Last Month's Poll Results & This Month's Newest Poll!!

Taking a brief break from our weekend concert previews (Rotaryfest is coming tonight), we have last month's poll results and this month's newest poll to cover on the site! To start with, as you may remember, we posted this question to you guys last month: Should more local metal/hard rock bands release albums for sale? Only 11 votes, which is disappointing to a point, but the results are very clear, so here they are!

Only if they're ready and have enough material (55%, 6 votes)
Yes, they all should (36%, 4 votes)
Only for certain bands that I like (9%, 1  votes)
Only if they're available for digital download (0 votes)
I'd rather get free songs/CDs (0 votes)
I prefer live concerts to studio recordings (0 votes)

What do you guys think? Well, the results seem clear to me (at least from who voted) in that most people think local metal & hard rock bands should release albums, either in general or when ready. There's always a market for albums and original material from local bands, and hopefully this is a sign that more bands should release something when ready and able! I agree with the winning choice in full, as some bands shouldn't rush into anything, and the single vote for "Only for certain bands that I like" is a good sign, as I'd hope most metalheads in town would want all bands to further themselves, not just their favourites. We've seen a lot of CDs come out in 2013 compared to last year, and with Mike Haggith's projects prolific as ever, Sailor's Tongue releasing some kind of disc on Saturday, and the assorted other albums waiting in the wings to come out, there's bound to be more physical CDs from your favourite local bands on the horizon to buy and support! Thanks to everyone for voting!

As for this month's poll, as we've now completed the first half of 2013, it's time for a recent tradition on the site, as I'm posing this question to you guys: "What was your favourite Sault Ontario metal concert in the first half of 2013?" Like in past years, I've chosen 20 metal and hard rock concerts from between January 1st and June 30th of this year (plus "Other"), and while the first half of the year was quieter in months other than April & June, there was some big shows going down! Remember, the choices do NOT include shows that had less than a 50% concentration of metal bands (i.e. the Faces of the Soup Kitchen Community Celebration) or private concerts (such as Haggith's Canada Day weekend gigs.) Also, this only covers the first 6 months of the year, so shows that have taken place this month (like the second Golers show) will be considered for inclusion in the poll on the second half of 2013's concerts early next year. Of course, those shows (and others not included) can be picked by voting "Other". With that said, what was your top concert in early 2013? Your choices are below!

Bands: The Suicide Kings
Venue: The Nicolet Tavern
Date: January 25th
Info: One of the few high profile hard rock shows in Sault Ontario from this past January, The Suicide Kings' oft-delayed first concert of 2013 went down at The Nic on January 25th, and it surely gave them another outlet to display their entertaining blend of hard rock covers & originals! Would you agree if you were there?

Bands: Shit Liver, Sykotyk Rampage, and The Bear Hunters
Venue: The Roosevelt Hotel
Date: February 21st
Info: Dubbed "Axed Theory Night" following the withdrawal of out-of-town headliners Annex Theory, the in-name-only return of the Rosie metal nights saw three talented local metal bands take the stage (including the first public local concerts from The Bear Hunters & Shit Liver since last summer), and metalheads in attendance ate it up, but was it the best metal show so far in 2013?

Bands: 40 Sons
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: February 28th
Info: After a three year absence from local concert dates, local concert promoter J.D. Pearce brought Hamilton hard rock quartet 40 Sons back to the Soo (this time at The Rockstar Bar) for their first of two local shows this year, and they received high praise for their talents, energy, and professionalism following this concert! Was 40 Sons' first Soo stop your favourite of the past 6 months?

Bands: Xanadu, T-Rex Manning (a.k.a. The Fiend Brigade), and Loud Lazer
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: March 1st
Info: March came in like a lion with Apocalypse: The Musical, a night of metal and punk tribute bands, headlined by a Black Sabbath tribute set by Welland trio Xanadu (featuring Late & Loud's Jonathan Tiberi), a Misfits cover set from "The Fiend Brigade", and a one-off Late & Loud/Lazer Queen hybrid covering Motley Crue classics! Was this unique concert better than the rest so far?

