LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Guy Thiffault Memorial Concert II & Tym Morrison!!)

Originally, our last post of the month was to have been devoted to weekend concert previews, but with a major LOCAL CONCERT ALERT covering so much ground in this post, I opted to push our Banned previews for this weekend to tomorrow's news post, but don't worry, they are coming! That said, we do have some concert previews today, linked to more new show announcements for next month, so here's what you should know on all of that!

Local acoustic hard rock singer/guitarist Tym Morrison will continue his ongoing weekly concert arrangement at Gliss Steak & Seafood with solo headlining matinee gigs TONIGHT, TOMORROW, and SATURDAY, and as December begins this weekend, we'll add his remaining shows next month to our concert calendar today also! These include Gliss gigs on December 7th-9th, 14th-16th, 21st-23rd, and 28th-30th, so look for more unplugged cover action all month long from the former Caveman Morrison frontman! None of Tym's Gliss shows next month are directly on Christmas or New Year's-related holidays, and while we will let you know if any are put on hold due to personal or venue holiday scheduling, the Facebook event page covering remaining 2017 shows does not indicate anything changing from the above dates. However, before all of that, Tym's rocking The Quality Inn's house restaurant tonight through Saturday, so don't miss him this weekend or next month!

As usual, all of these Gliss shows have 6:00 PM nightly start times with no announced cover charge or age limits, but remember that this is a sit-down restaurant, not a typical nightclub venue. See above for more details, and here's Tym Morrison live a few years back!



Next up, here's a surprise new show for next month, as there will be a second annual Guy Thiffault Memorial Concert on Wednesday, December 27th! Moving to The Canadian Nightclub after rocking The Rockstar Bar last year, this event was a massive success over the 2016 holidays in memory of the late Hangdowns/Bondar frontman, and it's really nice to see that an encore installment is being organized, especially with more notice than last year's received! All proceeds for this year's tribute concert will go to Tracy's Dream, a local charity that provides cancer patients and those in medical need with free Sault Area Hospital parking, which is a great gesture on both sides! Five bands are currently advertised to perform on the 27th, and they include a one-off reunion of Guy's old indie/punk band Nebraska Arms, who played a 2 song set last year. Given their headlining status on the Facebook event page, I'd guess they're playing longer this time around, and it's great to see them back for year #2!

I can't confirm how Nebraska Arms will look next month, but for reference, bassist Wayne Watkins took over lead vocals last year, while Guy's Bondar bandmate Mark Rand filled in on guitar. Local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades are the next listed band (great to see them this year!), while a band named The HTs are also listed. There are no public online pages for this band yet, but I can confirm that they are one and the same as the tribute band You First & The Passive Aggressives from J.D. Pearce's Halloween Party concerts this year. If you saw that show live, you'll have recognized their lineup as having ex-Bankshot bandmates Lucas Schmiedendorf & Clint Wilson alongside former Quasar guitarist Andre LeBlanc & former Winkstinger bassist Ryan Disano. Solid lineup, it'll be interesting to hear more from them, and thanks to Lucas/Sal for extra confirmation! The other two bands currently confirmed are returnees from last year, including punk trio Stegadeth, whose second live set total was at last year's tribute show.

The listed openers (like last year) are local alt-punk quartet A Dire Setback, in what will be their first live appearance after a 3+ month hiatus from local concerts. The band still has not publically confirmed or denied rumours about a major lineup change, so how will they look and sound next month? We may have to wait until the 27th to find out! Unspecified "special guests" will also play this one, so prepare yourself for that also! Promoted by the aforementioned Lucas Schmiedendorf, and with sound by Live705, advance tickets will be $5 for this concert (the price jumps to $10 at the door), and while local in-person availability has not yet been announced, you can buy tickets online at this link. Doors open at 8:00 PM, and I would imagine this is a 19+ event. Also, organizers have partnered up with Driverseat to offer a deal to attendees who'd be interested in paying for a designated driver to get them & their vehicle home, so see above for details on that!

For more details, visit the above links, plus this new Guy Thiffault website featuring concert details and loads of audio tracks from Nebraska Arms, The Hangdowns, and Bondar! Nothing yet from The Business Suit Trappers, but if you love Guy's local band work, this is a huge wealth of material, so enjoy it, and we've added it to our "Other Links" section! This is shaping up to be another huge concert for Guy's memory and for another great cause, so visit the above links for much more on this show, stay tuned for continued updates, and look for our Banned concert previews and more news and notes on the site tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

Bret Michaels Concert Videos, Toystock VI Fallout, And More!!

Before we begin this post, I wanted to send our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Jason Michaud, who passed away on Sunday at just 23 years old after a tough battle with cancer over the past five years (read his obituary at this link.) Though not a local musician to my knowledge, Jason will be familiar to many readers from a benefit concert in his name two years ago at The Marconi Hall towards his ongoing medical expenses, which featured Redundant, Project 421, The Din, and Eclipse alongside DJ Seith as part of it's musical entertainment. A pot-luck dinner/celebration of life will take place at the Bridge View Banquet Hall (formerly The Verdi Hall) on Sunday at 6:00 PM, with arrangements entrusted to the Arthur Funeral Home, while The Din encouraged donations to the Canadian Cancer Society in their own Facebook post from Sunday. I didn't know Jason personally, but I've heard great things about his character and courage, and our best thoughts go out to everyone affected by his loss. R.I.P. Jason!

Now, today's post otherwise relates to recent concert fallout on both sides of the border, and we'll start with some new video uploads surrounding the Bret Michaels concert at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino this past Saturday! Surprisingly, I've only came across one YouTube channel at press time with footage from the actual concert, that being of attendee Annette Chandler, who had previously uploaded videos from the Lita Ford and Fleetwood Mania concerts this year. Though untitled, Annette's videos are of Bret covering three Poison classics at The Dreammaker's Theater on Saturday, including "Nothin' But A Good Time",  "Unskinny Bop" (complete with pre-song cover medley), and as embedded below, "Talk Dirty To Me" to kick off his set. Good angle of the stage for these videos, and while the audio can be a little staticy at times, everyone has good energy and Bret's great at engaging with fans and keeping up the party atmosphere! Check out Annette's videos above & below!



Also, here's a pre-concert hype video from Bret himself that was shared to the Kewadin Concerts Facebook page on Saturday evening, wherein Bret gives a final push to the concert, which was "almost sold out" as of filming. Given that it went online only an hour before the show's advertised start time, we didn't have much of a window to post it here before the show took place, so apologies for it being late, but it's nice to see more direct promotion from the artist like this, and give this video a belated look below!

