LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (IRN, Destroilet, Highway 63, And Long Shot!!)

For a second time in as many days, we have four new LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS to announce on the site, as the spring/summer concert series is clearly heating up! These include new shows in Sault Michigan and Sault Ontario, including one new addition to the Gonqshow (which we'll have a lot more on later this week), but for now, here's what you should know on these shows in chronological order!

Sault Michigan classic/hard rock cover quartet Highway 63 will play their first Eastern U.P. concerts outside of the Kewadin Casino umbrella next weekend, when they rock The Satisfied Frog on Friday, May 1st & Saturday, May 2nd! As announced on their Facebook page, these will be their first concerts since playing in St. Ignace earlier this month, while frontman Henry Switzer pointed out that these will be his first concerts there with any band in 2 years (presumably referencing the defunct Sir Charge), and though we haven't heard about local hard rock bands playing at The Frog all that much lately, hopefully Highway 63 can make their mark next weekend and play there more often in the future! There are no announced cover charges next weekend, you must be 21 to attend, and there are 10:00 PM start times in effect. Check the above links for more details, and stay tuned for more updates!

Next up, we'll head back to Sault Ontario, where local hard rock quartet Long Shot will make their Rockstar Bar debut for a one-night-only concert on Saturday, May 16th! Fresh off of playing two different shows on May 1st, this will be a great solo showcase at a more familiar venue for the Speak Easy Battle of the Bands runners-up, and hopefully they leave a huge impression come next month! No word on why the Dawes, Nathan, and Jeremy aren't playing there that Friday though, but the band recently indicated on their Facebook page that they've submitted an application to play at Rotaryfest this July, so we'll have to see if they make the bill! Their May 16th concert at The Rockstar Bar has a 19+ age limit, a $5 cover charge, and an announced 10:30 PM start time, so for more details, visit the official Facebook event page, and stay tuned for much more from Long Shot as it comes in!

Moving downstairs to The Algonquin Pub at the end of the month, local punk/metal bands Destroilet & Jack Spades will rock out there on Saturday, May 30th in a show to help fund the release of their upcoming split album with The Ripcordz! The second show in Jack Spades frontman J.D. Pearce's Gonqshow summer concert series there (as announced yesterday on it's Facebook event page), this show is among the methods that the local bands are doing to help get their three-way split out there, including their Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign (get on that, people!), and hopefully this show can help put a dent into the cash required to get this released! For reference, this will also be Destroilet's first announced concert of the year, and just their second since Brenton Ellis joined as their new co-lead singer, so if you haven't seen the new six-piece lineup yet, here's your chance! At least one more band is to be announced, and while I imagine we'd know by now if it was them, imagine if The Ripcordz made the trip for this?

Given the fundraising nature of this show, admission will be $10 (no word on if Kickstarter incentives might carry over to the concert), while it will be a 19+ event with a likely 10:00 PM start time. For more details, visit the above links! This should be a great concert, and if it helps chip away at the needed funds to get this three-way split in out hands, then it'll have done it's job! Again, stay tuned for updates on the show and split as they roll in!

Finally for today, we'll head to 180 Projects on Sunday, June 21st for a very diverse ALL AGES concert that will be headlined by Toronto doom metal trio IRN! (Yes, that's all capitals.) A punishing band known for long, doomy, and unrelenting originals, IRN should leave quite the mark in their local concert debut in June, so don't miss them either if you love the genre! Naturally, local doom/sludge metal trio AlgomA will be among the openers (in what they're hyping as the kick-off for their tour, full dates to be revealed), but beyond them, things will widely vary. The other openers will also include local punk/grunge solo project Telephone & Address (in their first set since the "Rust Orchid" release show), local rappers Conika & Mikey Thomas, and the turntable stylings of DJ Seith, though no word on if he'll be playing solo or alongside either rapper like he's recently done with Conika. Doom metal, lo-fi acoustic punk, and rap, where else will you get all of that on the same night at the same venue?

This Oh! Right Arm! Promotions event has an $8 cover charge, a 7:00 PM start time, and yes, it is ALL AGES! Much like the AxMinister-headlined show at The Algonquin two weeks later, this show may just have a little something for everyone (Mikey will even be opening both), so no matter whether you like one or multiple genres on June 21st, 180 Projects may be the place to be! Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and stay tuned for more news and concert announcements to come this week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Vesperia, Of Tall Tales, AxMinister, And The River Jacks!!)

Before we begin, I wanted to apologize for yet another missed Mourning Wood concert, as the classic/hard rock trio played a short notice matinee concert at The New American Pub on Saturday night, as per their Facebook page that day. The alert came too late for us to slide it into a timely post, but it was their first New A set in two months. Had this show have had more advance notice, we'd have definitely plugged it here, but our apologies either way! Now, today's post is entirely devoted to LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, all from a newly announced concert series taking place over mid-2015, so here's what you need to know!