Bands: Greg Callaghan & Lucky 13
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: March 17th
Info: Capping off a busy St. Patrick's Day weekend at The Rockstar Bar (including two shows from the aforementioned Jon Tiberi's folk band The Daybreak Johnnies), local alternative hard rock cover band Lucky 13 returned to this venue along with solo punk musician Greg Callaghan for a green beer-filled night of covers and revelry! Were you there to say this was your favourite early-2013 concert?

Bands: Honest Job, Soul Killing Female, and AlgomA
Venue: 180 Projects
Date: March 24th
Info: Heavy metal returned to Gore Street after a lengthy absence on March 24th when local arts venue 180 Projects opened it's doors to the return of Winnipeg cybersludge band Soul Killing Female, along with folk rockers Honest Job and the debut of new local doom metal band AlgomA! Notably serving as the debut of AlgomA drummer Jamie Vincent's promotion agency, was this concert your #1 choice?

Bands: The Suicide Kings, Haggith, The Pesto Shirts, The Bear Hunters, Late & Loud, Giwakwa, The Northern Tragedy, Sarah's Valley, and Sykotyk Rampage
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: April 3rd, 10th, 17th, and 24th
Info: The most recent Sault Ontario battle of the bands saw 9 acts battle across four consecutive Wednesdays in April, with local hard rockers The Suicide Kings claiming victory in the finals, and wild cards Haggith & The Pesto Shirts outperforming their initial sets to make the podium! Notably featuring many Rockstar Bar debuts, the return of Free Beer (now Sarah's Valley), and Late & Loud's last concerts before falling inactive, was the Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands tops to you in the first half of 2013?

Bands: 40 Sons & The Suicide Kings
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: April 5th
Info: Just over a month after last rocking Sault Ontario, Hamilton's own 40 Sons returned to The Rockstar Bar for another well received and hard hitting concert, this time with the aforementioned Suicide Kings in tow to provide some proficient local support! Did you prefer 40 Sons' local encore to their February stop, and if so, enough to put it at the top of your list from the first 6 months of the year?

Bands: The Rabid Whole, Sarah's Valley, Giwakwa, and Sykotyk Rampage
Venue: The Roosevelt Hotel
Date: April 11th
Info: A different sort of concert hit the The Rosie on April 11th, when Toronto techno/hard rock quintet The Rabid Whole rocked the Soo for this Thursday night concert! Featuring three Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands competitors on the lineup (including the live debut of death metal quartet Giwakwa), a good response came from this show, but would you agree with that?

Bands: The Ripcordz, Destroilet, and T-Rex Manning
Venue: The Algonquin Pub
Date: April 13th
Info: Almost 6 years after last hitting Sault Ontario, Montreal hardcore punk legends The Ripcordz made a triumphant return with a well attended and very entertaining concert at The Algonquin Pub on April 13th, inciting some solid pits and intensity! Also featuring local talent from T-Rex Manning and the first live set from Destroilet in over 2 years, was The Ripcordz' 2013 local show your favourite of the year so far?

Bands: Garden of Bedlam & Skeyes of Seven
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: April 26th
Info: In each of their first live concerts since late 2012, prominent local metal quartet Garden of Bedlam and local hard rock quintet Skeyes of Seven (in just their second show) rocked The Rockstar Bar on April 26th with a night full of hard hitting covers and originals, plus a few surprises! It was great seeing both bands back at it, but was this your favourite early-2013 metal concert?

Bands: The Royal Red Brigade, The Rhubarbs, Shit Liver, and Telephone & Address
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: May 10th
Info: Though this show's out of town headliners (including returning Regina quartet The Royal Red Brigade) were punk bands, metal found a place at this Jamie Vincent-promoted all ages concert, including local grindcore trio Shit Liver's second live show of the year, and Chris Shoust's lo-fi grunge solo act Telephone & Address! Were you at this show to vouch for it as a top level event?

Bands: The Suicide Kings
Venue: The Roosevelt Hotel
Date: May 17th
Info: Four weeks after winning the Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands, The Suicide Kings celebrated in style with their most recent solo headlining concert, debuting at The Roosevelt Hotel with their increasing setlist of original songs and hard hitting covers! Was this your #1 metal/hard rock show of the first half of 2013, or did another event surpass it?