Finally for today, here's some fallout from the sixth annual Toystock charity concert this past Sunday at The Northern Grand Gardens! By the vast majority of accounts, Toystock VI was another successful event for music fans and charitable locals alike, and while I couldn't make it this year due to Christmas decoration/tree setup conflicts, I'm sure it was a great time! SooToday's Donna Hopper was in attendance for part of the day, posting this article mid-concert, so what lies within? The article includes interview remarks from promoter/performer Greg Simpson on the high early attendance and Christmas Cheer donation levels, a call to keep donations coming for those in need, and how Toystock has evolved. Solid overall, nice to hear that things are continuing to grow for Toystock, and here's to even more in 2018! The article also confirms a late band change, as Superior Heights Collegiate rock trio The Voyageurs (pictured) replaced pop rock cover quartet Cherry Crush on the bill for unannounced reasons.

Hopefully nothing too serious came up in the Cherry Crush camp, but good on The Voyageurs for stepping in! Other than being comprised of high schoolers, I know nothing on them or their sound, but hopefully some Toystock media turns up. In any event, there appears to have been some shuffling to the lineup order too, as the article went up before Cherry Crush's 7:00 PM set would have taken place. Two photos of The Voyageurs can be seen in Donna's high quality photos linked above, though no other bands are featured. See above for more on Toystock VI, and that's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews next! Thanks everyone!

YouTube Channel Profile Series: Dullahan & Raine Hailshard

This month's YouTube Channel Profiles are here on the SMS, though with a minor change. Originally, we had planned to solely cover Dullahan's channel after it's random selection, but in preparations, I realized that they only had two distinct videos without repeated content (one video's three songs were previously uploaded separately.) Slight miscalculation on my part, so to fill things out, I have randomly chosen one more channel with 4 videos from one specific event to get things back on track (fittingly, it ended up being another black metal act!) Now, here's this month's spotlight of locally relevant YouTube channels to watch and subscribe to!
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Dullahan (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCr9mmcKmhaNcT2tZaiuz7pg) 

Owner: An unspecified member of inactive local black metal duo Dullahan (either guitarist/bassist Sevriz or drummer/keyboardist Wyrn, real identities intentionally not revealed)

Channel Timeline: Launched on July 15th, 2015; Videos posted from later that month through February 2016

Channel Summary: The official Dullahan channel has seen five uploads make it's way here since the project's inception, including three single song uploads, a cover, and what the band termed as their first EP.

Why You Should Watch: Fans of atmospheric and instrumental black metal should find something to like on Dullahan's channel, and with them standing out in a local music scene that's never been historically strong for black metal bands, they were a unique sight during their heyday! However, their videos are all studio recordings with no videos or photos of Sevriz & Wyrn, adding to the band's secretive nature, so keep that in mind. Also, note that this channel hasn't been actively used since early last year.

Our Recommended Videos To Check Out

Dullahan: The Wood Cutter... (Full EP): After previously uploading it's songs in individual uploads earlier that summer, Dullahan compiled a three song "EP" for their YouTube channel and Bandcamp page on August 31st, 2015, entitled "The Wood Cutter", which is their most watched video there. A free posting with no sale option, possibly due to the included cover, the featured songs include the title track (featuring a closing sample from a Le Rêve du Diable song), a rendition of Burzum's "Lost Wisdom", and "Walking Through a Dying Forest". Though minimalistic and sans vocals, these three songs showcase Dullahan's talent and relative originality, with strong bass work and some solid riffs throughout!



Sea of Depression - Dullahan: Almost six months after posting "The Wood Cutter", Dullahan returned in February of last year for their final YouTube upload (to date), namely their original song "Sea of Depression", which was intended to be the title track of their unreleased follow-up EP. Uniquely featuring video footage of nature, waterfalls, and the horizon in place of prepared single/EP artwork, that actually helps the atmospheric vibe of the song, while also maintaining a heavy, chugging progression with solid drumming. Hopefully Dullahan re-emerge down the road, they had a good thing going, and it would have been interesting to see how they would have progressed had activity maintained into 2017!


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Raine Hailshard (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWkDPXYSxhlk1g2f6F04Q-A)

Owner: YouTube user Raine Hailshard (previously known as Hlynur Svartaduhter; Their real identity isn't known, but I don't believe they're locally based)

Channel Timeline: Launched on February 28th, 2012; Videos posted on October 6th, 2016

Channel Summary: Though still actively used, Raine/Hlynur's only channel uploads are four clips from defunct local black metal band Woods of Ypres' set at the Obey the Flame Festival in Montreal, Quebec on May 25th, 2003, early in the band's Windsor run. Originally posted in December 2011 shortly after singer/then-drummer David Gold's passing (on the David Gold's Legacy Facebook page), these videos feature him alongside then-singer Robin Cross, guitarists Dustin Black & Colin Wysman, and bassist Aaron Palmer. The videos feature Woods playing most of their debut EP "Against the Seasons", including "Intro: The Shams of Optimism", "Crossing the 45th Parallel", "The Sea of Immeasurable Loss", and the channel's most popular upload, "A Meeting Place & Time". The VHS camcorder quality isn't amazing, but these capture Woods of Ypres' raw early beginnings well enough, with Robin & Aaron a good match on vocals, and the songs are handled well compared to the EP, so Woods of Ypres fans should enjoy these ones!


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I hope you guys liked this month's YouTube Channel Profiles! Next month, we'll end 2017 for this series with another randomly selected channel, this time by YouTube user Detoxicated, who has stuffed their channel with a number of Treble Charger videos from that band's heyday, including everything from interviews to music videos! Look for that on or around Boxing Day, and stay tuned for a new news post tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The Elements), Our Toystock VI Preview, And A Surprising Band Breakup?!

I had originally planned this post for tomorrow, which includes our Toystock preview and a surprising removal from our active band links, but with a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT hitting the wire for TONIGHT, I've bumped it up to today. With that said, here's what you should know!

Half of local funk/ska/hard rock quartet The Elements will play a special acoustic concert set at Room 21 at 480 Albert Street West TONIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced this morning on the venue's Facebook page, with the band's Facebook page following suit this afternoon. A rare appearance at this intimate unplugged venue for a hard rock-leaning act, TONIGHT'S show will see Elements frontman Rob Speers and guitarist Jesse Cook unite in an unusual musical setting for them, with Rob even breaking out a guitar of his own for their sets. Room 21 have teased many familiar covers for Elements fans, and even suggested that fans may be able to "pick up a mic and sing along", so keep that in mind for TONIGHT as well! Mystery guests are also teased for TONIGHT, with Room 21 specifying that they'll include bandmates of Rob's and Jesse's from Jack Spades and Handsome Sandwich, plus at least one member of Eclipse, so come on out to see who turns up!

