Thrill Junkies Concert Previews, Upcoming Concert Updates, And More!!

Our next post (today's) was supposed to be dedicated to previews of this weekend's regional metal/hard rock concerts, but for ones I can 100% source and verify for heavier content, I only know of a pair in Sault Ontario from the same band this weekend, so that will lead off today's post! Of course, if any late notice shows make it online, we'll get them up here A.S.A.P., but for now, we have some notable updates for some upcoming concerts and a new lineup note for a local metal band, and first, the aforementioned concert previews!

Local classic/hard rock quintet The Thrill Junkies will play their eighth and ninth local concert dates TONIGHT AND TOMORROW NIGHT when they return to Docks Riverfront Grill for their second weekend of shows there! Two weeks removed from a successful Halloween weekend gig at The Rosie, this band (essentially the successors to Turner Up's last lineup) should have some entertaining harder-edged covers (and from what I'm hearing, some originals) to light up the stage with, so don't miss the action on Foster Drive this weekend when The Thrill Junkies rock Docks once again! A cover charge in the $4 range wouldn't surprise me, you must be 19 years old to attend, and there's a 10:00 PM start time both nights. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! Travis, Robert, Jason, Justin, and Scott won't be back at Docks until late next month, so if you like this venue and the guys, don't miss out this weekend, as their well-tested and always fun sound should give a thrill to fans! No videos yet surprisingly, but when one turns up, we'll share it here to preview The Thrill Junkies with!

Next up, here's some notable upcoming metal concert updates, starting with the Biipiigwan concert at The Moose Lodge on Sunday November 24th, as both local openers have been replaced. We already reported on here that local sludge trio AlgomA had to pull out due to Darby Wigwaus' back injury, but their replacements will also feature drummer Jamie Vincent (a.k.a. Geezer), as his grunge duo Bad Back will take their place, now as the show's opening band! After a few interim sets were called off, this will be Jamie & Nathan's first live Bad Back concert in over 3 months, so it'll be good to have their chaotic and grungy sound back in just over 2 weeks! The other band replacement sees local stoner/death metal band Giwakwa being replaced by ex-singer Josh Stephney's other former band The Bear Hunters, who are now the co-headliners of this concert. No word on why Giwakwa are out (perhaps this is related to their singer vacancy?), but I will note that guitarist Chris Page had teased "a special surprise" related to this show on his personal Facebook page when they were still slated to play it.

It's disappointing to see Giwakwa drop out, but I'm curious to hear how their new lineup sounds when they actually do debut, so hopefully some good news comes out sooner or later! The Bear Hunters will be fitting openers though (especially having opened for Biipiigwan in Thessalon in 2011), so don't miss their melodic death metal fury at The Moose Lodge on the 24th, and stay tuned for more if/when it comes in!

Also in concert updates, here's the latest on Haggith's final show at The Algonquin Pub on Saturday, December 7th! An event poster (made by Sykotyk Rampage singer/guitarist Dirk Becker) is now up on the Facebook event page which details everything well, but it also teases that there will be "other surprise bands" at the show. No idea who's meant, but might we see one or more of the many recent live bands featuring Haggith band members? Time will tell, but they have a lot to pick from! As well, former Chronic Demonic/Project Legion singer Sabrina "Strange" Lavoie has said on her production company's Facebook page that she hopes to conduct a tell-all video interview with the members of Haggith before the show (joining other teased interviews with bands like Crimson Crusade & Destroilet), but she admitted that technical difficulties have slowed things down on that front. Hopefully that happens as planned, I'm curious to see her next interviews! Finally, a member of Haggith finally addressed a reason for their impending breakup on the event page linked above via a comment reply, saying on Wednesday that the members have all been moving in different creative directions, and they feel it's time to "take a break from Haggith & explore other musical ventures."

Note that the post said "take a break"? That seems to contradict the absolute finality of other online posts from the band, but was that a tease to give fans some hope, a misstatement, or exactly what it suggests? I don't know, but at least we're hearing something public beyond "all good things must come to an end"! I do remember seeing reference to a member having personal commitments to focus on too, but I'll yield further word at this time. Don't miss Haggith's second-last show at The New A on in two weeks, and stay tuned for updates on their final show as they roll in!

Finally for today, here's the latest from local thrash metal band Pillory, as they've finally filled out their current lineup by enlisting Social Suicide frontman Tyler St. Amour as their new bassist, replacing the departed Cole Royal. Drummer Bret Shuttleworth revealed the news on the band's Facebook page on last month, but Tyler has only been confirmed by name in person & via personal Facebook posts. Known more recently for work with Blood Shed Productions, Tyler may be best recognized from playing bass in metal bands like Fountain of Betrayal & March Into Regression (both with his brother Travis on drums), though I'll note that a former member of his Social Suicide project was late Pillory guitarist Andres Duchesne, so keep that connection in mind too. Tyler's a solid bassist, and hopefully this finally sparks the full return to activity that I know the guys have been aiming for over the past months! Their recent Facebook posts also indicate that rehearsals toward a return to the stage are in the works, and there had been some debate on Pillory entering next week's Viva La Battle, but when final word on everything Pillory comes in, we'll have it here!

That's all for today, and unless a big amount of news comes in beforehand to cover a new news post, stay tuned on Sunday for this month's Defunct Local Band Profiles on The Diego Experience & Deprecor! Thanks everyone!