Bands: Greber, The Bear Hunters, and Shit Liver
Venue: The Roosevelt Hotel
Date: May 18th
Info: Just one day after The Suicide Kings rocked The Rosie, bassist Mitch Sirie returned with his other live band The Bear Hunters as one of the opening bands for Cambridge experimental metal duo Greber (featuring Fuck The Facts' Marc Bourgon), bringing a Thursday experience to a Saturday night event! Did this concert (also featuring promoters Shit Liver) get your horns raised higher than the rest?

Bands: Jack Spades, T-Rex Manning, Haggith, The Bear Hunters, The Suicide Kings, Greg Callaghan, and Crimson Crusade
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: May 20th
Info: Local concert promoter & singer J.D. Pearce held The Crusade, a cancer fundraising concert on May 20th featuring a wide array of local metal and punk talent, including a rare headlining set from T-Rex Manning, Crimson Crusade's first show in over 6 months, and the surprise debut of J.D.'s new band Jack Spades! Lots of money was raised for the cause, but did you enjoy the music more than at other shows?

Bands: Sleep When You're Dead, Winkstinger, Giwakwa, and Redundant
Venue: The Oddfellows Hall
Date: May 29th
Info: Despite mixed attendance, this all ages concert at the end of May supplied a solid evening of metal and punk action, including the debut of Winkstinger's new lineup after an 8 month hiatus, death metal & punk intensity from Giwakwa & Redundant, and some extreme hardcore action from Oshawa hardcore rockers Sleep When You're Dead! Was this concert your favourite of 2013 through the end of June?

Bands: Skeletonwitch, Caym, The Bear Hunters, and Crimson Crusade
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: June 3rd
Info: Perhaps the biggest metal show in scope to hit Sault Ontario in early 2013, Ohio blackened thrash metallers Skeletonwitch took over The Canadian on June 3rd with Toronto openers Caym in tow for the action! Also featuring local death metal openers The Bear Hunters and Crimson Crusade (who released their debut EP that night), this show had a great response, but was it your favourite?

Bands: The Golers, Destroilet, and AlgomA
Venue: The Roosevelt Hotel
Date: June 20th
Info: Vancouver crossover thrash quartet The Golers came to The Rosie with a purpose on June 20th, and they rocked an intense and very entertaining set for local fans in their first of two stops in Sault Ontario this summer! Also featuring the Rosie debuts (and second 2013 dates) of Destroilet & AlgomA, did The Golers' first Soo concert top early 2013 in your eyes?

Bands: For Those About To Rock
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: June 21st
Info: Though Who Made Who and Hells Bells haven't returned to Sault Ontario yet this year, we still got a dose of high voltage rock n' roll courtesy of Toronto AC/DC tribute band For Those About To Rock on June 21st, in which attendees hopefully had a chance to witness their faithful and hard hitting take on AC/DC's classic hits! Were you at The Rockstar Bar on that night to vote for it now?

Bands: Striker, Frightlight, The Bear Hunters, and Giwakwa
Venue: The Roosevelt Hotel
Date: June 25th
Info: June went out with a bang as Edmonton speed metallers Striker impressed everyone in attendance with their proficient originals that definitely called to mind the 1980s (hence that night's costume contest!) Also featuring Frightlight's first show in 8 months and the last Rosie appearance from Josh Stephney of The Bear Hunters & Giwakwa, did this late-June concert top the first half of the year in your opinion?

Other: Did another metal/hard rock-featured concert in Sault Ontario beat all of these? For reference, heavier bands like Bad Back, Caveman Morrison, Griphook, and Tym Morrison rocked the area at shows not mentioned above, along with extra shows featuring bands at some of the above concerts. Maybe you preferred Haggith's CD release party or Bad Back's debut on June 27th, or perhaps one with no heavier bands, or one in Sault Michigan? If your preferred concert in early 2013 wasn't listed in the poll, vote for "Other"!

VOTE TODAY!! You have until August 18th to cast your votes in this month's poll, and hopefully we'll get a good response to see what your favourite metal & hard rock shows were this year! That's all for today, but make your voices heard, and stay tuned later today for our previews of this year's Rotaryfest stages! Thanks everyone!