Pop Evil & Triumph Concert Video Showcase!!

Tonight's post takes us to recent major concerts in to wrap up our coverage of videos shot at them, and in one case, we haven't even touched on the show yet! As you may recall, Muskegon, Michigan hard rock quintet Pop Evil made their Sault Ontario debut at The Machine Shop on April 12th, and while videos were not nearly as forthcoming as they were from their multiple Kewadin Casino concerts in the past 15 years, the ever-prolific Christopher Paci was in attendance that night and uploaded 10 videos to his YouTube channel! No word on if he filmed at the Three Days Grace concert, but if he was there, he hasn't uploaded anything yet. Fittingly for their eighth local concert appearance, Chris filmed eight videos of Pop Evil's headlining set, specifically their songs "Footsteps", "Waking Lions", "Legendary", "Torn To Pieces", "Skeletons", "Paranoid (Crash & Burn)", "Trenches", and as embedded below, "100 In A 55". 

While by no means a staple of the 104.3 setlist, Rock 101 listeners are well accustomed to Pop Evil by now, and there was a good crowd familiar with their ample radio hits last month! Chris about four rows deep (standing room only acknowledged) here, and Leigh and crew sound really good across these videos, especially on more melodic songs and choruses, so give these well shot videos a watch above & below!

The openers at The Machine Shop last month were Waterloo hard rock quartet Sierra Pilot, who once featured ex-Spades GT guitarist Jay Sarrazin in their lineup, in case the band name is familiar. Chris got two videos from their set, including them playing "Replicants" and, as embedded below, what I believe to be a new song of theirs (in a cursory search of their studio material, it doesn't match anything obvious). Sierra Pilot have a good sound going for them, with distinct vocals and a melodic ear while still delivering heavy riffs and and a command of the crowd, so don't bypass Chris' videos from their set either!

The back half of this post takes us to the Triumph/April Wine concert at GFL Memorial Gardens 10 days after Pop Evil, as there are two more videos of note about the show that aren't fan-shot live clips. One is of video from the headlining Mississauga hard rock band's reunion tour-kickoff set here, and it actually is a "Shorts" (ie. YouTube "Reels") video from the band's official YouTube channel! The 48 seconds-long highlight reel video is set to the studio version of "Rock & Roll Machine", and features clips of Rik, Gil, and crew playing on stage and even a bit of off-stage content, as tiled and edited in post-production to make use of the vertical dimensions as best as it can, even with animations rather than plain black letterboxing. As I say often for bands who post highlight reels rather than raw uncut concert videos, I would far prefer full videos, as these look to be high quality from some unique angles!

Regardless, it is neat to see the Soo (and the Gardens) represented in a major band's official online video content, and seeing as this is the 5th (4½th?) post featuring Triumph videos, you know it was a hit! Give Triumph's "Short" highlight video a watch for yourselves below!

Finally, while this does feature videos from the concert, this is primarily a video review of the Triumph concert! Veteran local rock drummer Glen Thomas (ex-Flat Stanley, Wishbone, Soundcheck, et al.) posted a 40+ minutes-long review of the concert to his YouTube channel, in what you could argue also fits in line with his "Glen Yaps" videos there. Glen approaches things differently than some as an experienced drummer with connections (a friend was one of the techs that night), and he goes into detail not just about the sets proper by both bands, but also the stage setup, comparisons to what he saw of the pre-tour kickoff concerts in Florida, the fan responses, how the bands came off and sounded in relation to the video screens, the overall sound setup and rigging that night, how the gaps between songs differed between the two bands, and how the experience was seeing the show with his wife and how things connected to seeing Triumph in the 1970s.

Live videos that Glen shot are overlaid at around 10:30 into the review, and other closer videos from other filmers were also included similarly. Glen did suggest that he might post his own raw videos from the concert (he was filming with a GoPro, even), but as of this writing, he has not done so. Regardless, I do agree with him about preferring full songs on video rather than partial clips! Speaking as an experienced live and studio drummer, Glen gives strong insights into the concert, and it's an entertaining watch to go into detail of things beyond just who played what song, so give everything a look below, and we'll let you know if belated videos surface!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Dopethrone), A New Local Band, And The Pop Evil Concert Preview!!

