Rotaryfest 2026 Concert Review (Saturday On Stages 1 & 2!!)

It's been a while for a concert review, so why not make the most of it by going to see every band at Rotaryfest on the final day? And I mean, every band! Last year, I had intended on going to see and review every single band playing on both Stages 1 & 2 at Clergue Park on Rotaryfest Saturday, but afternoon rain scuttled that plan early, so while I returned when the rain stopped and saw most of the program, things were delayed (I'm not risking my DSLR camera in rainy weather). However, this year, the weather gods were both kinder and crueler in different ways. For regular day-to-day weather, it was a nice day, as it peaked at 21° with increasingly sunny skies and no rain, which ended that morning, so conditions were very mild for hanging out downtown in mid-July for 11 hours! However, the air quality index did rise to a 10+ that morning at 11:00 and into the early afternoon, and was at "high risk" from 9:00 AM-1:00 PM, leading to some concern that the music stages would be compromised, if not cancelled, like they were on Thursday.

While some kids activities were indeed cancelled this past Saturday, the bulk of the day's programs went ahead, and the air quality did improve, as you can see from my videos getting progressively less hazy, with things getting to a moderate 4 around supper time (note that the AQI jumped to 10+ again from 10:00 PM onward, but things were almost over by then). There was one change to the Stage 2 program due to the air quality concerns that I'll get to in a bit, but otherwise, the day's music lineups went ahead as planned. Given that I was aiming to see every single band, and set times were staggered to begin on the half hour on Stage 1 and on the :15 on Stage 2, it took some math to plot out how I would juggle set times again, and I settled on capping bands at a half hour apiece unless there was no Stage 2 conflict, or if I had to adjust given Zed's 2 hour featured set on Stage 1. Generally, I was seeing Stage 1 bands start and Stage 2 bands until near their end.

And just as an aside, I wanted to praise stage directors Valerie Pluss and Dustin Goodall (let alone the bands) for keeping things moving on both stages, as most bands were either on time or started their sets within 5 minutes of the schedule (and some were early!) The longest delays compared to the schedule were 10 minutes on Stage 2 (Pillory) and 15 minutes on Stage 1 (The Sidekicks), and they were the last bands on each, so you really can't complain. Andrew Stuetz returned as the MC for most bands on Stage 1 this year, while Stage 2 had no dedicated MC.

Like last year, the opening band on Stage 1 on Rotaryfest Saturday was veteran local/Toronto classic rock band Rusty & The Soft Parade, but they didn't have to deal with rain this year, and I didn't have to bail during their set! The Soft Parade shared the same lineup as Rusty McCarthy's blues-centric "Rusty McBlues" set on Stage 2 on the Friday, just with Maja Bannerman on vocals for the back half, while the prolific Chris Johns took over for Ed Young behind the kit for both bands this year (great to see him still fighting and performing!). I missed most of the Rusty-sung half of the set, but I saw them cover the likes of Johnny Cash, Melanie, The Rolling Stones, and Hot Chocolate, plus a few scattered original songs from Rusty and/or Maja's back catalogues like "Bellevue Park". Songs referencing the Soo were intentionally chosen, and in the case of the "You Sexy Thing" cover, that title was changed to "Sault Ste. Marie".

Fans of 1960s-1970s classic rock will have gotten a kick out of Rusty and Maja and crew here, and they had a lively set that leaned well into their local pasts, and it was nice to finally see the band at Rotaryfest without rain pouring on me! Second up last week was new local classic/hard rock sextet Hush, who feature singer Rick Parissenti, guitarists Brian Oja (ex-Bigsuit/Griphook) & Tony Bernardo, bassist Robert Brown (ex-Turner Up/Havadder), drummer John DeLorenzi (ex-Man Feelings), and Mustang Heart keyboardist Vito Tassone. Aside from program hype, I didn't know anything else about this band, but their set saw them cover the likes of Blue Oyster Cult, Autograph, Van Halen, AC/DC, and Corey Hart. Based on what I heard (in this case, nearly the whole set), they would fit our coverage based on their cover selection if they're not a one-off act and if they launch an online page of some kind!

Tight sound for fans of 1980s-leaning hard and arena rock, with loads of experienced names giving their all for early Stage 1 fans, though energy levels were inconsistent, and Rick did seem somewhat too formally dressed for a rock concert set. Very promising start from Hush! Now, I say that heard almost all of their set for a reason. When I disembarked from Stage 1 to catch the open mic block kicking off Stage 2 on Saturday, I noticed a distinct lack of musicians or attendees there, just the guys from 705Live Sound Co. doing their thing. As the ShawOpen free wifi account no longer works, I had to go to the library to see what was up, and while not announced by Rotaryfest proper, the open mic block was cancelled out of an abundance of caution given the spike in the air quality index (it was high risk until 1:00 PM and the open mic was supposed to begin at 1:30 PM.) As such, I heard Hush's set finish while researching everything.

