Hey guys, my exams are finally over, so if you've noticed any posting delays in the last few weeks, those SHOULD be in the past now! Today's update will mostly revolve around previews of this weekend's local metal and hard rock concerts, though at the end, I have a couple of other assorted news updates! Let's get started with your local concert previews!
We'll start in Sault Michigan, or should I say, the area surrounding it. Take a drive out to Barbeau, Michigan tomorrow night and head to The Cozy Corners Tavern Bar & Grill (you may recognize this venue for previously hosting Nixxon Dixxon sets) to check out Riot! By Night! Yes, the local hard rockers continue their string of local tour dates that are just outside of town tomorrow at 9:00 PM! No cover charge is listed, there actually isn't much to speak of about this show, but it is definitely going on! Get more info on Riot! By Night at this location! Should be a good set, I wish I could show you guys how the band sound, but if you want a bit of a partial preview, check out some acoustic solo performances by frontman Ryan Harrison at his YouTube channel!
Meanwhile, Kewadin Casino welcomes local hard rockers Monkey's Uncle (formerly Jager and Bad Monkey) this weekend for two shows at The Rapids Lounge! Now as you'll remember from my 100% Sault Michigan post last week, these shows were only announced on Kewadin Casino's entertainment page, and I only found out about it last week from searching for news on the July festival. For whatever reason, Monkey's Uncle haven't listed scheduled shows on their MySpace page since they were still known as Jager, and honestly, the entertainment page on Kewadin Casino wasn't previously a site I tended to look at often, so I missed reporting on at least a handful of Monkey's Uncle shows at Kewadin, and possibly elsewhere. So, to put it simply, though the band haven't confirmed the shows, Kewadin has, so there's your proof! Both shows (tomorrow night and Saturday night) have no cover charge, and a start time of around 9:00 PM (as cited on Kewadin's calendar page.) Though I really wish the band would update their MySpace to reflect future concert dates, it is nice seeing them playing this weekend, they've always impressed me! Click here for more info on the band! Sadly, they've pulled down their old video clips from MySpace, so I can't show you any of them for preview purposes, but their MySpace has audio recordings!
Now onto the five hard rock/metal shows in Sault Ontario this weekend, and curiously, there's none downtown, despite the amount! We'll begin at The Roosevelt Hotel, when local metal cover band Caveman Morrison return to the popular bar on Korah Road tomorrow night and Saturday night! There is no announced cover charge, things should start at around 10:00 PM. So if you want some heavy metal madness, head on out to The Rosie this weekend! It's been a few weeks since their last shows, so if you've been missing Caveman Morrison, now's the weekend to head on out to see them! As always, expect a great night of your favourite metal and hard rock covers, I recommend going! To get full details and to confirm your attendance, click here! Of course, get more info on the band themselves at their official website! For a preview, here's a clip of Caveman Morrison covering Metallica's "For Whom The Bell Tolls" from a January show at Foggy Notions!
Same nights, different spot now, as we come to the newly opened Vibe Lounge on Goulais Avenue, where they welcome Turner Up for their first non-private concert sets at the new venue! With two nights full of rock covers in store, and the heaviest stuff waiting in set 3, there'll be something for everyone this weekend! And of course, this could be your first glimpse at The Vibe Lounge, from the same crew that brought you Nite-Life Dance Club! Both shows start at 10:30 PM, there is no announced cover charge, get full details and confirm your attendance at this location! And as always, learn and find out more on Turner Up themselves at their official Facebook group! Though it's always fun to see Turner Up live for the music, going to the newly opened Vibe Lounge must be attractive in ways also! But of coue, music is the main attraction, and here's a preview of it: Turner Up covering Def Leppard's "Hysteria" from a show at The Canadian Nightclub!
...speaking of The Canadian Nightclub, we come to the final metal show of the weekend, and likely the biggest! If you're craving to hear some Motley Crue hits in advance of Vince Neil's set here at the Kewadin Casino festival in July, this is your best bet! Crued: The World's #1 Motley Crue Tribute Band will be in Sault Ontario on Saturday night for a big time concert! The Toronto based band will bring an authentic Motley Crue-style sound and look to The Canadian this Saturday, featuring "Saints of Los Angeles" era costumes and extremely good versions of Motley Crue's biggest hits! And it's not just a concert either, Crued are bringing along Alleykatz Studio to do piercings and tattoos at the concert! How about that? There will also be a contest for the craziest mullet, so do your hair for the occasion! Tickets are $5 in advance at The Canadian, or $8 at the door, it's 19+, and it all starts at 10:00 PM on Saturday! This should be an awesome concert, if I was in town, I'd very likely go check it out! Hopefully there's a huge turnout! There are two event pages for this concert: One made by the band, and one made by The Canadian, click on those links to get full concert details! And of course, get more details on Crued themselves at their MySpace page!
Great Motley Crue sound that these guys are possessed with, here's some video proof from a 2008 show in Toronto!
Closing today's post is more information on that Derelict/Beyond Within/Thekillingfield show that will be taking place on May 6th! There is FINALLY a Facebook event page online for it, so I can now share extra details for this concert! For one, there will be local openers, and they're the best fit possible: Bring The Fallen, in their first show since Algoma Hope4Haiti! Wall to wall death metal is ensured now, so this will be bound to tear some faces off! Also, ticket prices have been announced, and they will be $6 in advance (tickets are not on sale yet) and $8 at the door! Not a bad price for this much metal! A 10:00 start time is listed on Facebook, but if things start earlier, I wouldn't be surprised, seeing as there will be four bands playing. More details as they come in, get ready to mosh!
I know I promised Lion Ride news today, but it would get buried amongst all today's updates, so I promise it will be in my next update, which will come this weekend at some point! Now I'm going out of town for a family vacation tomorrow, but I will have computer access, and I will update the SMS whenever possible! I will miss the Crued, Derelict, SBD, Blind Baby, and Destroilet shows though, sadly, so PLEASE hit one or all of those shows, make them all major successes! More news coming soon, stay tuned for more!
Well guys, here's another packed post for today on the SMS! Some potentially troublesome news, along with some more optimistic stuff, but first, here's a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!! SBD, the new experimental hard rock project from No Arrow's Dann Pichette and Brad Griffith, are playing live for the first time ever next weekend! Also featuring former Chintzy Slicks drummer Shane Triplett, they'll be headlining at Foggy Notions on May 7th along with openers The Fury, and if you know The Fury well, you'll know they have an unconventional sound themselves! This should be one of the more unique shows of 2010 so far, don't go expecting No Arrow 2.0, this is a different animal! Admission is $3, a start time of 10:00 PM is listed. SBD are saying that this is a "rare public performance", but who knows what the future will hold! They're also hyping "CD giveaways", "drunken debauchery", and "sonic experimentation" on the Facebook event page, and who doesn't love all that? Should be an interesting show, if nothing else, and it will sure be nice to see Dann on stage again, I miss No Arrow, but SBD have promise! I'll keep you posted if I hear more!
