2019: A Preview & What To Watch Out For!!

Happy New Year, everyone! After a quieter year than usual for events, concerts, and SMS posts, I'm hopeful that 2019 will be even busier and more impactful, and this annual year kick-off post will explore things we know are on the horizon for the 12 months ahead, and what we might see. Without any further adieu, what can you look forward to in the new year?

In terms of new concerts, two big concerts have been announced already for the spring, starting with the return of Windsor hard rock trio The Tea Party on March 27th at The Machine Shop, and this should be another huge hit for them! Tickets are available at this link or at the box office for $40. Then, we will see hair metal notables The Killer Dwarfs make their return to Sault Ontario at Soo Blaster on April 27th alongside local openers to be announced, and tickets are also on sale at this link for $24.50, with higher VIP/meet & greet packages also available. Other currently announced hard rock concerts in the area are of the weekend bar cover variety, including the return of 415E to the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino on January 11th & 12th, plus St. Ignace Kewadin stops from Highway 63 & Peril later this month. Also, look for Tym Morrison's long-term Gliss Restaurant engagement to continue as usual this year, plus occasional gigs at The Roadhouse Bar & Grill, with more details on each coming later this week.

Regarding concerts that aren't publically announced yet, look for heavier and punk bands to potentially return for annual events like Rotaryfest (Stages 1 & 2), Toystock, J.D. Pearce's annual Halloween Party, The Northern Vibe Festival, The Sky's The Limit, Go Skateboarding Day, the Oh!No festival in Leeburn, and The Soo's Got Talent, but questions remain. Will Rotaryfest try a "Rewind" theme again? Could The Fishbowl Festival return elsewhere following The Gore Street Cafe's closure? Will teased CD release concerts from some notable bands finally take place? Sault Michigan should see live music return via The Sugar Island Music Festival and Rudyard Musicians Festival, but will hard rock acts be on their bills again? Follow sources like the SMS, SooToday, Sault Online, the Sault Music News Letter Facebook page, and other social media outlets in the coming months for more on this year's slate of hard rock, metal, and punk concerts in the Twin Saults and surrounding area!

Finally, we'll close with new albums, and there's always a lot to look for each year! 2018 was especially stacked for new album releases from heavier local acts, but will 2019 measure up? In our next "Where Are The New Albums?" post (coming tomorrow), you can read up on the current release statuses of announced albums from local acts like A Dire Setback, The Bear Hunters, Electric Church, The Elements, Gates of Winter, Id Iota, Mike Haggith, Mike Vincent, Pillory, Skeyes of Seven, The Sorrow Fields, and Telephone & Address. How many of these will finally see a paid release in the new year? What kind of releases will we see from Tyler Gibson and Chase Wigmore-led projects and other Blood Shed Productions collaborators? How many score and/or traditional albums does SweetKenny have lined up for 2019? What new albums could be announced from other acts, and will our 13 month streak of consecutive new CD reviews continue this month? Stay tuned!

I'm hopeful that 2019 will be even bigger, better, and more eventful than 2018, so stay tuned to the SMS as we cover everything that goes down in local metal, hard rock, and punk, and look for our first news post and weekend concert previews of the year in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

The 2016 VM Radio Battle Of The Bands Finals Preview!!

After two weeks of intense action from five talented local bands, this year's VM Radio Battle of the Bands at The Canadian Nightclub will conclude TOMORROW NIGHT with the final round, where this year's remaining three bands will collide for their first battle of the bands title, so here's our extended finals preview! Like in the semifinal rounds, the finalist bands will play half hour-ish sets for attending fans, with judges Dustin Jones, Rob Speers, and myself scoring them on the same criteria as in past weeks, but the stakes are ever higher! Not only will the grand prize winners be announced tomorrow, but individual awards will again be given out in varying categories, with Village Media, Tidal Records, Case's Music, The Rad Zone, Maxx Graphics, and Labatt Breweries among the presenting sponsors to look out for. Given how well the semifinals went, tomorrow's finals should end things with a bang, so here's some info on this year's three finalists!

The Din: After defeating Stereo North & Heavy Head in March 9th's semifinals (and finishing in second place during the next day's Speak Easy Battle), local alternative/hard rock trio The Din will look to claim their first battle of the bands victory tomorrow in their fourth try. Their new lineup has steadily impressed fans so far in 2016, but can Mike, Tammy, and Brandan claim first place tomorrow night, and make everyone give into The Din?

Eclipse: Less than a week removed from their third place run at the Speak Easy Battle, newer local hard rock quartet overcame frontman Curtis McKenzie's cold by punching their finals ticket as the wild cards after a strong performance last week. With the battle title, and a possible repeat Best Vocalist Award on the line for Curt, can he, Daniel, Fred, and Chris "eclipse" their other bands' past battle runs with their first battle victory tomorrow?

K.I.C.K.: Making their local battle of the bands debut in style last week, the Keep it Cool Kids defeated Eclipse to move on to tomorrow's finals, impressing fans with their acoustic-tinged indie rock sound and surprise covers. A rematch with Eclipse awaits tomorrow night, but The Din are also in the mix, and it's anyone's guess who will win out tomorrow, but can Simon, Tyson, Kevin, and Aaron kick their way to the VM Radio Battle crown?

Tomorrow's action also sees a rematch between K.I.C.K. drummer Aaron Dunn and his brother, Eclipse bassist Fred Dunn, while the dynamic between Din frontman Mike Haggith and Eclipse's Curt McKenzie and Daniel Horton is well known locally, as they were all in The Din's original lineup, and most notably, were bandmates in the band Haggith. The guys are on good terms, but keep that matchup in mind, especially if you miss Haggith! Of course, this year's winning band will receive a large cash prize and other prizes to be announced tomorrow, and while the rest of the individual prizes (and potential 2nd/3rd place awards) aren't announced online, you can see some of the individual awards laid out at the venue tomorrow night. As I said last year, I hope all 11 performers tomorrow will bring their A-game, leave it all on the stage, and deliver the best performance possible to win over fans and judges alike! You all worked hard to make the podium, now do what you can to reach the top of it and seize the day tomorrow night!

For attendees, tomorrow's finals have a special cover charge of $10, unless you previously bought tickets for the finals/full battle. Everything starts at 9:00 PM, and there's no announced cover charge. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! This should be an awesome final round, especially given the talents they have and the performances they put on in the semifinals, so don't miss out on the action! For a preview, here's our videos of each of this year's finalists, and we'll see you guys at The Canadian TOMORROW NIGHT! Thanks everyone!

The 2016 VM Radio Battle Battle Of The Bands Preview (Night #2!)

TOMORROW marks night #2 and the last semifinal of this year's VM Radio Battle of the Bands at The Canadian Nightclub, so here's our extended preview of tomorrow's action! As you may remember, last week saw The Din defeat Heavy Head & Stereo North to claim the first of three spots for next week's finals, and the full field will be determined tomorrow, where they'll be joined by tomorrow's winning band and the highest scoring runner-up band as a wild card finalist. Like last week, judges Dustin Jones, Rob Speers, and myself will score competitors on their originality, stage presence, musicianship, crowd reaction, and professionalism, with huge prizes and promotion from Village Media, Tidal Records, Case's Music, The Rad Zone, Maxx Graphics, and Labatt Breweries awaiting, so don't forget about the stakes at hand! With only 5 band registrations this year, this last semifinal sees a head-to-head battle between just two local bands, so here's what you should know about tomorrow's competitors!