There were concerns that further bands (particularly The Reeves at 2:30 PM) would also have been cancelled, but Rotaryfest confirmed that Stage 2 would otherwise proceed along with Stage 1, and every scheduled act played on Saturday. I only knew of ex-Stereo North frontman Andrew Pucci as a confirmed open mic performer, but I do feel for him and everyone else who signed up to play here. I admittedly would have preferred snagging another deserving local band, but it would have been interesting to see how this would have done as a change from past Second Stage lineups. Hopefully Dustin (if he returns as stage manager) tries this again for 2027!

With the delayed start on Stage 2, I was next present for the first 30 minutes of classic rock veterans Mid Life Crysis' set (in their tenth year on Stage 1), where I saw them cover songs by The Tragically Hip, Grand Funk Railroad, The Pretenders, Aldo Nova, and Tina Turner. Nothing too heavy, and they really maximized their time by keeping between song breaks as short as possible, but their chemistry and diverse range of classic rock hits was clear as day even if the skies weren't yet! SMS readers may have recognized bassist/vocalist Lori Reinholtz from her six month stint as the former Double Down's "stunt double" on bass, and while not as heavy, she showed her skills well with Mid Life Crysis last Saturday! Juggling between the two stages officially began at around 2:45 PM when I went to the Second Stage to check out the (now) opening set from new local hard/blues rock quartet The Reeves.

Featuring two members each of Skinbox/The Haze and Long Shot (imagine if they decided to reuse the Haze name given the air quality!), their set leaned in sound closer to Long Shot from what I know of the two bands, with a hard edged bit still accessible rock sound. This was seen via originals like the Chevelle-esque "Future", "Waiting On The End", and "Till The End", and they also covered The Strokes' "Last Nite" (no Arctic Monkeys that I saw, that was on Stage 1 a little later). The Reeves teased that their set would include eight original songs for their forthcoming album, and they're off to a good start, with Brad Irwin (of Gnaeus fame) acquitting himself well vocally! Also, is it just me, or did a lot of people have Chili Peppers shirts last week, Adam included? Heading back to Stage 1, the next band there was Superior Heights Collegiate's student rock band Steel Rock, who I saw at Rotaryfest two years ago.

They were a Saturday band last year too, but played in the rain, hence why I missed that set. This year, Steel Rock were comprised of 13 students (four returning from last year) in varying modular forms, and I saw them cover songs by David Bowie, The Arctic Monkeys, Michael Jackson, Weezer, The Two Door Cinema Club, and Beabadoobee (yes, that is a real musician's stage name). Definitely some talented kids in the band this year (special props to guitarist Lucas Steele, especially after nailing the "Beat It" solo), and my video of their set got a pile of hits for a good reason regarding the song in question! I was surprised that they had no male singers when I was present, there were bass issues during "Buddy Holly", and some of the dance moves done during instrumental stretches didn't seem all that necessary, but it's great to see the Steelhawks showing their musical talents again to a huge audience, and with no rain!

After four prior sets on Stage 1, local country musician Brendan Hodgson dropped down to the Second Stage last week for a set full of original songs from his solo catalogue, including from his "Coming Home" album, though most songs that I saw weren't introduced by name. I am admittedly not a country music fan, but Brendan and his backing band (including Hollow Sky/ex-Uncanny Valley guitarist Adam Fahrer) mesh well together and have a good ear for harmonies! You also get the sense that Brendan's lyrics are honest and based on real experiences and feelings, which you hope to see from country musicians. The crowd numbers were really healthy for Brendan & crew too, which is great to see, both from the air quality and his own fanbase! I next headed back to Stage 1 for the opening half hour of pop rock cover band Bourbon Blue's set, though they performed shorthanded in multiple ways.

For one, singer Robert Nevitt (ex-Re:Born) missed Rotaryfest for unannounced reasons, so they played as a trio... wait, that's all? Yeah, the band is currently a quartet with only one guitarist and no bassist (Randy, Ryan, and Derek all left between 2024 and 2025), so it was just singer/guitarist Jules Cote, singer Nicole Bentley, and drummer Alvaro Scheid on Saturday. I caught covers of The Black Eyed Peas, Eddy Grant, John Mellencamp, The Weeknd, Shaboozey, Stealer's Wheel, Elle King, and The Cars crammed into the half hour I allotted, which is a lot of tunes (let alone Toni Basil distantly from Stage 2!). While members have rock cred (as seen with Dark Side Of The Soo and the former Soo Fighters), Bourbon Blue definitely stick to pop covers with only a dash of classic rock, but it has a clear audience, as proven by the dancers up front. Even with no Rob and no bassist, there's clear talent here and a fun energy!

Back on Stage 2 was this year's only returning Second Stage act, namely local folk singer/guitarist MD Dunn (did anyone else think he looked like an older Mike Haggith last week?) Mark ended his set about 10 minutes earlier than I had expected, but he played an all-original set from what I saw, including his song "A Pretty Good Town". He has always been a skilled musician and songwriter with evocative, locally tinged lyrics, and MD definitely impressed fans by the Art Gallery with his repertoire, even if the set didn't go the full length! After a brief wifi break at the library, I caught the opening half hour of classic rock cover quartet RPM on Stage 1, who were seven minutes early! Their set featured The Romantics, John Mellencamp, Duran Duran, The Outfield, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Johnny Cash, and Joe Walsh among cover targets, and they had the best crowd levels yet for a main stage act!