Note that the official Facebook event page gives Rob & Jesse's project name as "Kariokeheads Unplugged" (sic), but The Elements promoted this show publically as if it was their own. TONIGHT'S show at Room 21 (the new nightclub above the barbecue restaurant Low & Slow) has a 10:00 PM start time, no announced cover charge, and a 19+ age limit. See the above links for more details on hat should be an intriguing concert TONIGHT, and here's The Elements liv, albeit in full, last year!

Next up, here's our preview a big concert taking place THIS SUNDAY that had lots of advance notice, as the sixth annual Toystock charity concert is fast approaching! Returning for it's third straight year at The Northern Grand Gardens, Toystock VI will once again feature a day's worth of family entertainment to help pile together lots of toy, food, and cash donations to Christmas Cheer, with the Stuff-A-Bus once again returning for the cause too! Santa and Mrs. Claus will stop in to meet the kids (of course, this is ALL AGES), and there will be numerous prize draws, plus food and drinks from the Grand Gardens will also be available. Visit the official Facebook event page for full non-musical details! As usual, Toystock will welcome 10 local music acts in 10 hours on Sunday, and for the first time, the event will welcome back six bands from prior installments, with 4 other groups debuting in the festival on Sunday, so who can you look for in a couple of days' time? As this schedule indicates, Toystock VI will be headlined at 9:00 PM by country rock quartet Bone Yard, in their record fifth appearance at this event and fourth straight as headliners, so country fans won't want to miss them!

1960s-centric classic rock quartet The Peace Vibe will co-headline for a second straight year at 8:00 PM, while inaugural Toystock performers Cherry Crush will finally bring their pop rock covers back for a 7:00 PM set on Sunday, as preceded by blues/country veterans The Algo Rhythms (themselves returnees from 2015's Toystock) and the festival debut of blues musician Paul Dellavedova's solo band at 6:00 & 5:00 PM each. The hard rock portion of the day will see classic/hard rock quartets The 3 Day Millionaires (returning from last year) and Soundcheck (debuting if you discount Mourning Wood sets) at 4:00 & 3:00 PM respectively. The 2:00 PM slot belongs to acoustic country duo The Bearded Lounge in their festival debut, with their set replacing one by sister band Mojo & guest singer Annette Bouchard for unannounced reasons. That said, all of Mojo are in Bone Yard that night, so keep them in mind! Unidentified Case's Music students will also return from last year at 1:00 PM, though I can't confirm their identities.

Toystock VI will open at 12:00 PM on Sunday with the festival debut of The Jeff & Jeff Show, a new acoustic duo featuring Country 104.3 DJ Jeff McNiece, so come early to hear what they have in store! Admission is FREE with a toy, food, or cash donation to Christmas Cheer, and this should be another great holiday concert for fans of all ages to donate to a worthy cause and check out some talented live music! Visit the above links for more details, and here's The 3 Day Millionaires live at Toystock V!

Finally for today, we have a very surprising band to remove from our active band links, they being local improv/jam/hard rock collective Gianni Gagoots. Their Facebook (and only online) page was quietly taken down for unannounced reasons at some point in the past two months, coinciding with the quiet removal of almost all of their official YouTube video uploads, including from their Northern Vibe Festival set in August, none of which being positive for their active status. Debuting last summer, the Gagoots soon became a unique fan favourite attraction at numerous local concerts with their extended instrumental jams, fake Italian stage names, sense of humour, and fan engagement at sets through the OM Sound show in September of this year, with many later concerts being self-promoted through their own Like Ten! Productions Banner. I have no idea what happened to Gianni Gagoots, but everything I've seen pointed to a fun live band that had to be seen in person for the full experience!

Best case scenario is that the page was automatically de-activated like what happened with Destroilet's page earlier this year, but the lack of shows since early September and the video deletions don't paint a positive picture anyway. Hopefully we see Matt, Liam, Josh, Frank, and Bergio out there again in the future, and don't miss Liam's blues/country band The Barn Board Trio! That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates on the site soon! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Soundcheck), Weekend Concert Previews, And Inactive Band Notes!!

Happy Thanksgiving to our American readers! Before (or after?) you take in the parades and football, we have a new news post to take in, and while the U.P. side of things is naturally light over the holiday weekend, there's a big show to take in on Saturday there, plus a good slate in Sault Ontario, including a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT! Some bands being removed from our active band links are rounding things out, and we'll cover this year's Toystock in our next post. Now, here's what you should know!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will hit the stage for one night only TOMORROW NIGHT at The Rockstar Bar! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced via it's official Facebook event page on Sunday. Fresh off of their return from hiatus last week, tomorrow's concert will be the first at The Rockstar Bar for the Mourning Wood successors since early June, so if you've missed Travis, Terry, Paul, and Steven at this popular downtown nightclub, you know where to be for some hard rocking but varied tunes TOMORROW! As well, this could also be seen as a tune-up event before Soundcheck rock Toystock VI on Sunday, so stay tuned for our extended preview of that charity concert in the coming days! Note also that TOMORROW'S show is a one-night-only concert, and while The Rockstar Bar's physical marquee board was advertising The Ride as playing there on Saturday, I have not seen online confirmation of that, so take that with a grain of salt.

In any event, TOMORROW'S Soundcheck concert has no announced cover charge, a 19+ age limit, and a late start time of 11:00 PM. This should be a solid concert from this familiar veteran outfit, so if you can or can't make Toystock on Sunday, keep this one in mind as well, and hopefully some public videos of Soundcheck turn up soon!

Next up, here's the latest solo acoustic gigs from prolific hard rock singer/guitarist Tym Morrison, who will return to Gliss Steak & Seafood as usual TONIGHT, TOMORROW, and SATURDAY! Playing his last full concert weekend of the month (next weekend straddles the start of December), Tym should have another triple header of entertaining classic and hard rock covers in store for fans at The Quality Inn's house restaurant over the next three evenings, so don't miss these matinees if you're up for some acoustic entertainment! No, Tym didn't play at Mark's Breakfast Plus this week, breaking a four week run there. Also, note that the Facebook event page for this weekend's gigs also confirms that Tym will be playing there throughout December, but due to the high amount of very similar shows in a short timeframe, we always take Tym's regular weekly bookings a month at a time, and will address his December shows next week.

