LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Rotaryfest Stage 1!!)

For our first news post of June 2018, we have a stacked and extended news post regarding a major concert event this summer, so let's not waste any more time, here's what you need to know!

The full lineup for this year's Rotaryfest Stage 1 has been announced, far earlier than usual, so what is there to say regarding this year's music lineup at Clergue Park next month? Oddly, each act was announced via individual Facebook event pages on the local summer festival's Facebook page in recent days, and if you piece them all together, you'll find a full lineup that is very different from the recent norm. With this year marking the 100th anniversary of the Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie (and the 20th installment of the modern Rotaryfest), organizers have largely dropped their usual pool of active artists for 2018, in favour of a special "Rotaryfest Rewind" lineup, mostly comprised of reunited local bands! In fact, of the announced bands, only five have played Rotaryfest at all since 2006, so if you've ever wanted the covers-centric main stage to have more variety, this is absolutely your year! No idea if they're waiving the covers only rule this year, but with certain bands, you'd have to hope they would!

Thursday's lineup on July 19th remains hard rock free, as is usual for Rotaryfest, but who's playing that day? In descending order, the headliners are 1970s-1980s local country band George Pinder & Patches at 10:00 PM, and they'll be joined by 1960s classic rock sextet The Dark Side at 9:00 PM, 1960s-1970s classic rock quartet The Polisi Basson at 8:00 PM, 1980s jazz/blues rock quartet Zak's All-Stars at 7:00 PM, and the return of long-time Rotaryfest regulars The Northern Jazz Ensemble for the first time since 2009 as the 6:00 openers. Most of these acts are before my time, but it'll be a thrill for many to see these acts back on stage next month! The Friday, July 20th lineup already made our concert listings via the already announced 10:00 PM headlining slot by local/Toronto indie/punk quartet Treble Charger in their first Rotaryfest appearance on record, whish is huge enough alone, but who all's opening for them?

At 9:20 PM, there will be a special tribute set to local musicians and bands of the past, which will be emceed by Adrian Vilaca, and is partially brought together by Ric Datson of the Sault Ste. Marie Museum and many local bands. This set should be intriguing, we'll be curious see who plays what then! The 8:30 PM slot belongs to Rotaryfest's iron men (and woman), classic rock quintet Mustang Heart, who will tackle a Bon Jovi and Journey tribute set for the occasion. How will this compare to Bon Journey's headlining set of 2012? Be there to find out next month! 2009-2012 classic/hard rock cover band Turner Up will also return on July 20th, marking their first Rotaryfest appearance since their sole 2011 turn under their brief Full Circle moniker. No particular lineup is reuniting for the show, with members from across their run taking part, but as best as I can tell, they'll be featuring Travis Sharpe on vocals, guitarists Robert Brown & Len Ward, bassist Jeff Brown, and drummer Scott McLurg next month.

I don't believe Turner Up ever played with Travis as their lead singer (he was previously their bassist), but it's great to see Turner Up back on stage in any form, they were a fun band! 1980s country/bluegrass quartet Road Fever (featuring Mojo and Flat Stanley alumni) will reunite for a set at 6:30 PM, while the Friday lineup will be opened at 5:30 PM by the long awaited return of local hard rock/funk band Tripod the Dog, with longtime frontman Mark Oliverio joined next month by his former Glitch bandmate Sean Berlinguette on bass, plus drummer Brian Egglesfield. I have memories of Tripod the Dog from early in my following of local music, and it's cool to see Mark bring them back after too long! As for Saturday, July 21st's lineup, we already knew that Juno winning Calgary classic rock trio The Stampeders would be that day's featured attraction, but who else can we find on that day's extended bill?

The Stampeders actually aren't playing last (they have the 8:30 PM slot), as local classic/hard rock cover veterans That's Chester will reunite after a two year hiatus to close Rotaryfest at 10:30 PM! Their advertised lineup for this year is as a four piece with Greg, Gabe, Aubrey, and Ric back (there's no stated second guitarist), but original singer Richard Fullerton will come back home to guest on a few songs. Hopefully the guys have a blast in their 10th Stage 1 set, and honour Eugene's memory once again! Another musicians tribute (described identically to Friday's) will take place at 7:50 PM, while local/Toronto punk/Celtic favourites Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide will surprisingly make their Rotaryfest debut at 7:00 PM.  Their event page indicates that Chris Johns will be back on drums for this set, but it also notes that Marshall Jaaskelainen's Barn Board Trio bandmate Liam Seymour will join them next month. I can't confirm if Liam is now in The Tide or if he's just a guest performer, but it's great to see them on stage again!

1970s Chicago-influenced soft rock collective Pegasus will reunite for a set at 6:00 PM, while the classic lineup of 2012-2015 hard rock quartet The Suicide Kings will come back after three years away on July 21st at 5:00 PM! Visibly resurrecting their original and more prominent name rather than their Beaumont Avenue moniker, it's awesome to see Mike, Steven, Mitch, and Ben back for one more go-around in their fourth Rotaryfest appearance, so don't miss them either! Fan favourite jam rock sextet Odd Man Out will make their festival debut at 4:00 PM, while an apparent one-off quartet named The Sun Dogs will play a set of 1960s summer-themed classic covers at 3:00 PM. Wailing Aztecs alumni Kelly McGillivray, Sue Martinelli and Sue Roy will play a set of folk and pop covers under their own names at 2:00 PM, while the Saturday lineup will kick off with the current incarnation of Korah Collegiate's school band Mustang Sally at 1:00 PM.

As usual, this year's Stage 1 entertainment is FREE and for ALL AGES, so visit the above links for all of the current details! While it is surprising to not find such recent regulars as Obsession, The Reptiles, and Crossroad on the bill this year, the exceedingly nostalgic and possibly original-embracing lineup is more than welcomed, and I know the buzz is already high for this year's Stage 1 roster! Stay tuned for continued updates when and if they roll in, including the Stage 2 lineup to be announced, and look for our Dumpster Mummy preview and more tomorrow! Thanks everyone!