Local concert promoter J.D. Pearce has announced a summer concert series called The Gonqshow that will see at least 10 different concerts hit The Algonquin Pub over a four month span between May and September! The first time that he's announced such an ambitious long-term run at a venue since the short-lived Heavy Thursdays at The Rosie, most of these concerts will have $5 cover charges, and all will likely have local opening bands. You can get more details at the official Facebook event page, but the first Gonqshow date (barring any interim announcements) will see Calgary punk sextet The River Jacks make their local debut on Wednesday, May 20th! Taking place early in their cross-Canada tour, their up-tempo punk sound with a folk tinge and message should find an audience here next month, so keep this show in mind as the Gonqshow begins! For reference, The River Jacks have touring bands joining them across Canada, just not in the Soo.

Local openers are being sought for this and most other shows that J.D. has planned for The Gonqshow this year, so message him at this link or above if you want to open for The River Jacks next month! Unless later stated otherwise, this is a 19+ event with a $5 cover and a likely 10:00 PM start time. For more details, visit the above links! This should be a great way to kick off this series, so don't miss The River Jacks' folk/punk attack!

Two Saturday night events (on May 30th and June 27th) await a public announcement of who's playing them, but next among announced Algonquin Pub events in this series is a wildly diverse concert on Saturday, July 4th that will be headlined by masked Toronto thrash trio AxMinister in their local debut! Possibly familiar as well for sharing the stage with locals AlgomA at a Sudbury event in June, their gritty pounding thrash originals should also make lots of fans on the Fourth of July (the SMS' eighth birthday too!), so keep them in mind! When I said this was wildly diverse, I meant it, as Alberta pop punk quintet Calling All Captains will open in their own local debut, and while a far cry from AxMinister, their energetic alternative sound will be familiar for fans of bands like A Fall From Innocence, so they'll find a good response as well! Capping off the wide sound array will be local rapper Mikey Thomas, and fans of his Blood Shed sets will know his skill for that genre!

There's arguably a little something for everyone at this show, which will again likely be a 19+ affair with a 10:00 PM start time and a $5 cover charge, so check the above links for more details, and whether you love thrash, punk, rap, all, or some of the above, keep this show in mind for July!

Next on the Gonqshow slate is an Algonquin Pub concert on Saturday, July 18th that will see Sudbury hardcore punk quartet Of Tall Tales make their own local concert debut! Some readers may recognize them from sharing the stage with local bands at the last two Rock 'N Roar Battles of the Bands in Spanish (they and locals Beaumont Avenue both placed last year, earning opening slots at last August's Rock 'N Roar Festival), but this will be our first chance to see O.T.T. on a local stage. Their originals (which give me a Howard Jones-era Killswitch Engage vibe at times) should impress many local fans in July, so definitely check them out, especially for their Backstreet Boys cover! Local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades will be one of at least two local opening bands for this show, and message J.D. A.S.A.P. via the above links if you want to open for this show too!

Again, this show will have a $5 cover charge, 19+ age limit, and 10:00 PM start time unless stated otherwise, and we'll let you know if something is! It's great to see Of Tall Tales finally make their local debut, and they should leave a huge impression, so keep tabs on this show as more updates roll in! 

Lastly for today, we'll head to The Algonquin Pub on Thursday, July 23rd, where Toronto folk/death metal quartet Vesperia will make their local concert debut amidst the Gonqshow! Formerly known as Bolero and featuring Hallows Die drummer Dylan Gowan in their lineup, Vesperia's melodic extreme metal sound will definitely pique the interest of many metalheads, especially given their experienced and talented lineup, so do not bypass this one in July! For reference, Shit Liver are playing with both Vesperia & Hallows Die in Sudbury this Friday, click here for more details. Local openers are completely undetermined as of this writing, but again, if you want to open, message J.D. via the above links! Like the above shows, this one will likely have a $5 cover charge, a 19+ age limit, and a 10:00 PM start time unless stated otherwise. For more details, visit the above links, and definitely remember this show for some summertime metal brutality! Stay tuned for updates!

There are four more shows in August and September among the Gonqshow roster, which we'll touch on in an upcoming post to spread them out, but the above links will give you info on them before then! J.D.'s outdoing himself once again, so kudos for what should be a stacked summer concert season, and I'm sure he's not done yet! Stay tuned for more here and on Facebook to come, and for more news and notes as they roll in! Thanks everyone!

Rotopsy Updates, Northwest's Searchlight Run, And Much More!!