A well established veteran act who have improved as musicians and as a unit over the past decade, RPM had an appealing mix of 1960s-1980s rock covers that got a good reception! They had planned to dedicate a song to those fighting the forest fires out west, but I assume that was after I left for Stage 2. You may recognize bassist Rob Gilmar as a frequent Soundcheck guest musician in the Cameron Oliver era. Next up on the Second Stage was new local blues/hard rock trio Stones & Crows, who played a batch of their own (mostly unannounced) original songs, plus covers of Radiohead's "Creep" (kind of an obvious pick, granted) and an extended jam of The Steve Miller Band's "The Joker" that morphed into the end of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird". This ran for at least eight minutes, and by the time my 30 minute warning to go back to Stage 1 hit, it was still going!

If you liked frontman Spencer "Bukky VanZant" Pine's prior band Electric Church, you'll have been right at home with Stones & Crows, and it looked like he, Nicholas, and Anthony were having a lot of fun rocking out, which thankfully matched their talent levels, so they'll be a band to watch in late 2026! Also, if Spencer reads this, the Tomahawk 141 webstream doesn't work on the mobile site on Chrome, just desktop and on the app! Over on Stage 1, fans got to see Just J&M, a 1970s-focused classic rock duo from Abba Soo bandmates Janet Brown and Mark Allemang, whose planned Stage 1 sets with Encore and The Lock City Rollers on Thursday were cancelled due to the poor air quality. At least the two of them got a second chance! Janet & Mark didn't play Abba when I was there, but we did see covers of David Cassidy, Boffalongo, Carole King, The Captain & Tenille, Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton, and Paul Simon.

I thought of my mom multiple times when Just J&M were on stage, as many of their songs were ones that she loved, especially Chris Norman & Suzi Quatro's "Stumblin' In", which they started when I was walking over to Stage 2. I wish she could have been here to see that in person! For a singer and a keyboardist doing 1970s pop rock covers, they had a good nostalgic sound that went over well with assembled fans, and while my own personal music tastes lie in rockier waters, you can't knock the results! The Mohs hardness scale rocketed upwards though on Stage 2, as the former Bear Hunters (now known as Eden Plague) were in progress there. Along with established originals like "I Fear No God", "Collapse The Sun", and "Render This Void",  the guys busted out two new original songs (one named "Colony Of Parasites"), and ended with guitarist Mitch Sirie's solo/Sir Hell staple "Squirrel Buddy". Never thought that I'd hear that one at Rotaryfest!

It was great to see Justin, Johnny, Mitch, and Nik back in full force after way too long (even if with a new name), and the new songs did, at least to me, seem to lean a little towards groove metal while still harbouring death growling and the requisite technicality. Nik's vocals even have a bit of a Randy Blythe tinge nowadays! The brutality on Stage 2 was very welcomed, if still something of a historic outlier there, but hopefully this is a good harbinger of things to come for Eden Plague! Unless mentioned before I arrived, the 2015 petition and campaign to get The Bear Hunters added to that year's Rotaryfest lineup was not addressed on Saturday. Hey, it did work, it just took 11 years! Heading back to Stage 1 (after another brief wifi break) was alternative/punk cover sextet BookcluB in their third straight Rotaryfest Saturday set, all of which I was present for, but this was their first Stage 1 set with Carmen Muto on guitar.

In their allotted half hour, I saw BookcluB cover Bob Marley, Bruce Springsteen, David Lee Roth, Weezer, Joe Jackson, Rancid, The Cure, and The Champs, with bassist Dustin Jones singing three songs and guitarist Mikey Hawdon handling the rest. Fun mix of covers, mostly ones that you don't see other local bands tackling (well, Steel Rock had already covered "Buddy Holly" a few hours prior), and the crowd was excellent for BookcluB throughout! Maybe not as punk-centric as members' past bands would suggest, but fun and proficiently played, and kudos to saxophonist Josh Norling on this being his fourth set at this year's Rotaryfest! If Thursday's bands hadn't been cancelled, he'd have played in six bands this year! I left for Stage 2 for the final time here to check out the last two bands there, starting with new local alt-rock quartet Eli Russell & The River Fools.

Featuring the (former?) Sylo frontman alongside former Wild Iris bandmates Steve Myers & Courtney McDonald, and new-to-me drummer Nick Brash, The River Fools played a rocked up Colter Wall cover (if only Victoria was here to see that!), plus originals like "October", "The Soo's Last Roofer", and "Bow River". While the band's imagery comes off country inspired, the best descriptor for their music (to me) is "roots-coded alt rock". They're not as heavy as Sylo or some of Steve's old bands, but they had good energy, strong lyrics, and a nice carefree nature, and this was a good way to introduce Eli's new band and sound to a wider audience! The closing band on Stage 2 was also the only one that I saw the entire set of, namely death metal trio Pillory, who brutalized the proceedings (in a good way!) Established originals like "Abhorred Apprehension" and "The Angst Of Existence" made up the bulk of their set.

