Slaughter put on a great show in 2008 and 2012, and hopefully there's more of the same tomorrow night, so see above for more details, and here's Slaughter live!



Also TOMORROW NIGHT in the Eastern Upper Peninsula, fans in nearby Eckerman can enjoy Sault Ste. Marie hard rock cover quartet Project 906 as they rock The Strongs Tavern! While this venue in the western half of Chippewa County is definitely a known commodity to Project 906 fans (who last saw them there on New Year's Eve), this will be just their second announced concert since taking a four month break earlier this year due to personal life commitments. A search to get a concert booking for tonight too didn't appear to have a public resolution, but fans can still see Billy, Joe, Dustin, and Tommy back at The Strongs Tavern for one night only. Hopefully the guys deliver a "strong" set of their own tomorrow, and that their open dates in August get filled soon! Tomorrow's concert has a likely 9:00 PM start time, a 21+ age limit, and no cover charge. See above for more details, and here's Project 906 live at the aforementioned Strongs Tavern!



Finally for today's previews, we'll head back north to Sault Ontario, where local power rock quartet Re:Born will headline a special going away concert party TOMORROW NIGHT at The Rockstar Bar in honour of long-time roadie, filmer, and supporter Cory Burch! The son of guitarist Blair Burch, Cory has been a steady presence at Project 421 and Re:Born shows since his dad re-entered the scene as an active performer, but he's moving out of province for work reasons in the very near future, hence this concert being announced, so that Re:Born and fans can give him a proper send-off. Cory's a good guy and he's always been very helpful and useful as a fan and roadie over the years, and hopefully this party sets out to achieve it's aims tomorrow before he flies out west! There will be at least two other bands performing, but Re:Born are staying tight-lipped on their identities, other than to guarantee that "it just got a bit louder and heavier", while a looser jam-night atmosphere is to be expected.

While this is a 19+ event with a 10:00 PM start time, Re:Born are not charging a cover to come down, so if you want some free Saturday night entertainment with a proven band and some mystery performers, you could do a lot worse! This should be a fun time before Canada Day festivities kick in, and hopefully Cory has a great time before the big move, so see above for more details, and here's Re:Born live!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news over the long weekend, and this month's CD review by Sunday! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The Wyld Stallyns), Long & McQuade In Sault Ste. Marie, And Much More!!

Let's tackle a new news post on this Tuesday evening, which mostly reflects some big news regarding two of Sault Ontario's three music stores, but we also have some assorted shorter news and notes, and leading off, here's a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for later this month!

Local acoustic hard rock trio The Wyld Stallyns will return to The Whiskey Barrel on Gore Street for another night of "funktastic rock" on May 24th, a.k.a. next Friday!  After last playing there a couple of Fridays ago (apologies for erroneous plugs of a Tuesday nighter), the Elements side project will return to the former Konoba Tapas location for another night full of fan friendly, crowd participation-encouraged rock covers, with heavy stuff sure to be on offer within! It's great to see that Christina, Rob, and Jesse's unplugged show is going over well at this new downtown venue, and hopefully this is another hit for them next weekend! As was also the case at their last two Whiskey Barrel stops, next Friday's show has a 7:00 PM start time and no announced cover charge. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and stay tuned for more show announcements from The Wyld Stallyns when they roll in!

Next up, here's some big news concerning Sault Ontario's music instrument/gear stores, starting with the big announcement yesterday that Northland Music will become the local branch of the Long & McQuade music store chain this fall! As per a news release on their Facebook page, Northland has entered into an agreement with Long & McQuade (Canada's largest musical instrument retailer), after 35 years as a locally owned and operated music store, though owner Mark Mizzi will remain as the local manager, and long-time staffer Bob Croteau will stay on as well. Northland will continue operations under that name through September before officially switching over to the Long & McQuade branding, but over the summer, more stock than ever will arrive at their 312 Queen Street East location, and they will have full access to the parent company's lines, rentals, and financing. More hiring of staff will take place as operations grow, and they are currently accepting resumes.