Before we kick off this post, I wanted to offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of former Foggy Notions owner & bartender Patrick Casey, who suddenly passed away this weekend, as per numerous personal Facebook postings yesterday. Details on services are likely forthcoming, so keep an eye out for more info where appropriate. Though arguably better known from his steady and friendly presence slinging smashlovs at many local concerts, Patrick (alongside Alec Colyer and John Doucette) bought Foggy's from Jon Ferguson in early 2007, maintaining it for the next year before it's first closure in March 2008, though it would re-open in late 2009 under a succession of new owners and names, currently as Coch's Corner. I admittedly can't comment on the original 11 year run of Foggy Notions, as it closed before I turned 19, but I did recognize Pat from his bartending work, and he was always a liked and welcome presence for concert-goers and bar regulars alike!

Just a week after losing Mike Case, it's a shame that another local music scene fixture has passed so soon, but with all of the good memories of Patrick as a friend, fan, or deliverer of shots to the stage, I'm sure he'll be in many people's thoughts for a long time to come. R.I.P. Pat!

Now, today's post will mostly help clear out some recent backlogged news items, including a local band's contest run and some assorted updates, but first, here's the latest from local independent goregrind duo Rotopsy's first full length demo "Sexual Assault Rifle" (they titled it, not me!) on Saturday, which was actually two days ahead of schedule, but it may have been intended for a Dank Fest II release before that show's cancellation. The album (whose cover art isn't embedded here due to potentially offensive content) costs $5 through band members, Blood Shed Productions, or at future concerts, while t-shirts with the cover are also now on sale for $10, so keep them in mind! Remember, two songs from it are now on their Bandcamp page, while a third ("Live at Oddfellows Hall 3") is new to their label's YouTube channel, though no word on when/if we'll see the rest of the songs in a digital format.

A Sudbury concert to be announced has also been hinted at for Rotopsy, and while I won't embed the new YouTube song here due to the cover art, fans of Rotopsy's bass-heavy grind action should enjoy every second, so give everything a look above, and message Tyler or Dylan A.S.A.P. if you want this disc before their next show!

Also today, local indie/punk quintet Northwest have made the semifinals of a national music contest, so what should you know? While a handful of local bands (like Jack Spades, Machines Dream, and Mannapool) entered, only Northwest have made it to the regional semifinals of CBC's Searchlight competition, which is looking for the best new Canadian music act. This fan-voted stage ends tomorrow at 3:00 PM, with Northwest among 25 bands in the Northern Ontario region at this stage, and among 545 national bands remaining in the competition. Finalists will be announced on Tuesday, so VOTE A.S.A.P. at their official CBC Music page to help them make the finals, as the top voted bands will get judged by a panel of Canadian music professionals for the top prize! If they win, Northwest will win $20,000 towards new Yamaha equipment, an opening slot at an upcoming CBC event, and a recording session with CBC.

Note as well that Gates of Winter guitarist Bryan Belleau plays & records with his new wife, Vancouver region semifinalist Melinda Belleau, so throw her some votes as well if you can, as she's a great singer in her own right! Hopefully Northwest can make the top 10 for Northern Ontario and keep the local cause going in CBC Searchlight, so vote for them A.S.A.P., and click here for the recent SooToday article on their run in this competition!

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

• Though announced on short notice, Kinross, Michigan hard rock trio Banned returned to The Northwoods Restaurant & Bar in Drummond Island (which is out of our coverage range) for a show on Friday night. Hopefully it went well, and don't miss them on the May 15th weekend in St. Ignace!
• Sault Ontario alternative/hard rock quartet Haggith will finally release their long anticipated fourth studio album "Apocalypse II" on May 10th (two weeks from today), as per new postings on their Facebook page. You can stream it beforehand on their YouTube channel, but no word yet on when we'll see their EP "XIV". Stay tuned for more as we approach the release date!
• The newest episode of Local2's music webseries Tuned with Donna Hopper went online on Thursday, but it entirely focuses on the recent God Made Me Funky concert at LopLops Lounge with no extra segments. G.M.M.F. have a fun sound and definitely have a solid local following, so give the new Tuned episode a look if you're a fan!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for much more as the week progresses! Thanks everyone!

Last Month's Poll Results & The Final Poll On Your Favourite Concerts Of 2014!!

For this second post today, we're looking at the results of last month's poll on the site and unveiling our newest poll, but check out some new show announcements and more in the post below this one! As you may remember, last month's poll on the SMS posed this question: What was your favourite local metal, hard rock, or punk concert in the second half of 2014? Only 22 votes, which seems a little low, but we do have clear results, so thanks to everyone for voting, and here are the final scores! 