Now onto a story that, depending on your interpretation, could be very devastating, and though nothing is right out "said", it sure doesn't sound very positive. Woods of Ypres frontman David Gold has posted a new video onto his YouTube channel, and here's what it details. David is shutting down Krankenhaus Records (his independent label) and it's mail-order distribution portion at the end of August, and as a result, David is selling off remaining Woods of Ypres merchandise and albums, including all back copies of the band's four studio albums, including, and I quote, "our latest and last album, Woods IV: The Green Album." The albums are, until the end of August, available in a special package deal for just $40 with shipping included. Only about 100 copies of each album are left in stock with the band, with no re-pressing of the albums anticipated for the future. Woods of Ypres merchandise is also still on sale, and David says in the video that if you've always wanted a Woods t-shirt, this is your last chance. He also mentions that he will make one last trip to Canada Post to mail the last orders at the end of August "before I go". After thanking fans worldwide for support, it concludes with "Everything I Touch Turns To Gold (Then To Coal)" from "Woods IV". Check it out below.
Lists of currently available merchandise can be found at this location. So if you want to get Woods of Ypres CDs or merchandise before this apparent deadline, e-mail your orders with PayPal to woodsofypres@hotmail.com, or send a mail order to:
David Gold 44 Poplar Ave. Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6B 2W7 Canada
Now upon watching this video, though an act of finality isn't explicitly stated, David's statements in the video sure don't scream of a "positive future for the band", so to speak. It sounds like, to a casual listener, that the band are breaking up or ending. I don't know about that though. For one thing, I assumed Krankenhaus was already an inactive entity, as "Woods IV" was released under the label name Practical Art Records. And if the band was ending, then it must have been decided in the last two weeks, because when looking at the band's updates on Facebook, David was talking about writing new riffs for "Woods V" as recently as April 11th. Also, if there is a breakup imminent, it's not happening this month or next, as the band have a Western Canada tour scheduled in June, with no signs on that tour's press materials that the band has a shaky future. Plus, they were, at least early this month, planning possible tours for Eastern Canada and the United States. A lot of fans, and rightfully so, are openly disappointed at what this video could mean. Here's what I'm interpreting out of it: After August comes a new chapter for David Gold's musical career. From what I've seen, an absolute finite end to Woods of Ypres seems too abrupt and out of left field. I think he's taking the band in a new direction, far away from what we've experienced from 2002-2010. That being said, the video doesn't suggest a positive band future either, David looks disappointed throughout and there's a lot of talk of "last" and "final" and so on. I just hope David stays in music in some fashion, cause he's a gifted musician and songwriter, and I've enjoyed all of his projects on differing levels! I'll keep you guys posted as I hear more, keep your fingers crossed that an absolute end isn't drawing near.
Now let's move from the less encouraging to a story that definitely seems more encouraging! It of course details the health of Poison frontman Bret Michaels, and if you're still holding out hope that he'll be rocking Kewadin Casino with Vince Neil in July, this should be music to your ears! According to his representatives in a posting on Bret's MySpace page, tour dates of his will only be postponed or rescheduled up to May 21st at this time, and plans are being made to resume his touring schedule on May 26th in Arkansas, assuming treatment for his brain hemorrhage goes according to schedule with no further complications. So basically, as long as things continue to improve, Bret's staffers think he should be here in July! Honestly, if I was working for Bret, I wouldn't be planning and scheduling shows so quickly, I'd wanna wait and see how he felt and when he could perform to the best of his ability. We'll have to see though.
So with that in mind, you'd have to assume that his condition is already improving, and you would be correct on that front! Bret's been upgraded to stable condition at what has now been confirmed as a neurology center in Arizona, though the absolute specific location hasn't been announced. The cause of his hemorrhage still has not been determined, and he apparently was suffering from seizures the other day due to sodium deficiency. However, he is conscious and in good spirits, so that's a good sign! Reports I've read have mentioned that the hemorrhage he suffered could have been fatal, so he's extremely lucky already! I'll keep you posted as I hear more on Bret's condition and the Kewadin Casino 25th Anniversary Summer Festival! Get well soon Bret! Also, just in case you follow it, he is still on The Celebrity Apprentice, which was pre-taped save for the finale. Check sources for my findings, and new news articles, below:
That will about cover it for today, tomorrow will feature previews of this weekend's local concerts, and some assorted news from Lion Ride and Bring The Fallen, and hopefully more! Stay tuned!
Greetings everyone! Got some assorted news to share this afternoon, including a new local band, a prominent local musician's one night return, updates on the health of Bret Michaels, and a little surprise in honour of the SMS hitting 500 fans on Facebook! But first, here's a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!!!
Turner Up will be the first local hard rock/metal band to play at the newly opened Vibe Lounge on Goulais Avenue when they take the stage there for two nights this weekend! Look out for them on Friday and Saturday at 10:30 PM both nights! I again apologize for this being short notice, but look at it like this: At least it was announced with a few days notice! There is no announced cover charge either, and seeing as this is a bar, expect a 19+ limit. Checking out Turner Up this weekend could have a double purpose: Entertaining live music AND to get a glimpse of this new local venue from the gang who brought you Nite-Life Dance Club! Check out more from Turner Up at this location, and confirm your attendance for one/both of these shows by clicking here! Also, nice work on the poster!
Next up, I have lots more updates on the health of Bret Michaels, which as we know, could affect his headlining spot on night one of the Kewadin Casino 25th Anniversary Summer Festival. The most recent update I've heard on his current state is that he's still in critical condition in the ICU of an undisclosed Arizona hospital. He's heavily sedated under 24 hour doctor's care and supervision, and doctors still haven't located the exact location of the bleeding in his brain that caused the hemorrhage. The most recent update to his website said that he currently has "slurred speech, blurred vision and dizziness." According to a source close to him, the headache that led him to call 911 felt like like getting "hit in the head with a baseball bat over and over again."
So how does the prognosis look for Bret Michaels? Well, we won't definitively know until his doctors say something, but some sources have their own theories. Some are theorizing that what happened to Bret could be emerging complications from his accident at last June's Tony Awards, when stage props dropped on his head. However, doctors have said that this could be a diabetes related issue, and seeing as it's almost a year since his Tonys accident, it seems unlikely to me. Other news reports have said that what happened to Bret has essentially become a stroke. According to a report on ABC's "Good Morning America", what happened to Bret has a 75% survival rate after one week, so if he makes it through that, we'll hopefully be in the clear. A troubling news article I found (link here) has some less than encouraging theories, with appropriate medical backup, about what may be in store for Bret health-wise. But I don't want you guys to even THINK about a negative possibility in this. I'm pulling for Bret, I never want to see anything like this happen to anyone, and hopefully he will get better! It's honestly not looking like he'll be here in July, but as long as he pulls through this, I wouldn't care about that. Hopefully you guys feel similarly. I'll keep you posted with updates on his condition, and expect a doctor's statement at some point this week too (Source here), and check the links below for more sources for the above information.
Alright, now here's an intriguing little tidbit of news! Now I don't usually discuss acoustic shows from local hard rock/metal musicians because, with the exception of Tym Morrison, they tend to be lighter non-metal stuff, and usually more of an informal performance compared to what we're used to. That being said, the show I'm about to discuss is like that, but with an intriguing twist. Jason Taillefer, Sault native and frontman of the St. Catharines metal band Phatstick, will be in town TOMORROW for an acoustic set at Foggy Notions! Also known from his work in Human Disorder, and from assorted local bands like Alyster and Scrooge, this has got to be Jason's first local set (Phatstick or solo) in at least a couple of years! Now his acoustic solo material (which is sometimes marketed under the name "Jason Taylor") is definitely a far cry from his heavier Phatstick/Human Disorder back catalog, but it's still very well performed! Nice voice and a very good guitarist to boot! Sure, it's not a Phatstick return, but it's the next best thing until we see them again! Maybe not metal, but I figure there's some people out there who wanna see Jason live in the Sault after so long! Get more details at this location, the above links will bring you to Jason's MySpace and his assorted bands!