Fans also got to see a brand new song named "No Beyond" from their planned second full length album, which Pillory plan to take a break "for a little while" post-Rotaryfest to write for ("A Drop Of Shame In An Ocean Of Guilt" will be part of the new album too). Things closed with a cover of Death's "Pull The Plug" with led out from their brief rendition of the last piece of music written with the late Andres Duchesne. Frontman Robert Sartini does still need to loosen up his stage presence for bantering with the crowd, and I would love to see more guitar solos from Pillory (he nailed the "Pull The Plug" solo, after all), but their crushing and technical brand of death metal got a great reception to end this year's Second Stage action, and hopefully their break isn't too long! Also, the irony of The Headstones' "Tweeter & The Monkey Man" playing on the P.A. before Pillory's set after last year wasn't lost on me!

It was then off to Stage 1 for the rest of the night, where London-based Led Zeppelin tribute band Zed's set was in progress. They started off with "Rock & Roll" (which you could hear from Stage 2 before Pillory began), and when I was present, they played "Ramble On", "Bron-Y-Aur Stomp", "Going To California", "Kashmir", "Stairway To Heaven", and "Whole Lotta Love", with "Thank You" as the encore. If you're a fan of Led Zeppelin, then you will have appreciated Zed's presentation, looking the part and more than sounding it, with frontman Shaun Sanders also being very gracious and kind in his remarks to the crowd! They implied that they have played here before, but I have no record of that. The crowd was huge and enjoyed everything offered here, and if I may be so bold, I actually like "Stairway To Heaven", and because it wasn't played on radio for so long because of perceived overplay, I enjoy it on its own merits now!

As usual for Rotaryfest, the closing band leading into the Take Your Pick draw announcement was a local group, and after Tragically Hip tribute The Luxury quietly dropped out, classic rock cover trio The Sidekicks were promoted from a Friday evening timeslot to be this year's Stage 1 nightcap. If you're not familiar, this band features singer/drummer Tracey Hilderley (count the number of women who pull off both at once in rock bands!), guitarist Steve Cardiff, and former Griphook/Double Down bassist Dan Beaupre. Media of theirs wasn't all that plentiful in the lead-up, but while I was present for their set, The Sidekicks covered Heart, The Cult, Pat Benatar, Sloan, The Scorpions, and in a possible nod to The Luxury, The Hip. You might be hearing about them on the SMS again soon, let's say! Crowd levels definitely dropped after Zed, and their set was delayed 15 minutes, but they had a tight sound and some fun cover choices!

I did find that Tracey was somewhat over-singing the early songs, but she adjusted better after the first few, and what she does on stage isn't easy to do simultaneously. Steve (who might be a cousin of mine based on the last name) showed strong skill, and Dan's talents are known from his many past bands, so The Sidekicks were a good choice to promote to the closing timeslot! Overall, Rotaryfest 2026 was a fun time this past Saturday, and while hanging out for eleven hours to see seventeen acts is quite a marathon, the favourable weather helped make it a very comfortable experience, air quality acknowledged! While the open mic cancellation leaves an asterisk, I finally fulfilled a goal of seeing every single band on both stages on a Rotaryfest Saturday, but can I make it 18 in 11 next year, assuming the same scheduling format for 2027 and no rain or smoke?

You can check out my photos of all 17 acts at this link or on our Facebook page, and as for videos, I filmed one of each, so in order, here's Rusty & The Soft Parade covering Prince & The Revolution's "Raspberry Beret", Hush covering Night Ranger's "Don't Tell Me You Love Me", Mid Life Crysis covering Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams", The Reeves playing "Don't Even Bother", Steel Rock covering Fugazi's "Waiting Room"(!), Brendan Hodgson playing "Little House In The Country", Bourbon Blue covering Roxette's "The Look", MD Dunn playing "Slow Train To Somewhere", RPM covering The Rolling Stones' "Brown Sugar", Stones & Crows playing "Shotgun Messenger", Just J&M covering Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes' "Don't Leave Me This Way", Eden Plague playing "Primal Genesis", BookcluB covering Modern English's "I Melt With You", Eli Russell & The River Fools playing "Eleanor", ...

...Pillory playing "Curse Of Eternal Sickness", Zed covering Led Zeppelin's "Fool In The Rain", and finally, The Sidekicks covering Judas Priest's "You've Got Another Thing Comin'"! 

That's all for now, but stay tuned for much more news and notes on the SMS as we round out the month of July! Thanks everyone!

Rotaryfest Stage 2 Concert Preview, Including Air Quality Updates For This Weekend!!

