Last Month's Poll Results & This Month's Final Poll On Your Favourite 2012 Concerts!!

Before we recap last night's semifinal action at The Rockstar Battle of the Bands (expect that in the afternoon or evening), we have our latest monthly feature post to get to on the site, as we're closing down last month's poll and launching our newest poll at the SMS! As we wind down our "favourite _____ of 2012" polls, we have the second to last one to recap the results of first, and as you may remember, we posed this question to you guys: What was your favourite Sault Ontario metal concert in the second half of 2012? 19 votes, noticeably down from this poll's companion for early 2012, but oddly, there was a wider spread for voted shows, so thanks to everyone for voting, and here are the final results!

The Suicide Kings at The Canadian on December 26th (6 votes, 32%)
Bushplane Musical Madness on November 23rd (3 votes, 16%)
Anvil at The Canadian Nightclub on July 25th (3 votes, 16%)
3 Inches of Blood at The Roosevelt Hotel on July 9th (2 votes, 11%)
Garden of Bedlam at The Rockstar Bar on October 30th (1 vote, 5%)
Frightlight at The Grand Theater on October 20th (1 vote, 5%)
Dead and Divine at The Canadian on August 22nd (1 vote, 5%)
F.A.T.I.L. Requiem in Laird on August 4th (1 vote, 5%)
The Shotgun Dolls at The Roosevelt Hotel on August 2nd (1 vote, 5%)
Changing Waves at The Roosevelt Hotel on July 5th (0 votes)
Sewer Swampstravaganza at Oddfellows Hall on July 13th (0 votes)
Destroyer at The Rockstar Bar on July 14th (0 votes)
Riding Shotgun at The Canadian Nightclub on August 3rd (0 votes)
Skull Fist at The Canadian Nightclub on August 31st (0 votes)
Haggith at The Art Gallery of Algoma on September 29th (0 votes)
Halloween Party at The Algonquin Pub on October 27th (0 votes)
Saigon Hookers at The Rockstar Bar on November 10th (0 votes)
The Suicide Kings at The Nicolet Tavern on Nov. 11th-12th (0 votes)
The Locals Attack at The Canadian on November 26th (0 votes)
Sykotyk Rampage at The Algonquin Pub on Dec. 21st    (0 votes)
Other (0 votes)

What do you guys think? In ascending order, I am surprised at the (again) high amount of shows with no votes, especially the Skull Fist, Saigon Hookers, and Algonquin Halloween Party gigs, but it's all in who votes! As for nothing for "Other", is that more for the right shows being selected in the poll, or again due to who voted? Of the five shows tied for fifth with a single vote, the Dead & Divine show surprised me the most by it's placement, as there was a special air to their well-attended last local concert! The 3 Inches of Blood show's fourth place finish didn't surprise me for it's placement, but for it's just 2 votes, and I can say similarly for the Anvil concert's second place finish with 2 votes, especially being tied with last fall's Bushplane Musical Madness show! I know that was a well hyped event, but isn't it surprising to see that high on the poll? But the winners, with 6 votes & about 32% of the total, was the Boxing Day show at The Canadian featuring Stiffler's Mom & The Suicide Kings, which definitely seemed to come out of nowhere to win!

Still, they're both popular rock bands locally, and I'm sure that show was a great addition to the holidays, so thanks to everyone for voting! No rest for the weary though, as all 9 vote-getting shows from the poll above are back this month for one more go, as we're posing this question to you guys: What was your favourite Sault Ontario metal concert of 2012? Simple enough, as we've gathered last month's voted shows with the 7 concerts you guys voted on in our similar poll from the first half of 2012, for a summative poll on your favourite local metal concerts of last year! Now, rather than force 20 shows by adding ones that weren't voted by anybody, I stuck to ones that had votes to keep things fair and not add a personal bias, hence the smaller total. If a show on a previous half year poll with 0 votes didn't make it, vote for "Other" to show your support this time around! Also, remember that these shows must all have had a 50% concentration of metal/hard rock bands, and must have taken place in 2012 (shows from 2013 so far will be represented in a poll this summer.) With that said, here are your choices for your favourite local metal shows of last year!

Bands: The Merves & Frightlight
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: January 14th
Info: Though a punk concert at it's core, metal was definitely represented in both bands at this early-2012 concert, including the hometown return of ex-Lion Ride frontman Mikey Hawdon with his Toronto-based Ramones tribute band The Merves, alongside openers Frightlight, featuring T-Rex Manning's Tiffany Stocco on guest guitar for their all-Misfits cover set! Was this show your favourite concert of last year?