(FYI, Tym's website's concert calendar lists consecutive weekly Gliss gigs through August 2031, so accurate or not, be glad we tackle these month by month!) Tonight, tomorrow, and Saturday's shows have no announced cover charges or age limits, and they take place at 6:00 PM. Visit the above links for more details, and here's Tym live!



Lastly for this weekend's concert previews (Toystock aside), let's head to Sault Michigan for the highly anticipated return of Poison frontman Bret Michaels to The Dreammaker's Theater at the Soo's Kewadin Casino THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! Marking his seventh local concert appearance in the past 12 years (all but one of which being at Kewadin Casino), this show is being billed as their "Thanksgiving Weekend Mega Party", so hopefully the tryptophan is out of your system in time for a night of classic Poison renditions like "Talk Dirty To Me" & "Nothin' But A Good Time", plus solo cuts from Bret's own albums! After all, Bret wouldn't come back time and time again if his shows weren't hits, so expect another good time for you Hair Scare lovers on Saturday! Tickets are still available from the second row and back, but in the prime center section, there was only 18 tickets remaining at press time, so act quick if you want the best possible seats in time for Saturday night!

Tickets are $48.50 unless you buy from the front six rows, then the price jumps to $58.50. This all ages show takes place on Saturday at 7:00 PM, so get your tickets if you haven't yet at 1-800-KEWADIN, the in-person box office, or at this link! A quiet concert weekend in Sault Michigan will end with a bang on Saturday, so don't miss round 7 of Bret Michaels in the Soo area, and here's Bret live earlier this year!



Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news items from the last while, all relating to bands being removed from our active band links. As usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:

• First, we have removed prolific metal/folk musician Chase Wigmore's Coyote Speedfreaks solo project from our links due to the deletion of it's Facebook (and only online) page at some point earlier this year. A creative experimental extension of Chase's earlier solo work, he did note in January that the Speedfreaks were "a series of albums under a unifying name" moreso than a band, but it would be interesting to see him return to this project down the road. Stream some of his Coyote Speedfreaks material at this link!
• I have also moved local instrumental black metal duo Dullahan to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity, not having posted on their Facebook page since last November, or given a written update since February of last year. Dullahan showed promise as a rare regional example of atmospheric black metal, so hopefully we see Sevriz and Wyrn back at it in the near future, and follow Wyrn's active solo project Abhorrent Forest too!
• Lastly, I have moved former Fitswitch/Scary Uncles bassist Andrew MacDonald's Likekissingbricks solo project to our inactive band links as well, as Andrew has not visibly posted any new updates or material for it since September of last year. Likekissingbricks were a work in progress, but had potential, and hopefully Andrew revisits this or other solo work in the future!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site this weekend, including our Toystock preview! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Id Iota & Banned), A New Album Discovery, And More!!

I apologize for things being slow around here this month, November doesn't usually crash this hard for news after Halloween! That said, we have a full news post for your pre-Thanksgiving enjoyment, and it includes some assorted updates, extra info on our most recent CD review topic, and leading off, here's a pair of LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, one on SHORT NOTICE!

Kinross classic/hard rock trio Banned will play a special Wednesday night concert TONIGHT at the Dondee Lanes in Sault Michigan! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced via it's Facebook event page on Sunday. Alex, Don, and Wayne will be making very rare appearances at the local bowling alley's Sportsman's Lounge TONIGHT, with us last covering a Dondee stop from them in December 2015, so regulars and local fans will be overdue to take in this talented group at the South Mackinac Trail location! No word on why they're playing mid-week at the Dondee, but it could be related to holiday plans and/or venue closures over the forthcoming U.S. Thanksgiving weekend. If you're up for some pre-turkey hard and classic rock favourites, you know where to be TONIGHT! An early 8:00 PM start time is in effect for this 21+ show, which has no announced cover charge. See above for more details, and here's Banned live a few years back!

Next up, here's a Sault Ontario show with lots of advance notice, as local alternative/hard rock quartet Id Iota will return to the stage on Tuesday, December 26th (a.k.a. Boxing Day) when they open for local/Montreal pop rock solo artist Mike Mikus in his CD release party at LopLops Lounge! This show will end a 5 month hiatus from the local stage for both acts, each having played here last on July 15th, when each played at Rotaryfest's Stage 2 and then at Mike's local farewell show at LopLops. However, the former Pixo Control frontman will be home for the holidays to launch his self-titled debut solo album, so if you want to hear his current sound again and/or pick up his new CD and merchandise, be at LopLops on Boxing Night! It's also great to see Id Iota return from the studio with more of their fan favourite hard rock and funk-influenced originals, so keep their return in mind also! Another Stage 2 act from this year will open next month, namely indie/pop duo All Us Others, so keep their rising and talented sound in mind also!

All Us Others will kick off this 19+ concert at 10:00 PM, and admission  will be $10 at the door, but you'll get a digital download copy of Mike's CD if you pay $15 (no word as of yet on CD prices though.) This sounds like a great way to welcome Mike back home (if briefly) and to support his current solo project, and there should be lots of familiar faces and tunes all night on Boxing Day, so visit the official Facebook event page for current details!

Next up, I wanted to acknowledge a recent archive local metal album that I picked up a few months back, and if you saw our review of it from Monday, it won't be a surprise! The album in question is defunct local metal quintet Amethyst's self-titled cassette tape EP from way back in 1990, which was a lucky find at The Rad Zone, and given the band's stature and the tape's current rarity, it was worth the $25 price! I won't rehash much of what was in our review (again, check the post below), but the packaging was well put together for an independent cassette tape release, and the sound quality has held up in the past 27 years! The packaging includes a picture of Amethyst in a guitar surrounded by autographs from fans and friends, front cover artwork by Sean DeCourcy, full credits for performers, writers, and producers, and thanks to their supporters. This was one of those albums that I always hoping to track down, so it's great that I found this one, let alone on the same trip where I found Infrastrate's EP, which is just convenient luck!

In terms of streaming the whole album, you can hear our uploads of "Midnight Queen", "Waste of Time", the original version of "Sky", "Rock First, Roll Later", and the amusing bonus cover of "The Infernal Galop" (a.k.a. the can-can song) at these links, and hopefully the "Waste of Time" video resurfaces in the future also! Amethyst were a very solid band and a highlight of the local scene in the early 1990s, so give their debut EP a listen above & below, and stay tuned for our "Suburban Dream" CD review next!



Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:

• Hamilton punk/grunge trio Doors & Fours were unfortunately unable to headline at The Algonquin Pub on Saturday, November 11th due to their tour vehicle breaking down while on the road. As a result, local openers Jack Spades & Stegadeth played on with unspecified "surprise guests", though no public word on who they were. As they say, "the show must go on", and hopefully things went over well!
• Sault Michigan classic/hard rock cover quartet Highway 63 announced on their Facebook page on Monday that they will be "taking a bit of a hiatus" after their December 22nd weekend shows in St. Ignace so they can learn new sets, and that "it may be a bit before we are back", but "we are gonna blow your socks off" when they return. At least we have a heads up, and hopefully the planned break is fruitful for 2018 concert plans!
• Band Camp Rejects bassist Ryan Bell is looking for a singer and/or keyboardist for a current band project that he's working on, that would play classic rock and blues music. I do not 100% know on if this is for The Band Camp Rejects or a new band, but note that the BCRs haven't played a public show since February, and in another Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from June, he was looking for guitarists in what could be the same band. If you're interested in trying out, message Ryan at this link or above!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews on the site tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

Amethyst - "Amethyst" EP Review!!

Now's a good time for our 101st monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, and with no new metal, hard rock, or punk releases in my possession this month (aside from "Suburban Dream", coming next month), we're dipping into the archives for a look at defunct local heavy/power metal quintet Amethyst's self-titled debut EP! I chose this particular release to tie in with frontman Rick "Widow" Dellavedova's set as drummer with his brother Paul's solo band at Toystock on Sunday. Released on cassette tapes in 1990 through Kuntare Music, this EP was recorded at Satellite Sound Studios with producer Bob McLeod, and preceded their more famous CD "Innocent As Hell" from 1994. Amethyst are represented here by their classic lineup, including Rick (billed here as "Rick Vedova") on vocals, alongside guitarists Jose "Wales" Temperao & Mike Haas, future Plaid Tongued Devils bassist Gordon "Chipp" Robb, and later Meatplow frontman Phil "Sebastien Phily" Temperao on drums, while Rhonda Ralph sings backing vocals on "Sky".

This album is long since out of print, and is unavailable on the band's posthumous social media pages, but I bought my copy of "Amethyst" at The Rad Zone a few months ago for $25, and song names linked below will take you to our upload of this rare EP. Also, note that the EP's contents (4 songs and one bonus track across 18 minutes) were recorded on both sides of the tape with no changes. Now, let's begin our review of Amethyst's debut!

The EP begins with "Midnight Queen",  which starts with a methodical bass intro from Chipp that soon features increased input from the rest of the band, and while it never gets too fast in pace, it builds nicely in intensity and purpose! Singing about the title character, Rick showcases his strong rangy vocals to good effect here, including a piercing scream later on, and the guitar solo is solid too! It's an effective track, but I would have increased the tempo, as it would have better matched the song's mood, and have given Phil a bigger showcase on drums. Second is the EP's single "Waste of Time", which received a music video at the time, though it unfortunately hasn't been available on YouTube in a few years. More energetically paced than it's predecessor, this has more of a care-free hair metal vibe to it, with nice backing vocal layering to the chorus (even if it's fairly repetitive.) Phil has more room to shine on this track, which has a very catchy guitar riff too, and everyone mashes together well, so this is a standout track! I just wish the chorus lyrics were more varied.

Third is their softer ballad "Sky", which is the only song on this tape to survive in re-recorded form on their follow-up "Innocent As Hell" four years later. The two copies are structurally very similar, so I won't re-review it here, but you can check out our thoughts of the 1994 version in our review of that CD from 2011 if you're so inclined, and stream that version at this link. The later version is higher in recording quality, while also about 20 seconds shorter, but my big takeaway from the 1990 original is that Rick's vocals seem more forced, without the ease and pitch he would develop in the coming years. I prefer Amethyst's heavy songs, and Rhonda's backing vocals are a good fit, but of the two versions, I'd go with the latter.

The EP's last advertised song is also it's longest, "Rock First, Roll Later" (though it's shortened to just "Rock First" on the back of the booklet.) Uniquely, Amethyst added audience sound effects to the start and end of this song, giving the illusion that it was a live recording. If you were going to do that to a song on the tape, this would be the one, as it has a catchy sing-along vibe with a chorus that was prime and ready for fans to sing along with live! Chipp's bass work is a highlight on this song, and the drumming matches up nicely, and Jose & Mike handle guitar nicely! Overall, this is a strong way to end "Amethyst"... or is it? 2 minutes after "Rock First" ends, an 80 second bonus track begins that features a comical rendition of "The Infernal Galop" from Jacques Offenbach's 1858 operetta "Orpheus of the Underworld" (a.k.a., the "Can-Can" dance song.) Featuring the guys using bad Russian-esque accents and playing the song on instruments like the kazoo, this is an amusing palate cleanser, so enjoy it for what it is!

So, what are my final thoughts on Amethyst's debut cassette tape? Overall, it's a solid debut release from one of the premier local metal bands from the turn of the 1990s, and while I think "Innocent As Hell" was a stronger showcase of their talent and range, this was a very positive first step in their run together! Everyone in the band had clear talent, from Rick Vedova's rangy melodic vocals to Jose Temperao and Mike Haas' solid dual riffs and solos, while Jose's brother Phil gave them solid rhythm on these tracks, and Chipp was a standout on bass from start to finish! That said, they all improved in the ensuing four years, as you can best hear when comparing both versions of "Sky". I liked "Waste of Time" and "Rock First, Roll Later" the best, with the opening track not as fast as it's instrumentation should warrant, and "Sky" moving away from my usual music preferences. I will say that it seems to have more of a hair metal essence to it than even "Innocent As Hell" did, but 1990 was before the grunge boom, so that could be a given.

While not as refined as their future CD, "Amethyst" is a quality debut, which I am very glad to own and finally review on here, so give it a listen above, and see if any copies turn up second hand, as you never know what might turn up at The Rad Zone or elsewhere! I hope you guys liked this month's CD (well, tape) review, and stay tuned in early December for our long awaited review of The Din's final studio album "Suburban Dream", plus more news and notes this week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Banned) & Saturday Night Concert Previews!!

As promised, here's the second half of our weekend concert previews this time around! With news going slow this week, I reluctantly don't have a fourth full story to round things out, so this will be somewhat shorter than usual, but hopefully this doesn't become a trend. These previews reflect Saturday-only concerts, and we'll start with a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, so here's what you should know!