Eclipse: Fresh off of their third place finish in Thursday's Speak Easy Battle of the Bands, this new modern/hard rock quartet (featuring 3/5ths of Project 421) will look to see if lightning can strike twice to send them to the VM Radio Battle finals next week, where members Curtis McKenzie and Daniel Horton could be faced off with their old band The Din, fronted by their ex-Haggith bandmate Mike Haggith. Will Eclipse punch their finals ticket tomorrow?

K.I.C.K.: Joining Heavy Head as the only battle newcomers in the field, local indie/acoustic rock quartet K.I.C.K. (short for the Keep It Cool Kids) have been active since 2012, and feature alumni of Cowboys & Indians, State of Misery, and Starlit Sins in their lineup. Somewhat of a dark horse this year among their otherwise plugged-in brethren, can Simon, Tyson, Kevin, and Aaron move on to next week's finals? Support them via their own Facebook event page for the battle!

With an uneven number of bands this year, the third band slot tomorrow will be filled by local punk/metal quintet (and fellow Speak Easy Battle competitors) Jack Spades in their second concert set of the year. A non-competitive set due to frontman J.D. Pearce's promotional involvement in this battle, look for some familiar faces in their lineup from past battle runs with bands like T-Rex Manning, The Bear Hunters, and Heavy Head, so prepare for a fun set of punk and metal intensity from Jack Spades!

Also, an added wrinkle was noted to me last week by Project 421 guitarist Blair Burch, which is that Eclipse bassist Fred Dunn is the brother of K.I.C.K. drummer Aaron Dunn! It's not often that you see siblings compete against each other in a local battle of the bands, so we'll have to see how things shake out tomorrow on that basis! Remember, tomorrow's winning band is guaranteed to face The Din in next week's finals, and the highest scoring of the two runner-up bands will be back for a second chance in the finals as well, but will last week's second place band return, or will both Eclipse & K.I.C.K. get a finals encore? Be at The Canadian TOMORROW to find out! Huge prizes for competing bands and individual performers await next week, and you can see who gets there tomorrow night at 9:00 PM, with a $5 entry fee at the door (unless you already have tickets for the full event.) For full public details on the ongoing VM Radio Battle, visit the official Facebook event page!

While a little more compact than most local battle of the bands one-night lineups, an exciting competition lies ahead tomorrow, so will Eclipse ride the momentum of last week's Speak Easy Battle to the finals, or will K.I.C.K.'s acoustic indie rock win over the judges instead? Be there for all of that, plus a guest set by Jack Spades, TOMORROW NIGHT, and I'll see you guys there! Thanks everyone!

The 2016 Speak Easy Battle Of The Bands Preview!!

For the second time in as many days, here's our extended preview of a local battle of the bands, as for a second straight year, two separate battles are taking place on concurrent days! Just one day removed from night #1 of the VM Radio Battle of the Bands, the Algoma University Students Union brings us the second annual Speak Easy Battle of the Bands TOMORROW NIGHT, where 8 acts will take the stage at Algoma University's campus bar for another night of action, with $700 in prize money awaiting the top 3 bands! Postponed from an originally planned November 2015 date due to "sponsorship issues", this year's Speak Easy Battle will largely be similar to last year's battle, with bands playing 15 minute sets each, while winners will again be decided via a fan vote rather than a panel of judges. With last year's podium finishers not back for this year's expanded 8 band event, the field's wide open, but which of the entered acts will win out tomorrow? Here's some extra info on each act before this battle goes down!

Aldous: One of the five acts making their battle of the bands debut tomorrow, Nick Luck's alternative rock project Aldous will break out that strange electric taste that fans may have seen via the recent albums "Change2" and "The Fair", but many recent Facebook postings have been reasonably cryptic. How will Nick and company sound tomorrow, and will they impress fans to secure a podium finish?

Bryan Brown: Arguably the biggest dark horse in tomorrow's field, former Coverfly bassist Bryan Brown will go solo for a set in tomorrow's battle, but I can't confirm much about what he'll be playing on his own. How will his solo performance sound? Is he taking a huge detour from his Coverfly work? Be at The Speak Easy to see how he does!

The Din: One day removed from their third battle of the bands appearance, alternative hard rock trio The Din will look to continue improving on their 2015 battle results, where the then-Mike Haggith & The Din (with Curtis McKenzie on guitar) didn't place in the VM Radio or Speak Easy Battles. With their new sound firmly in place, and with Tammy Hill now on guitar, can The Din improve on last year's run? Show your support via their own Facebook event page for this battle!

Eclipse: This new modern hard rock quartet will be making their battle of the bands debut tomorrow, though 3/4ths of the band competed in both of last year's battles with classic metal quartet Project 421 & The Din, missing out on a podium finish in each. Less than a week out from their own VM Radio Battle semifinal, can the 421 side project channel members' past battle success with Haggith to place in the top 3?

Heavy Head: With just two concert appearances (including yesterday's VM Radio Battle semifinal) under their belts, new local pop/hard rock quartet Heavy Head will look to continue their early surge with a high finish in this fan-voted battle, and with battle winners from The Suicide Kings, The Bear Hunters, and Winkstinger in their lineup, they definitely have the experience to go far... but will they tomorrow? Show your support via following their own Facebook event page also!

Jack Spades: Surprisingly making their battle of the bands debut tomorrow, punk/metal standouts Jack Spades will try to jack the battle as well as the planet in their set, and with battle alumni from bands like T-Rex Manning, The Bear Hunters, and Soldiers of Misfortune in their ranks, don't sleep on them! With a guest set at the VM Radio Battle coming next week as well, will they snag a top 3 position tomorrow?

Jesse Merineau: Joining The Din as the only returning acts from last year's Speak Easy Battle, local/Toronto indie rock musician Jesse Merineau won't be alone for his set this year, as he's enlisted local power pop/glam rock trio Caroline Divine to back him up this year, with songs from his upcoming debut CD expected to be played. Jesse didn't make the podium last year, but will some "divine" intervention do the trick in 2016? Follow Jesse's run via his own Facebook event page!

Pillory: After a two year hiatus from the stage, local death/thrash metallers Pillory will at last return with their new trio lineup for this year's Speak Easy Battle, with last year's battle co-promoter Jordan Leach (ex-Haggith) now on bass, and now sans a second guitarist. Fans are already eagerly awaiting their return and their heavier death metal-influenced sound, but can Pillory surge to the the top of the field tomorrow night?