Today's post is stacked with big news and notes from the past week, including a very notable LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for extreme metal fans next month, our slightly delayed preview of a big headlining concert on Sunday night, and leading off, a very delayed addition to our Sault Ontario band links, so here's what you should know on this Friday night!

Local metal quintet With Gunfire have finally launched a Facebook page, so we can finally add them to our active band links! Why it took this long, I don't know, especially as their first gig was in July 2024, but better late than never! Originally known as The Sault Side Squad (a parody of The Suicide Squad) before adopting their current name in December, With Gunfire's lineup is (as far as I am still aware) comprised of The B.A.G.'s Spencer MacGillivray on vocals, A Dire Setback/Big Finish Band guitarist Chris Nielsen, former Jack Spades/Sativa Rose guitarist Anthony Orazietti, A.S.D.P./ex-Stoned To Deaf bassist William Wardlaw, and former Soldiers Of Misfortune/Elements drummer Jonas Gasperas, who played with Anthony in Winkstinger. The original Sault Side Squad singer was ex-As It Stands frontman and rapper Justin "Nadj" Pregent, who quietly left this band by September 2025.

Brand new content is slim on With Gunfire's Facebook page, but two new "Shorts" videos were shared from Jonas' YouTube channel, including this slideshow with silent live footage set to their studio original "M.F.C." (ignore the AI-generated image claiming a title of "A Hate Supreme"), but embedded below is a performance at the Fist Magnet/Spigots reunion concert at Soo Blaster in December that they opened and debuted their new name at. Some of the vertical videos here were uploaded as plain videos, so I don't know why this is a "Short", but the song here is promisingly thrashy despite some fans being in the road of the camera. Give it a watch below, and stay tuned for more new content from Jonas' channel!

Next up, here's that LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, as Montreal "slutch metal" trio Dopethrone will return to Sault Ste. Marie for a headlining concert at Jay's Piston Broke Pub on Monday, May 25th! Readers may recall seeing this long running doom metal outfit at the former New American Pub on Victoria Day in 2019, and while the same holiday is a week prior this year, it is great to see Dopethrone back after just over 7 years away, and they should keep things down and dirty (yet still brutal) at the former Roosevelt Hotel! Also joining Dopethrone on tour is Vancouver gothic/doom metal quintet Tribunal, a majority-female and cello-infused band that should turn heads with their brutal and atmospheric sound in their local debut, so don't bypass them! While most of this tour is a co-headlining jaunt with Portland black metal project Mizmor, they are not advertised for the Soo date.

The local openers are extremely notable on their own, even without the touring bands, starting with the surprise reunion of local/St. Catharines grindcore trio Shit Liver, whose last concert of their original run was the Dopethrone show at The New A! Concert advertising specifies that they are only playing a 15 minute set, so I'm reading this as a one-off reunion and not the start of anything major (remember, the now-short haired Josh Penno is largely focusing on The Golden Scoundrels nowadays), but this is a fitting way to see Shit Liver (at least) one more time! The other opening band is named Eden Plague, who are the renamed and relaunched local death metal band The Bear Hunters! A reason was not publically announced for the name change, but a fresh start after a year+ hiatus is as good a reason as any. Guitarist Mitch Sirie previously used the Eden Plague name for a short-lived black metal project in 2010 & 2011, distinct from his other solo work.

Of course, Mitch is no stranger to being in bands who had late period name changes (i.e. Stillbroke/Borderline Divine and The Suicide Kings/Beaumont Avenue). No word on if there will be any other changes to the band in sound or lineup, let alone if their 2023 "final album" plans are still around, but we'll let you know when we hear more from The Bear Hunters Eden Plague! A rare promotional effort by the aforementioned Josh Penno, this Memorial Day concert is a 19+ affair at 7:30 PM, and $20 advance tickets are on sale at Jay's and The Rad Zone (the door charge jumps to $25). A nice throwback death/doom metal show will be well worth seeing next month, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details!