This weekend's concert previews continue today with the 19th annual Stage 2 at Rotaryfest, which is scheduled to return to the outdoor stage beside The Art Gallery of Algoma at Clergue Park tomorrow and Saturday. While there was nothing to cancel today on the Second Stage, the widely spreading forest fire smoke from Northwestern Ontario has led to severe air quality conditions in the Soo and area, with Rotaryfest cancelling all events today aside from Ribfest, the midway, and some vendors. At press time, nothing is cancelled musically at Clergue Park tomorrow, but the air quality index is not expected to drastically improve (click here for the current status). Updates from Rotaryfest are expected on their website and social media accounts at 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM (it was at noon today when we learned about today's Stage 1 cancellation), and while nothing is officially cancelled yet on Stages 1 or 2, I'd monitor things.

Even if music does go ahead tomorrow (and it's too soon to guess on Saturday), the possibility of musicians or bands dropping out due to personal concerns with the air quality is very possible. There's a lot of unknowns, as no one could have forecasted this even a week ago, but I'll let you know when I hear any clarification, good or bad! Assuming things proceed as normal, tomorrow's opening day at Stage 2 is slated to be the fifth annual Friday Night Blues program, as curated by the Sault Blues Society. As usual, this lineup does not contain hard rock or punk acts, but assuming things go ahead unchanged, the bands will include newer blues rock cover band Sunday & The Broken Hearts (featuring all members of The Range Lights from today's cancelled Stage 1 program) at 8:30 PM, veteran local musician Rusty McCarthy (again billed as "Rusty McBlues") at 7:30 PM, ...

...the debuting Jay Scali Band at 6:30 PM, blues veterans Mudfoot Mike & The Muckrakers at 5:30 PM, and Josh "The Preacher" McNally and his new Jackleg Band opening at 4:30 PM. Nothing too heavy, but all five acts have familiar faces from SMS coverage, so hopefully they get a chance to deliver the blues to a willing audience in habitable air tomorrow night!

As for SATURDAY's tenth year of the "Redirected" era of Stage 2, that day's originals-leaning program will again be curated by local guitarist and producer Dustin Goodall, though only one act that day is a returnee from a past Second Stage lineup. Assuming no cancellations or dropouts, your headliners this year are local death/thrash metal trio Pillory, easily one of the heaviest bands to ever play Stage 2, so faces will melt on Saturday night if things are a go! Co-headlining at 7:30 PM are new local indie/folk rock quartet Eli Russell & The River Fools (featuring Sylo and Wild Iris alumni), while the 6:30 PM slot belongs to local death metal veterans Eden Plague. Eleven years after the former Bear Hunters launched a petition & fan campaign to be added to Rotaryfest's 2015 lineup, they finally made good on that plan, but will the forest fire smoke thwart their belated festival debut even still?

New local blues/hard rock trio (and Electric Church successors) Stones & Crows will (hopefully) take the stage at 5:30 PM, preceded by veteran local folk singer/guitarist M.D. Dunn in his fifth Stage 2 set and first in three years. Fresh off of the Downtown Street Party cancellation, local country musician Brendan Hodgson will become the eleventh Stage 1 act to perform on the Second Stage when he performs at 3:30 PM, while new local hard rock/blues quartet The Reeves are slated to debut eight songs from their planned debut EP in their 2:30 PM set. Given the air quality, imagine if Brad & Steve retained their prior band's name (The Haze) for this set! Rather than book an eighth proper act, Stage 2 will experiment with an open mic block (a'la at the last two Swampstravaganzas) at 1:30 PM. The atmospheric conditions are a variable no one expected, but if you do want to throw your hat into the ring as a potential performer, click here.

Temperatures are expected to still hover around 19-22° for Friday Night Blues, which should end before the projected overnight thunderstorm, but rain is possible for much of tomorrow's program if it takes place. As for Saturday, the hourly forecast from 9&10 News actually points to pleasant conditions (not counting the air quality), with temperatures hovering around 18-21° with partly cloudy skies and no likely rain. Saturday is the most important day for Rotaryfest in terms of the bands on both stages, so fingers crossed that the smoke dissipates enough to let Stages 1 and 2 proceed as normal! Visit the above links for more on what to hopefully expect at the Second Stage this weekend, and here's Pillory live!

Our next post (hitting the site likely tomorrow morning) will feature the Bush/Candlebox and Ripcordz previews, perhaps including more late notice gigs? Stay tuned for that, air quality updates re: Rotaryfest, and more on the SMS in short order! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Rotaryfest Stage 2!!)

It took a few extra days, but the complete lineup for Rotaryfest Stage 2 has been announced via their website! Sponsored once again by SooToday, this is the tenth installment of the Second Stage since the "Redirected" era kicked off in 2015, and will once again occur at the pop-up stage beside the Art Gallery of Algoma at the festival's Clergue Park homebase. As has been the case since the pandemic hiatus ended in 2022, Stage 2 will take place on two days, starting with the Friday Night Blues lineup on July 17th, curated by the Sault Blues Society. This lineup never has hard rock or punk acts, but the Facebook event page does list many familiar names in the given bands! Newer local blues rock band Sunday & The Broken Hearts will debut on Stage 2 as the 8:30 PM headliners, while veteran local blues/jazz musician Rusty McCarthy (again billed as "Rusty McBlues") will co-headline at 7:30 PM.