Next up, we have a new local band! I don't know a ton about them, but thanks to band member Jason Ladouceur, I can show you how they sound! It looks like this band is named WinkStinger, and they play a fast pace hardcore kind-of style! Not bad on first listen, it has that raw underground intensity going for it! It seems tailor made for a mosh-filled Oddfellows Hall kind of show! The song has audible bass, but according to Jason, they are looking for a bassist, and the need for one is the only thing keeping them from gigging. I like what I hear so far, I'd love to see them live, but they need a bassist first. So if you, or someone you know, would like to try out as bassist for WinkStinger, contact Jason through Facebook! If you need extra proof as to how they sound, here's a video featuring a demo of their song "From Bullshit to Buzz (Lies=Weed)", thanks to YouTube user (and likely band member) joeyvelcro for the upload!
And finally, I'm proud to announce that The Sault Metal Scene's Facebook page gained it's 500th fan yesterday! And yes, I know that you now "like" fan pages, not "become a fan", but I like the old method better. You guys are awesome, thank you all so very much for following us on Facebook! I appreciate every fan, every visit, and every moment you guys take to visit anything SMS-related, you guys are the reason I've kept this going for so long! Hard to believe that it took just 9 months and 3 weeks for the SMS Facebook page to hit 500 fans! In honour of this milestone, I'm rewarding you guys with this: An actual SMS domain name! saultmetalscene.blogspot.com still works, it always will, but I thought that a domain name would help to shorten typing time and make it look a touch more official! If you wanna use it, here's our new secondary domain name! Thanks again everyone, more news to come!
Short update for Saturday, I don't have a ton of news, but this is stuff I can't be any later on. Let's start with a VERY SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!!
This has to be a record for shortest amount of time between when the band announced the show online and when it will actually occur. Local hard rock cover band Turner Up will be playing at The Rockstar Bar TONIGHT!!! In about 7 hours, to be exact, they'll take the stage at 9:00 PM tonight! No cover charge is announced. I apologize for the obviously short notice nature of this show, though I have to ask myself, why don't Turner Up plug these shows further in advance? I can't recall the last time they've played a concert with more than two weeks notice! Well, in any event, if you want a concert to hit tonight in Sault Ontario, Turner Up have you covered! Confirm your attendance at the official Facebook event page! And for a preview, here's Turner Up's live cover of the Wild Cherry classic "Play That Funky Music"! And remember, the heavier stuff is in the last set of the night!
And now to a big story in the metal world that could impact a major upcoming concert: Poison frontman Bret Michaels is currently in the hospital in critical condition after suffering a brain hemorrhage. Just two weeks removed from an emergency appendectomy, Bret had been suffering from a major headache on Thursday, but was rushed to hopsital yesterday. Doctors discovered bleeding around his brain stem (a massive subarachnoid hemorrhage in medical terms), during scans and tests. He's apparently alert, talking, and in good spirits, so things do appear to be looking up from yesterday. According to the most recent news I've found, doctors believe the hemorrhage and the appendix issues are complications from his diabetes (type 1, not 2.) That's about all I know so far, check the links below for my sources:(EDIT 8:57 PM Sunday)
Now this definitely affects us locally, as Bret Michaels is currently scheduled to headline the first night of the Kewadin Casino 25th Anniversary Summer Festival with Vince Neil on July 22nd. From what I've seen, it's way too early to even guess if Bret will be here as scheduled, what with three months to go before it happens, but honestly, that should be a secondary concern compared to his health. Brain hemorrhages are a serious deal, and I wouldn't wish anyone to have one. If anything happens, positive or negative, I'll let you guys know! For now, keep Bret in your thoughts, cross your fingers that he'll be alright, and hopefully he'll be here once again to rock the Sault in July!
There, the two big stories are out of the way! Normally I'd wait to throw three more stories in, but considering one was badly short notice, and the other is a major story with possible local repercussions, I had to say something sooner than later! I'll keep you guys posted with much more soon!
Hey everyone, hope you're enjoying your Friday so far! So for today's post, there's previews of this weekend's four metal concerts in Sault Michigan, new uploads of two more local hard rock albums (one out of print, one never printed), the local presence in a notable Ontario band, and three tinier news stories. But let's begin with your local concert previews for this weekend!
Thanks once again for Ernest Beaumont AND the Facebook page for The Dondee for helping to confirm this: Sault Michigan hard rockers Nixxon Dixxon will be playing at Dondee Lanes TONIGHT AND TOMORROW NIGHT! Ignore the lack of these shows being listed on the band's MySpace page, they are definitely there this weekend for a pair of awesome shows! No cover charge is announced, you likely must be 21, and both concerts start at around 8:00 PM. That's about all I know, but most Nixxon Dixxon concerts follow the same template, so don't expect too much different! Should be some fun shows, they're only getting bigger and better from here! Check out some more information and material from these guys at this location, and for a preview, here's a clip of the band covering the Alice In Chains classic "Man In The Box" from their Halloween show in St. Ignace last year!
The other concerts this weekend, take them with a bit of a grain of salt, but Kewadin Casino would not lie to me! Sault Michigan hard rockers Blind Baby will apparently be playing there at The Rapids Lounge this weekend! Same nights and general times as Nixxon Dixxon, no cover, 21+, all that. Note that the band has NOT confirmed these shows on band pages, these come straight from the entertainment page on Kewadin Casino's website, which is valid proof! Now I can't tell you a whole lot about Blind Baby, I do know that drummer Ivan Schliska also plays in the local hard rock band Scofflaw, and their images on their Facebook page do point to a band of a heavier nature, but that's about all I can reasonably determine. No audio or video to speak of yet, but I know they do play covers, if that's a help! But I'll give them this: Unlike certain Kewadin Casino performing bands like Rainbow and Gary's Driving, Blind Baby do have a page, even if it is limited, so I at least have something to go by! So head on out to The Rapids Lounge to check out Blind Baby if you want to, I'll keep you posted if I hear anything more on these guys!
Now here's some intriguing band member news that has a local connection, though it's not a local band. Do you remember the Windsor death metal band Constructed Apocalypse (formerly Emphasis on Khrysis)? Well, you may remember seeing them as recently as June 2009 at The Oddfellows Hall with Today I Caught The Plague, as well as from backing up Dead and Divine at the same venue under their old name! Well, the band have replaced former frontman Steve Giroux with.....Sault Ontario's own Jeremy Hannah! You'll no doubt recognize him as a frequent area concert promoter (including Constructed Apocalypse shows), but also from his singing work in local bands like Lorax and Armistice! Looks like the addition of Jeremy to Constructed Apocalypse is relatively recent, my best guess is March? Well, in any event, MySpace confirms Jeremy's involvement, click here for proof! Maybe they'll come back up here for a show if this pans out?
