LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (BRKN Love, Handsome Sandwich, And Soundcheck), And Weekend Concert Previews!!

The second concert weekend of 2020 is drawing near, so let's tackle another busy weekend on the site today! As it turns out, most of this weekend's hard rock/punk shows are courtesy of SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, so here's what you should know in rough chronological order!

Toronto alternative hard rock quartet BRKN Love will make their local concert debut TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT at The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino! Apologies for the short notice, this got held from our recent Kewadin show announcements due to it's timing. While it's nothing unusual to see Canadian bands (Touch of Class) or non-local bands (Peril/Scarkazm) playing at Kewadin lounges, this is different, as BRKN Love are a young original-focused band that doesn't primarily tour in Michigan. In fact, Kewadin have indicated that these shows are part of a series called "Rapids Sessions", implying that more touring rock bands may be heading there, and based on who's coming over the June 12th weekend (more info coming), it'll be interesting to see how these plans develop. BRKN Love themselves have an intriguing modern alt-rock that sound with a lot of bass and an indie sensibility that would be right at home on Rock 101, so don't bypass them this weekend!

Hopefully Justin and company attract a strong crowd at the Soo Kewadin TOMORROW & SATURDAY! A later start time of 10:00 PM is advertised for both shows, which still have no announced cover charge despite the nature of these concerts, but expect these to have 21+ age limits as usual. This is definitely a change of pace for The Rapids Lounge from their usual Michigan cover band focus, and I hope these concerts go well so that the casino brings in more touring acts like this. Visit the official Facebook event page and the above links for more details, and here's BRKN Love live!



Next up, let's head north to Sault Ontario, where local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will return to The Esquire Club for concerts of their own TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Again, apologies for the short notice, these concerts were only announced via their Facebook event page on Tuesday. While advertised as Soundcheck's first Esquire Club show(s) of 2020, they just played there two weeks ago, so west end fans won't be lacking for their array of classic and heavier hits. Look for another batch of fan favourite covers here TOMORROW & SATURDAY! 9:30 PM start times are advertised for these 19+ concerts, which have no cover charges. See above for more details, and for a preview, here's a new video of Soundcheck at The Water Tower Pub on New Year's Eve! This was posted onto the band's Facebook page on Tuesday, marking their first official video upload with new singer/guitarist Cameron Oliver.

The video features most of Soundcheck's cover of 3 Doors Down's "Kryptonite", which strikes me as a newer set addition coinciding with Cameron's addition last fall. The cover is solid, and Cameron's distinctive voice is a good match, but the vertical camera angle is unfortunate, and attending fans block most of the band's view (though they are obviously having fun.) Give this new Soundcheck video a look, and don't miss them at The Esquire Club TOMORROW and/or SATURDAY!

Also this weekend, local alternative/punk (if genre-averse) trio Handsome Sandwich will return to the stage on SATURDAY NIGHT at The Rockstar Bar! Apologies again for the short notice, this concert was only announced via the venue's Facebook event page on Tuesday. This concert is surprising in many ways, as Handsome Sandwich have not posted a public update on their Facebook page since May 2018, and they have spent the past 18 months only playing sporadically, sometimes in an unannounced jam setting. As a reminder, Handsome Sandwich feature The Bear Hunters' & Jack Spades' own Johnny Belanger on vocals & drums alongside Elements bandmates Jesse Cook & James White, though they are no strangers to guest performances, like when James' Stoned to Deaf bandmate William Wardlaw sang with them in their last public gig in June. How much stage rust will Handsome Sandwich have on SATURDAY? Be there to find out!

You can take in Handsome Sandwich's loose and irreverent set on SATURDAY at 10:00 PM with a 19+ age limit and no announced cover charge. While it's odd that the band hasn't newly plugged this show online themselves, it's encouraging to see Johnny, Jesse, and James back with a well-advertised concert date, so don't miss all of the action, and here they are live!

 

Finally for today's weekend concert previews, here's a pair of shows with lots of advance notice, as prolific local hard rock solo musician Tym Morrison will return to Gliss Restaurant on Spring Street for even more acoustic matinee entertainment TOMORROW & SATURDAY! Of course, Tym's long-term arrangement at Gliss remains a successful and steady sight downtown, so if you want some unplugged classic and hard rock hits with your dinner, you know where to go this weekend! As usual for Tym's many, many concerts at Gliss, expect these to have 6:00 PM starting times, no cover charges, and no age limits, but remember that this is a formal restaurant, not a nightclub, so keep that in mind. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Tym live!



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