Finally for today's post, here's our preview of this weekend's main event, as Muskegon, Michigan hard rock quintet Pop Evil will return to our area for a headlining concert at The Machine Shop in Sault Ontario on SUNDAY NIGHT! Buzz for this show hasn't been as high as I had assumed, but this is notable because Pop Evil have a lot of Billboard rock chart success in the US, get frequent airplay on Rock 101, and have played in Sault Michigan seven times in the past decade & a half, most recently at the Sault Ste. Marie Kewadin Casino just over three years ago. With hit songs like "Footsteps", "Skeletons", and "Waking Lions" in their back pocket, it will be interesting to see Pop Evil on the Canadian side of the border, and hopefully there's a strong turnout for their catchy original rock! Your openers on Sunday are Waterloo hard rock quartet Sierra Pilot (a former band of ex-Spades GT guitarist Jay Sarrazin).

Expect a diverse but explosive set of rocking originals from them in their local debut in three nights' time! This stop on Pop Evil's What Remains Tour is an all ages event at 8:00 PM, and tickets run for $45.20 (plus processing fees) at this link, at the door, or at the in-person box office at Station Mall. If you're curious, the ticket price is comparable to Pop Evil's 2023 show in Sault Michigan after you convert this ticket cost from CAD to USD. Hopefully this show (the third hard rock headlining event at The Machine Shop in less than two months) is a success, so visit the above links for more details, and here's Pop Evil live at Kewadin Casino the last time out!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Northern Vibe Festival)!!

The eighth annual Northern Vibe Festival returns to the old Hempfest grounds on Poplardale Road in nearby Ophir this weekend, and for the first time since 2019, organizers have announced the timeslots for the bands! Granted, they only did so on their Facebook page on Saturday, making these SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, but I'll take this over scouring performers' Facebook pages for schedule hints (like in 2021) or hoping that one of them will post the schedule on their own accord (like last year)! For a third straight year, Spades GT frontman J.D. Pearce is dusting off his old local promoter hat to curate the Forest Stage at this year's Northern Vibe Festival, which joins the DJ-centric Roost River Stage (which similarly had a lineup reveal on Saturday) in bringing music to the masses once again, but who can you expect in Ophir and when on the band-centric Forest Stage this weekend?

Firstly, I apologize for the short notice for both nights of music at Northern Vibe VIII, as the Forest Stage lineup only officially came out on Saturday, but this is still earlier than not at all! Keeping with recent formats, there are no bands on Sunday, which is primarily for camping purposes. As usual for recent Northern Vibes, TOMORROW'S band program has the shorter bill, and will be headlined by local funk/hard rock cover sextet The Wyld Stallyns in their third straight set at Northern Vibe, so look for them at 9:00 PM! Newer local punk/hard rock quartet Far From Fine will co-headline at 8:00 PM in their fourth live set and first show outside of Sault Ste. Marie city limits, though they have not announced if Blair St. John will be filling in on drums again or not. Cornwall speed metal trio Hellrager (featuring J.D.'s Spades GT bandmate Jay Sarrazin) will make their local debut at 7:00 PM.

Finally, your Friday openers at 6:00 PM are local punk trio A Dire Setback in their third straight set at this festival, just over a week out from their and Far From Fine's joint gig opening for The Ripcordz at The Loft. Strong lineup for punk fans with a slightly more commercial lead-out to the festivities, so don't bypass the opening night's band action! We'll get into ticket/admission details at post's end, but be advised that 9&10 News is calling for thunderstorms during the band timeslots (though organizers plan to press on, rain or shine, and the Forest Stage does have a roof). Temperatures will range from 18-23°. See above for more details on the Friday roster, and here's The Wyld Stallyns live!

