Last Month's Poll Results & Our Latest Poll!!

As today is the 18th, it's time to shut down our most recent poll at the SMS and launch our newest one, so without any further adieu, here we go! Last month's question was "Would you like to see a regularly scheduled metal/hard rock concert series like the Roosevelt Hotel metal nights again at a local concert venue?", and it got just 8 votes, which is slightly disappointing, but the results do seem fairly clear. Here's the final vote breakdown!

I just want more concerts in general (4 votes, 50%)
Depends on the included bands/genres (3 votes, 37.5%)
Depends on the scheduling (1 vote, 12.5%)
Absolutely, I miss them! (0 votes)

Depends on the venue/location (0 votes)
Depends on the promoter (0 votes)
No, rigid scheduling can hurt shows (0 votes)

Would you like to see a regularly scheduled metal/hard rock concert series like the Roosevelt Hotel metal nights again at a local concert venue? - See more at: http://poll.pollcode.com/yxf9i_result?v#sthash.eeZ8VxOZ.dpuf

What do you guys think? Given the limited vote amount, I won't run down each choice individually, but it's clear that most people are open to the idea, but they'd want more concerts in general, rather than tying their hopes to a regularly scheduled metal concert series. No one voted for "Absolutely, I miss them!", which indicates to me that people who like the idea would want it back if it fit with their musical and location preferences, and even the Roosevelt Hotel metal nights, as successful as they were, didn't appeal to everyone. If you don't like the bands, death metal tendencies, or location, that can impair your likelihood of attending regularly. This poll was asked at the turn of the summer into the fall season, when shows tend to die down as metalheads return to school/work, so maybe some sentiment in the winning choice ("I just want more concerts in general") stems from that, but I think that the voters did express that while a restored metal night series would be nice (I miss them myself), it's not a be all end all, and we should just attend and support shows that do come to bring more here on a more frequent basis.

Thanks to everyone for voting! As for our newest poll, we're returning to what's becoming an annual trend on the site, as today's question is "Which of these defunct or recently inactive bands would you most want to see hit the stage again?" There's always turnover for bands in the region, and recent months have been no different thanks to a large amount of new hard rock/metal band launches, but to go along with that, there have been some bands breaking up, falling inactive, or taking live concert hiatuses as well. It's always interesting to get a bead on which bands are particularly missed, so for this variation of the poll, we're bringing back everyone who got a vote in last year's poll (plus "Other"), along with Bad Side & Sense of Truth (who got multiple votes when this question was asked in 2011), and 5 newly dissolved or recently inactive bands have been added. To be in this poll, bands must have been active in recent years to keep things fresh in the mind, it also includes bands who are active but haven't played concerts in over 6 months (i.e. Gates of Winter), and it only includes bands who theoretically could reunite in a realistic scenario (so no Woods of Ypres, they wouldn't come back without David Gold around.)

19 choices (plus "Other") are below to weigh in on, so which band do you most want to see back on the local concert stage? Read on for info on each choice!

As It Stands: One of the most successful modern hardcore bands in recent local memory, As It Stands have been oddly quiet since their most recent concert in August of last year, with no concrete information out yet on their active status or future. Many fans in Sault Ontario would love to see them back at it, especially knowing their talents and reputation, but do you want them back most of all?

Bad Side: Though core members Melissa Krahnke & Jason Mapes remain musically active out of town, this popular Sault Michigan blues/hard rock band has been broken up since 2010. Among the most successful heavier bands in the region in the 2000s, Bad Side's three albums and major concert appearances saw them gain a lot of success, but do you want them to return to playing live concerts more than other bands?

Bring the Fallen: The three time battle of the bands winners gave fitting closure to their run with their farewell & reunion concert in July at The Oddfellows Hall, but that doesn't mean they're any less remembered by local fans. With most members now living out of town, a reunion of any kind seems unlikely, but would Bring The Fallen's death metal assault be welcomed back with open arms if it did happen?

Changing Waves: After their surprise debut at The Oddfellows Hall three years ago, local hardcore quartet Changing Waves built a solid reputation with their diverse originals and covers through their quiet dissolution in mid-2012, with bassist Terrence Gomes making his own waves now with The Northern Tragedy. I think they had a lot of unrealized potential, but would you agree with that?

Clownsack: One of the most successful Sault Michigan products of the mid-late 2000s, this clown quintet hit big heights (i.e. opening for Kiss), along with releasing two CDs during their run, before activity faded out in the early 2010s, though members remain active in music under their normal identities. Would you like a return of their clown sauce to the regional music scene, or was their funk metal hybrid not to your liking?

Dirty Virgin: Aside from their one-off reunions at The Canadian in 2011 & 2012, this local glam/punk quartet have been inactive since early 2010, following their Kiss Battle of the Bands set the previous November. Most of Dirty Virgin haven't been overly active in music since (besides the reunion gigs), so there's bound to be fans who miss their unique retro sound, but are you among them?