Bands: Frightlight, As It Stands, Redundant, The Valentine's Day Massacre, Late & Loud, For All That Is Lost, Inhuman Methods, and "Evil" Greg Callaghan
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: March 4th
Info: To help raise money for a tour van, Frightlight hosted "Dead In The Van: The Locals Attack!", an all ages concert on March 4th at The Canadian, featuring a number of high profile local metal & punk bands, including some long awaited Canadian Nightclub debuts & returns, including the first ever local concert appearance of Inhuman Methods! The brutality flowed all day long, but was "Dead In The Van" first in your heart for the past 6 months?

Bands: Late & Loud, Dirty Virgin, and Pools of Booze
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: March 30th
Info: Though planned headliners The Lust Boys couldn't make the show after their tour vehicle broke down, the local openers soldiered on with a night full of classic/hair metal hits, with a punk tinge! Notably featuring Dirty Virgin's last concert appearance & most of T-Rex Manning in the temporary trio Pools of Booze, these guys (and the ever popular Late & Loud) brought some great sounds to The Canadian to end March, but do you agree?

Bands: Hallows Die, Wolven Ancestry, Gypsy Chief Goliath, Kittie, Novembers Doom, members of Woods of Ypres, Empyrean Plague, Garden of Bedlam, Redundant, Shit Liver, The Bear Hunters, and The Valentine's Day Massacre
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: April 7th
Info: On this date, 12 bands joined forces at The Canadian to pay tribute to late Woods of Ypres frontman David Gold in the Ypres Metal Fest, one of two tribute concerts in his memory in April! Each band covered Woods of Ypres or Proposition 86 material in this event that saw a huge crowd (especially for Kittie), Garden of Bedlam & Shit Liver's first concerts of the new year, and a powerful performance by three ex-Woods of Ypres members. Was this metal festival your #1 show of 2012?

Bands: Garden of Bedlam
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: May 12th
Info: Though this concert was postponed from a March date for medical reasons, local metal standouts Garden of Bedlam's first solo concert of 2012 was a huge success in May, featuring tons of their proficient originals and fan favourite covers, and the presence of both The 705 Video Magazine and Shaw TV for their own coverage! Did this show rank higher than any other in 2012 in your eyes?

Bands: Winkstinger, Changing Waves, and Borderline Divine
Venue: The Roosevelt Hotel
Date: June 7th
Info: Another lineup of diversely talented local metal bands hit The Rosie on June 7th for the 45th Rosie metal night (and second under Mitch Sirie's promotion!) Featuring a rare quartet performance by Winkstinger, Changing Waves' first concert of the year, and Borderline Divine's second to last concert before disbanding, a lot of entertaining music was had by the fans in attendance, but was it your favourite show of 2012?

Bands: For All That Is Lost, The Valentine's Day Massacre, The Bear Hunters, Changing Waves, March Into Regression, Shit Liver, Borderline Divine, Inhuman Methods, and Crimson Crusade
Venue: 436 Neebish Road in Laird
Date: June 22nd
Info: Nine local metal bands descended upon Laird on June 22nd for the latest "F.A.T.I.L. Gathering", which eschewed any house party notions for an all day metal event with tons of local talent, including the long awaited return of the former Bring The Misery, then known as March Into Regression! Though noise complaint concerns didn't benefit the concert later that night, fans definitely enjoyed it, but were you among them?

Bands: 3 Inches of Blood, Wretched, The Bear Hunters, and Winkstinger
Venue: The Roosevelt Hotel
Date: July 9th
Info: One of the biggest local metal shows of last summer saw the local return of Vancouver power metal notables 3 Inches of Blood on this Monday nighter that was easily one of the highest attended local metal dates of the year! Also featuring North Carolina show-stealers Wretched, local death metal standouts The Bear Hunters, and Battle For The Blood winners Winkstinger (plus debuting rhythm guitarist Anthony Orazietti), it was a high quality night to remember, but was it the best of 2012?

Bands: Anvil, Frightlight, Garden of Bedlam, and Skeyes of Seven
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: July 25th
Info: Just over two weeks after 3 Inches of Blood rocked The Rosie, promoter J.D. Pearce did it again by bringing Toronto metal legends Anvil back to Sault Ste. Marie after a lengthy absence, and the crowd gathered at The Canadian was more than receptive for their return! Joined by high profile metal bands Frightlight & Garden of Bedlam, and the debut set from local hard rock supergroup Skeyes of Seven, this concert lived up to they hype, but was it the best of the second half of 2012?