While things are vague on the topic, it sounds like Northland/Long & McQuade will open up in a larger location this fall, but if I read those allusions correctly, I don't know the new spot. I did notice that the old Blockbuster Video location on Pim Street was undergoing renovations, but that's purely speculation, I have no inside knowledge. Meanwhile, this news will affect one of the Soo's other active music instrument/lesson shops, as the Thomas Walls School of Music at 505 Albert Street East will apparently be merging operations with Northland into the new Long & McQuade location, after almost 60 years of independent operation locally. Thomas Walls himself will be retiring later this year, with instructor & veteran local musician Lindsay Pugh heading up the renamed Long & McQuade Music School. Like Northland, Thomas Walls will remain open in their current home through the summer, and student/lesson programs will remain intact with existing staff.

This is absolutely huge news for local musicians, as Long & McQuade will ensure a much larger selection and wider range of options than Northland or Thomas Walls could offer (as visitors of their Sudbury location may attest), and with hirings expected later this year, this should be a boon to job-seekers as well! None of this affects Case's Music directly, but if their rivals do indeed move, that could help them attract customers who prefer to shop downtown. Stay tuned for much more on the Long & McQuade transition as it comes in, and visit the above links and SooToday for more on this story!

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

• Local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades and (surprisingly) Shit Liver drummer Matt Baic have quietly been announced as the openers for Calgary punk quintet The River Jacks' headlining concert at The New American Pub on June 3rd! A rare New A set by Jack Spades, this will be the second time that guitarist Tiffany Stocco has opened for The River Jacks, after doing so with Stegadeth in 2017. No word on what form Matt's solo set will take on though, but will it bear more similarities to Shit Liver or his St. Catharine's bluegrass band Dirtfight? Time will tell, but visit the Facebook event page for more!
• The third single from local/Thompson, Manitoba alt-hard rock artist Mike Haggith's upcoming CD "Bridges" was released to major music streaming/download platforms on Friday! Entitled "Come On Home", the song is a softer, more downbeat ballad, but I'll hold further comment until our likely review of "Bridges" later this year.  Give "Bridges" a listen or buy on services like Spotify, Amazon Music, and iTunes in the meantime!
• In a quiet lineup change for the Music 4 Kayge benefit show at The Roberta Bondar Pavilion next Saturday, new local rock band The Tilrays have replaced blues rockers Johnny & The Revelators in the 3:00 PM opening slot, as per this new poster last week. A reason for The Revelators' withdrawal wasn't announced, but hopefully nothing bad happened! I don't know much on The Tilrays sound beyond their decade range for covers, but their lineup includes ex-Stiffler's Mom bandmates Michael Davies & Jon Ferguson, which should get a number of readers' attention! See above for more details!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (A Dire Setback) & Lots Of Assorted Recent Updates!!

On this cold and snowy Monday morning, let's see if some new metal, hard rock, and punk news can warm things up a bit! This is mostly an assorted short news story spree today, but leading off, we do have a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for next year, so here's what you need to know!

The second official concert from new local promoters Live705 has been announced, and it will go down on Saturday, January 21st at The Oddfellows Hall! Seemingly similar in structure to Live705's debut last month, a planned roster of 6 bands will take part in this concert, and the currently listed bands include Live705's own flagship alt-punk quartet A Dire Setback (in their third announced concert set), plus two bands who didn't play in November, namely post-punk quartet Gnaeus (in a rare Oddfellows Hall appearance) and new local indie rock trio The Autumn Roots. The latter band are new to the venue, but frontman Jeremy Hannah was once a frequent promoter here with Big Voiced Records, so it will be nice to see him back on familiar ground! Three more bands are being sought to perform on January 21st, so if you or your band want in, message promoters A.S.A.P. via the official Facebook event page! An $8 cover charge is in effect for this ALL AGES concert, which is planned to begin at 6:00 PM.

After a successful debut last month, complete with a more professional lighting and staging setup than is often seen at The Oddfellows Hall, it's great to see the Live705/A Dire Setback crew back for another go around of more varied all ages action! It will be interesting to see what bands are added to the lineup from here, but there's over a month to go, so stay tuned for updates as they roll in, and see above for current details!