Halloween Party at The Algonquin Pub on October 31st (7 votes, 32%)

Gob & Jack Spades at The Rockstar Bar on October 29th (4 votes, 18%)

Random Killing at The Rockstar Bar on September 13th (4 votes, 18%)

IDNS at The Oddfellows Hall on September 6th (3 votes, 14%)

Devil's Night at The Oddfellows Hall on October 30th (1 vote, 4.5%)

The Ripcordz at The Rockstar Bar on October 11th (1 vote, 4.5%)

Late & Loud at The Rockstar Bar on August 1st (1 vote, 4.5%)

Other (1 vote, 4.5%)

The Bear Hunters at The Rednecks Saloon on July 25th (0 votes)

Archspire at The Oddfellows Hall on August 12th (0 votes)

Endast at The Rednecks Saloon on August 27th (0 votes)

K-Man & The 45s at The Rockstar Bar on September 18th (0 votes)

Zombie Walk at The Bushplane Museum on October 25th (0 votes)

The Brains & Boids at The Rockstar Bar on November 2nd (0 votes)

Rock For Dimes at The Delta Hotel on November 14th (0 votes)

Sault Band-O-Rama at The Primavera on November 21st (0 votes)

The Bear Hunters at The Canadian on November 29th (0 votes)

White Cowbell Oklahoma at Rockstar Bar on Nov. 30th (0 votes)

Tidal Records at The Rockstar Bar on December 20th (0 votes)

X-Mess 2 at The Algonquin Pub on December 20th (0 votes)

Detroit at The Algonquin Pub on December 23rd (0 votes)

What do you guys think In ascending order, I'm very surprised that 13 of the 20 shows picked for the poll received no votes, including none from November or December. In particular, I assumed there'd be votes in particular for The Bear Hunters' CD release show & the Detroit reunion, but there's the joys of who ends up voting! Of the four shows with a single vote, I assumed that the Ripcordz-headlined Rad Zone anniversary show would get more of a response, but at least it got some love! The IDNS concert surprised me with it's fourth place run, especially among other Oddfellows shows late last year that had bigger lineups. The top three were all J.D. Pearce-promoted events, with the Gob and Random Killing concerts finishing high (as expected) with a second place tie, while last year's annual Halloween party won the half-year poll with 7 votes and 32% of the final tally! Good sign for this popular annual event, and Frightlight deserved the big send-off, but another poll awaits!

As usual for our end-of-year polls, we'll close them with this question: What was your favourite local metal, hard rock, or punk concert of 2014? As you may remember, we polled you guys on your favourite shows in the first half of 2014 last July, and then the second half last month, so to determine the "winner", we're gathering all of the choices (15 in this case) into one final summative poll, so you guys can determine what your favourite show was of last year in full! All choices in both of our half-year polls are back, plus "Other" in case your favourite was never in the half year polls or didn't get your vote at the time. For reference, the half year poll winners were the Jack Spades EP release show in May and last fall's Halloween party, but will history repeat itself? Jack Spades played on 5 of these 15 shows, but will the odds play in their favour? Here are your final choices in this poll!

Bands: Pillory, Rotopsy, The Strange Coyotes, Crucify the Whore, The Bear Hunters, Project 421, Chase Wigmore, Brutally Fatal, and Mike Haggith & The Din
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: January 24th, 2014
Info: Inclement weather forced planned headliners TheKillingField & Buried Out Back to drop out on short notice, so there was a lot of late lineup shuffling and additions for this show, Heavy North Entertainment's first since launching as a company. Notably featuring the reunion of Mike Haggith & The Din, Project 421's first show with singer Curtis McKenzie, and the last official appearance by The Strange Coyotes, did you brave the storm to take in this all ages action?

Bands: Punch, The Bear Hunters, and The Elements
Venue: The Roosevelt Hotel (now Reggie's West)
Date: February 6th, 2014
Info: The first installment of the short lived Heavy Thursday series at the former Roosevelt Hotel saw Rosie favourites The Bear Hunters, debuting funk/hard rock quartet The Elements, and the last show from Haggith/Beaumont Avenue hybrid Punch, who all delivered solid sets! J.D. Pearce had a great idea in resurrecting a Thursday series at The Rosie, but was this the best show of 2014?

Bands: Late & Loud, The Danger Cats, and Redundant
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: February 21st, 2014
Info: Classic metal favourites Late & Loud held a one-off reunion set on February 21st at The Rockstar Bar, reminding all of the Loudmouths how exciting and talented they were in their heyday! Also featuring all-female rockers The Danger Cats and punk trio Redundant's first proper attended concert in 6 months (The Marquee notwithstanding), this was a great way to welcome back Late & Loud, but would you agree?

Bands: Anvil, Caym, Jack Spades, The Suicide Kings (now Beaumont Avenue), and Project 421
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: March 15th, 2014
Info: After two years away, Toronto metal legends Anvil brought the metal on metal back to The Canadian this spring for another well attended and very heavy night of hits! Also featuring the return of extreme metallers Caym and a trio of known and rising local hard rock bands, all of the metal pounders in attendance ate up the action before them, but was Anvil's grand return tops to you last year?