Like last year, TOMORROW'S highest voted band will win the top prize of $400, with second place receiving $200, and third place netting $100. Twin City Sound & Entertainment will be on hand to provide professional sound for each of the 8 competing acts, and while each band only has a short set, expect lots of talent to be on display! For attendees, admission is $5, bands begin playing at 10:00 PM, and while this is generally a 19+ concert, underage Algoma University students may attend the event if they have valid student ID with them. And of course, you can also see Eclipse and (non-competitively) Jack Spades at this coming Wednesday's last semifinal of the VM Radio Battle of the Bands, while The Din, Eclipse, and/or Heavy Head may also be back for the finals on March 23rd, pending how things go tonight & next week. Last year's Speak Easy Battle proved to be a bellwether for the VM Radio Battle results in terms of the common bands' finishes, but will that prove to be the case again in 2016?

Also, note that Heavy Head's Jesse Cook, Daniel Horton, and Johnny Belanger will all be pulling double duty tomorrow, as Jesse & Johnny are both in Jack Spades, and Daniel is Eclipse's guitarist. How will that impact their sets, and can any of them bring both of their bands to the podium? This should be an exciting battle, especially given the wide open field that guarantees one competing act it's first battle of the bands victory, but who will get the honours? Will Aldous' creative genre hybrid take them to the top? Is Bryan Brown's solo sound just what the attending fans are looking for? Will The Din improve on last year's battle finishes? Can Eclipse pick up where Project 421 left off with a higher placement? Can Heavy Head live up to their supergroup lineup's past successes? Will Jack Spades jack the $400 top prize in their first battle? Will Jesse Merineau claim a podium spot with Caroline Divine's help? And will Pillory reclaim their presence in the scene tomorrow?

Be at The Speak Easy TOMORROW to find out, visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and we'll see you at The Canadian TONIGHT for night #1 of the VM Radio Battle! Thanks everyone!

The 2016 VM Radio Battle Battle Of The Bands Preview (Night #1!)

It's almost time to commence this month's battle of the bands action, so let's kick things off with our extended preview of TOMORROW'S first night of the 2016 VM Radio Battle of the Bands! One year after Gnaeus claimed victory in the premiering multi-night battle, local concert promoter J.D. Pearce has joined forces with VM Radio (and parent company Village Media), Tidal Records, and sponsors Case's Music, The Rad Zone, Maxx Graphics, and Labatt Breweries to bring this huge battle of the bands back to The Canadian Nightclub one year later, with thousands in cash & prize awaiting this year's competitors! As band registrations were disappointingly quieter than last year (partly as each of last year's finalists have been busy in studio lately), this year's battle has just 5 bands split across two semifinals rather than 11 bands over three nights, but a talented lineup of local talent will take the stage over the coming weeks, and expect a similar format and judging criteria for this month's action!

Like last year, thousands in cash & prizes await the finalist bands, and when there's public confirmation of the specific awards, we'll let you know! Click here for a complete rundown of last year's award recipients, just as a reference point. Though not publically confirmed, I believe I can confirm that last year's judges (Tidal Records owner/Rising Tide frontman Dustin Jones, Village Media representative & Elements frontman Rob Speers, and myself) will be back to judge this month's competing bands. It's a privilege and honor to be asked back for year #2, and I again pledge to keep our battle coverage impartial in respect to the nature of the event! After having to take the last 6 months or so off from attending concerts while dealing with family health matters, it will be nice to see some live music again in Sault Ste. Marie, and there's no better place to do it than at this month's battle, so I can't wait to see you all out there!

The schedule will see three bands competing tomorrow, with the other two and a guest band playing next week on March 16th, with all playing sets likely in the 35 minute range once again. Both weeks' winners and the highest scoring runner-up band (as the wild card) will return on Wednesday, March 23rd for the final showdown, but who can you expect to see tomorrow? Here's some info on TOMORROW'S first semifinalists!

The Din: The most battle-tested band in this year's field, the former Mike Haggith & The Din competed in last year's VM Radio & Speak Easy Battles (with Curtis McKenzie on guitar), but they did not place in either event. With their more firmly established alternative hard rock sound & live presence, as well as their new guitarist Tammy Hill, will The Din prove that the third time's a charm by making the finals this year, and can they channel frontman Mike Haggith's past battle success with the band Haggith? Visit their own Facebook event page for this battle to show your support!

Heavy Head: Though technically making their battle debut, new local pop/hard rock quartet Heavy Head have ample battle experience via members' past top-3 runs in local battles with The Suicide Kings, The Bear Hunters, Winkstinger, Soldiers of Misfortune, Haggith, and Punch. However, this is just Heavy Head's second concert, and they're somewhat of an unknown commodity unless you saw their debut. Can Heavy Head pick up where their other projects left off by making the finals? Support them at their own Facebook event page for this battle as well!

Stereo North: In their own sophomore concert set from last year's VM Radio Battle, local pop punk quartet Stereo North were part of an ultra close contest during the second night, where just 8.5 points separated first place from fourth place, so they only narrowly missed a finals spot. With an extra year of live concerts, original songwriting, and fan attention under their belts, can Stereo North improve on last year's battle run by advancing to the finals on March 23rd with their fan favourite originals & covers? To show your support, visit their own Facebook event page for the battle too!

Again, tomorrow's winner will join either Eclipse or K.I.C.K. (next week's competitors) and the wild card band to be announced on March 23rd at The Canadian, and stay tuned in the coming weeks for previews of those nights! And yes, you can also see The Din, Eclipse, Heavy Head, and next week's guest band Jack Spades in THIS THURSDAY'S second annual Speak Easy Battle of the Bands, where they'll compete against four other local act for the $400 top prize, so click here for full details on this fan voted battle at Algoma University, and look for our preview of it tomorrow! For battle attendees, nightly admission for this 19+ battle will be $5 for the semifinals and $10 for the finals, while each night has doors opening at 8:00 PM and the bands starting at 9:00 PM. For complete current details on this year's VM Radio Battle of the Bands, visit the official Facebook event page!

With both of last year's returning bands, and a local supergroup chock full of high placing battle veterans, this should be an exciting night of battle action, and as far as I'm concerned, the field is wide open this year! i'm excited to see how each band does, but will The Din claim a finals spot in their third battle? Will Heavy Head show the Soo what they've got by making the finals in their second show? And can Stereo North pick up where they left off by moving onto the finals in their second battle? Head down to The Canadian TOMORROW for all of the action, and I hope to see you all there! Thanks everyone, and stay tuned for our preview of The Speak Easy Battle next!

Swampstravaganza V Concert Preview!!

Hey guys, here's our extended preview of TOMORROW NIGHT'S fifth annual Swampstravaganza! Yes, the annual ALL AGES alternative music marathon event will return to an early May timeframe for a second straight year, though after 4 years at The Oddfellows Hall, promoter Steve Mozarowski has relocated the event to The Canadian Nightclub for 2015, which should be a great location for this year's Swampfest! There's a stacked lineup once again with 9 acts (four from past years), and despite a later 4:00 PM start time, things end later at 2:00 AM, so things aren't too compressed! So, who all is playing? Headlining at 1:00 AM are local post-punk quartet Gnaeus (in their return to the site of their VM Radio Battle of the Bands victory), with local alternative/blue rock quartet Sykotyk Rampage playing their third straight Swampfest and first concert of 2015 before them at 12:00 AM.