This will be Rusty's fourth Friday Night Blues set, and his sixth solo headlining set of any type on the Second Stage, tying Machines Dream for the most ever. The debuting Jay Scali Band (featuring Zak's All-Stars alumni) are up at 6:30 PM, preceded by the third straight Stage 2 set by by veteran blues rockers Mudfoot Mike & The Muckrakers at 5:30 PM. The day will be kicked off at 4:30 PM by Josh "The Preacher" McNally, though unlike his festival debut last year, he will be backed up by his Jackleg Band. As for the longer program on Saturday, July 18th, this takes a turn from what you may be used to sonically from any era of the Second Stage. With one exception, this year's Stage 2 bands on the Saturday don't lean towards alternative, indie, and/or folk rock. However, while only one Saturday act is a returnee from past Stage 2 lineups, that isn't necessarily strange, as 2024 only had one returning Saturday band as well.

Honestly, the big surprise to me this year is that there are two death metal bands playing on the Second Stage this year, including death metal trio Pillory as the headliners at 8:30 PM! While we have seen Robert Sartini here with All The Tired Horses, The Peach Thieves, and in The Preacher's Jackleg Band, he finally takes center stage next month on Stage 2, so prepare for face melting brutality! Co-headlining at 7:30 PM are Eli Russell & The River Fools, the new southern rock band from (former?) Sylo frontman Elijah Russell and former Wild Iris bandmates Steve Myers & Courtney McDonald. They've been making some waves at headlining gigs this year so far, so keep The River Fools in mind, and we'll let you know if Sylo's status is clarified! Eleven years after launching a petition and fan campaign to get added to the Rotaryfest lineup in 2015, the former Bear Hunters have finally secured a spot on Stage 2 next month!

The now-renamed Eden Plague will finally play at the "Redirected" Clergue Park stage at 6:30 PM,  and while Mitch & Johnny have played Stage 2 since in lighter projects, it will be huge for them, Nik, and Justin to finally brutalize Stage 2 next month! After playing the last two years with HeadFirst, drummer Anthony Boudreau will return with his new local blues/hard rock trio Stones & Crows at 5:30 PM, just three weeks after their live debut. Twenty years after playing at the second annual Second Stage, veteran local folk musician M.D. Dunn will be this year's only returning Stage 2 act at 4:30 PM, in his first set here since 2023 and fifth total. Local country musician Brendan Hodgson will perform at 3:30 PM, and while this will be his Stage 2 debut, he previously performed on Stage 1 from 2021-2024, making him just the eleventh credited act to play both stages. Newer local blues/hard rock quartet The Reeves will debut at Rotary at 2:30 PM.

We'll have more on them soon, but you may recognize them as the Haze/Long Shot successors who publically debuted at Toystock last fall. Surprisingly, Stage 2 will be kicked off at 1:30 PM this year by an open mic block, and while I don't know if this is due to low artist applications or just trying something new, this will be the first Saturday lineup with only seven Stage 2 bands since 2018. This isn't entirely unprecedented, as the last two Swampstravaganzas in 2014 and 2015 also opened with open mic performers, so hopefully some talented folks step on stage to kick off the action by the waterfront! Stage 2 remains a FREE & ALL AGES event as part of another stacked weekend of the Soo's annual summer festival, so visit the above links for full current details on what to expect on Rotaryfest Stage 2 in its 19th installment, and stay tuned for more news and notes on the SMS soon! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Rotaryfest Stage 2!!)

The eighteenth annual Rotaryfest Stage 2 goes down on Friday, July 18th and Saturday, July 19th, so what should you know there? The Second Stage returns to the pop-up stage beside the Art Gallery of Algoma on Friday, July 18th and Saturday, July 19th for the ninth year of the "Redirected" era, and fourth since adopting the current two day format, including a "Friday Night Blues" program, followed by the usual indie/alternative-leaning lineup on Saturday focusing on original musicians. Thirteen acts will rock Stage 2 that weekend, which is down one from 2024, but there isn't a touring band this year either, so the amount of scheduled local acts is unchanged. Only six acts are returnees from past Second Stage lineups, so there's a good amount of expected and unexpected faces next month! Starting with the Friday Night Blues program, it is devoid of hard rock or punk acts as usual.

Friday's lineup includes veteran local blues musician Rusty McCarthy (billed as "Rusty McBlues") at 8:30 PM in his fifth Stage 2 appearance as a solo act, and third time on a Friday Night Blues bill, while Michael Yurich's blues rock cover band Smokehouse will play their own third Friday Night Blues set at 7:30 PM. Former Generations fill-in guitarist Mike McDonald's band Mudfoot Mike & The Muckrakers will return to Stage 2 for a second straight year at 6:30 PM, and the day's first two acts are newcomers to Rotaryfest. One is new local "electric power blues" band Dark Eyed Junko, who I don't know much about beyond their sparrow-inspired name, but you can find out at 5:30 PM. The day's lineup will begin with solo blues musician Josh "The Preacher" McNally at 4:30 PM, and he'll be a fitting lead-off for the day's festivities, so visit the above links for more details on the fourth annual Friday Night Blues program for 2025!