Bands: Fuck the Facts, Empyrean Plague, Shit Liver, The Bear Hunters, Crucify the Whore, and This Is Your Band on Drugs
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: May 4th, 2014
Info: A lower than expected attendance couldn't stop the metal intensity on this night, with Fuck The Facts and Empyrean Plague making the trip west for long awaited returns to the Soo stage! Also featuring Shit Liver's grimy homecoming and CD release, and one of the first local appearances by This Is Your Band On Drugs, fans at The Oddfellows Hall had a definite blast, but was it your #1 metal show of 2014?

Bands: The Bear Hunters, Sykotyk Rampage, Haggith, Rotopsy, Aggressive Acoustic, Pete Mozarowski, Rihkee Strap, the second Brutaly Fatal (now The Revolution), This Is Your Band On Drugs, DJ Seith, Mike Haggith, and open mic performers
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: May 10th, 2014
Info: The fourth annual Swampstravaganza returned to the spring months on May 10th with it's longest lineup yet, including four time Swampfest veterans The Bear Hunters, Sudbury hard rock from Aggressive Acoustic, Sykotyk Rampage & Haggith's first concerts of the year, a rare Mike Haggith solo set, and an entertaining block of open mic artists to kick off the day! Did last year's Swampstravaganza top the year to you?

Bands: Jack Spades, The Elements, Project 421, and Johnny Belanger & Jesse Cook
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: May 16th, 2014
Info: Punk/metal quintet Jack Spades launched their debut EP "The First" in style on May 16th at The Rockstar Bar with an explosive set of originals and covers, with members Johnny Belanger and Jesse Cook reprising Johnny's acoustic open mic set at the Swampstravaganza to open this show! Also featuring The Elements and Project 421 (with guest singer Travis McKenzie), a lively crowd reaction and great reviews followed, but would you agree?

Bands: Anciients, Havok, Wretched, Black Wizard, and The Revolution
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: June 24th, 2014
Info: Arguably the last major metal show of 2014's first half, J.D. Pearce brought in a huge bill of metal via two converging tours, with Vancouver progressive metal standouts Anciients, Colorado thrashers Havok, and North Carolina death metallers Wretched combining for one intense and well received show! Though attendance wasn't as high as hoped, fans in attendance didn't miss out on the brutality, but was it your favourite?

Bands: Late & Loud, Haggith, and The Danger Cats
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: August 1st, 2014
Info: In advance of singer/guitarist Brendan Christie's move to England, defunct local classic metal quartet Late & Loud reunited one last time on August 1st for what they hyped as their "last show ever", giving Loudmouths a bittersweet presumed send-off! Also featuring hard rock action from Haggith (with then-new bassist James White) and The Danger Cats, did this win out in late 2014 to you?

Bands: IDNS, Catharcyst, Rotopsy, The Apocalypse Afterparty, Telephone & Address, and Crucify The Whore
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: September 6th, 2014
Info: Despite the late drop-out of Bring the Fight, Heavy North Entertainment still delivered a solid night of action via Toronto crust punk quartet IDNS and Sudbury metal veterans Catharcyst, each brutalizing fans in their own diverse ways! Also featuring the public concert debut of The Apocalypse Afterparty & the CD release from Telephone & Address, does this get your vote?

Bands: Random Killing, Jack Spades, Destroilet, Gatgas, and The Elements
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: September 13th, 2014
Info: It was time for Hardcore Homecoming on this September night, as Toronto punk legends Random Killing (featuring the Soo's own Drew Kiteley) played locally for the first time in 17 years at The Rockstar Bar to a huge reception! Also featuring London hardcore punk rockers Gatgas (with the Soo's own Bob Bromley & Garry Ingram), did you love this huge homecoming concert the most?

Bands: The Ripcordz, Jack Spades, Destroilet, and DJ Seith
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: October 11th, 2014
Info: Popular local music/skate shop The Rad Zone celebrated it's 30th anniversary in October at The Rockstar Bar, where Montreal hardcore punk legends The Ripcordz headlined this huge concert for Monk and company! Numerous draws and giveaways also populated this very well attended concert, and the local support delivered nicely, but was this your favourite show of 2014?

Bands: Gob, Jack Spades, Northwest, and Redundant
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: October 29th, 2014
Info: It took 6 years for Langley. B.C. punk veterans Gob to come back to Sault Ste. Marie, but they sure made the most of it with a great night of original hits for a packed crowd at The Rockstar Bar over the Halloween season! Featuring local support from Jack Spades, Northwest (with new drummer Marc Santos), and Redundant, the crowd at this show spoke for itself, but did you enjoy it too?