Local hard rock band Skeyes of Seven (featuring Sense of Truth & Half Past alumni) are on third-last at 11:00 PM in their first concert in over two years, just their third concert ever, and their first show with their new quartet lineup, with ex-bassist Mike Mannarino and ex-drummer Jonny Amendola now replaced by prior guitarist Alain Fletcher and new drummer John Mignacca (who played Swampfest in 2011 with As It Stands.) It's great to have them back finally! Promoter Steve Mozarowski will play a solo acoustic set under the "faceityoureametalband" handle at 10:20 PM, following open mic appearances last year and sets with RedD Monkey at this event from 2011-2013, while local indie/punk quintet (and recent CBC Searchlight competitors) Northwest will take the stage at 9:30 PM. Local death metal favourites The Bear Hunters will keep their perfect five year Swampstravaganza streak alive with their 8:30 PM set tomorrow, so kudos to them on that level!

Note that they're not playing later despite being prior Swampfest headliners, as Mitch & Johnny are playing at The Rockstar Bar with Beaumont Avenue later tomorrow night. Local hard rock/grunge quartet Haggith will play their third straight Swampfest tomorrow in their first concert set since the VM Radio Battle and the release of "XIV" tomorrow at 7:30 PM. It will also see the return of former bassist Caleb Cachagee on guitar to replace Daniel Horton, but how will the new lineup sound? Local death metal duo Brutally Fatal (featuring members of Rotopsy and The Revolution from last year) will hit the stage at 6:40 PM in their Canadian Nightclub debut, while new local hard rock/alternative duo Infinity Grinder will play just their second ever concert as tomorrow's first band at 6:00 PM, in what will be drummer Terrence Gomes' third straight Swampfest appearance (with The Northern Tragedy in 2013 and open mic last year.)

Swampstravaganza V will kick off for a second straight year with a 2 hour open mic block at 4:00 PM, so anyone's welcome to perform once again until 6:00! For reference, last year saw open mic sets by Johnny Belanger, Steve Mozarowski, Terrence Gomes & Katie Huckson, Paul Stanghetta, and Damjan "Spider Fingerz" Binda, but will any of them pop up again? Note that two bands (rap/metal quartet The Apocalypse Afterparty and prog rockers Mannapool) dropped out of the event over the spring for unannounced reasons, with Steve's solo set replacing the former and the open mic night being extended to 2 hours to replace the latter. TOMORROW'S fifth annual Swampstravaganza is ALL AGES, and admission will be $10 at the door, but no word on if we'll see vendors and food sales like last year had. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page!

I haven't missed a Swampstravaganza yet, and with the new location and later start time, hopefully I'll see a great turnout at The Canadian TOMORROW for what should be a great union of local talent! Don't miss out, this will be a fun time, and I will see you guys there! For a preview, here's Gnaeus at The Canadian in March, and stay tuned for a new news post tomorrow before or during the event! Thanks everyone!

VM Radio Battle Of The Bands Finals Preview!!

The end is coming ever closer for the biggest local battle of the bands of the 2010s so far, as the finals of the VM Radio Battle of the Bands at The Canadian Nightclub take place TOMORROW NIGHT! After three weeks of exciting action featuring 11 talented local rock bands and a quality guest set from The Pixo Control, the field has been narrowed down to the final four (fitting amidst March Madness), with each semifinal's winner and the highest scoring wild card back one last time tomorrow to compete for huge prizes, with numerous individual prizes awaiting bands and band members alike, so we'll known in short order all of this month's lucky winners! Like in past weeks, band order will be randomly determined, and the judges (Tidal Records' Dustin Jones, VM Radio's Rob Speers, and myself) will judge all four bands on numerous categories relating to their musicianship, stage presence, crowd reaction, and professionalism, but the stakes are ever higher, so who will come out on top? Here's some info on the final four bands in alphabetical order!

The Apocalypse Afterparty: In just their second ever announced public concert in the Soo, this local rap/metal/party rock quartet overcame stiff competition from Gnaeus, Mike Haggith & The Din, and Project 421 last week to advance to tomorrow's finals. Teasing an even crazier show built around the same setlist from night #3, can The Apocalypse Afterparty better "songwriter" Paul Stanghetta's two prior runner-up finishes with The Fury by winning this battle?

The Bear Hunters: The winners of 2013's Viva La Battle, five time battle veterans The Bear Hunters defeated Honest Job and Infamous three weeks ago to become the first band to make the finals this time around. Their death & groove metal originals have helped make them arguably the most familiar of this week's finalists, but can they come out on top in a judged battle of the bands for the first time tomorrow, and what kind of surprises might they have in store?

Gnaeus: Despite being the very last band to play in the semifinal rounds, local post-punk/garage wave quartet Gnaeus came within 4 points of winning last week, and earned enough points to claim the coveted wild card slot for tomorrow's finals. Three weeks after winning the fan voted Speak Easy Battle, Gnaeus will also be rematching The Bear Hunters from that same event, but will results repeat themselves in time for Gnaeus to win their second battle of the bands?

Mannapool: After an incredibly close round two weeks ago that saw 1st & 4th place separated by 8.5 points, local progressive rock quartet Mannapool edged out a victory over The Danger Cats, Haggith, and Stereo North to qualify for tomorrow's final round. Despite no recent local battle of the bands experience on their resume, Mannapool have impressed many in the past year, but can their technical rock originals carry them to first place by the end of tomorrow?

As previously announced via the official Facebook event page & this SooToday press release, there are plenty of prizes awaiting the top 3 bands plus in other individual categories, so what can be expected on that front? The first place band will receive $1,000 and more, while other great prizes to be announced await the bands on the podium. Individual prizes will include recording time with Tidal Records for the best original song, a Bomb Energy Drink package for the most energetic band, individual instrument packages from Case's Music for the best guitarist, bassist, and drummer, a brand new microphone from Right Hook Mics for best vocal performance, and a Budweiser Marshall amplifier beer fridge for the fan favourite band, while the most enthusiastic fan will win a $100 Rad Zone gift certificate. These and more will be handed out TOMORROW, with each prize winner also getting a formal certificate for their win (as seen here), so keep this all in mind!

Also, don't discount the possibility of a tie, given what all four bands bring to the table, and that we have seen ties in the final results of local battles before, most recently at The Grand Theatre in 2012. The chances are unlikely, but if we see a deadlock, the tied bands will play for an extra 10 minutes and be re-scored by the judges, so there would be a resolution!

It should also be noted that if The Bear Hunters or Gnaeus win tomorrow's final round, they'll become the first band to win 2 local battles of the bands since Bring The Fallen (who won 3 of 4 entered in 2009 & 2010), but they have very tough competition ahead, and nothing is certain. As this is the final round, admission will be $10 for general attendees ($5 for semifinal competitors that aren't in the finals), but if you already have a $15 pass for the whole month and attended at least two of the semifinals, you've saved money! Like in past weeks, everything will start at 8:00 PM tomorrow, and yes, this is ALL AGES! For all public and current details on the finals, visit the above links! I have been priviliged to take part in this month's battle of the bands, and I can't wait for tomorrow's final round, especially as I have no idea who will win and I'm very curious to find out! Me, Rob, and Dustin have had a blast this month with such quality music, and things will end with a bang, I'm sure!