Now for three smaller news stories, in alphabetical order by band name:
The Canadian Nightclub have launched their own Facebook event page for next Saturday's Crued concert (that's the Motley Crue tribute band!) There, it confirms that the show will cost $5 in advance or $8 at the door, there's some special alcohol deals for the concert, and there will be a contest for the craziest hair/mullet! This show is expected to sell out, so get your ticket TODAY, and confirm your attendance at the link above!
A new band has announced their involvement for the Kewadin Casino 25th Anniversary Summer Festival! The band is Finding Clyde, an indie rock band from Essexville, Michigan, and their MySpace page specifically says they're playing with Three Doors Down on the Friday, July 23rd portion of the event. Not metal, but it's part of the festival, so it warrants mentioning here! As I hear more, you'll know from me!
In Lion Ride recording news, the band's Facebook page hyped that this week was the final week of pre-production for the album at Toronto's BWC Studios! They officially hit the studio on Tuesday to lay down four new tracks that will, quote, "punch you in the vagina", unquote. Gotta love a band with a sense of humour! Check the above links to keep up to date on the progress of Lion Ride's next disc!
And finally for today, I have uploaded two more local hard rock albums in their entirety to The Sault Metal Scene's YouTube channel! One is "Waiting For Lightning", the 2003 debut album from inactive hard rockers Aftersight! This was widely available back in the mid-2000s, but I haven't seen it for sale in quite some time, and the last time I even saw a physical copy was when they distributed copies at the Sick Jams for Sick Kids benefit at The Grand Theater in December 2008! Good album, radio-friendly hard rock, it deserves more local attention, so why not put it online? The other is "Souls For Sale", the still yet-to-be-released debut album from local grunge band No Arrow! Recorded from 2007-2009, a release date for it is not in the cards at all, mainly due to problems I won't publicize. The recording's finished, the artwork is made up, but the CD has never been officially released. Hopefully it will be in the future, but in the meantime, you can contact the band if you want the album for free in mp3 format! Contact them at their MySpace page if you're interested! I know they had a good reputation and fan base in their heyday, so hopefully there's interested people out there! And thanks to frontman Dann Pichette for both sending me the album and greenlighting me to upload it to YouTube as well! Gotta get this stuff out there, it needs to be heard!
NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS INTENDED IN EITHER OF THESE ALBUM UPLOADS!!! Neither album is for sale or in stock at a local store (except for a possible used Aftersight CD at The Rad Zone), and I want these songs to get the exposure they deserve, so fans can check them out and enjoy this music! I share no ill will or bad intentions by uploading these! So if you want to check out Aftersight and/or No Arrow's albums, head to The Sault Metal Scene's YouTube channel! I'll link you to the first song on both, so here's "Wide Open Sky" by Aftersight and "Genocyde Revealing Pt. 1" by No Arrow! Remember, YouTube has the remainder of both albums! (And yes, I WILL REVIEW THESE IN THE COMING MONTHS ON THE SMS!)
That's all for now, stay tuned for more news, updates, previews, reviews, and anything else local and metal related, right here at The Sault Metal Scene! Keep it metal!
And the clearing out of my backlogged news desk continues! Firstly, I wanna re-mention something before I get too into new stories: It was sort of buried in my last post, but Nixxon Dixxon ARE playing at Dondee Lanes THIS WEEKEND! It's not plugged on their MySpace page, but band contacts confirmed that they'll be there (thanks to Ernest Beaumont for the info!) 8:00 PM start time on Friday and Saturday, 21+, no announced cover, hopefully each show is a success! More news is on the way today, so here we go!
Hey music fans, you have a new bar to check out for future concerts! It is The Vibe Lounge, and it's not where you'd expect. It's actually located at 232 Goulais Avenue, which was the old location of the Polish-Canadian Hall! This isn't anywhere near downtown, unlike most local bars/concert spots, it's near to Bayview Park and The Hard Times Bar & Grill, if you're looking for an idea of it's locale. I notice that some of the staff at Nite-Life Dance Club have been posting and updating on The Vibe Lounge's Facebook page, so it looks like everything's well handled! Compared to Nite-Life though, The Vibe Lounge seems to have things in common with The Bottom's Up Lounge in tone and atmosphere too, with martinis prominently advertised. Coffee and more casual alcohol are available too! Pictures of The Vibe Lounge that have popped up online so far don't show much of the venue as a whole yet, but it looks nice from what I can see! And as for concerts, the first takes place on Friday when local rockers Stiffler's Mom play at The Vibe Lounge's grand opening party in a special invite-only event! No word on metal shows there yet, but when there is, I'll let you know! But The Vibe Lounge is fully open now, so if you're in the Goulais Avenue/Second Line area, stop by for a drink! To become a fan on Facebook, click here!
Next up, have you noticed that since their inception last year, we have never found online samples of the sound of local hard rockers Riot! By Night? Well, we still don't, but the next best thing is on YouTube! Frontman Ryan Harrison has a YouTube channel featuring five acoustic solo covers! The videos feature his singing and guitar renditions of songs by Evans Blue, Butch Walker, Coheed & Cambria, Matchbox Twenty, and Sister Hazel, and on listening, he's not bad at all! Solid singer, and his guitar skills are good too, though you know me, I'd love to hear some heavier stuff too! Check out Ryan's videos at this location, and if anything else video/audio wise pops up from him or Riot! By Night online, I'll let you know! Remember, you can next see them live in Barbeau next weekend! For now though, here's his acoustic rendition of the Evans Blue song "Over"!
Now here's something that has a "rock" connection of sorts, though it's definitely more offbeat, and I figure this could get mentioned! On Saturday, there will be a city-wide charity car wash involving local high schools! Now why does this get a Sault Metal Scene mention? Well, Sir James Dunn Collegiate & Vocational School are taking part, and will be theming theirs around rock n' roll! It takes place, I believe, in the SJD parking lot from 10:00 AM-4:00 PM, and the car washers will all be decked out in their best hard rock gear! They were hoping for stuff like bandanas, wrist bands, black t-shirts, jeans, that kind of stuff! All proceeds from this car wash will go towards Teen Challenge North, a drug & alcohol rehab program for local teens to help them get their lives in order! There will be trophies for the overall best car wash, highest student participation, most money raised, most cars washed, and best school spirit, and best theme. Hey, as a hard rock/metal fan, I'd give the latter award to the Dunn! If I can give one piece of advice, it's this: Play Rock 101 or some metal/hard rock CDs on a sound system outside, it'd add to the environment! So if your car needs a wash on Saturday, get the most rocking car wash of all at the Dunn and support local charities! Get more info at this location!
Three more shorter news stories for today, let's go through them in alphabetical order by band name:
A new bulletin post from Sault Michigan metal band Analog Deficiency is hyping the fact that they're looking for a new singer! They're looking for someone who can sing AND scream, so take that into account. If you're interested, or know someone who is, message the band at their official MySpace page! There's also some audio demo clips there, so if you want an indication of their sound before submitting interest for singing, check them out!
Sault Ontario hard rockers Half Past are asking fans when would be the best time for them to book a possible headlining show! Basically, when would the best time be for you to see them live? Post your ideas at the topic about this at their official Facebook page! Also, the band are working on a fourth original song and have added a handful of new covers to their setlist!
