Sick Jams For Sick Kids Review!!!

Well, I have returned from Sick Jams For Sick Kids, and here's a rundown of everything that went on!

First off, the crowd was small. (Sadly, I wish more shows had big crowds.) And with many people staying on the balcony to drink, the floor population seemed even smaller than it could have been for most of the night. DJ Ryeman and Kevyn Kross from Energy Rock Radio were great MCs, getting us pumped for the bands and all. They even threw out free t-shirts and pictures to the crowd! I dunno how the webcast of the concert turned out, but hopefully it looked good!

The first band was Aftersight, and not knowing who they were going in, I wasn't sure what to expect. Well, they were good! They had a modern rock/post-grunge sound, with a nice mix of originals and covers of bands like Godsmack and Alice in Chains! If I had to compare them to any other active locals, I'd compare them to Stillbroke and Fingerbone, though they're different enough to stand out!

The band informed us that this was their first show in like, 4 years, and they also gave copies of their CD to two fans! After some internet searching, I found out that Aftersight frontman Ed Vowels was also the singer/guitarist for Route 69, if you guys remember them at all! I'm suprised I never heard of these guys before, but they are definitely a band to keep an eye on from here on out!


Following them was Sense of Truth, making their return to the live scene, as well as their first show with new bassist Curtis Beauchamp! From when I last saw them, they honestly sound a bit heavier! They put on another good show, with some new originals, and the banter between the band onstage was amusing as well! Also, kudos to the band for raising $8 for Sick Kids, I dunno if they "won the night" or not, but they did have a good set!

There was a lineup change after this, as Garden of Bedlam and Scary Uncles were both bumped up an hour, and Fury were changed to start at 10:00. They were the other band I didn't know much about, and no, they aren't metal. But honestly, I was surprised by them. I'll describe Fury like this: A band featuring two bassists, one drummer, and no guitarists, who play rap influenced punk rock. It honestly wasn't that bad, and they got some more people on the floor, and the first attempt at a pit! However, the best was yet to come!

BUT FIRST, draws were held for some original paintings, Love Ink tattoo gift certificates, and a t-shirt! Also, they announced they'd raised like, $480 for Sick Kids Hospital, which is awesome, it's a fantastic cause, and it's always great to help contribute to something good like this!


Next was your headliners, the one and only, Garden of Bedlam! And they were INCREDIBLE! I missed seeing Buzz's megaphone, but his voice was in top form, compared to their last show at The Grand! Along with some awesome familiar covers, they also shown off some new originals that sounded great! The crowd finally started coming around for these guys, and it was well deserved! (Also, thanks Buzz for the shoutout on stage, that's a first for me!) Garden of Bedlam kicked ass, I was headbanging and singing along, and I can't wait for their next show, and their EP!

I couldn't stay for Scary Uncles, but if the last time I saw them is any indication, they probably tore the house down as well! The concert was great, and all the involved bands rule for playing and setting up for free and supporting the Sick Kids Hospital! Hope to see all of last night's bands live again in the near future!

FYI, I don't have photos. I wish I could, but my cell phone camera fucked up, and my digital camera's battery life is useless. I believe I'm getting a new digital camera for Christmas, and I hope to use it at the next local show after Christmas! The photos seen on this post are from the Facebook event page for the concert, which you can check out at this location! If you have photos, videos, or comments about the concert, feel free to tell us!