LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Project 421), Punk Rock Bingo Preview, And More!!

We're nearing a week since our last news post without an attached concert preview, so let's correct that with today's post, which features new archive video discoveries, the latest from a popular music webseries, and a preview of a non-concert event for you punk fans, but first, here's a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for next month!

Local classic metal quintet Project 421 will mark the second anniversary of their live debut with a headlining concert on Saturday, December 5th (or, next Saturday) at The Rockstar Bar! As announced yesterday via the official Facebook event page, this show should be a fun time for fans of Project 421's fan favourite covers and increasing originals, and while it's upstairs rather than at The Algonquin Pub downstairs (the site of their live debut), they should rock the house next weekend! Opening bands will include funk/hard rock quartet The Elements and the mysterious new band Eclipse (not spelled Eclypse like before), but what do we know on them now? Not a lot, but the concert poster uniquely lists covered bands by each group, and Eclipse are listed as covering nu-metal and modern rock bands ranging from Billy Talent to Disturbed to Three Days Grace. Interesting range! Also, the poster credits this as as their live debut, implying that they didn't play the Jason Michaud benefit after all, but the band advertising for that event was always vague.

I believe I know at least one band member's identity, but we'll wait to confirm anything until something is publically announced! There will be a $5 admission fee for this concert, you must be 19 or older to attend, and a 10:00 PM start time is advertised. Check the above links for more details, and stay tuned for updates on this concert (and Eclipse) in the coming week!

Next up, here's our preview of the rescheduled second installment of Six Two Oh's punk rock bingo at The New American Pub TOMORROW NIGHT! After the planned October installment was postponed following the late Sabrina Pelchat's passing, the punk rock bingo encore goes down tomorrow, so get your dabbers ready to mark those cards, and unlike in September, the prizes are described online! The Facebook event page notes that everything from CDs & VHS tapes to skateboard decks & paintings, and even cans of soup, plus an apparent contest to make the Six Two Oh gang sign. Sounds like a fun time, and even if it's not a concert, expect punk music on the loudspeakers and many prizes befitting the genre! Once again, prolific local hardcore punk singer/bassist Brent Ellis will be the caller for tomorrow's bingo action, which has a lower price of 50¢ per card, no cover otherwise, a 19+ age limit, and an 8:00 PM start time. Check the above links for more details, and don't miss out on tomorrow's punk rock bingo action!

Also today, here's the latest from Local2's ongoing music webseries Tuned with Donna Hopper! While most recent episodes have not directly touched on metal, punk, and hard rock bands (including ones featured around DJ Seith & Conika, The Mayhemingways, Kalle Mattson, The Gore Street Cafe, and The Elwins), the newest episode is set at the K'Man & The 45s concert at The New American Pub on November 8th, so what should you know within? Bookended and interspersed with concert footage, the episode features Donna interviewing frontman Kristin "K'Man" McNulty about his experiences playing live & on tour, what he expected from the crowd that night, and future recording plans, with the requisite bloopers during the credits as well. Fairly concise (especially with no mention of the local openers), but it's a fun interview, and K'Man definitely seems to like playing in the Soo! It's nice to see a new Tuned episode focusing on recent punk or metal bands, and The 45s sound good in the clips, so give it all a look at this link! Remember, I can't embed Local2 videos here.

Finally for today, I wanted to acknowledge some old local concert videos that a reader shared with me in a recent e-mail conversation! A few days ago, reader Mark Felt sent me links to videos from an early 2000s local punk band named Polly Pockets Melting In The Microwave (a.k.a. PPMM, PPM², or Polly) that has never crossed our radar since the SMS started. According to Mark, their lineup featured future Stripped Of His Wings singer Matt Parent, guitarist Steve Mogg, bassist Ivan St. Jules, and future Motion Carried bassist Jamie Whalen on drums, though he also played guitar at times. Details on PPMM are minimal at best, but Jamie's YouTube channel features four videos from two concerts from their 2001-2003 run, mostly posted there 5 years ago, so what can be seen there? Covers of The Screeching Weasels' "Talk To Me Summer" and d.b.s.' "Sunday" are featured from one show (the latter with d.b.s. singer Jesse Gander on guest vocals), while the other two videos from a different concert venue are of Face To Face's "Blind" and, as embedded below, Minor Threat's "Look Back & Laugh", so give these a look!

It's odd that these videos have flown under the radar for our purposes for this long, but kudos to Mark for alerting me to these! The quality is mixed given the age of the videos, but P.P.M.M. have a hard hitting skate punk sound that looks like it attracted positive notices during their heyday, and the band sounds good overall! To get d.b.s.' own singer to guest on a cover of theirs, you'd have to be! Check these videos of Polly Pockets Melting In The Microwave out above and below!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and features as we wind down the month! Thanks everyone!