Local hardcore rockers Out Of The Mouth Of Babes have uploaded a new version of their first original, "Take A Walk With Me", to their MySpace page! The new version features current singer Matt Maccarone in place of their original singer Josh McNally, but otherwise doesn't have much different. Pretty good, it's nice hearing Matt in heavier stuff! Check it out at the links above, and if I can 100% confirm a new OOTMOB show, I'll let you all know!
I think this is mostly it for news I've had backlogged since my tough exam/test stretch! In my next update, I have information relating to a long awaited local album, and how you can get it, kind of! Likely previews of this weekend's Blind Baby and Nixxon Dixxon shows too, so stay tuned for all that!
And now, we finally get to more of the assorted news I've missed over the past couple of days! And there's more after this too, I'm still behind! Today, we have a pile of stuff from across the river, as Sault Michigan is the total focus of today's post! This includes new Facebook pages for a local music store AND a local venue, all relating to Sault Michigan, and a newly discovered local band! But kicking things off is both LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS and an apology.
Sault Michigan hard rockers Monkey's Uncle will be playing at The Rapids Lounge at Kewadin Casino on April 30th and May 1st! They were also there over the April 9th weekend, and possibly other times before then, but I never knew about the shows. Why? Because the band doesn't update their concert listings on their MySpace page, they haven't since they were still known as Jager. It took a Facebook mention and a check to Kewadin Casino's website to even find that out. Now I could easily blame the band for not keeping us updated, but I'll take the fall for this one, because I admittedly don't check Kewadin Casino's website as much as I should. In fact, there's some local bands advertised for playing at The Rapids Lounge that I can't find anything on in the first place, like Gary's Driving, Rainbow, and Crossroads. Anyone know anything on them either? Well, in any event, Monkey's Uncle will be there on Friday April 30th and Saturday May 1st, there's no cover charge, and it all begins at 9:00 PM! And I'm really sorry for missing out on Monkey's Uncle news, I will try really hard to keep up on shows of theirs on Kewadin's website! Though it would be nice if the band updated us on MySpace too. Even still, check out more from them and some original songs at this location!
Now when I was looking at Kewadin Casino's Entertainment page (note to self: LOOK AT IT MORE OFTEN!), I noticed a band scheduled to play two weekend dates there soon. The name was given as "Blind Baby". It took a bit of searching, but I can confirm that they are a hard rock band from Sault Michigan, so there's some exciting news! I can confirm three members of the band: Singer Tadd "Booze" Gravelle, guitarist Darian Causley, and drummer Ivan Schliska (you may recognize him from Scofflaw), with "Bill" on guitar and "Crib Bisque" on bass as well! I am about 90% sure they're a hard rock band, but I can't find video or audio of them online. However, they do have a Facebook fan page, so click here to become a fan! That being said, Kewadin Casino lists Blind Baby as playing at The Rapids Lounge THIS WEEKEND and then on May 7th and 8th! Same deal as the Monkey's Uncle shows, no cover, it all starts at 9:00 PM. They look promising enough, especially with Darian possessing a Zakk Wylde Gibson Les Paul, but like with some local bands, I can't judge until I hear them or know more. I'll keep you posted if I do, and Blind Baby are now in the local metal band links on your right!
Oh yeah, there's more! Nixxon Dixxon have scheduled an additional TEN shows this year, all at The Bird! Nice to see them back there! If you're looking for some exciting local metal and hard rock from one of the best young bands around, head to The Bird on the following weekends: May 14-15, June 25-26, July 2-3, August 6-7, and August 20-21! Awesome to see so much on the horizon, hopefully each and every show is a success! There's no announced cover charge for any of these shows, it is 21+ (bar, remember?), and each one has a listed start time of 10:00 PM. For more information, visit their official MySpace page! That June 25th weekend might be something I can hit, cause I'll be 21 then, but that'd depend on me figuring out ways to get there and back. The joys of being Canadian! I'll keep you posted, and remember, they'll be at Kewadin Casino at points this summer too!
Keeping with the Sault Michigan theme for this update, local music store Grooves Music have launched an official Facebook page! Lots of interesting stuff to say there, and let's go over some of it! First, some of the music instructors there just happen to be from local metal bands, including Nixxon Dixxon's own Kyle Beaumont & Jake LaLonde, and Slackjawed Rats frontman/solo guitarist Mike Libertoski! Also, prominent local drummer Glen Thomas used to teach there too! (The proof's in the ad.) They also uploaded some TV commercials for Grooves Music that have aired on local television, which is really cool! This is also where I found out about the new Monkey's Uncle activity that I hadn't previously discovered, so kudos to Gary Hatch at Grooves Music for alerting me! Also, there's plenty of news relating to music lesson programs, if you're interested in that. Nice to see Grooves Music extending their reach to Facebook, I'll have to stop by there one of these days and see what local albums they have in stock (Hopefully "Bad Side II" for an SMS review!)
And finally for this Sault Michigan-infused SMS post, a local concert venue has also made it's way to Facebook! Dondee Lanes have a Facebook page now too! The bowling alley/concert spot has played host to bands like Nixxon Dixxon, Riot! By Night, and Monkey's Uncle in the past, and apparently stay very active with updates on scheduled bands and drink/meal specials there, though I curiously see little mention of bowling. Oh well, at least this gets regular updates, unlike their website. The most recent update mentions that Nixxon Dixxon are scheduled to play there this weekend, despite no mention of it on their MySpace. HOWEVER, I have recieved confirmation from band contacts that they WILL be playing at The Dondee this weekend, so consider that an extra LOCAL CONCERT ALERT! Two shows Friday and Saturday, both starting at 8:000 PM, no cover! Thanks to Ernest Beaumont for the info! Also, The Dondee's Facebook page has tons of photos, though mostly of people and partying, with the only band featured during a performance in any photo being A Touch of Class, who are good, but not metal. Become a fan of The Dondee by clicking here!
Believe me when I say this: There's much much more coming. I'm at best half done my cache of news from today's post, so expect something tomorrow afternoon with more, including the stuff I alluded to in my post yesterday. Never in my wildest dreams did I expect so much from Sault Michigan, I couldn't fit it all in without some stories getting lost! Stay tuned for more!
(P.S. Remember, when it comes to Sault Michigan bands, concerts, and events, I admittedly aren't as knowledged as I am for the Canadian side of things. I do miss the occasional show or fail to mention things on time in a few notable cases, be it for the band/venue's lack of advertising, my own personal neglect, or both. I have gotten better at staying in tune with the Michigan side of the metal scene, but I do make mistakes. I welcome any help, news alerts, suggestions, ideas, or reminders that you may have! PLEASE let me know if you have something relating to Sault Michigan that I should know, post, or correct! I want the SMS to be as useful, correct, and concise as possible, and sometimes, my own research doesn't totally cut it. Thanks everyone!)
Man, homework SUCKS. My cache of local metal news is piling up, so I basically HAVE to update everyone today or people are gonna be wondering why this story or that info isn't getting plugged! Today's news will revolve around the topic of concerts: We have updates on two potential shows, a new band for one, and major updates on a certain local music festival, so here we go!