Finally for today, here's ten assorted shorter news stories from the last while, including band link updates, studio recording teasers, and much more! As usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist or event name:

• We have restored a defunct band to our defunct local band links, they being 20 Pack of Marshmallows, the late 2000s hard rock band from ex-Haggith/Project 421 singer Curtis McKenzie and his brother Travis! This band was originally deleted from our links when their website was "frozen" by host Webs, but their earlier Tripod page under the name Wanko Twist (which we featured here in 2014) is still alive and well, so they're back where they belong! Give their Tripod page a look for a prototype of Curt's later band portfolio!
• In their newest Facebook page posting, local alternative hard rock trio The Din shared a photo from Mission Control Studios, and noted that they were "in a familiar spot... doing familiar stuff with a familiar guy." This heavily implies that they were recently recording music with Dustin Jones of Tidal Records, which they previously did for their song "Alleyways & Apartments", but is a sophomore CD in the works, or is it just a loose recording session? Stay tuned!
• We have deleted mid-2000s hard rock band Downfall from our band links, as their only surviving webpage was taken down with Chris Belsito's Murderfly Entertainment website (which it was hosted through) was closed for unannounced reasons in the past few months. Disappointing to be sure, as their material was solid, but look for guitarist Mike Yakasovich with Northwest!
• Newer local death metal band Exploring Detritus (formerly Kaepora Gaebora) have quietly parted ways with guitarist Daeson Lesage, as per his removal from their Facebook page's lineup. A reason for his exit wasn't announced, but hopefully nothing bad happened, and that we see him in a new band at some point! The newly renamed band have teased that "once the work stops", the metal will begin, so look for more from Exploring Detritus soon, including any potential searches for a new guitarist!
• This is just a housecleaning note given that the festival is no longer held in the area, but we fixed the link for the annual marijuana culture concert festival Hempfest from their Facebook group (which is still active but considered closed) to their official website. The 18th annual installment, and fourth in it's current home of Moonbeam, was successfully held in August, and see the above links for more on Hempfest as it currently stands!
• Local indie/alternative hard rock quartet Id Iota revealed on their Facebook page yesterday that, as the snow comes down, they are sneaking "shelter in the studio", with singer Christian Lemay recording vocals at guitarist Dustin Goodall's home recording studio Unsalted Audio. Is this the first public tease of recording sessions for their first full length CD that they had previously referenced in interviews, or is something else afoot? Keep tabs above for updates!
• We have switched the link for defunct local hard rock quartet Long Shot from their Facebook page (which was sadly deleted recently) to their Bandcamp page, which is thankfully still online and with their only EP still available. I wish bands wouldn't delete their online pages like this, but best of luck to all 4 guys in the future! For reference sake, frontman Evan Dawe moved to Sarnia recently (no word on if this was a direct reason for their breakup or not), and has recently joined forces with fellow singer/guitarist John Pilat in a new indie rock duo named Evan.John.
• In another deletion from our defunct local band links, we have removed 2011-2012 death metal/hardcore band March Into Regression due to the deletion of their Facebook (and only online) page in recent months. Also known as Bring The Misery and the first version of With Blood Build Character (among other briefly used names), M.I.R. played a handful of notable summer shows with a wildly fluctuating lineup, and while it's a shame they didn't last longer, look for alumni in current bands like The Autumn Roots, The Bear Hunters, Exploring Detritus, and Them!
• One more band deletion from our defunct & inactive links, they being Social Suicide, the 2011-2014 punk/death metal band led by March Into Regression bassist Tyler St. Amour, with Ray Cowan from that band also in an early lineup. Despite signing with Blood Shed Productions, Social Suicide never really got off the ground, nor did they post any public media, before their only Facebook page was quietly deleted in recent months. Look for Tyler and Anthony Boudreau in Them, and ex-drummer Keeghan Rosso in the folk rock band Great Chamberlain!
• Remember how an unidentified band from local hard rock musician Steven Flint was scheduled to headline at The Rednecks Saloon this past Saturday, but was never publically confirmed? Well, as it turns out, that night's entertainment became an open jam night, with Steven's Band Camp Rejects bandmates (minus Jamie July) joined by Mourning Wood bandmate Terry Eaton and Lucky 13 guitarist Robin "Bones" Lee as the one-off house band. Sounds like this would have been a fun time, and hopefully there was a great turnout! Our source for this info is Rejects guitarist Mike Muto on the Facebook event page for The B.C.R.s' Rednecks show the previous night.

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

Long Shot - "Long Shot" EP Review!!