Kinross, Michigan classic/hard rock trio Banned will return to The Runway Bar in nearby Hessel for one night only TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced via the venue's Facebook page on Sunday, with Banned only confirming it on their own Facebook page on Wednesday. Two weeks removed from their most recent shows in St. Ignace, TOMORROW's Hessel trip will mark their first show there in almost six months, and this should be another prime opportunity to check out the Traynors and Wayne's often heavy blend of covers, so keep this show in mind! Note that Banned are branding this show as a "deer season party", referencing the recent start of Michigan's deer hunting season (with regular firearms), so note that angle as well if you're planning on coming out. TOMORROW'S concert has a 21+ age limit, 9:00 PM start time, and no announced cover charge. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Banned live!



Next up, we'll move to previously announced concerts TOMORROW NIGHT in Sault Ontario, starting with a big concert at The Rockstar Bar featuring some hard rock openers alongside headlining Montreal power pop band Dany Laj & The Looks! Fans may recognize Dany and company from their shows here in July and twice over the 2015/16 winter, though this will be their first time at The Rockstar Bar. While not a heavy band, The Looks' upbeat pop rock originals have found a solid audience locally over the past couple of years, so definitely give them a listen in advance of their last tour stop before heading to the States! A diverse lineup of opening bands will include local indie/hard rock quartet Bizotic, alt-punk trio Handsome Sandwich (in their first show in almost two months), and former Labour Of... frontman Brenton Ellis' new solo acoustic project Slumshine, so don't be late for any of their sure-to-be quality sets!  (No online page link for Slumshine yet, FYI.)

Co-promoted by Larry Babic and photographer Josh Pace (in the former's first promoted concert post-Live 705), this 19+ concert has a 9:00 PM start time, and while door admission is $10, advance ticket sales are listed for $8, so inquire at The Algonquin Hotel's front desk and/or with promoters on that front, as nothing's public on availability. This should be a fun time for fans of varying forms of power rock, including some heavier flourishes, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Bizotic live!



Lastly for known hard rock concerts this weekend, local blues/hard rock trio Electric Church will be among the openers at the long-anticipated K.I.C.K. CD release show TOMORROW NIGHT at LopLops Lounge! Of course, the main event here is the Keep it Cool Kids finally releasing their debut self-titled CD, and the buzz is high for the indie rock quartet approaching this concert, so expect lots of originals from the album as they launch it in style tomorrow! The aforementioned Electric Church will open in their first concert since the Sault College reunion event in September, so look for more hard hitting blues rock from them in a rare LopLops appearance, while folk/country duo The Crossroad Magdalenes will kick off the night with a set of talented numbers that should ease fans into everything well! This 19+ show takes place at 9:00 PM tomorrow, but K.I.C.K. have indicated on their Facebook page that this concert is sold out, which is an impressive feat in & of itself!

If any tickets open up, or if limited door entry is indicated in advance, then admission should still be at $10. With Tidal Records presenting and Crank Sound Distribution manning the controls, could you ask for a bigger launch for K.I.C.K.'s debut CD? Best of luck all around tomorrow, click here to give K.I.C.K.'s debut music videos a watch, and for a preview of the night's hard rock component, here's Electric Church live!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for a full news post and more on the site soon! Thanks everyone!

The First Of This Weekend's Hard Rock Concert Previews!!

I know things have been slow on the site lately, but there is typically a crash for news after Halloween, and this year has certainly been no exception. However, we are back with a busy weekend of concert previews, so much so that we're dividing them up into two posts. As such, if you're looking for our previews of the Dany Laj & The Looks show, K.I.C.K.'s CD release party, or the newly announced Banned concert in Hessel (all on Saturday), then watch for those previews tomorrow in all likelihood. Now, let's begin this weekend's previews in rough chronological order!

We'll start with the second half of former Caveman Morrison frontman Tym Morrison's six night run of local matinee concerts at restaurants, as he returns to Gliss Steak & Seafood to continue his long-term run there TONIGHT, TOMORROW, and SATURDAY! Fresh off of his Monday-Wednesday run of shows at Mark's Breakfast Plus, Tym will return to more familiar downtown territory over these next three evenings, so if you're interested in some more acoustic hard rock classics at supper time, head to The Quality Inn's house restaurant! For what it's worth, no Mark's shows are listed on SooToday's events calendar at press time for next week, so if he does play there for a fifth straight Wednesday, it'll likely be a short notice announcement on here. This weekend's Gliss concerts are once again 6:00 PM affairs with no announced cover charges or age limits. Visit the Facebook event page for more, and here's Tym live!

Next up, we'll head to LopLops Lounge for the latest show from local indie/hard rock quartet Vol., who will be among the openers for the return of Saskatchewan southern rock trio Johnny 2 Fingers & The Deformities TOMORROW NIGHT! Making their third live appearance with their current lineup, Vol. have been making steady fans since their debut earlier this year, and this show should be no exception, so look for more entertaining and often hard-edged originals from Vol. before the headliners hit the stage! Of course, fans will recognize Johnny 2 Fingers & company from their two well received stops here last fall, so look for more fun southern rock stylings from this fan favourite band tomorrow as well! Montreal alternative quintet The Union Thugs will also rock this show with their accordion-laden sound that gives a punk essence to folk rock, so they'll be worth checking out for crossover fans as well, while local indie rock solo artist Jacob "Shit Creek Survivor" Quarrell will open up as he preps for the upcoming release of his own new album.

Promoted by Six, Two, Oh. (who put on last October's Deformities show, if not both), this show marks the convergence of the headliners' Time To Rock Tour and The Union Thugs' Scab Hunting Season Tour. A 9:00 PM start time is in effect for this 19+ concert, which likely has a $5 cover charge. While not an exceedingly heavy lineup, there's a nice variance of sounds to take in tomorrow at LopLops, and Vol. will whet any hard rock appetites, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Vol. live!

Let's take a quick detour to Sault Michigan next, as Traverse City classic metal trio Peril will return to The Rapids Lounge at the Soo's Kewadin Casino branch TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Promoted as their "last call" for 2017 (though sister band Scarkazm will be in St. Ignace next month), this will be Peril's first concert weekend at The Rapids Lounge or in the E.U.P. in 2 months, though they did play an increasingly rare Lower Peninsula show last week in Harbor Springs. Hopefully Brooks' "unforeseen circumstances" that scuttled their St. Ignace shows last month are in the past, so that Peril can deliver another quality weekend of hard rocking covers for fans in Sault Ste. Marie over these two nights, especially as these are planned to be their final shows of the year! As usual for Peril's northern trips, expect 9:00 PM start times, 21+ age limits, and no cover charge tomorrow and Saturday night. See above for more details, and here's Peril live!