We have more info online concerning what to expect for this July's Kewadin Casino 25th Anniversary Summer Festival! Firstly, as you can see, they have an official event logo! Looks nice, though the colours scream "fall" more than summer. I'd have changed the brown to a red, but hey, they must have had their reasons! Also, a tentative schedule is now online for it at this location! Aside from the main headliners (Vince Neil, Bret Michaels, Three Doors Down, and Meat Loaf), specific bands have yet to be announced by Kewadin, so we'll have to wait and see! That being said, the schedule says that there will be "Entertainment" (I am 95% sure this means "Live Bands") at 12:00, 2:00, and 4:00 at 1 hour timeslots each day. If you noticed that there's one hour gaps between these sets, they're not dead air, DJ Chef will be on for an hour a piece at 1:00, 3:00, and 5:00 each day! Through more research on DJ Chef, I can tell you that he's a Food Network personality who has the unique ability to spin the turntables AND cook gourmet meals at the same time! Maybe not metal, but that takes obvious talent! Also, it should be noted that the headlining bands are listed as performing from 6:00-10:00 PM. I can't see a band being given four hours to themselves, so if you hear support bands added to that timeslot, don't be surprised!
As for the rest of the daily schedules, the "strolling magician" will be around to do magic tricks from 12:00-3:00, 4:00-7:00, and 8:00-10:00! The NASCAR simulator, Rock Band, birdie golf (I assume that's mini golf?), bumper cars, and mechanical bull will be active from 12:00-4:00, along with carnival food for sale! Registration for the daily eating contests is from 1:00-3:00 each day, I assume the contests themselves are in the same timeframe. Also from 1:00-3:00 are the autograph signings (Remember, Thursday has Playboy Bunnies, Friday has Detroit Lions players, and Saturday has The Fonz!) The bean bag toss tournament is from 1:00-7:00 daily, there's food and merchants throughout the day, and fireworks will conclude each night at 10:00 PM!
In terms of other new updates that I haven't mentioned yet, the festival itself will be held outside Kewadin Casino in the south parking lot & RV park, I believe in a similar location to where the Kiss concert was held. There are NO discounts or deals for tickets beyond the cheaper total rate for a three day pass. That being said, there are no children's rates, so they'll cost the same as adults. Doors (or should I say, gates) open at 11:00 AM daily for the festival, and all contests can be registered for at the registration table. Admission is general, but you'll need your own chair if you want to sit down on one. Coolers and outside beverages are prohibited, those 21+ will be marked at the beer tent, and tickets will be monitored at entry and exit. Kewadin's really pulling out all the stops, this should be one hell of a festival! You can guarantee that I'll keep you posted with updates on this festival, especially where newly announced bands are concerned, particularly of the metal variety! Stay tuned, and click here for complete details so far, and tickets go on sale on FRIDAY!
Next up, it appears that a new band has been announced for an upcoming death metal show! While I still haven't seen local press or a Facebook event page for it, Derelict and Thekillingfield are indeed coming to Foggy Notions on May 6th, and they will have company! The new band on the bill is Sudbury death metal quartet Beyond Within, who should be quite familiar to you local metalheads! Beyond Within have played here numerous times, mostly at The Oddfellows Hall, most recently last March as one of the support acts for Cattle Decapitation (coincidentally, Thekillingfield were also on the bill for that show!) I love Beyond Within, one of the most brutal death metal bands I've seen locally! In fact, one of my first local concert t-shirts was a Beyond Within one! It'll be weird seeing them at a bar though, I'm sure we're all more used to seeing them at The Oddfellows Hall! Trust me, metalheads, you'll love this concert! Check out more from Beyond Within at this location (their involvement in this show is confirmed there), and if I hear more on this concert, I'll be sure to share it with you all!
Now we come to shows that aren't confirmed totally yet, but there's interesting stuff about them to mention. Firstly, remember that possible Doom Cannon metal/hardcore show that may happen on May 18th? Well, the signs pointing to it's confirmedness continue to build, as Doom Cannon's MySpace page lists a May 18th concert in Sault Ontario with the venue being...The Oddfellows Hall. Exactly where I predicted it would be! Now this isn't enough to confirm this show yet, I've learned from past mistakes that often times, a show there can't totally be confirmed by a MySpace concert listing alone, so I will wait for official word from Jasmin Nott (the promoter) before I call this an official show. Time is getting thinner to properly hype it though, hopefully something 100% official pops up soon! In any event, a Doom Cannon-headlined hardcore show at The Oddfellows Hall on May 18th seems more likely than not, so keep it in the back of your head! And keep up to date on this potential show's happenings and news at the official Facebook event page!
And finally for today, here's another potential concert to keep on your radars! Local hardcore band Out Of The Mouth Of Babes (featuring 4/5ths of As It Stands and Matt Maccarone from A Fall From Innocence) have a possible concert listed for May 28th at Foggy Notions on their MySpace page! Little is given, just an 8:00 PM start time and the information that they will be playing with a band named Kingdoms. After a quick Google search, I can tell you that they are a hardcore band from Kitchener, not a bad sound to them! Now for what it's worth, Kingdoms' MySpace page lists a show in Etobicoke for that same day, so it may have been cancelled in the first place. But really, Out Of The Mouth Of Babes have announced a number of shows since their inception that led nowhere, like the show supposedly happening at The Oddfellows Hall this Saturday that's on their MySpace. Either the advertising for it is abysmal, they're really keeping it a secret, or it was called off too. Well, if I hear anything, I'll let you guys know, I just wish they were clearer about their show statuses!
I have lots more coming, likely tomorrow, mostly assorted news that doesn't apply to any specific concert, ranging from a glimpse at how a certain local band sound to a rock themed car wash?! All that and more tomorrow, hopefully, so stay tuned!
Hey guys, I am back from last night's Garden of Bedlam fundraiser show in Garden River, and as you may expect, I have a review of it! We'll start with that, and afterwards, it's poll time on the SMS, as we'll go over the results of last month's poll, and intoduce you to this month's!
First, huge thanks to Kris and Lisa Belleau for picking me up and getting me home, I really appreciate it! Misspelling of Garden of Bedlam on the marquee board aside (Garden of Bedlem with backwards 3s instead of Es?), the Garden River Community Center is a nice building, well designed and it has a rustic sort of feel! That chair hanging high on the wall left me wondering a bit though. The fundraiser started with the family friendly portion of the festivities, and true to that, the crowd was a mix of Garden of Bedlam fans, and what seemed like their kids and parents! Very closeknit community, everyone seemed to know everyone and was having a good time! There were door prizes for two awardings of $250, and largest of all, a guitar signed by the band and a $100 gift certificate for Forsaken Tattoo Studio! There were also tons of raffle prizes, and I entered for a few, but my good luck streak extending from the Rock 2 Roll skatepark fundraiser and Stillbroke's Verdi Hall show ended last night. But I did get a signed photo of the band, as did many others, it seemed like they were autographing things left and right! There was also special edition Garden of Bedlam shirts that looked cool too, didn't bring enough cash for one though.