As for the Saturday bill, eight acts will hit Stage 2, and in a mild surprise, reunited local midwest emo/post-hardcore trio Fuller will headline at 8:30 PM! This will be their first public concert since their LopLops reunion in December 2023, their second show with drummer David Peredun, and their first gig since releasing their album "II" on streaming services in March, so you could call this the de facto release party (no idea if they'll have a run of CDs or not though). Really cool to see Mark come back home for Rotaryfest, and hopefully the full Fuller end things with a bang! Indie/pop rock band Jupiter Marvelous (led by Caroline Divine/Pixo Control alum Anthony Marcello) will return to Stage 2 for the first time in three years at 7:30 PM, while Shane "DJ Seith" Erickson will surprisingly make his first ever solo appearance on the Second Stage at 6:30 PM, as opposed to joint sets with Conika or Planet Rock.

Local djent/progressive metal quartet Convergence will make their Rotaryfest debut and first ever live appearance beyond Soo Blaster at 5:30 PM, in what you could argue will be the heaviest Stage 2 set ever, though fans of Gates of Winter's 2005-2006 Second Stage sets may disagree! Hard rock quintet Headf1rst will return to Stage 2 for a second straight year at 4:30 PM, preceded by the festival debut of crossover thrash quartet Hails at 3:30 PM. The day begins with acoustic singer/guitarists, including Mile 38/ex-Soundcheck frontman Cameron Oliver's Stage 2 solo debut at 2:30 PM as he continues making the local rounds (while still local) with his own country material, while folk musician Matthew James kicks off the program at 1:30 PM in his second Stage 2 appearance, having also played here in 2023. Notable absences this year include 2023-2024 performers All The Tired Horses and The Hollow Heads, and active three-timers The Northwest, among others.

Sounds like a very strong lineup to me, with Saturday's bill dipping into heavier and punk territory more than we have ever seen on Stage 2 (even when Gates of Winter played here, they were notable outliers), so fans won't want to bypass the FREE & ALL AGES entertainment beside the Art Gallery next month, so click here for details (so far) on Stage 2 in 2025! As for the second year of Stage 3, that will see four DJs/EDM musicians spinning tunes at the Downtown Plaza on Friday only, so click here to learn more. That's all for today, but stay tuned for more (non-Rotaryfest) news and notes on the site over the next week! Thanks everyone!

Late & Loud - "Late & Legends Season 2 (Podcast Soundtrack)" Album Review!!

It's now time for our 183rd monthly CD review, and in a slight change of plans, we're looking at inactive local classic metal quartet Late & Loud's third album (fourth if counting reissues), namely "Late & Legends Season 2 (Podcast Soundtrack)"! This is their second album/score of songs from the Dungeons & Dragons podcast Late & Legends that the guys have been working on remotely since 2020, with instrumental music recorded by band members at their home studios. This second soundtrack release from September 17th covers songs included in season 2 episodes of Late & Legends from 2021, and features current Convergence guitarist Brendan Christie as the primary songwriter this time out. Guitarist Jonathan Tiberi returns in a reduced role compared to "Late & Legends 1", and bassist Benn Garside gets credited for contributing on a song here where he did not last time. Drummer/game master & audio editor Josh Hatherley is again not credited as a performer for this soundtrack album.

You can buy "Late & Legends 2" on Bandcamp for $8.99, and it is streamable for free there as well, but consider buying it to support the guys and the podcast! Like when I reviewed the first soundtrack, just a reminder that I don't play physical RPGs like D&D, and I am cognizant of the fact that D&D players (and listeners of the podcast) will have far more context into how these songs slot into the storyline as Giovanni, Val, and Mordechai continued their adventures in Renlan. Also, don't go into this expecting "Heavy Rockin' Hard Metal 2". If you want to hear the podcast so far, click here or listen in on your preferred podcasting host services. With 12 songs running for only 20 minutes, let's begin this review!

This soundtrack leads off with "Late And Legends Theme", which is exactly what you think it is. This is a short 62 seconds-long metal instrumental with galloping guitar and an ominous overtone befitting a fantasy story, though given how the song ends with some guitar squeals that seem to hint at a longer composition (if not a solo), it ends before it really gets going. A good theme song, but an unfinished Late & Loud song, if that makes sense. "Bombastic" follows with a more grandiose, orchestral composition that feels much more like something from a video game rather than a metal band, The title is apt as a result, and while it has the epic qualities that would would assume Renlan to harbour, there's not a lot of guitar here, so adjust expectations accordingly. Third is "Battle Ready", which is the only song on the soundtrack that specifically credits Benn on it's Bandcamp link.