Will The Apocalypse Afterparty's creativity and stage presence carry them to the top prize? Can The Bear Hunters lock up their second battle of the bands win with their ferocious death metal? Will Gnaeus overcome their wild card placement to claim their second battle victory in three weeks? Or can Mannapool's talented progressive rock originals conquer the competition tomorrow night? We'll find out TOMORROW, but as one last message to all 16 of the finalists: Bring your A-game! Leave it all on the stage, and come ready to rock, impress, and stake your claim! Best of luck to all of you, and may the best band win! Thanks everyone, and we'll see you there!

VM Radio Battle Of The Bands Preview!! (Night 3)

TOMORROW NIGHT marks the third and final semifinal in this month's VM Radio Battle of the Bands at The Canadian Nightclub, so like in prior weeks, here's our extended preview of it! As you may remember, we saw The Bear Hunters and Mannapool earn spots in next Wednesday's finals, and we'll learn the last two finalists after tomorrow's concert, via whoever wins among tomorrow's four competing bands, and the top scoring wild card band that will be revealed at the end of the night (so if you didn't win in the last two weeks, cross your fingers!) As before, tomorrow's semifinal will feature the last 4 competing bands play for 35 minute sets, during & after which they'll be scored by judges Dustin Jones (The Rising Tide), Rob Speers (The Elements), and myself on their musicianship, stage presence, crowd response, originality, and more for a total score out of 300 (100 a judge). Like in past weeks, the performance order will be randomly determined at around 8:00 PM.

An intriguing subplot also arose earlier this month when the unrelated Speak Easy Battle of the Bands was hosted on March 5th, which happened to feature four of the bands competing in the VM Radio Battle, including The Bear Hunters and three of tonight's bands. Will that event's results (which were determined by a fan vote) prove to be a bellwether of tomorrow's semifinal, or will the judges' scores differ? Here's some info on all of tomorrow's competitors, once again in alphabetical order!

The Apocalypse Afterparty: Tomorrow's only band that wasn't involved in the Speak Easy Battle, this double bassed local rap/metal band still has lots of past battle experience via "songwriters" Paul Stanghetta & Steve Mozarowski's past bands like RedD Monkey & two-time battle runners-up The Fury. Making their first concert appearance of the year tomorrow, The Apocalypse Afterparty will be debuting their new quartet lineup (featuring two new female band members), but will X, Z, x, and z make a big guitar-less statement tomorrow night?

Gnaeus: Now one of two bands in this month's field with a battle win to their name, newer local post-punk/garage rock quartet Gnaeus (pronounced "ny-us") won the fan voted Speak Easy Battle earlier this month, helping continue their local rise that has seen them play many headlining and supporting gigs in the past year, making many new fans in the process. Can Gnaeus keep their hot streak going by moving on to the finals of the VM Radio Battle?

Mike Haggith & The Din: Late additions to the battle (to replace new drummer Brandan Glew's dissolved old band The Revolution), this local acid/pop rock trio made their well received return to the stage this month with an evolved sound, but they didn't place at the Speak Easy Battle. Can The Din pick things back up with a strong showing tomorrow night, and can they channel Mike & Curtis McKenzie's 2nd place run with Haggith 2 years ago for inspiration?

Project 421: After teaming with Mike & Curtis last week with Haggith, Daniel Horton will join an opposing side for tomorrow's semifinal as bassist with classic metal quartet Project 421, who have been making many fans in the past year+ with their old school metal covers and newer original material. Though they too didn't place at the Speak Easy battle, can their wealth of past band experience give them an edge going into tomorrow's semifinal?

Like in past weeks, tomorrow's winning band will move on to the finals next Wednesday, while we'll also learn the identity of the wild card finalist with the highest second place score as well (and remember, the similar Rockstar Bar Battle two years ago had a tie for the wild card, with both bands moving on as they were on different nights, so don't count out that possibility!) Remember that next week's winning band will receive $1,000, and numerous other prizes await for bands in the top three, individual performers, and more, so visit the official Facebook event page and/or this SooToday press release for all current prize details! Also, I wanted to acknowledge that this month's battle has featured 8 competing women (The Danger Cats, x & z from The Apocalypse Afterparty, Jenny Gauvreau from Honest Job, and Lizzie Pearson from Infamous), which is great to see and very encouraging! Keep it up, ladies!

Like before, admission is $5 for tomorrow's semifinal unless you've already bought a $15 pass for the whole month, this is ALL AGES, and everything starts at 8:00 PM. For more details, visit the above links! We're one day away from learning the complete finalist field, but who will be confirmed to join The Bear Hunters & Mannapool after tomorrow's semifinal? Will The Apocalypse Afterparty's masked rap/bass sound make a huge mark? Can Gnaeus continue their quest for a second battle of the bands win? Will Mike Haggith & The Din deliver a strong showing to make the final? Can Project 421 unleash the metal and punch their ticket for next week? And which runner-up band will learn that they've earned the coveted wild card slot? We'll find out TOMORROW, and I hope to see you all there! Thanks everyone!

VM Radio Battle Of The Bands Preview!! (Night #2)

Before we get into today's battle preview, I wanted to offer our deepest condolences to the family & friends of Rebel Spell frontman Todd "Serious" Jenkins, who suddenly passed away on Saturday in a rock climbing accident in Nevada, at the age of 41. Fans may recognize Vancouver's The Rebel Spell from their politically charged punk albums that have absolutely received a positive reception since their debut, and Todd fronted the band during all six of their local concert appearances dating back to May 2005. Local fans may recognize them from sharing the stage with Propagandhi & Ten Second Epic in the mid-2000s along with later headlining gigs in the 2010s, most recently at The Moose Lodge last October. I was lucky to have seen The Rebel Spell live, and Todd Serious was a strong, aggressive frontman that helped drive their sound over the past decade plus, while remaining committed to the causes that mattered, but at least he was doing what he loved when he passed. R.I.P. Todd, you will be missed!

With night #1 now in the books for this month's VM Radio Battle of the Bands, we'll now preview TOMORROW'S second night of this month-long battle of the bands at The Canadian Nightclub! Last week saw The Bear Hunters defeat Honest Job & Infamous to claim the first of four slots in the finals on March 25th, but we have full rosters of 4 competing bands for the remaining weeks of this battle. Like last week, this week's competitors will have 35 minute sets to rock out for judges Dustin Jones (Tidal Records), Rob Speers (VM Radio), and myself, plus fans in attendance, with judges scoring them out of 100 each on criteria ranging from musicianship and stage presence to audience reception and professionalism. Performance order will once again be randomly determined tomorrow night before bands take the stage, and in the event of a tied score, bands will play an extra 10 minutes and be re-scored. There's a stacked lineup of local rock talent in store for tomorrow night, so here's some info on this week's competing bands in alphabetical order!

The Danger Cats: This all-female hard rock/punk quartet have made quite a name for themselves since their 2013 debut, playing at numerous major concerts and unveiling their own well-recieved original material in the process, but this will be their first battle of the bands appearance. Teasing some surprised in relation to their battle appearance, will the finals get a dose of girl power after tomorrow night?