Finally for today's first preview post, we'll head back to Sault Ontario for the return of local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck, as they rock The Esquire Club TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT themselves! After taking an unusual three month concert hiatus, the Mourning Wood successors are back in action this month, with these shows marking their first stops at the west end venue since Rotaryfest weekend, while these should also serve as a fine tune-up before they debut at Toystock later this month. It's great to see Soundcheck back in action, so don't miss this talented veteran quartet at The Esquire Club tomorrow and/or Saturday! These shows have 9:30 PM start times, 19+ age limits, and no announced cover charges, as usual. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and hopefully some public videos turn up of Soundcheck soon!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for the rest of this weekend's concert previews next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Pop Evil), Tym Morrison Concert Previews, And New Videos!!

A new work week is upon us, so here's a new news post for your Monday afternoon! Today, we have some new YouTube video discoveries from a pair of inactive notable groups, special previews for some upcoming matinee concerts, and first, here's a huge LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for early next year!

Muskegon hard rock quintet Pop Evil will return to The Dreammaker's Theater at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino for their (at least) fifth live appearance here on Wednesday, February 14th! After previously playing this venue in 2010, 2013, and last February (plus The Satisfied Frog in the 2000s), this fan favourite band will return in support of their upcoming self-titled CD, and with rock radio hits like "Footsteps", "Deal With The Devil", and their newest "Waking Lions", you know you'll hear lots of familiar songs on this special Valentine's Day concert to kick off their Music Over Words Tour! Support bands will include Las Vegas/Toronto "fashion-art rock" trio Palaye Royale (not "Palace"), whose indie-tinged, up-tempo brand of rock should get a good reception in February, while San Francisco post-hardcore trio Black Map will open the night with their own high impact brand of alt-metal, so don't be late for their first regional appearances either! As first announced on Rock 101 this morning (and confirmed on their Facebook page), this is the first concert of 2018 from Allstar Promotions.

Tickets for this all ages show at 7:00 PM go on sale this Friday for $25 each at the in-person box office, online at this link, or via 1-800-KEWADIN, though stay tuned to pertinent links in case there's any VIP passes or tiered ticket deals. Kudos to Allstar Promotions for bringing Pop Evil back less than a year after their last show here, and they should deliver another fun night of hard rock action on Valentine's Day, so stay tuned for continued updates!

Next up, here's a special preview for a three-nighter of matinee concerts from local hard rock singer/guitarist Tym Morrison, who plays at Mark's Breakfast Plus at the Market Mall TONIGHT, TOMORROW, and WEDNESDAY! Similar in scope and timing to his weekly Gliss shows (continuing Thursday-Saturday), these three shows were mean that Tym is playing an acoustic restaurant matinee gig for six straight evenings, kicking off at this west end venue before heading downtown on Thursday, so if you like his past early-week shows at the breakfast-centric restaraunt, here you go! Notably, Wednesday's show will be Tym's fourth straight at Mark's, though if he's playing there weekly now, it hasn't been firmly stated publically. Tym's three Mark's shows this week are at 6:00 PM with no announced cover charges or age limits, but remember that this is a restaurant. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Tym live!



Closing today with some new videos, we'll start with some surprise new videos from inactive local Celtic punk quartet Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide's show at the Tracks Pub in Olds, Alberta back in June 2013! YouTube user Casselman Music uploaded 8 videos from this show (plus two of openers Frank Deresti & The Lake Effect) in July as part of a spree of new postings from older concerts in Alberta, so kudos to him for finally putting these online! Coming from The Tide's first tour run out west, these videos all feature Dustin and the Jaaskelainens alongside guest drummer Andrew McMullen (filling in for his Fairmounts/Merves bandmate Mikey Hawdon on this tour), while Frank Deresti also sits in with the guys as a guest banjo player in this footage. The videos include The Rising Tide and guests playing "Tick, Tick, Tock", "My Summer", "Half My Life", "Until We Drop", "Killtop Motel", "Gypsy Wagons", "Molly Malloy", and as embedded below, their eponymous song "Rising Tide", preceded by an intro rendition of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525".

These are some of the best videos that I've seen of Dustin and company, with nice smooth video quality and good sound, and the guys are on point from their best older concerts! Frank and Andrew fit in fine too, and these are definitely worth checking out for fans who weren't able to see them on tour four and a half years back! Give these a look above & below!



Lastly, here's some new videos from defunct local alternative/hard rock trio The Din's "Suburban Sendoff" concert at LopLops Lounge last month! These come from Christopher Paci's excellent YouTube channel once again, as finally uploaded yesterday, and while he didn't get anything from openers Bizotic, kudos to him for getting a couple of clips of The Din's last set! Chris filmed them playing their songs "Potato (Should've Known Better)" and, as embedded below, their cover of Haggith's "75" near the end of their set. The angle is pretty jittery here, and fans heads can get in the way, but this was a big show in multiple ways, and it shows that there was a positive turnout and reception! The guys sounded good here, and while it's still a shame to know that this was their farewell, give these videos a watch to relive everything!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes as they come in to the site! Thanks everyone!

Defunct Local Band Profile Series: RedD Monkey

Here's this month's Defunct Local Band Profile on The Sault Metal Scene! Our monthly spotlight feature on one or two disbanded or inactive local bands (one this month, all randomly selected) brings us to a prominent punk band from the early 2010s that definitely made some waves with their high energy and unique sound! Read on below for what you should know!
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RedD Monkey

Genre: Hardcore Punk

Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario (previously Kelowna, British Columbia and Toronto, Ontario)

Members: (Members not in their last full lineup in italics. This information is incomplete, particularly regarding the identity of their original bassist seen here. If you can confirm his identity, let us know!)

Steve Mozarowski (Smeltzer, Faceityoureametalband), vocals/guitar
Pete Mozarowski, cello
Joe Bumbacco (Theriac, The Fury), drums

Christopher Langevin (Dodge City Death Warrant), drums
Kevin Overton (Exploring Detritus, Smeltzer), drums
?????, bass

Audio/Video: RedD Monkey released three studio albums, including their 2010 debut EP "Thought Control Tower", their 2012 full length album "All Baroque", and their posthumous final EP "Opus 2: Untitled" in 2015. While no longer are in print, all can be streamed via their YouTube channel and/or Bandcamp page, though the former doesn't have "Opus 2" or "Dr. Fatty" from their first EP, and the latter doesn't have their One Day As A Lion cover from "All Baroque". A number of live videos from their run can be found on YouTube, most notably from the channels RedDMonkeyMusic, cammicam, and saultmetalscene, among others. Here's RedD Monkey live here in 2013!



