Inner City Surfers Reunion Show Fallout, Love & Rehab Info, And Much More!!

As we continue getting caught up on recent news and updates, here's a two pronged news post, with half of it devoted to assorted shorter stories as of late, and leading off, lots of fallout from a major recent concert, so without any further adieu, here's what you should know!

Let's finally tackle the fallout from The Inner City Surfers' reunion show at LopLops Lounge earlier this month, but first, why not go back even further? On July 29th, Andrea Relf from the new local news website Positive Soo posted this article online which features interview remarks from Dustin Jones & Brad Example, plus lots of fittingly positive remembrances of their run and connections with fans and each other. Solid promotion before the show, so give it a look above! As for the concert proper, SooToday's Donna Hopper was absolutely in attendance, capturing 17 great colour photos from the night for this review, which is very positive, and it seemed to feel like not much had time had passed in the past decade 6½ years! Regarding openers Love & Rehab (who were photographed twice), it actually turns out that they're a reunited punk band featuring Brad alongside singer/guitarist Mike Theriault, guitarist Joey Clement, and drummer Alexis Mantello, as spotlighted in this other Positive Soo article.

Fans may recall seeing Love & Rehab on an early compilation release "Junk In The Trunk" from Tidal Records, and while the band formed in Toronto, they did share the stage with The Surfers on a number of occasions back in the day. Personal Facebook postings are floating around with more photos from their set, and even videos, but as far as I can tell, this is a one-night-only reunion, partially because Brad lives out of town. Between their Toronto inception and my age, I think that's why Love & Rehab were unfamiliar to me, but if you want to hear them, their original song "The Ruiner" (from the aforementioned single) is on the Positive Soo article. Sort of a folk punk song that reminds me more of The Rising Tide, it's well performed, and it'd be interesting to see the whole compilation surface! As for The Surfers' set, there are a couple of videos online from it, courtesy of YouTube user junkyardjim's channel!

You may recall junkyardjim as a frequent filmer of local concerts circa 2007, so it's a nice nostalgic touch that he had his camera rolling at LopLops on this night, where he filmed The Inner City Surfers covering John Denver's "Leaving On A Jet Plane", and as embedded below, playing their hardcore punk original "Ten Commandments." Great visual quality on this camera, with a nice high angle to capture both The Surfers in fine nostalgic form, plus the packed floor full of their fans, who are definitely into every word! Give Jim's videos a look, and yes, Positive Soo are now linked on the SMS!



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

• Local alt-punk trio A Dire Setback have launched an official website! Here, you'll find lots of updated biography information (heavily leaning towards Chris, for what it's worth), plus photos and relevant links, and the reveal that their upcoming debut CD is indeed being mastered at West West Side Music in New York. The site is well put together, though it could stand to be filled out further, so give it a look at this link, and stay tuned for album updates!
• On their Facebook page on Saturday, revived local party/rap metal band The Apocalypse Afterparty revealed plans for a "mini-tour" from October 14th-November 1st, which will see them play shows in Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, North Bay, and Toronto, though further details aren't available yet. If true, it's great to see this masked group back on stage after far too long! Note that their previously teased May-June trip to Toronto has some photos shared, where they clearly saw Death From Above live.
• I have moved local/Elliot Lake punk solo project Ashoka at the Show to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity. The Darren MacDonald-led group last posted on their Facebook page in June of last year, ironically in a posting where he swore that "something new is coming soon." Darren had revived the former Mayadevi as a solo act in mid-2017, but updates only followed for a year or so, and Ashoka at the Show never returned as a full live band. Hopefully Darren brings them back in some form down the road!
• SooToday's James Hopkin interviewed Cancer Bats frontman Liam Cormier about their Soo Blaster (and Canadian tour kickoff) concert next month for this article on Thursday! Within, Liam discusses the response to their new CD "Sparks That Move", their sound evolution, as well as a lineup difference fans can expect, as Alexisonfire/Gallows alum Wade MacNeil will guest on guitar in place of Scott Middleton while he takes a paternity leave. Solid and informative article, so give it a look at this link, and get your tickets!
• I have also moved local "blue Chinese metal crash punk" quartet Sykotyk Rampage back to our inactive band links, as the band hasn't posted on their Facebook page since a profile picture update last June. After a prior 2017 hiatus, the original crash band resumed activity via the "Live at the Paris Hilton" album release last year, but nothing followed in studio or on stage, and the Becker brothers haven't really been active on social media in the last year+ anyway. I hope we haven't seen the last of their irreverent improvised music, but best of luck to Paul, Dirk, Shane, and Tony in the interim!
• A photo of local acoustic hard rock trio The Wyld Stallyns can be seen in Darren Taylor's SooToday photo album from last month's first Downtown Street Party of the season, which captures Rob & Christina Speers in action on Queen Street East. Solid photo, and there's a lot more where that came from as the above link! Look also for The Bearded Lounge, plus AlgomA guitarist Boyd Rendell's new tie-dye clothing company Wild Man Wigwaus.

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