Despite that, this is way closer in spirit to "Bombastic" as a composition, but with dramatic percussion and themes that definitely evoke that an important battle is incoming. It's a cooler piece of music for me, but at the same time, did the last 50 seconds of 98 seconds-long piece need to just be the drumming? I'd have cut that down a lot, but the song is well done while it lasts! Track #4 is "The Rising Tide" (no apparent relation to inactive local band Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide), which is one of just three songs on offer to exceed 2 minutes in length. A slower number with some striking keyboard work and good clapping percussion early, the relatively longer composition has lots of room to breathe and show off different tempos and instrumentation, and for lack of a better word, it feels the most "epic" of the songs so far! A far cry from Late & Loud's original band run, but very solid! Note that this song ends with 18 seconds of silence.

That's followed by "The Darkness Is Here", which is a shorter and suitably dark orchestral piece that gets in and out without dragging on for too long, and basically sums up a low point in the storyline well. Not a ton to say here compared to prior tracks, but if you like how Brendan has been composing these numbers, you'll take to how big this feels in scale despite its short length! Speaking of short length, song #6 is "Run For Cover", which runs just 60 seconds total. Given the title and the stakes in the podcast, you'd assume for a song faster in tempo than this, let alone not as heavily structured around percussion and spare piano playing. Not bad at all, but based on my assumptions for a fantasy story, this is not what I would assumed a song about running for cover would sound like. The second half of "Late & Legends 2" begins with "The Storm", which reminds me a bit of the Lower Brinstar theme from Super Metroid.

Isolated piano key strokes and background thunderstorm effects combine for one of the most unique songs on offer, but it ends kind of abruptly and it really felt like there was more of a song here had it ran for more than 74 seconds. A cool piece while it lasts though! The next two songs do not have any individual writing/performance credits at all, but the first of them ("Back At It Again") is arguably the first song since the opener to really feel like something that a band worked on. Not a metal band, mind you, as it has more of a Renaissance fair/campfire vibe (I was reminded of both), but it works for how the story was progressing, and the percussion is well contrasted with the isolated guitar playing! This song also ends with a long silent stretch (well, seven seconds). Ninth is "No Time To Wait", which is the only song on offer to exceed 3 minutes in length, and not by much. The keys lead the way on this composition throughout its runtime.

Not a dramatically opposed song compared to most of its soundtrack-mates, it shares the ambiance and vibes of most of the other compositions here, but doesn't hit as many epic heights despite its length, possibly because the piano leads the way instrumentally. Still a good song when considering the concept! Next up is "The Trap Is Lit", which is both the shortest song on the soundtrack (53 seconds) and the only one to directly credit Jon as a composer. If you recall his work on the first Late & Legends album, he handled half of the songs there, and stuck way closer to metal band territory than on Brendan's songs. That bears out here too, with this brief song being just a metal guitar showcase, and one that ends way too soon. Like on the opener, this feels like the start of a full song rather than a standalone track, but it is nice to hear Jonathan take the lead on a new "Late & Loud" song again, even one this short!

Brendan gets control back for the last two songs, starting with "Mystery", an ominous 2+ minute piece that definitely evokes the feeling of an uncertain future, and given that this was near the end of the podcast's second season, that seems apt! There is more of an intentional unease in how this song proceeds, and it works in the context of the story, but for these compositions, I prefer the grander stuff. The soundtrack closes with "A Farewell To Brothers", which ends the album and season 2 with a mournful and very melancholy composition that definitely feels like the end of a chapter as the characters go their separate ways (for the time being), and while it's not what I musically prefer, it fits in context for how Late & Legends progressed in 2021, and of course, the story didn't end there, so we'll have to see if they release an album for season 3 at some point!

So, what are my final thoughts on "Late & Legends Season 2 (Podcast Soundtrack)"? Based purely on a musical level, I do prefer their season 1 score, but if you preferred Brendan's orchestral compositions on his half of that album, you will be right at home with the sequel! I don't know if Jonathan's decreased involvement in the season 2 score was an artistic choice or a scheduling one, but aside from the theme song and "The Trap Is Lit", there's not much here that would suggest that Late & Loud put this out if you heard the songs blind. Note that Jon hasn't lived in town for over a decade and currently plays in the Hamilton stoner metal band Astral Witch. With Brendan taking the lead, and possibly saving his metal ideas all the while for Convergence, this is mostly a pure score, and certainly a strong one that evokes a fantasy world from a movie or video game, so he definitely shows what he is capable of as a songwriter!

Contextually, this album is best served for Late & Legends listeners, and I do prefer earlier, more optimistic pieces to the darker and sparer later ones, but if you like fantasy soundtracks and scores, you'll have fun with "Late & Legends 2"! That said, if you're expecting anything remotely like Late & Loud, you'd be best served starting with their season 1 soundtrack given that Jonathan's songs for Late & Legends are closer in style, and he was more involved then. Strong work for what this is, so buy or stream it above, and I hope you guys liked this month's CD review! Now, my original plan for this month was to review Sykotyk Rampage's new album  "Waerlogas Saga 1: Konfysion Of Fyck", but I was hoping to have the comic book arrive by now to help in covering the lengthy album. As such, I have delayed the review to next month. In any event, look for Sykotyk Rampage's new concept album as our review next month, and for more news & notes on the site soon! Thanks everyone!