LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Buckcherry), Theory Of A Deadman Concert Videos, And Rad Zone Updates!!

Here's a stacked news post for your Friday evening, and it includes early details on a popular local business' new home, lots of video footage from a big recent concert, and leading off, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for a name band in a somewhat unexpected venue in the spring! Here's what you should know!

Platinum-selling Anaheim, California hard rock quintet Buckcherry will make their Sault Ontario debut when they headline at Soo Blaster (not Blasters) on Wednesday, May 13th! Best known for hit songs like "Sorry", "Lit Up", and "Crazy Bitch", this will be Buckcherry's (at least) fourth local concert appearance total, following headlining dates at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino in 2011 & 2012, and their outdoor set opening for Pop Evil there in August. Scope-wise, this is a much more intimate concert, but that appears to be by design, given the locales of the other stops on their Eastern Canada tour run that month. I'm not a massive Buckcherry fan, but they've been good to the area in the past decade, and they should have no problem getting a strong crowd to Soo Blaster in three months with their party hard rock hits! At least one opening band is to be announced, and Ottawa promoters The Diamond Mine Agency are looking for musicians interested in the opportunity, so e-mail thediamondmineagency@gmail.com for details.

And yes, I am well aware of the connections to be made to the cancelled Rock The Border Festival in Sault Ontario in June 2017, which would have been headlined by Josh & Stevie's rap rock side project Josh Todd & The Conflict. These are completely different established promoters, and I haven't heard anything worrying from them or their recent tours elsewhere. This 19+ concert has an 8:00 PM start time, and tickets are now on sale at this link for $40 plus service fees, which is comparable to premium seating last year. This should be a huge show for Buckcherry fans to see them up close, so visit the official Facebook event page for continuing details!

Next up, we have lots of videos to get to from the Theory of a Deadman-headlined concert at The Sault Community Theatre Centre on Sunday, courtesy of Christopher Paci's excellent YouTube channel once again! He labelled all of these as taking place at the Kiwanis Theatre (shortening the venue's old sponsored name), but that's no big deal, I still call it the Kiwanis more often than not. Chris shot 10 videos of the British Columbia hard rock/post grunge quartet's set on Sunday, including of their songs "Rx (Medicate)", "Santa Monica", "World Keeps Spinning", "Straight Jacket", "History of Violence", "Nothing Could Come Between Us", "Angel", "Bitch Came Back", "Lowlife", and as embedded below, their set-closer "Bad Girlfriend". It's good for fans that they still play their old hits despite their softer last two albums, but if you like the latter, you're in good hands! Chris was in further away seats than normal for shows he films at, so these videos can be blurry and have over-exposed lighting.

Also, the audio on these tends to be fairly muffled, but they're all very listenable, especially the newer tracks. Old or new sound, I'm not a major fan of Theory (of a Deadman), but fans will enjoy these videos, which cover more than half of their set. Check them out above and below!



While we're on the subject, did you know that this concert had an opening band?! Local advertising never confirmed this, and unless you follow the openers on social media, I can fully understand you guys not knowing! Reminds me of the Ace Frehley's Sault Michigan concert in 2009 in that respect, but I do apologize for letting that slip by! The openers on Sunday and on Theory's ongoing Canadian tour are newer Saskatoon rock trio W3apons, who did play at LopLops last May, a show we didn't cover on here because their available songs then didn't skew towards hard rock. Chris filmed W3apons playing this untitled original (which does have a heavier bite to it), their song "Off The Top Of My Heart", and as embedded below, a surprise cover of Rage Against The Machine's "Bulls on Parade".W3apons have a good sound, sort of an alternative/power pop hybrid that I can see fitting well with modern-day Theory in particular, so give their videos a look above & below as well!



Lastly, I wanted to give some early thoughts on the new Rad Zone location, now that it's been open for the past week! Of course, the local record/video games/skate/etc. store left The Wellington Square Mall last month, preceding their move to the former Foch Cleaners building at 721 Queen Street East. As of my first visit, they hadn't put up proper signage, but the front room currently holds DVDs and VHS tapes, the main second room holds records, CDs, video games, comic books, box sets, and collectibles, and the back third room comprises more records and the relocated Hole In The Wall Bookstore (not sure if that name will be used there still.) So far, everything on the sales floor so far is well laid out, but the new location is a little smaller, and the brick walls of the building may complicate adding new shelves. As of when I was in, cassette tapes and local albums were not on the floor, but I hope they can find efficient space for both, especially the local albums! I spent $30 worth on records and movies, and with a downtown location near more relevant local businesses, I know I'll be in more often!

The new location without mall hours allows The Rad Zone to close later for special events, such as tonight's Vinyl Listening Party hosted by DJ Seith (click here for details), so that's a plus! Of course, congratulations to Monk, Mel, and Evan on getting everything moved and back in business in such quick time, and check out their Facebook page for relevant updates, including recent videos related to the big move, such as this fast-motion preview video of the new store's layout, courtesy of Shaw Spotlight correspondent Christian Lemay. Well done, though have the pause button ready!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site in the coming days! Thanks everyone!