With a slow week upon us, let's keep things rolling with our 87th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, as we're taking a look at defunct local hard rock quartet Long Shot's self-titled EP! Fully posted (as far as I can tell) on July 13th via their Bandcamp page, Long Shot's sole release was self-recorded and produced earlier this year with their classic lineup, including singer/guitarist Evan Dawe, guitarist Nathan Muto, Evan's brother Adam on bass, and drummer Jeremy Ganuelas. "Long Shot" can be downloaded above on Bandcamp for $4 (or more if you're so inclined), and while you can stream all three songs there for free, consider buying the EP to support Long Shot's work! Note that I can't confirm if there was a limited CD run or not, and if so, if it had extra material (as three songs is short, even for an EP), but unless otherwise confirmed, we'll treat the EP on Bandcamp as the complete final release. Running for just 12 minutes, let's begin our latest review!

This EP begins with "Double Take", which opens up with a hard rock instrumental section that even has a bit of a funk guitar lick, and it has a catchiness to it! Lyrically about giving an attractive former flame a second look (for better or worse), the hard crunching riff contrasts with Evan's higher melodic vocals, which at times sound like they're for the wrong song, especially one with this subject. Musically, this song has a great flow, with Nathan shining on lead guitar, and Jeremy's drumming is clear and distinct, adding up to a solid opening number for hard rock fans, but some may find the vocals to be to much of a tonal shift.

Second is "The Beat", which is about patrolling on guard or "walking the beat", while trying to survive a number of described terrors alone at night. A longer & bluesier track, Evan's lower vocals suit this song better, but the somewhat processed singing makes it harder to hear him over the band proper, somewhat muting the ominous lyrics. Adam's bass pounds well, and Nathan gets another quality solo, and while blues rock fans will absolutely want to check this song out, I preferred the opener musically & for vocal clarity. "Long Shot" closes with "Long Goodbye" (almost fittingly, given their breakup a month later), though the lyrics reference leaving town & one's lover for an indefinite time. Despite the emotional lyrics, the song is a mid-tempo hard rocker that has the best matched vocals yet, though they could be louder in the mix, and the backing chorus vocals don't flow perfectly. Solid capper to the EP that showcases the guys' musical talents, but the song's end feels incomplete, like they forgot to record a final chorus.

So, what are my final thoughts on Long Shot's debut EP? There was work to do, but this was a solid debut effort that it's a shame we won't see a sequel for! Compared to their often more varied cover selections in concert, Long Shot showcased a nice hard rock base on these three songs (especially "Double Take"), and while this is a small sample size, you do get a sense as to why they finished second at last year's Speak Easy Battle of the Bands! Considering that these guys weren't widely known commodities before forming, they definitely made a mark here, with Nathan Muto playing excellently on lead guitar on all three songs, and Evan Dawe matching up nicely on rhythm, while Adam Dawe and Jeremy Ganuelas handled the low rhythm end in their own right, but Evan could show a little more grit and energy on vocals, and you could barely hear him on "The Beat". Long Shot had a lot of potential and a unique sound & presence, and whether they reunite down the road or not, check out Long Shot's debut EP above!

I hope you guys liked this month's CD review! Next month's review will definitely be on a new release, with Dafter, Michigan rock artist Ken "SweetKenny" Sutton very possible, likely for his April solo album "In Your Face", but that's not 100% certain. You guys may remember that I received an advance copy of The Apocalypse Afterparty's debut EP "Bufflesnort" last week, but the band hasn't announced a formal release date yet, so a review is still up in the air. A new surprise album could of course come before Halloween, but in any event, look for a new CD review next month, and stay tuned for this weekend's concert previews next! Thanks everyone!

The End Of Long Shot, Sault Michigan Weekend Concert Previews, And More!!

Before we finally tackle the results of last month's poll, we have a new news post on this Thursday morning, and it includes the last of the previews for this weekend's hard rock shows, some assorted recent updates, and leading off, here's a surprise band breakup on the Ontario side of the border!

Local hard rock quartet Long Shot have surprisingly announced that they have disbanded, as per their Facebook page yesterday. The band cited that it "was a mutual decision" and "that now was the right time", and while they did not elaborate otherwise on the reason for the breakup, note that Long Shot have only played one public concert in the past nine months. Though their members were previously unfamiliar from other recent bands, Long Shot migrated from covers-centric sets at private and corporate events in 2014 to becoming an increasingly familiar sight at concerts in the mid-2000s, including a runner-up finish at last year's Speak Easy Battle of the Bands, a set at last year's Rotaryfest Stage 1, and a number of solo headlining sets at The Eagles Club in Heyden. In the above Facebook post, the band also confirmed that their debut self-titled EP is officially out, presumably upon the posting of the last song on their Bandcamp page on Jully 13th, but if there was a physical CD release or additional songs in that format, I can't confirm them at this time.