Bands: The Shotgun Dolls, RedD Monkey, Sykotyk Rampage, and Redundant
Venue: The Roosevelt Hotel
Date: August 2nd
Info: Labelled "The Jamestown Massacre", four bands brought hard rock and punk to The Rosie for this Thursday nighter, including Calgary hard rock trio The Shotgun Dolls, local punk favourites RedD Monkey & Redundant, and (with debuting bassist Tony Briglio in tow), the original crash band themselves, Sykotyk Rampage! Despite a low attendance, each band gave their all and impressed in their respective genres, but did you like The Jamestown Massacre the most from last year?

Bands: For All That Is Lost, The Valentine's Day Massacre, The Bear Hunters, Slaughter Slashing, and the original With Blood Build Character
Venue: 436 Neebish Road in Laird
Date: August 4th
Info: Though pared down from their preceding "gathering" in June, defunct Central Algoma death metal standouts For All That Is Lost hosted "A F.A.T.I.L. Requiem", another well received outdoor gig at bassist Ben Deslauriers' house on August 4th! Notably featuring Quebec experimental band Slaughter Slashing, The V.D.M.'s last date before moving to London, and the original With Blood Build Character's only live set, this was another success for all the campers and metalheads, but were you there to think the same?

Bands: Dead & Divine, Mychildren Mybride, Liferuiner, and As It Stands
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: August 22nd
Info: No strangers to Sault Ontario already, Burlington hardcore quintet Dead & Divine returned to Sault Ste. Marie one last time on August 22nd during their farewell tour, and despite being their third-to-last gig, there was a definite big show feel and a big turnout to see them off! Also featuring out of town metal standouts Mychildren Mybride & Liferuiner, and prominent local hardcore band As It Stands' only show in the past 11 months, was Dead & Divine's local farewell the top show of 2012?

Bands: A DJ, Frightlight, Sykotyk Rampage, and Haggith
Venue: The Grand Theater
Date: October 20th
Info: The third Soo Zombie Walk afterparty took place on October 20th, and it marked the biggest one yet, with all three participating bands featuring zombie/horror themes or albums on their resumes! Despite a bad cold, I recognized the talents and fun had by the bands & later performers The Salty Mollies, albeit amongst a small crowd with some sound/lighting drawbacks, but hopefully things are built upon for next year. Was the Zombie Walk afterparty tops of 2012 to you?

Bands: Garden of Bedlam
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: October 30th
Info: In honour of local music/skate store The Rad Zone's 18th birthday, local metal standouts Garden of Bedlam headlined a Rad Zone birthday bash on Devil's Night for the occasion, with plenty of prizes and giveaways to go around for attendees! Despite a lower attendance due to weather, the show went off smoothly, and The Rad Zone got a fitting birthday celebration, but were you there to recognize it as last year's biggest metal show?

Bands: Sykotyk Rampage, Haggith, and The Suicide Kings
Venue: The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Center
Date: November 23rd
Info: Not a common live concert venue in general, the local bushplane museum played host to Bushplane Musical Madness on November 23rd, where three recently prominent local hard rock bands gathered for an evening of live music, prizes, and good times in order to raise money for the museum! Later featured in a lengthy video of concert organizers Haggith's set, this show was very well put together, but did you rank it highly compared to other 2012 shows?

Bands: Stiffler's Mom & The Suicide Kings
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: December 26th
Info: Boxing Day at The Canadian Nightclub saw a rock explosion, with veteran local favourites Stiffler's Mom enlisting new local hard rock quartet The Suicide Kings to alternate sets with them for this holiday season concert! This show was surely a fun way to end 2012 with, as both bands show the old and new sides of local rock music (and support each other, of course), but would your rank it highter than other concerts from the preceding 12 months?

Other: Are we missing a show that you'd rather vote for as your favourite? For reference sake, local metal/hard rock bands like Ashes To Dust, Caveman Morrison, Crimson Crusade, Lucky 13, Pillory, Sailor's Tongue, Sneaky Pete, State of Misery, That's Chester, Turner Up, and Tym Morrison played live last year in unlisted shows, along with out of town bands like Bonjourney Canada, Destroyer, Fuck The Facts, Mama Kin, Maximum RNR, Riding Shotgun, The Saigon Hookers, Skull Fist, Waster, West of Hell, and Who Made Who, among many others, along with numerous other shows featuring the bands above, so was your favourite not listed? If your preferred choice isn't above, vote for "Other"!

VOTE TODAY!! You guys have until May 18th to cast your votes in our last 2012-related poll before transitioning back to some more general topics, so what shows were your favourite last year? Let's see what the results tell us over the coming month! That's all for now, but stay tuned either this afternoon or tonight for our recap of last night's Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands Semifinal action! Thanks everyone!