Bands: Chase Wigmore, Archelon, Haggith, Crucify The Whore, Project 421, The North Shore, Rotopsy, The Revolution, James Watterworth & friends, Mikey Thomas, Miracle Man, and Phat Boii
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: October 30th, 2014
Info: Heavy North Entertainment's second annual Devil's Night concert at The Oddfellows Hall brought another diverse lineup of local bands to the stage last fall, with Sudbury death metal band Archelon devastating fans late in the night! Notably also featuring the local homecoming of Chase Wigmore & the rebirth of The Strange Coyotes, did you love Devil's Night the most?

Bands: Frightlight, Destroilet, and Sykotyk Rampage
Venue: The Algonquin Pub
Date: October 31st, 2014
Info: If local horror punk/metal quintet Frightlight had to disband after a successful five year run, then going out at frontman Johnny Pints' 10th annual Halloween party (where they debuted in 2009) was the perfect way to do it! Though Jesse Cook filled in on guitar for the absent Rick White, they left on a high note, and the openers set the tone well, but was this your favourite show in the poll?

Other: Did we miss your favourite? For reference, metal, hard rock, and punk artists like AlgomA, Archspire, Bad Back, Boids, Brad Example & The Role Models, The Brains, Buried Out Back, Chronobot, Commencing Human Desperation, The Cover-Up, Crued, Detroit, Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide, Endast, The Faps, The Fever Tops, Fist Fighting Stephen Hawking, Glitch, Gnaeus, The Great Sabatini, Griphook, Havadder, Heart & Jason Bonham, Infamous, James Watterworth, K-Man & The 45s, Late Shift, Like Animals, Livid & The Bloodthirsty, Long Shot, Lucky 13, The Merves, Michael White & The White, Mourning Wood, The Northern Tragedy, The Paceshifters, The Pixo Control, Public Animal, RPM, Skynet, Stiffler's Mom, That's Chester, Them, The Thrill Junkies, T-Rex Manning, Tym Morrison, White Cowbell Oklahoma, and Who Made Who played live in 2014 in the Soo, along with additional shows from bands in the above choices, and possibly some in private-only gigs. Maybe your favourite concert was one without a 50% majority of metal, punk, and/or hard rock bands, one in Sault Michigan, or one that doesn't dip into our range, or one that didn't get a vote in our half year polls? If your preferred choice isn't above, vote for "Other"!

VOTE TODAY!! You guys have until May 18th to make your voices heard, so who will win out in this last poll on your favourite shows of last year? I'm very curious to find out, but as usual, I'll please ask for potential voters not to turn this into a popularity contest with online voting campaigns for one specific show. I'm hoping for a fair sampling of what everyone thought, not who can gather together the most votes for their preferred choice. VOTE A.S.A.P., and stay tuned for more news and notes over the coming week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Bear Hunters & Havadder) And Much More!!

Before we reveal last month's poll results and post info on this month's poll (which is up now, so VOTE A.S.A.P.!), here's a new news post for your Saturday morning! This includes some assorted recent notes, a surprise re-recording, and first, LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, including for a new show TONIGHT, so here;s what you should know! (Updated at 12:33 PM)

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Havadder will play a rare set at The Moose Lodge TONIGHT, but there's a charitable air to the proceedings! Apologies for the short notice, the band only announced the event yesterday via it's official Facebook event page, though they had teased it beforehand. Tomorrow's event is a fundraiser for Valerie Belsito, a friend of the band who suffers from multiple sclerosis and can't walk, but it hoping to raise money tonight to travel to California for a stem cell treatment that may help her walk again. I won't get into any ethical debates here about stem cell treatments (this is a music site), but hopefully there's a great turnout tonight so Valerie can try this out and see if the stem cells can do what they're hoping! Admission is $30 (remember the cause behind it), and it's presumably all ages, and it kicks off today at 5:00 PM, while there will be dinner served and numerous prize draws.

Considering the intent and theme of the event, this might not be ideal for Havadder fans in general, but they're just donating their time to help Valerie out, and if she can walk again when all is said and done, everyone at The Moose Lodge will have helped the cause! Keep it in mind if you want to help Valerie, and for a preview, here's Havadder live last year!



Next up, here's another new concert taking place at The Rednecks Saloon, as death metal favourites The Bear Hunters are hosting a special Tuesday night concert on April 28th called "The Windshield Benefit"! The show is to help drummer Johnny Belanger replace his car's windshield, which was recently smashed, and while the show is free, you can donate to the cause! Almost like a live Kickstarter, there are incentives to donate, as $1 donations get you a "Thank you" acknowledgement in the booklet for the band's upcoming album "The Dead Testament" and $5 donations will get you entered in a draw for a free copy of said album upon release, and apparently a personalized letter and mini-comic from Johnny! As for the performer lineup, the newly announced headliners are local/St. Catharine's death/grime trio Shit Liver, in their Rednecks debut and first local concert since last summer! This is a bit of a surprise considering that the guys were aiming for their local tour date to be next week, but it's great to have them back any time, so don't miss them at 1:00 AM! The Bear Hunters will co-headline at midnight in their first set since their VM Radio Battle of the Bands second place run.

