The Sault Metal Scene is pleased to finally add RedD Monkey into our full coverage on the site! This is honestly very overdue, but even if they usually identify as punk, their shows have gotten more & more aggressive and fast (as fans will back up from the Sewer Swampstravaganza), with many live songs verging into hardcore territory, so it's just wrong to not cover them on the SMS any longer (even if I am just "some metalhead"!) Formed in Kelowna, British Columbia in 2009, they've been based out of Toronto for most of their run, but have been identified and credited as a local band at least partially since 2010, including playing on & promoting a number of local shows, such as appearances at Rotaryfest, the 2009 Algoma University Battle of the Bands, and their annual Swampstravaganzas. Their current lineup (of course) features ex-Smeltzer frontman Steve Mozarowski on vocals & guitar, his brother Pete on the cello, and former The Fury drummer Joe Bumbacco (who replaced Gates of Winter/Smeltzer alum Kevin Overton in the band in 2010.)
RedD Monkey have released two albums (2010's "Thought Control Tower" EP and last year's full length CD "All Baroque") which can be bought at concerts or streamed for free at their Bandcamp page, while a third album (named "Opus 2" via at least one Facebook comment) was recorded last year and teased at a Toronto concert on June 1st. The guys have also toured frequently in recent years, with five Southern Ontario concerts slated through the end of August, so keep an eye on their Facebook page for updates on their next gigs and plans! One of the most creative local bands of recent years, RedD Monkey's blistering blend of punk, classical, and hardcore has won them a lot of fans both here and in the Toronto area, with concerts still finding time for some creative covers and even rapping about cookies! The guys have good chemistry and a very original sound that's ripe for moshpits and insanity, and even if we're badly overdue to cover them in full on here, I've always been a fan and I own original pressings of their first two CDs! For the record, I hope to review "Thought Control Tower" on the site this fall, possibly as soon as October, so keep an eye out for that!We'll have a lot more from RedD Monkey on the site going forward, including at least one post full of YouTube videos from their run to check out, but they're now in our active Sault Ontario band links, and hopefully we're not waiting 8 months for their next local show!
Local support will come courtesy of indie rockers The London Gentlemen and pop duo Missy & Chelsea, but how can The London Gentlemen play after Steve Sivret & Jake LaLonde moved out of town? Apparently, Steve was replaced by local solo musician Mark Bowen, and for at least tomorrow's show, Chump Change's Jason Haske & Jason VanLuven will fill in on bass and drums (which means that bassist Kyle Beaumont is also out.) My source is Jason Haske's Facebook page, and hopefully this works out! If you didn't get a free ticket, admission is still a nice & affordable $20, and you can buy tickets from the second row & back at this location, the Kewadin box office, or at 1-800-KEWADIN! (Also, check ahead in case there's a meet & greet with Pop Evil.) For more details, visit the above links and Scott Brand's article from The Soo Evening News this past weekend! This should be a great concert for a great cause, and hopefully Jessica beats this thing with the help of the money raised tomorrow!Of course, Pop Evil are bigger than ever since their last local show, and their energetic modern hard rock sound is sure to strike a good nerve, so don't miss everything tomorrow, here's Pop Evil's music video for "Trenches", and I hope Jessica gets well soon!
That's all for today, but stay tuned for a new news post tomorrow, and hopefully some Pop Evil fallout as well! Thanks everyone!
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