Fitswitch: The winners of this poll in 2011, Fitswitch's hard edged metal/punk hybrid entertained many fans in the mid-2000s, and though their successor bands (Frightlight especially) share a lot of similarities, Fitswitch's live shows and originals have their own following. Are Fitswitch the band you'd most want to see return to the local stage, or do J.D. Pearce's three current bands fill that void well enough?

Gates of Winter: Nearing five years since their last concert, Lee, Bryan, and Steve are slowly continuing studio work towards their new progressive death metal EP "Perihelion" while living apart, but despite the slow pace, optimism remains high for a full reunion down the road, including new concerts to go with the EP. Gates of Winter still have plenty of local fans, but would you pick them over the rest for a reunion?

Half Past: After their own successful (if scattered) run at the turn of the 2010s concluded, members have since found continued success with Frightlight and Skeyes of Seven, but Half Past's modern hard rock sound remains a fun memory from many live dates! Though a reunion of their classic lineup is sadly looking less likely (get well soon, Luke!), would any revival not come amiss?

Insipid Brutality: Long since defunct, this popular Sault Michigan death metal quintet were a brutal and hard hitting sight locally during their run, a legacy that guitarist Scott Savoie has maintained with recent solo work! Also known from their posthumous return with a new digital album last year, would you like to see a full return of both Insipid Brutality and death metal to the Eastern U.P.?

Late & Loud: Last seen at the Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands in April, Late & Loud brought their classic metal experience to great heights in their run, including a Humane Society Battle win, the releases of their EP, and a fun & energetic live show that was always worth admission! Though members can be seen in the similar Hydra's Teeth now, are you a hardcore Loudmouth that'd love a reunion?

Lion Ride: Now two years removed from their last show, the local/Toronto metal/punk quintet remain a popular group thanks to their energetic and attitude-fueled live show, but most members have stayed active in bands like The Fairmounts, Glitch, Cross Dog, and Falls since their breakup last February. They never closed the door on a farewell gig, but are you more up for a full on return?

Nixxon Dixxon: The winners of this poll last year, this popular Sault Michigan metal quartet hit a lot of successes through 2010, including numerous regional dates & their Kewadin Casino opening slots, though members have since splintered off into newer bands & homes, with Chris Hubbard's new band 415E carrying the local torch for similar material. Would a reunion be something you'd want more than any other?

Pillory: Though still active and working on studio material, local thrash band Pillory have not played a proper full concert since November, though members played a partial return set in July at a Blood Shed Productions' event. I know Robert & Bret have worked hard to get the band back to normal since Andres Duchesne's passing and Jon Tiberi's move, but would a Pillory resurgence be tops in your book?

Sativa Rose: This Sault Ontario classic metal band gave a nice spark of classic sounds to the region in the late 2000s, though their promising shows and originals quietly died down in 2010, with members splintering off into The Valentine's Day Massacre and the more similar Hydra's Teeth. Despite their lack of a singer until their last show, would a Sativa Rose reunion gain your greatest interest?

SBD: Essentially the successors to defunct grunge band No Arrow, SBD's 2009-2011 run saw them release an album and play a few notable gigs, before their quiet descent into inactivity, with frontman Dann Pichette now living and playing music out of town. Their psychedelic and experimental expansion of No Arrow's sound was really unique locally, but would an SBD return be #1 for you?

Sense of Truth: Even though members Cory Murchison and Ron Baxter play very similar material in their current band Skeyes of Seven, there are fans who miss local hard rock quintet Sense of Truth, who played a number of big concerts, recorded studio material, and attained a loyal following in their 2007-2011 run! Would you be all for a Sense of Truth reunion over other similar local bands?

Soldiers of Misfortune: Jesse, Alex, Jonas, and company were among Sault Ontario's metal favourites in the early-mid 2000s with their hard hitting metal outfit Soldiers of Misfortune, who retain a strong local following based on their very entertaining live concerts and battle of the bands success! You can see members rock the stage nowadays in Winkstinger, but would a Soldiers return get you going more than the rest?

The Valentine's Day Massacre: After relocating to London last fall, this local deathcore quartet have only been seen once in town (at The Algonquin Pub in December), and have largely been inactive since their London debut in March. Though Steve Rhodes & Andrew Angelic have stayed busy with D3athcharg3r, are you among the local fans who wish that The V.D.M. will resurface in one way or another?

Other: Did we miss a band that you wanted to vote for? Perhaps an older band like Proposition 86 or Amethyst, a less prominent regional band, or one that didn't get a vote in past instances of this poll? If your preferred choice isn't listed for whatever reason, vote for "Other"!

VOTE TODAY!!! You have until October 18th to cast your votes in this poll, and hopefully we get some more interesting results once again! That's likely all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes shortly! Thanks everyone!