Local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades are on at 11:00 PM, and local alternative hard rock trio Mike Haggith & The Din making their Rednecks debut at 10:00 PM. The opening sets will be acoustic, with Johnny & his Jack Spades bandmate Jesse Cook reprising their Sleigher turn from X-Mess 2 for a half-set, while Bear Hunters guitarist Mitch Sirie is slated to play a rare acoustic set as well, apparently named "Alan Strings" with a set of... Alicia Keys covers?! I assume that's a joke, but maybe we'll be surprised? This is a 19+ concert, and hopefully there's a good turnout to fund Johnny's new windshield, so click here for more details, and stay tuned as updates roll in!

Also today, here's a slight surprise from local grunge/hard rock quartet Haggith, as they've revealed one final song for their upcoming EP "XIV"! Originally announced to have just the three songs recorded before Daniel Horton left the band, they've recently added a re-recording of "Rage Train" (originally on their 2012 debut "Dragon Joy Ride") to the track listing! You can hear it via their YouTube channel on Wednesday, and while we won't review the song here yet pending a likely review of "XIV", I will note that it is longer than the original version. For reference, this version features frontman Curtis McKenzie on all guitar parts (the returning Caleb Cachagee isn't featured), while Jordan Leach plays bass on the track. Check it out below, and stay tuned for more on Haggith's album release plans!



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

• The teased Dank Fest 2 all ages concert event at The Oddfellows Hall (presumably intended for this weekend) has been cancelled due to "current contract issues" with the venue, as per promoters Heavy North Entertainment's Facebook page yesterday. It's a rented hall, did the price go up recently? H.N.E. haven't shut the door on holding a second Dank Fest next year, and hopefully they don't stop putting on shows there!
• Frasiers drummer Devin Williamson is looking for a 16-24 year old guitar player with harmony vocal ability for his new local band, who would play originals and covers, and are influenced by everyone from Van Halen & Motley Crue to The Arctic Monkeys and Band of Skulls. Wide range there, but if you're interested in more details, message Devin at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from Wednesday!
• The presumed cover artwork for local doom/punk trio The Revolution's upcoming EP "Roll Call" can now be viewed at their official Facebook page! It might just be a teaser, but it leaves an impact, so give it a look above! Note that recent postings concerning a search for a full time lead singer have recently been taken down.

That's all for now, but stay tuned for last month's poll results and this month's poll info next, and VOTE TODAY! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Long Shot), New Drum Cover Videos, And More!!

Continuing our steady recent pace on this Friday morning, we have some assorted recent updates, new drum cover videos from two veterans of the local scene, and first, LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for early next month, so here's what you should know!

Local hard rock quartet Long Shot will return to the stage for two concerts that are both taking place on Friday, May 1st! After an almost two month break following their runner-up finish at the Speak Easy Battle of the Bands, Long Shot will make up for lost time with a set at this year's ninth annual Passport To Unity festival, which will reportedly be during that day's Downtown Diversity events outside on a shut down block of Queen Street East between March & Spring between 11:45 AM & 1:15 PM. Readers may remember that The Pixo Control were scheduled for this event last year, but rain forced a postponement and move indoors to The Essar Centre, so hopefully there's no hang-ups this time! This will obviously be an ALL AGES event, there's no announced cover, and see above for more details! The other Long Shot event on May 1st will see them make their Canadian Nightclub debut that night when they headline a party held by the Sault Ultimate Players' Association!

If you don't know, that's a local league for players of ultimate frisbee and related disc sports, and if this seems random, remember that Long Shot members Evan & Adam Dawe both are SUPA members, and the band has played at least one SUPA function in the past. The event at The Canadian will be a party and deadline to sign up for their summer leagues, and it will take place at 7:00 PM with no announced age limits or cover. Sounds fun, so see that show's Facebook event page & the above links for complete details on both events, and it's great to see Long Shot back on stage finally!

Next up, here's new drum cover videos from two veteran local musicians, including this video of Fairmounts frontman and prolific local drummer Mikey Hawdon covering The Descendents' "All". Uploaded to his YouTube channel on Tuesday, this is a change from his usual solo covers there, which tend to be of him singing and playing guitar, but without giving anything away to readers who aren't familiar with "All", I'll just say that it's perfectly covered! Give it a look below, and also check out his recent out-of-town band videos too!



Also is this cover of Audioslave's "Original Fire" by Flat Stanley/Peace Vibe drummer Glen Thomas, which compared to his recent classic rock uploads and band work, is a bit of a throwback to his older hard rock/metal days! Posted to his YouTube channel on Tuesday, this is a solid rendition of one of Audislave's bigger hits, albeit not my favourite of their tracks, but give it a listen below, and check out his other recent uploads if you like 1960s rock!



