LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Tym Morrison & Soundcheck), Plus Weekend Concert Previews & Cancellations!!

I believe this is the first time since March where we've had a post that I can entirely devote to weekend concert previews! Things are still a far cry from normal, but this is very encouraging to see, so take advantage before the "second wave" of COVID-19 complicates things further. However, note that I have removed the previously announced Scarkazm concerts at The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino this weekend from our concert listings. While nothing has been confirmed by the band, Kewadin has not confirmed a resumption of live bands at their branches, and presumably would have by now if Scarkazm were still on for tomorrow and Saturday. It's too soon as yet to make a call on their St. Ignace Kewadin dates next month or their planned New Year's Eve gig in the Soo, but we will keep you posted! Now, here's what you should know in Sault Ontario this weekend, starting with SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will return to the re-opened Reggie's Place on Queen Street East for one night only TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, the band only announced this show via it's Facebook event page yesterday, but this is more notice than many of their past gigs there tended to get! Long-time fans of Soundcheck and their predecessors Mourning Wood will recall them playing numerous gigs at the original Reggie's, often with unconventional scheduling and no online promotion. I figured we'd see Soundcheck back at this familiar venue, and they should deliver more old school hard rock and select country favourites TOMORROW! Expect an 8:00 PM start time, 19+ age limit, and no cover charge, but be mindful of social distancing restrictions, and make sure to wear your face mask where required. See above for more details, and for a preview, here's Soundcheck live! Yes, I am aware of their new 49 minute live video, we'll cover that in full in an upcoming post.

Next up, local classic/hard rock solo artist Tym Morrison will continue his apparent weekly Saturday matinee run at The Motley Market on Gore Street going on SATURDAY! Again, apologies for the short notice, Tym only confirmed this week's show via it's Facebook event page yesterday. Like we did for his still-on-pause weekly arrangement at Gliss, I have also added Saturday gigs at The Motley Market to our concert listings for the remainder of October, as unless otherwise stated, this pattern is looking likely for his solo schedule there. As such, I'd look for Tym at the Market on October 10th, 17th, 24th, and 31st (yes, Halloween), and his fan favourite classic & hard rock covers should go over well with assembled fans in any case! THIS SATURDAY'S and the likely following gigs here all have 6:00 PM start times, no age limits, and no announced cover charges, but again, respect social distancing rules and bring your mask. See above for more details, and here's Tym live at the Motley Market!



Moving to a previously announced concert, local southern hard rock quintet Fort Creek will return to the aforementioned Reggie's Place for one night only THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! This will explain why Soundcheck are only playing tomorrow, in case you didn't know already. Allegedly "back by popular demand", this will be Fort Creek's second publically announced concert (jam sessions aside), and first since rocking Reggie's early last month. Fort Creek have been forging a solid fan base in the past month, and this should be another fine opportunity to hear some hard rocking covers! Of course, look for merchandise from the band to be on sale, as they have been making the rounds with established and new fans alike over the past month. Expect similar rules as Soundcheck's show tomorrow, including an 8:00 PM start time, 19+ age limit, and no cover charge, but of course, use common sense, and be mindful of social distancing. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and for a preview, here's Fort Creek live!

I was planning to end this post by previewing young local classic hard rock quartet The Uncanny Valley's debut appearance at The Rockstar Bar on Saturday, but unfortunately, that show has been cancelled, as has Fort Creek's planned debut there next Saturday. The Uncanny Valley quietly confirmed the news on this show's Facebook event page last week, citing "new COVID-19 restrictions", and Fort Creek said as much on their Facebook page too. In case you're unaware, the Ontario government has introduced stricter measures on bars and restaurants last week to try and crack down on COVID-19 outbreak clusters, which means that for the time being, bars must close at midnight and end alcohol sales at 11:00 PM. Click here for CTV News coverage of the announcement. As such, it looks like Rockstar Bar ownership is holding back on live bands until they can stay open past midnight like normal.

Of course, Reggie's Place is clearly adapting to the restrictions (hence the 8:00 PM start times for this weekend), but will this be another "new normal" for nightclubs planning to host bands in the near term, or will the "second wave" get worse before it gets better? The Soo doesn't have a lot of cases, but Ontario as a whole is on the rise, and many of the provincial restrictions have not been regional. I'll keep tabs on any updates, but hopefully Fort Creek & The Uncanny Valley are rescheduled at The Rockstar Bar when they're ready to host bands again! That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post next! Thanks everyone!