Haggith: Tomorrow's only band that has competed at a prior battle, local alternative/hard rock quartet Haggith finished in second place at April 2013's Rockstar Bar Battle, notably after advancing to the finals as one of two tied wild card bands, though this time around, they'll be featuring Jordan Leach on bass rather than the departed Caleb Cachagee. Can they pick up where they left off almost 2 years ago with another finals run?

Mannapool: Though active since 2012, this local progressive/jazz rock quartet have only been seen sporadically at local concerts, most recently at last fall's Rock For Dimes and Toystock. Recently working on their debut album to be released, Mannapool have gained a number of fans in recent months, but can they make a similar impression on judges and attendees in their first local battle appearance?

Stereo North: Another of this month's arguable wild cards, new local pop punk quartet Stereo North have only played one public concert to date (at the Bon Soo Marquee), though they're also opening for Exes For Eyes at The Canadian this weekend. Featuring former Starlit Sins guitarist Andrew Pucci and T-Rex Manning's Bill Bennett on bass, can Stereo North make their own splash tomorrow and move to the finals?

Like last week, the winner of night #2 will join The Bear Hunters in the finals on March 25th, while second place may be in the running for the wild card finals slot, though the top scoring runner up won't be confirmed until next week. Plenty of prizes await winning bands, including $1,000 guaranteed for first place, and there's many other prizes awaiting the podium finishers, individual artists, and more, so be sure to check out the official Facebook event page and/or the SooToday press release for complete current info on them! As was the case last week, admission will be $5 for tomorrow's semifinal, unless you already have a $15 pass for the entire month's battle. This is definitely an ALL AGES event, and tomorrow's action begins at 8:00 PM. Also, remember that March 18th's last semifinal will feature The Apocalypse Afterparty, Speak Easy battle winners Gnaeus, and Mike Haggith and The Din & Project 421, who both also feature Haggith members in their lineups.

After a successful opening night of the VM Radio Battle, tomorrow's second semifinal is promising more great local music, and hopefully there's another solid turnout! Can The Danger Cats conquer the men to advance to the 25th? Will Haggith move on to their second local battle finals? Can Mannapool's prog-rock attack carry them to tomorrow's top spot? Or can Stereo North make a big early impression in their second live concert set?  We'll find out TOMORROW, and I hope to see you all there! Thanks everyone, and good luck to all 4 of tomorrow's bands!

The Speak Easy Battle Of The Bands Preview!!

Just one day after TONIGHT'S opening night of the VM Radio Battle of the Bands (see you guys there!), Sault Ontario will welcome a second battle in as many nights TOMORROW, as The Speak Easy Battle of the Bands goes down at Algoma University, so here's our extended preview of it! Postponed from a planned February date, tomorrow's battle at The Speak Easy (Algoma U's campus bar/venue) is being promoted by Boxes of Boom's Sam Decter & Haggith's Jordan Leach in association with the Algoma University Students' Union & representative Meghan Rix. The first battle hosted at The Speak Easy in over five years, tomorrow's battle will see 7 acts compete in unusually short sets of 15 minutes each, with a fan vote determining the winners (a'la 2013's Viva La Battle), though I can't confirm yet whether voting is conducted via a paper ballot, loudest reaction, or another method. Cash prizes await the top 3 bands, but who all is competing? Here's what you should know on each band in alphabetical order!

The Bear Hunters: Making their fifth local battle of the bands appearance (and fresh off of tonight's VM Radio Battle set, results to be determined), local death metal veterans The Bear Hunters will look to repeat the success they had at 2013's fan voted Viva La Battle, but will their brutal originals win over the crowd once again and carry them to their second local battle win?

Gnaeus: This young local post-punk/garage rock quartet have been making waves in the local scene since debuting last year, including a number of solo and supporting appearances at various venues, but will be making their first ever battle of the bands and Speak Easy appearance tomorrow. Will their talented and rising originals make a big impression with fans?

Infinity Grinder: Currently, we are in the dark on Infinity Grinder, and all that we can confirm on them is that they are a debuting local band. A mystery band at a local battle isn't unprecedented (remember Tiny Trebuchet?), but as we've seen with bands like Sense of Truth & Bring the Fallen, bands have won local battles that just happened to be their first show. Will Infinity Grinder be next? Let us know if you have any info on them!

Jesse Merineau: A rare local battle of the bands appearance by a solo musician, local singer/guitarist Jesse Merineau has been earning a rising profile in the local indie/folk scenes in the past year, which have seen him open for Gunner & Smith and play at the Bon Soo Marquee. He's teasing a move to Toronto after tomorrow's battle, so can Jesse go out on a high note?

Long Shot: After an array of headlining concerts at unfamiliar venues last year, newer local hard rock quartet Long Shot will make their 2015 and battle of the bands debut tomorrow night at The Speak Easy. Guitarist Nathan Muto has told me that they've been working on original songs in recent months, but will Long Shot prove that they're not a "long shot" to win first place?

Mike Haggith & The Din: Fresh off of adding former Revolution drummer Brandan Glew to their new primary lineup, this acid/jam hard rock band will be making their first battle appearance tomorrow, but Mike and guitarist Curtis McKenzie came in second at 2013's Rockstar Bar Battle with their main band Haggith, and Curtis made the podium with Punch at Viva La Battle as well. Will Mike & The Din carve their own local battle success tomorrow?

Project 421: Also featuring Daniel Horton from Haggith & Punch's recent battle runs, this veteran classic metal quartet will also be playing their first ever battle of the bands tomorrow night.Their experience and old school sound has made them many fans since debuting in 2013, but will Project 421 earn a high finish at The Speak Easy tomorrow night?

The announced prizes for this battle are just cash, with $400 going to the first place band, $200 for second place, and $100 for third. The battle is slated to begin tomorrow night at 9:00 PM, admission will be $5 at the door, and while this is largely a 19+ event, Algoma students with valid student ID can attend if they're 18 or under, so keep that deal in mind if you apply! Also, the "Scan To Win" contest on the official poster relates to Algoma students only, where you would scan your cards to potentially win an iPad at semester's end. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! It's also worth noting that 4 of tomorrow's bands are playing in the VM Radio Battle (The Bear Hunters TONIGHT, and Gnaeus, Mike & The Din, and Project 421 on March 18th), so be sure to support these bands at The Canadian on these two nights, especially as March 18th could be considered a rematch of tomorrow's events.

Despite the fan voting method and short set times, not to mention it's proximity to the VM Radio Battle, it's great to see another battle of the bands in the Soo tomorrow night, and I am eager to attend as a fan and enjoy the action! Will The Bear Hunters win their second battle, or can Mike Haggith & The Din or Project 421 build on their members' past successes? Can Gnaeus or Long Shot continue their local rises with a battle victory, or can Jesse Merineau pull off a single-handed run to the top? Who are Infinity Grinder, and how will they do tomorrow night? Find out tomorrow at 9:00 PM, here's The Bear Hunters' winning set at Viva La Battle as a preview, and we'll see you guys TONIGHT at the VM Radio Battle! Thanks everyone!

