LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Lion Ride), Plus Lots Of Assorted News Items!

I'm back from Manitoulin Island, and I've got a bunch of stuff to report for you guys now that I'm back! And what better way to kick things off than with a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT?!

Sault natives Lion Ride have officially announced via their official MySpace page that they will be among the performers at this year's eleventh installment of The Northern Ontario Hempfest! According to their MySpace, they will take the stage on August 29th at 8:00 PM! However, the official performers lineup has yet to be announced on Hempfest's official website, so I'll be on the lookout for official announcements there, and if I hear of anything interesting, I'll let everyone know!

Remember, this will be the last Hempfest, due to increasing costs and stricter R.I.D.E. program enforcement, so if you wanna rock out with some good music and support marijuana use and legalization, this is your last chance! If you want tickets, they will be $40 in advance for all four days of the event! If you're showing up at the gate, tickets are $50 for four days, $40 for three, and $30 for two. It is obviously 19+, and for tickets, call 1-888-215-8970, or go to Planetary Pride's official website! Stay tuned to Hempfest's official website as well for full festival details and updates!

While we're on the topic of Lion Ride, they will also return to London, Ontario on September 15th for a show at Call The Office with Ohio punk band The Luxury Pushers and Kitchener rock and roll band The Saigon Hookers! Here's hoping this show, and Hempfest, will both go well for Lion Ride, cause they're definitely talented and deserve the exposure they're getting!

Next up, some updates from Woods of Ypres! The photo to your right is from their latest photo shoot, featuring the band's current lineup, including frontman David Gold, Gates of Winter's own Bryan Belleau on guitar, drummer Evan Madden, and new bassist Shane Madden! Looks good so far, I wonder how everything will sound on the new album? We'll have to wait for that, but in the meantime, there's new Woods of Ypres shirts for sale! On the front, they have the band's logo, and on the back, it also says "FUCK THE SUN!!" Now I gotta say, I agree with that statement entirely!

These shirts are available in all sizes from S to 2XL, in black or "daisy yellow", and there's a limited number available, so buy NOW!! If you want a Woods of Ypres "FUCK THE SUN!!" t-shirt, send a PayPal order to woodsofypres@hotmail.com, or by snail mail to:

David Gold / FTS
44 Poplar Ave
Sault Ste. Marie, ON
P6B 2W7 CANADA

Remember to specify desired size and color in your order! I'm thinking about getting a black shirt, but we'll have to see!

Now, I've got some updates from local hard rock veterans, Sykotyk Rampage! They have now completed two weeks of recording for their upcoming twenty-second album, now titled "Album 22"! This record will feature 16 brand new songs, as well as 6 new recordings of fan favourite tracks! Guitarist Dirk Becker was kind enough to send me one of the songs from the album, entitled "Lit'le Crocochild"! It sounds like classic Syktoyk Rampage, with a rock-a-billy flair to it! I won't give lots of thoughts to it...yet, I'll wait for the album's release, when I'll give it a proper review! To check out Sykotyk Rampage's older material, and find out more about the band, head to their official SoundClick page!

Alright, here's something you guys may find interesting! Michigan author R.A. Reikki has published a novel entitled "U.P." about four disenfranchised young metalheads in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Sault Ste. Marie is mentioned often in the novel! R.A. e-mailed me about the book, and told me some details about it and the reception it's gotten so far, including the recommendation of Foreigner & ex-Dio bassist Jeff Pilson! It's apparently the top selling fiction novel on Ghost Road Press' official website, and you can buy your own copy for $20 at this location, or on Amazon! This sounds like a very good read, and I'll definitely consider picking up a copy! But if you guys are readers and wanna check out a book with a local metal twist, this might be a good pickup! For more information on R.A. Reikki, visit this location!

And finally, the official Facebook page for local hard rock band Fingerbone (now known as Half Past) has been deleted from Facebook. Not a big loss, especially with a new identity and page, but in case you were wondering, that's why it's not there anymore! That's all I have for today, keep watch for more local metal news and updates as they roll in.

Oh, and one more thing. Gates of Winter's debut EP. Review. TOMORROW!