Info/Analysis: Launching out in Kelowna back in 2009 (though they would move to Ontario not long after), RedD Monkey brought a unique brand of punk to fans that was reminiscent of frontman Steve Mozarowski's prior local band work, but the inclusion of his brother Pete on cello helped ensure that they stood out here & abroad until the band went on hiatus in 2014. Keeping a stable lineup aside from drummer changes & their initial quartet lineup upon their debut, RedD Monkey mounted multiple tour runs across the province and country, often in support of their first two CDs. Local fans will recognize them from such high profile gigs as December 2009's Algoma University Battle of the Bands (where they finished third), 2010's Rotaryfest Second Stage & Soo Zombie Walk afterparty, 2011's Clusterfolk festival, and the first three Swampstravaganzas. The band was last seen on a local stage in December 2013, though they played a one-off reunion show in Toronto in 2015, and Pete remains locally active in varying music projects.

A fan favourite attraction locally throughout the early 2010s, RedD Monkey built on prior Smeltzer success with a creative blend of classical cello instrumentation, alternative/punk rock, and even some rap, with the band's sound getting heavier and faster with age to boot! Steve was a commanding presence as usual on vocals and guitar, Pete's cello work was welcomed and unique, and they always had solid drummers with clear chemistry, particularly Joe in their later years. Hopefully we see RedD Monkey back in the future, but be sure to follow members' current projects here and abroad!
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I hope you guys liked this month's Defunct Local Band Profile! To end the year in this series, our random selection gave us a Sault Ontario project with not enough material to cover a full profile for the first time since March, so I've added a Sault Michigan profile to round things out, ending another 2-1-3-1-2-1 cycle for this series. As such, we'll be looking at defunct local punk band Oceania and Highway 63 guitarist Nathan Switzer's solo project next, so look for them on or around December 10th, and stay tuned for more news on the site soon! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Soundcheck), The Doors & Fours Concert Preview, And Much More!!

As promised, our preview of this weekend's Doors & Fours concert is now back on the site, and to fill things out, we have some assorted recent news and notes, a surpsise throwback to channel 48 almost 13 years ago, and leading off, here's some new LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will end a three month concert hiatus when they return to The Esquire Club for shows on Friday, November 17th & Saturday, November 18th (yes, next week!) After taking a few months off, with a handful of concert cancellations in between, it's great to see the Mourning Wood successors back in advance of their Toystock debut in a couple of weeks, so be sure to welcome this fan favourite band back next week! Soundcheck also hopes to have new tunes added into their setlist for these shows, their first at The Esquire Club since Rotaryfest weekend. As usual for their stops at this west end venue, expect 9:30 PM start times next Friday and Saturday, there are no announced cover charges, and you must be 19 or older to attend. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and look for more in our preview next week!

Next up, here's our delayed preview of the other big concert at The Algonquin Hotel,  THIS SATURDAY NIGHT, where fans can check out the local debut of Hamilton punk/grunge trio Doors & Fours downstairs at The Algonquin Pub/Spin Nightclub! Attentive fans may recognize Doors & Fours from sharing the stage with local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades in Hamilton back in July, so it's cool to see the inverse happen as they come north on Saturday! With a grungy but heavy sound that will remind listeners of the 1990s, Doors & Fours are definitely worth checking out, so keep them in mind for some hard hitting original action this weekend! Jack Spades will open this show in their first local stop since their Wolves on Parade tour of Northern Ontario with Archelon and The Elements, while local punk trio Stegadeth were quietly confirmed recently as the second opening band on Saturday, marking their first set since opening for The Ripcordz last month. Solid choice, and they should set the tone well!

Coming midway through Doors & Fours' Canadian tour this fall, Saturday night's concert (promoted by Jack Spades frontman J.D. Pearce) has a 19+ age limit and 9:00 PM start time, and while there has surprisingly not been an announced cover charge, bring at least $5 just in case. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Doors & Fours live!



Also today, here's a bit of a change of pace from our usual coverage. In recent searches of SMS-relevant videos on YouTube, I recently came across a new posting of an episode of the 1999-2005 Comedy Network original series Kevin Spencer, with the episode name "Treble Charger". This isn't just the name, the local/Toronto indie/punk quartet voiced themselves in this episode, and I never knew about it until this year! If you're not familiar with the series, it was very much an adult cartoon about a delinquent teenager and his white trash parents. The episode in question aired in January 2005 during the show's seventh season (though early in the band's original hiatus), and it's about Kevin winning a contest from a MuchMusic-esque station to hang out with and interview a band of his choice (Treble Charger), though nothing goes according to plan, especially with his parents tagging along. The band was voiced here by their 2003-2004 lineup, including then-guitarist Devin Bronson in place of Bill Priddle.

I will not embed the episode here due to it's explicit content, but I might as well give a brief review. Crude animation & even cruder humour, but it has a few amusing moments, especially from Kevin's narrator, the "April Wine room", and some of the inside remarks on the music industry & personalities covering it. Treble Charger themselves get lots of screen time, as do their friends-turned-enemies in Sum 41 (also voicing themselves), while clips from "American Psycho", "Brand New Low", and "Wear Me Down" can be heard throughout. This won't be everyone's cup of tea, but if you like adult humour, this & many more episodes can be found on YouTube!

Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist or event name:

• Local death metal favourites The Bear Hunters did play the Special Ops show at The Rockstar Bar last week after all! Frontman Nik Deubel confirmed on the Facebook event page that the scheduling conflict that came up for "one of us" was delayed a day, allowing them back on the bill, while a personal Facebook posting noted that they played last that night. Hopefully the show was a hit!
• In case you haven't been following the municipal elections in Sault Michigan, City Commissioner and former Rock 101/The Bear DJ Ray Bauer lost the mayoral election to incumbent mayor Anthony Bosbous on Tuesday. Ray pulled in almost a third of the vote, against Mayor Bosbous' healthy majority of over 61%, continuing his run as Sault Michigan's longest serving mayor. Congratulations are in order, as with Ray on running a good campaign! Click here for more from local news media on Tuesday's elections.
• Timeslots for this year's Toystock at The Northern Grand Gardens on November 26th were revealed via the Facebook event page earlier this week, which confirm that Bone Yard and The Peace Vibe will headline once again, while The 3 Day Millionares & Soundcheck will bring the hard rock at 4:00 & 3:00 PM. Also confirmed there is the exit of blues rock band Mojo from the event, who were replaced by guitarist Alex D'Ettore's acoustic country duo The Bearded Lounge. With all of Mojo playing in Bone Yard that night, an afternoon scheduling conflict for Brad or Ric is likely to blame for the change, but don't miss everyone in over two weeks!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for this month's Defunct Local Band Profile on the site next! Thanks everyone