As for the longer bill on SATURDAY, that will be headlined at 9:00 PM by Montreal ska punk band K-Man & The 45s, making their long awaited return to the Soo area for the first time post-pandemic! As anyone who saw K-Man & The 45's explosive and fan friendly brand of ska punk in their seven local concert appearances from 2013-2019 can attest, their horn section-laden attack will be a fitting capper to the weekend, so don't miss their set! Local alternative hard rock quintet Handsome Sandwich will play their third straight Northern Vibe as co-headliners at 8:00 PM, while in a mild surprise, magician Ryan McFarling will have a formal set on the Forest Stage at 7:00 PM. Ryan wasn't previously advertised among the bands on the poster, rather as a featured attraction like in past years, but it'll be interesting to see how his illusions go over as the Forest Stage takes a brief pause from rock music, and he should go over well!

The aforementioned Jay Sarrazin will also bring his Waterloo hard rock quartet Sierra Pilot to Northern Vibe for their first ever local set on Saturday at 6:00 PM, so while we're not getting Spades GT this year, this will help fill the gap a bit! In his first local concert since his freak knee dislocation at Rotaryfest last month, local/Barrie alt-hard rock musician Mike Haggith and his local backing band will have a do-over on Saturday at 5:00 PM, with Mike reportedly sitting down for the set as he continues his recovery. Fingers crossed that things go as planned this time for him, his bandmates, and his fans making the trip east! Online page-less punk/alternative cover quintet Bookclub will take the stage at 4:00 PM to cap off their busy summer, while revived local rock duo The Castletons (featuring Frightlight bassist Mike "Eddie Fright" Gingras) will open the proceedings on Saturday at 3:00 PM.

Handsome Sandwich aside, every act on Saturday is new to that stage (Ryan McFarling's past off-stage performances acknowledged), so expect lots of varied and entertaining music from this batch of performers, with lots of punk and hard rock to go around for genre fans! Saturday is too far out for an hourly forecast from 9&10 News, but they're calling for partly cloudy weather with a high of 23° that day, and only a 10% chance of rain. Visit the above links for more details on this stacked roster of bands on Saturday, and here's K-Man & The 45s live!

Conspicuous from their absence from the schedule is the one-off reunion of local horror punk quintet Frightlight (fronted by Forest Stage curator J.D. "Johnny Pints" Pearce), and while no public statement was made, J.D. confirmed on his personal Facebook page last week that the band "isn't gonna be able to make it to Vibe". A reason for their withdrawal wasn't announced, but given that J.D. and Mike will be present, the unavailability of one/both guitarists or the replacement drummer (whose identity was never made public) could be why. Hopefully Frightlight rise from the dead again in the future if things line up! While Ryan McFarling's set seems like a likely replacement candidate, I'm told that Frightlight were supposed to have headlined tomorrow. Rather than get a late replacement band, The Wyld Stallyns were promoted to headliners with an extended set (they're used to that given their solo nightclub gigs!)

Crank Sound Distribution will provide sound at the Forest Stage. Outside of the music stages, Northern VIIIbe (get it?) will also feature local artists, vendors,  and all-weekend camping, so be sure to click here and visit the festival's Facebook page for full details on what to bring and expect when making the hour's drive east from the Soo! Facebook has more specific details on the specific vendors and sponsors, for the record. Also, the festival takes place rain or shine and is very much off the grid, so be prepared. Directions to Ophir are posted at the links above, but note that there is a road closure until tomorrow evening on Highway 638 from Echo Bay, so definitely check Facebook for recommended detour routes. Northern Vibe takes place rain or shine, it is a 19+ event, and while online ticket sales have closed, you can still pay at the gate, with prices jumped up thusly to $150 (full weekend) or $85 (Saturday only).

There are no Friday-only options, but the option of a Saturday-only ticket is welcomed! Whether you're a Hempfest veteran, a Northern Vibe regular, or just love a good outdoor concert/camping trip, The Northern Vibe Festival should be a fun time, so definitely visit the above links for full details on this weekend's festivities, and stay tuned for more weekend concert previews on the site next! Thanks everyone!