Long Shot were a solid band that injected some added flavour to the local scene, combining catchy hard rock originals with some unexpected yet well played covers, and while the guys weren't well known commodities in the local scene beforehand, they definitely made a good mark in a short time! Regarding a review of their EP, , we could look at it as soon as next month, now that I know it was completed, so keep an eye out, and best of luck to Evan, Nathan, Adam, and Jeremy in the future!

Next up, let's head across to the Sault Michigan area for previews of this weekend's remaining hard rock shows (barring a super late notice announcement), starting with the return of local hard rock quartet 415E to The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! Two weeks removed from the private "Bro Bash" event in St. Ignace, this will be the former Hubbard Menard Band's first public show since last month at the Soo Kewadin, and 415E should be ready to party with a strong weekend of hard hitting, Van Halen-inspired favourites for fans at The Northern Pines Lounge! If you can't see them this weekend, you can check them out at the end of September in Sault Michigan too. 415E will be on tonight & tomorrow night at 9:00 PM, both shows are 21+ affairs, and there are no announced cover charges. Check the above links for more details, and here's 415E live!



Lastly for this weekend, the first annual Musicians Festival in Rudyard will go down TOMORROW at the Rudyard Township Park! Launched by local classic rockers Steelhead to help raise funds for Rudyard area school music programs and the Carol's Corral Foundation, this special family concert event will see a dozen musical acts rocking out tomorrow, with other activities planned including a bouncy castle, a smoked pig roast and other food items, and much more, so visit the above links and the official Facebook event page for more details on non-musical events! Steelhead will headline at 12:00 AM tomorrow, with Bay Mills masked metal quartet Stoned Ape Evolution co-headlining at 11:00 PM, and local hard rock/blues quartet Project 906 playing at 10:00 PM. Evening bands (largely sans online pages that I've found) will include Dondee Lanes regulars Second Offense at 9:00 PM, The Gaskins at 8:00 PM, The North Country Band at 7:00 PM, The Wednesday Night Headliners at 6:00 PM, and Traverse City's New Jazz Trio at 5:00 PM.

Early acts will include Crossroads member Denny Verrett at 4:00 PM, Hayley Malaska at 3:00 PM, Jimmy Williams at 2:00 PM, and Rob & Bob Malaski at 1:00 PM, while Traverse City experimental trio The Neighborhood Dogs (replacing Alex Schrovenwever) will open at 12:00 PM, and while they aren't on the poster, they were confirmed in official lineups elsewhere. This FREE & ALL AGES event will take place at 18725 South Mackinac Trail in Rudyard, with camping encouraged, but food and vendors will have costs that you can double check above. This sounds like a fun event that could very well fill the LemmaFest gap, and with some heavier bands to cap things off, so check the above links for more, and here's Project 906 live!



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

• Local alternative/hard rock trio The Din are planning to launch a new "Din Talks" series on their YouTube channel where they'll answer fan questions both about the band and even about unrelated topics. If you're interested in submitting a question for a future video, comment on The Din's Facebook page's thread about it, and stay tuned for more from their recent album release!
• New local progressive metal band Kraken Mara have posted two new introductions for new original songs named "Straus" and "Ishka" to their Reverbnation page in the past month. While the Late & Loud successors have yet to unveil the full versions (vocals or not), these have the promising djent-influenced metal that has given fans a good early impression, so give them a look above! Note that the band spells their name on their Facebook page as one word ("KrakenMara") now, but if this is permanent, no other official links omit the space yet.
• The original crash band, Sykotyk Rampage, will make their first concert appearance of 2016 when they take a rare road trip to Sudbury to headline at The Asylum on September 9th! The improvised local blues/hard rock quartet will headline this show, which will also feature ex-bassist Brian Cattapan's current Sudbury band Aggressive Acoustic among the openers. It's great to see Sykotyk Rampage back at last, so click here for more details on their concert out east, and hopefully we see them back on a local stage sooner rather than later!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for last month's poll results and our newest poll next! Thanks everyone!