VM Radio Battle Of The Bands Preview!! (Night #1)

TOMORROW NIGHT marks night #1 of the VM Radio Battle of the Bands, as 11 local bands will gather at The Canadian Nightclub on each Wednesday in March to battle for lots of cash & prizes! A spiritual sequel to 2013's Rockstar Bar Battle (and the first in Sault Ontario since that fall's Viva La Battle, also at The Canadian), this month's battle will see 3 or 4 bands compete tomorrow and on March 11th & 18th, with each night's winner (and the highest scoring runner up as a wild card) returning to compete in the finals on March 25th. Presented by Tidal Records & VM Radio with local sponsors also including Case's Music, Maxx Graphics, and The Sault Metal Scene, this battle is being promoted by J.D. Pearce, marking the fourth straight local battle that he has helped put on. Tonight and every other night will see bands play 35 minute sets, with a panel of judges scoring them on numerous criteria relating to their originality, musicianship, crowd reaction, and stage presence, similarly to the Rockstar Bar Battle.

The band order will be randomly drawn tomorrow night before bands take the stage. Tomorrow's opening night will only see 3 competing bands, as promoters couldn't secure a full 12 band lineup, but there's still a strong lineup of competitors to take in, as well as a special guest band, so here's some info on tomorrow's competing bands (all playing their first announced set of the year) in alphabetical order!

The Bear Hunters: The most experienced band in this month's field, The Bear Hunters will be competing in their fourth battle of the bands tomorrow night, and are defending their Viva La Battle crown in the process. Their battle results have steadily improved over time, but can these death metal veterans continue their success with another finals run? Note that The Bear Hunters will likely be playing as a quartet due to rhythm guitarist Josh Stephney still living out of town.

Honest Job: This sporadically seen indie/garage rock band will be making their battle of the bands (and Canadian?) debut tomorrow night, which will reportedly also be their debut with new bassist Jared Fridy, now making them a quintet. Also playing their first announced show in over a year, will Honest Job's accordion-infused hybrid sound make a big impression on the judges tomorrow night?

Infamous: Arguably one of this month's wild cards, young local hard rock trio Infamous will be playing just their second announced concert set tomorrow, and first at The Canadian, though they were once scheduled for last fall's cancelled Rock For Dimes Battle. Can Lizzie, Damon, and Anthony make a big splash in their battle debut tomorrow, and what else will we learn?

In lieu of the fourth band, who would have been the now defunct Revolution, fans will see local alternative/grunge trio The Pixo Control rock The Canadian tomorrow night in a special non-competitive set (a'la T-Rex Manning at 2012's Battle for the Blood.) Though not competing in the battle due to being signed with sponsors Tidal Records, this will be a big showcase for the guys, so don't miss their sure-to-be entertaining set tomorrow! Also keep in mind that they too were once scheduled for the axed Rock For Dimes Battle.

These three bands will be battling for one guaranteed finals slot, a potential wild card slot, and lots of cash and prizes, which include $1,000 guaranteed for the winning band, and numerous other prizes for bands in the top three, individual performers, and more, so visit the official Facebook event page and/or this SooToday press release for current prize details! It has also been confirmed that this month's judges will be Dustin Jones from Tidal Records & The Rising Tide, Rob Speers from VM Radio and The Elements, and... myself, marking the third battle that I've had the privilege to be a judge for (and I once again guarantee that I will judge each band fairly on their own merits. I wish all 11 bands the best of luck this month!) Remember, next week's lineup will feature The Danger Cats, Haggith, Mannapool, and Stereo North, while March 18th's semifinal will include The Apocalypse Afterparty, Gnaeus, Mike Haggith & The Din, and Project 421. Admission tomorrow will be $5 unless you already have a $15 ticket pass for the whole month, and yes, this is ALL AGES!

Also, remember that The Bear Hunters and all of March 18th's bands (save for The Apocalypse Afterparty) will be competing in this Thursday's Speak Easy Battle of the Bands, which we'll preview on the site tomorrow. This month's VM Radio Battle is shaping up to be a great event, easily the biggest local battle of the 2010s so far, so stay tuned for updates and our recap of tomorrow's action! Will The Bear Hunters continue their battle success? Can Honest Job put in an honest effort tomorrow night? Or will Infamous claim first place in the battle debut? Find out TOMORROW at 8:00 PM, and I'll see you guys there! Thanks everyone!

Sewer Swampstravaganza IV Concert Preview!!

TOMORROW NIGHT marks the fourth annual Sewer Swampstravaganza, as once again, local/Toronto musician Steve Mozarowski (in association with Sykotyk Rampage guitarist Dirk Becker) will put on another all-day marathon of local music at The Oddfellows Hall, with a heavy emphasis on metal and hard rock bands once again! With support from the Arts Council of Sault Ste. Marie, the Swampstravaganza returns to the spring months for the first time since the first installment in April 2011 (albeit after a week's postponement to avoid competing with the A Tribe Called Red show), and this is definitely the biggest version of this yearly event to date, with 10 scheduled performers and an open mic block to kick off the day's events, while tacos will be sold for fans if they're hungry, limited edition yellow t-shirts with the event poster will be on sale for $12, and I believe there'll be some local art on sale as well like during previous years! The poster on your right has not been updated to reflect recent lineup changes, but we'll address them as we go, so who's playing at this year's Sewer Swampstravaganza? Let's take a look at the lineup!

Though the on-hiatus RedD Monkey will miss this year's Swampstravaganza for the first time, local death metal quartet The Bear Hunters will keep one link for the past three years, as they headline this event for the first time tomorrow at midnight! Fresh off a well received set at Sunday night's Fuck The Facts show at the same venue, look for a brutal blend of originals to cap the night tomorrow, so don't miss them! A pair of bands from last year's Swampstravaganza will take the stage right before in their first concert appearances of 2014, including "blue Chinese metal crash punk" quartet Sykotyk Rampage (perhaps with some new material in tow?) at 11:00 PM and a reunion set by local alternative/grunge quartet Haggith at 10:00 PM, though it's yet undetermined whether this will be a one-off gig or the start of something more (source here.) Both bands have been missed lately, so get ready for some fun, if radically different, alternative sounds tomorrow night, whether you're drinking on the weekend or shouting "All Hail Haggith!"

Blood Shed Productions goregrind duo Rotopsy will get a chance to make up for their abbreviated Dank Fest set at 9:00 PM in a rare showcase outside of a house party or Heavy North Entertainment event, so be prepared for their minimalistic brutality then, while Sudbury unplugged hard rock band Aggressive Acoustic will make their second local concert appearance tomorrow at 8:00 PM! Featuring former Sykotyk Rampage bassist Brian Cattapan on vocals & guitar, personal Facebook posts indicate that their lineup may be abbreviated with just Brian and guitarist Sean Trottier making the trip, but we'll find out for sure tomorrow! 2011 Swampstravaganza performers Ye Olde Mold Pickers will hold their own reunion tomorrow at 7:00 PM, so be prepared for Rihkee & company's unique folk/acoustic sound after a long absence from the local stage! Note that their set was originally scheduled to be split between Y.O.M.P. and their partial successors The Filthy Cur, but it's no longer advertised as such, possibly because only 2/3rds of The Filthy Cur will be present tomorrow.