Supper was the first major event, and my compliments to the chef! Pasta tasted great, and whoever thought to bring parmesan cheese had good foresight! Italian food's my favourite type, though I'm only 1/8th Italian. Is that odd? No matter, after supper, we mostly sat around and mingled and talked, me and the band and assorted others chatted about music, MMA, and whatever all else came up! That's always fun, and amidst it all, I heard some cool things I will keep secret, my lips are sealed! It dragged at points waiting, but the band finally hit the stage around...8:00, I think. And it was another great set from Garden of Bedlam, though shorter than I figured. Good energy as always, Buzz sounded as great as ever, I'm still in awe at some notes he can hit! Evan Belleau continues to impress me on bass, and Josh's riffing and solos just seem to get better and better! Derek Turner's drumming is top notch too! Last night, they didn't have anything to prove, they were just having fun, and it showed! This set was all originals, and the crowd was receptive, if not eager to stand with them. I also spotted Rick Dellavedova from CML Productions filming once again, might we have some new footage to look out for soon?
(Note: If the image quality from my pictures taken in this set is lacking, here's why: I had to use an "image stabilization" setting on my camera with the flash turned off to get decent looking shots. With flash on, it was too dark, with it off on normal settings, it was blurry.)
After their set, everyone mostly mingled until 9:00 PM, when the fights were turned on! We watched Strikeforce: Nashville on the big screen while a "dance" went on. Well, no one danced, but I think that's what they were hoping for. Most of the songs weren't my thing, and it drowned out the fights, but what can you do? Fights weren't bad, I was wrong on all of my picks, though I was impressed by the winners! And that brawl between Mayhem Miller and Jake Shields' camp at the end was nuts! It was during the Shields/Henderson fight that they announced the prize winners, and though I went home empty handed, I did contribute cash for the new album, so that all works!
Much to my surprise, near the end of the night, Garden of Bedlam hit the stage once again for another set! This set seemed more like your typical Garden of Bedlam show, if shorter and with a more casual feel! Buzz, by this point, was drunk, but it didn't impact his singing performance! Honestly, it's not something I'd thought about either, his voice was always good! Finally, fans got up to stand with the band after some prodding, and I'm glad to say the attendance was better for this set, a lot of people shown up late! A few songs re-appeared from earlier sets, though that was likely for the benefit of late arrivals. They played all the songs on their E.P. in the two sets combined, along with brand new stuff like "Torment" and "Your Disgrace", and covers of Tool, Disturbed, and for their encore, The Deftones! Compared to their normal shows, they did make a few tiny mess-ups here and there, but really, this is a fundraiser show with their friends and family, they don't have to put on their A-game. They're just having fun, and we all sure did!
Also of note from this last set: For the first time at a Garden of Bedlam show, the band had some solo stretches! Evan first got a bass solo, and though he seemed critical and caught off guard by it, he didn't do a bad job! Though it'd be cool to see him write and have a proper bass solo for shows, I'd like to hear it! Derek's drum solo was awesome, I wish it would have ran longer! Nice and fast and relentless, just how it should be! Josh's guitar solo was great as well, he never ceases to impress! Oh, and at the show, there was suggestions made about possible involvement of Garden of Bedlam in some big summer events. Nothing's official, I'll keep you posted as I hear more!
Overall, this was a fun night of music and fundraising! I think this was the longest I've ever been somewhere for a concert since the Rock 2 Roll skatepark fundraiser in August 2008! It was worth it though, and the crowd seemed receptive and proud of the guys in Garden of Bedlam! Hopefully the money that was raised will help ensure that their full length album gets the best recording and treatment it deserves! The band had fun, we all had fun, and before you know it, the fruits of Garden of Bedlam's labour will be out for us to enjoy! I got photos from both sets of the concert, so click here to check them out, or visit The Sault Metal Scene on Facebook! And yes, I have a video, so here's my footage of their performance of their new song "Three Days"!
And now, it's poll time on the SMS! Last month's poll has came to a close, and thanks to the 44 of you who cast votes! Decent amount, not too low but not a huge record breaking total either. But the results are very telling, and I can see where they come from! If you remember correctly, the question I posed to you last month was "What would you like to see happen in the local FM rock radio scene?" And here are your results!
Three choices got no votes, those being adding more rock music to WLSO, simulcasting an exisiting station, and "I'm happy with what we have." I attribute the no votes for WLSO to there not being many diehard listeners who check the SMS out, though you guys really should, they have some awesome rock blocks if you know when to tune in! No one wants a simulcast? Either you guys completely want a local station based here, or some of you didn't remember what that meant. Either way, we should have a true local station, not some other city's! And I'm so glad no one picked that they were happy with what we have! Things need to get better, hopefully the higher voted choices will have some good insight! Tied for seventh with a vote each were an AM rock radio station, movingEnergy Rock Radioto FM, and "Other". I won't comment on "Other" because I don't know what that person had in mind, but I'm honestly surprised a person picked wanting an AM station! FM would be clearer and easier to access, but who knows, maybe AM's cheaper? And nice to see someone wanting Energy Rock Radio on FM, though I wish they had more listeners, maybe the vote would be higher!
Tied for fifth with four votes each are a rock station in Sault Ontario and bringing back The Bear. I KNEW there'd be sentiment for bringing The Bear back to the local airwaves, though I thought that choice would have been higher! Was it not as popular as it seemed? A rock station in Sault Ontario shown up where I thought it would. It'd be nice to have one here, but Sault Michigan is definitely a more likely area for a new radio station. Fourth place with six votes is a new classic rock station, though when you combine the votes of that and bringing back The Bear, that's 10 votes in general for just wanting a classic rock station back in the Sault, The Bear or not, and that would be good for second place in the poll! In third place with seven votes is taking the Hounds games off ofRock 101, and honestly, this result is quite telling! Rock 101 fans tend to want their station to air ROCK! Higher than I thought it'd get though, but really, I'm sure a number of metalheads in town would be perfectly satisfied if the Soo Greyhounds were back on Q104, and Rock 101 aired more of what they love! Second place with 8 votes, WAY higher than I figured it'd place, was "I don't listen to FM radio." Sure, you have other ways to listen to music, but I figured that you'd be enough of a casual listener to have an opinion? I dunno.
And in first place with 12 votes, 27% of the total vote, is a new modern rock station! I think this is pretty telling as well, it looks like more of you would rather hear modern rock than classic! Though if you combined the classic rock and The Bear votes, it is closer, you do see that modern rock is what a lot of people want to see! Maybe some of you miss Northern Michigan's Modern Rock, 94.5 The Zone, maybe you just want some newer stuff than Rock 101 and The Bear tend to air, or maybe you just want change! Either way, the results of the poll are very interesting, maybe some day, we'll get a new local rock radio station!
So now that poll's came to a close, but we have a new one, and I actually devised it's concept at the Garden of Bedlam fundraiser! During the first set, Buzz shed his hoodie, unveiling a Gene Simmons shirt underneath prior to when they performed their song "Three Days", which was about their Kiss Battle of the Bands victory! You can see this in my video above. This and later Kiss mentions led me to think about the Kiss/Garden of Bedlam concert that we're still waiting for. Since December's postponement, we've been waiting for word on a rescheduled date, and so far, nothing. Seeing as Kiss's Sault show hasn't been dominating the news so far in 2010, I figured I should gauge people's feelings on it amidst this dry spell. So I pose this question to you guys: Four months after the postponement, what are your current feelings towards our future Kiss concert? Here are your choices!
It's still gonna be awesome!: Still psyched that Kiss are coming here? I know a lot of people still are, mostly diehard Kiss fans who tend to be more optimistic and forgiving, but there's a huge number of them here! I think it will still be awesome, but I never vote in the SMS polls. What do you guys think?