Initial Details On The Northern Vibe Festival's Forest Stage Lineup For 2023!!

Single topic post today, as the band lineup for the Forest Stage at this year's Northern Vibe Festival at the old Hempfest grounds in Ophir has been announced via the event's Facebook page yesterday, so who can you expect over the last weekend of August? Just as a primer beforehand, the performance times were not stated yesterday, keeping in line with the last two years since J.D. Pearce began curating the Forest Stage, which never saw a full schedule reveal from organizers. Unless protocols have changed this year, stay tuned to the bands' social media pages for any details on when they are specifically playing. Eleven acts are currently scheduled for the eighth annual Northern Vibe, which is down one from last year (three if you count withdrawn bands), but there will be more touring bands than in 2022. The advertised headliners are Montreal ska punk band K-Man & The 45s, making their first local appearance in over four years!

Fans will recall seeing K-Man & crew on a local stage seven times in six years from 2013-2019, and it will be great to see them back with their horn section and fun energy in tow! The other two touring acts both feature Spades GT guitarist Jay Sarrazin returning to Ophir, albeit not with Spades GT. Rather, his Waterloo hard rock quartet Sierra Pilot and his Cornwall speed metal trio Hellrager will both make their regional debuts at Northern Vibe VIII. Both deliver the genre goods, so don't bypass either in late August, and do check the out to see what they bring to the table! With that said, Spades GT are surprisingly not playing this year's festival.... but Frightlight are! Yes, the inactive local horror punk quintet will rise from the grave for a one-off reunion, in their first gig since this event in 2021! No public word yet on who will take over on drums for the late Chris Thompson, but the drummer was revealed in personal Facebook postings.

Three other acts are all returning from the past two Northern Vibe installments, namely alternative quintet Handsome Sandwich (don't miss their CD release party at The Loft TONIGHT!), punk trio A Dire Setback, and funk/hard rock cover band The Wyld Stallyns. All will be riding some good momentum after high profile 2023 shows, so they're fine picks to return for a third year! No word on why The Soo Fighters and Dynowaves aren't pulling the triple themselves, however. The newbies to Northern Vibe include local/Barrie alt-hard rock solo artist Mike Haggith (no word on if his new album will be done in time or not), online page-less alternative/punk supergroup Bookclub (sharing the stage with The Wyld Stallyns once again), and new local hard rock quartet Far From Fine (née Ravencore) in their first announced show of the year. The other advertised band are The Castletons, who are new to the SMS, but who are they?

As it turns out, they're a revival of a rock duo that was active locally from 2017-2018, featuring Frightlight bassist Mike "Eddie Fright" Gingras in their ranks, However, they were always cagey in their initial run about their full identities and sound, but based on the intimate venues that they frequented at the time, I'd assume that they're an acoustic act. We'll let you know if anything extra goes public! Northern VIIIbe (see what I did there?) takes place from Friday, August 25th-Sunday, August 27th, but if past years are any indication, bands will only play on Friday and Saturday, with the Friday lineup being shorter (last year had five bands on Friday and seven on Saturday). Like in past years, camping is more than welcomed in Ophir (east of Bruce Mines), and decorations are welcomed, but not glass bottles. Tickets for this year run for $100 minimum, which is down from last year, and packages also exist with bundled t-shirts and/or hoodies!

As is normal for Northern Vibe, there are no single-day ticket options, perhaps justifying why they don't release daily schedules if everyone's paying for the whole weekend anyway, but that's just conjecture on my part. Buy your tickets and/or clothing items at this link, and the implication is that these are early bird prices that will go up in June, so act fast! Sounds like another fun time is ahead for concert-goers, partiers, and campers alike, especially with the River Stage full of talented DJs also on site once again, so visit the above links for complete current details on Northern Vibe VIII later this summer! That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news on the site next week! Thanks everyone!