The current version of Brutaly Fatal (replacing Pillory) will take the stage at 6:00 PM in their first public set since their relaunch & with their expanded lineup, now including founding frontman Austin McCrae, bassist Rainey Vincent and new drummer Brandan Glew, who recently replaced Tyler St. Amour for unannounced reasons, as per their Facebook page. Hopefully Brandan fits in well, and hopefully we see Tyler in a new band shortly! How will Brutaly Fatal's new stoner/doom metal originals and fuller roster sound tomorrow, and will Austin's sprained hand affect things? The 5:00 PM slot is currently allocated to local funk/metal trio The Strange Coyotes, but given their lingering drummer vacancy and their replacement at their last two gigs by frontman Chase Wigmore solo & his new project This Is Your Band On Drugs (neither of which involved bassist James Watterworth), will there be a similar replacement tomorrow? We'll let you guys know when/if we hear anything, but I imagine Chase will be playing something then!

The 4:00 PM slot currently belongs to promoter/RedD Monkey frontman Steve Mozarowski in an acoustic solo set (replacing student vocal groups The Neon Stars & The Runaway Voices), though he's credited on Facebook under the name "faceityoureametalband". It'd be nice to see Steve play tomorrow, but his performing involvement has always been tentative and conditional, and to that effect, a discussion on the Facebook event page hints that local death metal trio Shit Liver (who dropped out of the first Swampstravaganza) might finally play this event at 4:00 instead. That's not official, but it'd be awesome if confirmed, so stay tuned just in case! The first formal act on the lineup will be Haggith drummer Mike Haggith in a rare solo set, which he hopes to use to showcase his own original hard rock material, so be there early to see what he has in store! The Swampstravaganza will begin at 1:00 PM with a 90 minute open mic block hosted by Northwest guitarist Greg Callaghan (similarly to his Coch's Corner open mic nights), though a performer list has not been announced as of this writing.

The open mic angle is a first for the Swampstravaganza, but like ones at local bars, it could be a mixed bag for if you like the performers or not. Greg has experience with this sort of thing though, and at last word, he was still looking for additional performers, so message him at this link if you want in! Note as well that local hard rock quartet Ashes To Dust (who played this event in 2012) have dropped out of the Swampstravaganza for a second straight year for unannounced reasons, and were not replaced. Hopefully things are alright in their camp, it's been forever since we've heard of them outside of a school function! Admission for tomorrow's show is just $5 (and for 10 bands and open mic, that's an incredible deal), this is definitely an ALL AGES event, and the open mic performers kick off the day at 1:00 PM. For more details, check the above links! This should be another awesome installment of this yearly event, but will the lineup hold together, and will the immense size this year amount to more fans?

Be there tomorrow to find out, and I'll absolutely see you there! That's all for today, but see the above links for more information, and for a preview, here's The Bear Hunters at last year's Swampstravaganza! Thanks everyone!

Dank Fest 2014 Concert Preview!!

(Updated at 2:03 AM) A massive and well anticipated all ages concert will go down TOMORROW at The Oddfellows Hall, and it is Dank Fest 2014, as 12 mostly metal bands will descend for a day full of intense music, so here's our extended preview! Easily the biggest event so far to be put on by Tyler St. Amour since he launched his concert promotion agency Heavy North Entertainment, the event will be headlined by what amounts to a makeup date for North Bay extreme metal bands Thekillingfield & Buried Out Back, who were both snowed out of their planned headlining gig for H.N.E. in January at the same venue. With better weather and a far larger lineup, things are looking far more promising this time around, so be sure to welcome these guys back to the Soo, especially TheKillingField, who haven't been seen in town since the fall of 2011! Though the headline bands, they're not last on the lineup tomorrow, with Blood Shed Productions goregrind duo Rotopsy slated to go on last at 12:30 AM, fresh off of today's self-titled demo EP release, so pick it up tomorrow for $3 if you want! Local classic metal quintet Project 421 are second last at Dank Fest with a set at 11:45 PM, while TheKillingField & Buried Out Back will play at 10:30 & 9:30 PM respectively.

Local thrashers Pillory were slated to play at 8:45 PM, but were quietly removed from the lineup last night for unannounced reasons, though they've been quiet since the aforementioned Tyler St. Amour left the band last month. With the short notice, no band has been added to replace them, but the preceding two bands on the lineup have later start times. Now, local sludge/doom metal trio AlgomA will make their Oddfellows Hall debut at 8:30 PM, while local goregrind solo project Crucify The Whore (who returned to the lineup to replace the new Brutaly Fatal) will take the stage at 7:30 PM, and grunge/hardcore duo Bad Back will retain the 6:30 PM slot in their first Oddfellows gig since last summer. Another out of town band (Orillia progressive metal trio Like Animals) will make their local debut at 5:30 PM, three years after dropping out of TheKillingField's 2011 show at The Roosevelt Hotel, so watch out for their brutal technicality as well!

Newer local alternative rock trio The Pixo Control (featuring Fever Tops & Social Suicide alumni) will make their Oddfellows Hall debut tomorrow as well at 4:45 PM, and they've shown some aggressive touches, so keep an eye on them, as I've heard very good things! Local funk/metal trio The Strange Coyotes will make their first live concert appearance since the departure of drummer Mike Haggith tomorrow night at 4:00 PM, and while I'd assume his replacement will be unveiled then, remember that Chase & James play solo gigs often without the need for a drummer. All female hard rock quartet The Danger Cats are slated to play at 3:15 PM, though I'll admit having heard talk that they might not be able to play. Again, if anything comes out, we'll have it here! Opening the show at 2:30 PM (and replacing the yet-to-launch Viva Emptiness) is the local/Ottawa indie trio formerly known as Like Father Like Son, as they recently changed their name to The North Shore for unannounced reasons.

This will also be their first gig since replacing guitarist Nathan Bouliane with The Strange Coyotes' Chase Wigmore, and since drummer Felipe Basoalto returned to replace keyboardist Julien Desormeaux, so how will the new lineup sound tomorrow? Be there to find out! Also in terms of lineup notes, remember that local punk/grunge duo Re-Born (the original Brutaly Fatal) have long since been replaced on the lineup, and we await finite word on their active status. Tickets for Dank Fest are $10 in advance through Tyler or Blood Shed Productions-affiliated bands (the price jumps to $13 at the door), though if you show your ticket from the January show that the headliners couldn't come for, you'll save $5! Given the extended length of this show, there are plans to cook sausages for fans behind the venue, though I will note that the current weather forecast calls for a few showers tomorrow. This is absolutely an ALL AGES show, and The North Shore open things at 2:30 PM, so for more current details, visit the Facebook event page and the above links!

I applaud the ambition of this massive concert (which had 14 bands at one point, let alone 12), and I sincerely hope everything goes off without a hitch, so fingers crossed this becomes a huge highlight of the 2014 local concert calendar! That's all for today, but I'll definitely be there tomorrow night, and I hope you guys are too, so stay tuned in case there's any late updates (and for our post-show coverage), and for a preview, here's TheKillingField playing a few songs live in Alberta! Thanks everyone!