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

• Local classic metal quartet Project 421 have been added to the lineup for the announced Menstural Munchies concert at a venue to be announced on June 25th, as per the Facebook event page. They're honestly not a perfect fit given that they're not a death or grind band, but their talent speaks for itself, so look for them then, and let promoters know if you can help find a venue or in other ways for this concert!
• The fifth annual Swampstravaganza at The Canadian Nightclub on May 9th will indeed see a return of the open mic block that kicked off last year's Swampfest at The Oddfellows Hall, as per a recent update to the Facebook event page. It's way too early to guess on who might play during it, given that it is "open mic", but it will open the day's events at 4:00 PM before the 10 scheduled bands hit the stage at 5:00. Great to see it return, and hopefully there's a solid turnout!
• The newest episode of Local2's music webseries Tuned with Donna Hopper went online last week, and it's 100% devoted to The Boot Hill Crooners' CD release party at LopLops Lounge last month, including an interview with frontman/Rising Tide member Sheldon Jaaskelainen. Fans of the Crooners and Sheldon's band work should definitely check it out, so do so above! Note however that there's no footage of the opening bands.

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes in the coming days, plus this month's poll and last month's poll results TOMORROW! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Lucky 13) & This Weekend's Concert Previews!!

As we enter the latter half of the week, let's touch on this weekend's concert previews today (barring potential late notice announcements), including a pair of shows in the E.U.P. and some familiar veterans on this side of the border, but first, here's a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!

Local alternative/classic rock quartet Lucky 13 will return to The Rockstar Bar for a solo headlining concert TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this show was announced via it's official Facebook event page on Sunday, so we held it for today's previews. A one nighter due to Saturday's show by local country cover band Summer Thunder, this will be Ed, Jeremey, Jeff, and Roger's first announced concert since rocking this venue on St. Patrick's Day last month, and they should be up to their usual tricks as they rock The Rockstar Bar once again with a hard hitting night of familiar favourites, so keep TOMORROW'S show in mind! This is a 19+ event, a 10:30 PM start time is advertised, and bring cash just in case there's a cover. See above for more details, and here's Lucky 13 live last year!



Moving to previously announced concerts, local classic/hard rock trio Mourning Wood's weekly jam night at The Rednecks Saloon will continue into it's 6th week TONIGHT, but there will be a melancholy air to the proceedings, as this will be their first concert since the passing of drummer T.J. Case's father Mike on Sunday. Tonight's jam night will actually take place the night before Mike's funeral and celebration of life (click here for full details), so I'm sure things will be extra emotional for T.J., the entire Case family, and all of Mike's close friends and students. The show must go on though, and Mourning Wood will hopefully rally together to deliver a fun night of hard-edged covers, with hopefully lots of attendees jamming alongside in Mike's memory! And of course, I send my condolences out to T.J. at this difficult time, but make him proud with a great set tonight!

Note that there's no announced Mourning Wood shows for this weekend (barring a possible late notice matinee) as T.J. and frontman Terry Eaton will be playing at The Rednecks Saloon this weekend with their other band Asylum Country, so keep those in mind if you're a country fan or want to offer your condolences to T.J.. As for TONIGHT'S jam night, there's no announced cover charge, a 9:30 PM start time, and a 19+ age limit. For more details, here's Mourning Wood live last year!

Lastly for Sault Ontario hard rock concerts that we know about for the weekend as of this writing, we'll head to The Harp Bar & Grill, where local hard rock solo musician Tym Morrison will continue his weekly acoustic concert run TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! The longtime Caveman Morrison frontman has teased having new tunes ready to add to his extensive setlist at the former Madison's Pub, but even if he didn't, his guitar skill and natural ease will go a long way to ensuring a good time with his two shows this weekend! Like usual for his Harp run, there are 10:00 PM start times in effect for both nights, you must be 19 to attend either night, and there's no announced cover charges. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, don't miss Tym's entertaining solo shows this weekend, and here's Tym live at The Harp early in his weekly run there!



We'll close today's previews across the river in St. Ignace, Michigan, where Sault Michigan hard rock trio Power Slug will return to the stage at The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Last seen (that we've heard about) at the I-500 beer tent in February, this will be the first concert weekend in St. Ignace from Chris, Bob, and Chris since January, and if you want to chug your mug with Power Slug, now is as good a time as any, as they haven't been playing shows at the same frequency that they used to, at least not that have been publically announced. Keep this weekend's shows in mind if you're in the E.U.P. for some good hard rocking times! There's no announced cover charges, 21+ age limits, and 9:00 PM start times in effect. See above for more details, and here's Power Slug live at The Bird!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and possible late notice concert previews to come! Thanks everyone!