It'll be alright: Basically, you're gonna enjoy the show, but you're not gonna jump head over heels over it. Maybe you're a more reserved fan, or only like some songs, but there's people like that out there who are going! If this is your current mindest, vote here!
It's losing it's appeal: Has the long arduous wait for Kiss at The Essar Center been too much to bear? Is the lustre of a Kiss show fading amidst the time that's passed? I know people whose excitement level is lower now than it was last year. Reasons for the postponement aside, do you feel this way?
It will be a disappointment: This is more for people who feel that this show won't live up to the hype and the wait. Stuff like the band might not play to their potential, the show and performances might be underwhelming, the crowd might not be great, et cetera. If you figure this show won't be as good as you'd like, here's your best pick!
Kiss suck, I'm not going: Amidst all the hype and anticipation, there always have been people who don't like Kiss and don't plan on attending this concert as a result. Simple enough choice, if you aren't going and don't like Gene Simmons and company, vote away!
Tickets are still too pricey: There's no expected drop in ticket prices from the $99.50 we paid for the original December date. Tickets carry over from then, and they'll be back on sale when the rescheduled show is announced. So is $99.50 still too much for you to put out to see Kiss? If so, pick this option!
I don't think they're coming at all: Since the Kiss show became a possibility in last year's Eventful fan vote, there's been skeptics everywhere thinking that Kiss wouldn't come or would screw us over. Some are still out there, are you one of them? If you, despite the announcements and press, don't feel Kiss will ever play in Sault Ontario, vote here!
Other: Got an opinion that doesn't apply above, like something that involves Susan Myers, or some offbeat thought about the Kiss show? Then "Other" is your option!
VOTE TODAY! It'd be interesting to see general thoughts of the SMS faithful about the Kiss show! You know what'd be ironic? If the rescheduled date was announced during this poll's voting period! And no, that's not a hint or foreshadowing, I honestly have heard nothing. Still, vote today, hopefully there's a high vote total! That's all for now, my next post will almost certainly be chock full of news and such, I'll try and get it sooner than later around my class schedule. Stay tuned everyone!
We'll start in Sault Michigan, or should I say, the area surrounding it. Take a drive out to Barbeau, Michigan tomorrow night and head to The Cozy Corners Tavern Bar & Grill (you may recognize this venue for previously hosting Nixxon Dixxon sets) to check out Riot! By Night! Yes, the local hard rockers continue their string of local tour dates that are just outside of town tomorrow at 9:00 PM! No cover charge is listed, there actually isn't much to speak of about this show, but it is definitely going on! Get more info on Riot! By Night at this location! Should be a good set, I wish I could show you guys how the band sound, but if you want a bit of a partial preview, check out some acoustic solo performances by frontman Ryan Harrison at his YouTube channel!
Meanwhile, Kewadin Casino welcomes local hard rockers Monkey's Uncle (formerly Jager and Bad Monkey) this weekend for two shows at The Rapids Lounge! Now as you'll remember from my 100% Sault Michigan post last week, these shows were only announced on Kewadin Casino's entertainment page, and I only found out about it last week from searching for news on the July festival. For whatever reason, Monkey's Uncle haven't listed scheduled shows on their MySpace page since they were still known as Jager, and honestly, the entertainment page on Kewadin Casino wasn't previously a site I tended to look at often, so I missed reporting on at least a handful of Monkey's Uncle shows at Kewadin, and possibly elsewhere. So, to put it simply, though the band haven't confirmed the shows, Kewadin has, so there's your proof! Both shows (tomorrow night and Saturday night) have no cover charge, and a start time of around 9:00 PM (as cited on Kewadin's calendar page.) Though I really wish the band would update their MySpace to reflect future concert dates, it is nice seeing them playing this weekend, they've always impressed me! Click here for more info on the band! Sadly, they've pulled down their old video clips from MySpace, so I can't show you any of them for preview purposes, but their MySpace has audio recordings!
Now onto the five hard rock/metal shows in Sault Ontario this weekend, and curiously, there's none downtown, despite the amount! We'll begin at The Roosevelt Hotel, when local metal cover band Caveman Morrison return to the popular bar on Korah Road tomorrow night and Saturday night! There is no announced cover charge, things should start at around 10:00 PM. So if you want some heavy metal madness, head on out to The Rosie this weekend! It's been a few weeks since their last shows, so if you've been missing Caveman Morrison, now's the weekend to head on out to see them! As always, expect a great night of your favourite metal and hard rock covers, I recommend going! To get full details and to confirm your attendance, click here! Of course, get more info on the band themselves at their official website! For a preview, here's a clip of Caveman Morrison covering Metallica's "For Whom The Bell Tolls" from a January show at Foggy Notions!
Same nights, different spot now, as we come to the newly opened Vibe Lounge on Goulais Avenue, where they welcome Turner Up for their first non-private concert sets at the new venue! With two nights full of rock covers in store, and the heaviest stuff waiting in set 3, there'll be something for everyone this weekend! And of course, this could be your first glimpse at The Vibe Lounge, from the same crew that brought you Nite-Life Dance Club! Both shows start at 10:30 PM, there is no announced cover charge, get full details and confirm your attendance at this location! And as always, learn and find out more on Turner Up themselves at their official Facebook group! Though it's always fun to see Turner Up live for the music, going to the newly opened Vibe Lounge must be attractive in ways also! But of coue, music is the main attraction, and here's a preview of it: Turner Up covering Def Leppard's "Hysteria" from a show at The Canadian Nightclub!
...speaking of The Canadian Nightclub, we come to the final metal show of the weekend, and likely the biggest! If you're craving to hear some Motley Crue hits in advance of Vince Neil's set here at the Kewadin Casino festival in July, this is your best bet! Crued: The World's #1 Motley Crue Tribute Band will be in Sault Ontario on Saturday night for a big time concert! The Toronto based band will bring an authentic Motley Crue-style sound and look to The Canadian this Saturday, featuring "Saints of Los Angeles" era costumes and extremely good versions of Motley Crue's biggest hits! And it's not just a concert either, Crued are bringing along Alleykatz Studio to do piercings and tattoos at the concert! How about that? There will also be a contest for the craziest mullet, so do your hair for the occasion! Tickets are $5 in advance at The Canadian, or $8 at the door, it's 19+, and it all starts at 10:00 PM on Saturday! This should be an awesome concert, if I was in town, I'd very likely go check it out! Hopefully there's a huge turnout! There are two event pages for this concert: One made by the band, and one made by The Canadian, click on those links to get full concert details! And of course, get more details on Crued themselves at their MySpace page!
Closing today's post is more information on that Derelict/Beyond Within/Thekillingfield show that will be taking place on May 6th! There is FINALLY a Facebook event page online for it, so I can now share extra details for this concert! For one, there will be local openers, and they're the best fit possible: Bring The Fallen, in their first show since Algoma Hope4Haiti! Wall to wall death metal is ensured now, so this will be bound to tear some faces off! Also, ticket prices have been announced, and they will be $6 in advance (tickets are not on sale yet) and $8 at the door! Not a bad price for this much metal! A 10:00 start time is listed on Facebook, but if things start earlier, I wouldn't be surprised, seeing as there will be four bands playing. More details as they come in, get ready to mosh!
