Last Month's Poll Results & Our New Poll!

It's now time to wrap up last month's poll on the SMS and launch a new one! As you may recall, we posed this question to you guys last month: What was your favourite new local metal, hard rock, or punk album of 2020? Only 10 votes, which is disappointing, but thanks to everyone who did vote, especially with a fairly interesting final tally, which you can see below!

The Bear Hunters - The Dead Testament (3 votes, 30%)
A Dire Setback - A Dire Setback (3 votes, 30%)
Mike Haggith - If Ever Comes The Day (2 votes, 20%)
Other (2 votes, 20%)
9 Times Dark - Vicissitude (0 votes)
As It Stands - The Lost Tapes (0 votes)
Either of Crucify The Whore's new albums (0 votes)
Tarnished - Down To The Wire (0 votes)

What do you guys think? Regarding the albums with no votes, I'm most surprised that As It Stands' long-belated EP didn't get any votes, especially knowing how popular they were a decade ago. The other three options were tempered by lower-profile release methods, or in Tarnished's case, not being based on this side of the border. I can't speak for the two "Other" votes, but the three top vote-getters predictably got the most positive attention in the poll, validating their contemporary fandom and successes! Mike's positive votes show that he has maintained his local following since moving west, and with A Dire Setback & The Bear Hunters tying for the lead, both metalheads and punk fans had their say! In ties like this, my tiebreaker is to give the edge to the newer album (as it had less time to garner the same votes), so I'd consider "The Dead Testament" as the winner, but both were very solid new albums that deserve to be checked out!

Thanks to everyone for voting! As for this month's poll, you may recall me mentioning last month that I was condensing our 2020 wrap-up polls from five to two due for obvious pandemic-related reasons. One is now in the books, and this month's poll poses this question to you guys: COVID-19 aside, what was the biggest local metal, hard rock, or punk news story of 2020? This was a tricky poll to narrow down choices for, given how different of a year 2020 was in pretty much every facet, but it certainly wasn't boring! As noted above, the COVID-19 pandemic alone will not be an option in the poll, as that is a wide-sweeping blanket topic that, in & of itself, isn't a local music story. It certainly impacted everything, and it undoubtedly defined 2020, but we're trying to be specific to newsworthy events. Similarly, I'm not including specific concert cancellations as options, because pretty much everything after mid-March had an identical fate, and where do you draw the line?

I narrowed down your choices this year from our usual 25 to 20 (hopefully we can bump back up for 2021), and of course, "Other" is back too if you would prefer. Now, here's a little on the final options!

A Dire Setback release their self-titled debut CD: As alluded to above already, local punk trio A Dire Setback put out their long awaited studio album in March, early into the pandemic, and it recieved a strong reception from fans despite their release party being forced into a virtual setting. This was a fun album from this prominent local band, but was this the most newsworthy item in the poll?

As It Stands posthumously release "The Lost Tapes": Another of last year' new album crop, defunct local hardcore quintet As It Stands surprised many fans when they finally mixed and released their 2011 Mississauga recording sessions for their planned EP almost a decade after the fact. This was a nice surprise, even minus the Blink-182 cover, but would it earn your vote here?

The Bear Hunters release "The Dead Testament": Winners of the above poll (using the release date tiebreaker), local death metal standouts The Bear Hunters finally released their sophomore album in a sudden Bandcamp posting in November, opting to just get it out in some form despite the pandemic. The improved production quality accentuated the brutality well, but would you vote for it?

The Borderline Internet Radio hits the airwaves: Back in February, a new locally-focused radio alternative debuted when The Borderline launched with a large rotation of Sault-area musicians plus a number of scheduled programs featuring live hosts. While not on AM or FM, The Borderline has already developed a good following, but was it's launch #1 of these choices?

Concerts resume on a limited basis in the summer: For obvious reasons, live concerts did not take place for much of 2020, but select bands returned to some semblance of a live schedule from July through the second Ontario lockdown in December, with artists like Fort Creek, Soundcheck, and Tym Morrison playing to multiple socially distanced crowds. Would the return of concerts get your vote?

Eric Martin from Mr. Big hits Kewadin Casino in February: One of three major venue headlining concerts we got in 2020 before things turned upside down, former Mr. Big frontman Eric Martin and Trixter alum P.J. Farley played a special unplugged concert at The Dreammaker's Theater one year ago. The biggest was yet to come for hair metal fans, but did this top 2020 for you?

The Hair Scare Live rocks Kewadin Casino in February: Just a week after Eric Martin's Kewadin Casino gig in Sault Michigan, Rock 101's Hair Scare and host Scott Cook helped bring a hair metal feast to the same venue, courtesy of Cinderella's Tom Kiefer, Kix, and Faster Pussycat. This was the last major hard rock concert before the pandemic, but was it your biggest news story?

The Inner City Surfers release their new single: Over a year after recording three new songs locally in conjunction with their 2019 reunion show, local punk veterans The Inner City Surfers released "Excess Express" on YouTube and major streaming platforms. Fans took to the bluegrass-influenced punk song like it was 2005 all over again, but was it the most newsworthy item of all included here?

Live-streamed & virtual concerts gain wider popularity: With normal concerts out of the cards from mid-March onward, many local bands and event organizers shifted their focus to the internet to continue performing for an audience, notably including Mike Haggith, Tarnished, and Tym Morrison's regular weekly at-home gigs. Did this emerging trend strike you as newsworthy?

Long & McQuade moves to MacDonald Avenue: Moving during a pandemic can't be ideal, but local chain music store Long & McQuade (merged from Northland Music & Thomas Walls School Of Music) opened in the former Northshore Sports & Auto site in July, giving local musicians a new larger location and inventory for all of their needs. Would you vote for this story?

Mike Haggith releases "If Ever Comes The Day": After opting to postpone his planned "Bridges" album, former Din frontman Mike Haggith released his 50th canon solo album and first in 5 years back in May, complete with it's own release party shoved to a digital format. This intensely personal concept album recieved many positive reviews, but were you among them?

Mikey & His Uke launch his quarantune video series: A surprise daily treat during the first lockdown came via Inner City Surfers drummer and prolific local/Toronto punk frontman Mikey Hawdon's increasingly popular series of short vocal/ukelele song uploads, which slowly grew in prominence and quality into their current far-flung juggernaut. Was this #1 for you?

The Rad Zone moves to Queen Street East: After two decades at the former Wellington Square Mall, local record/skateboarding/video games/etc. store The Rad Zone packed it's bags and moved downtown into the former Foch Cleaners location in February. The pandemic didn't make for an ideal first year there, but was The Rad Zone's big move last year's biggest news story?

Reggie's Place re-opens under new ownership: After being closed for a year, popular Queen Street East bar & concert venue Reggie's Place was bought by Randy Lapossie, re-opened in September, and became one of the few repositories for a concert calendar last fall, even booking more hard rock than they once did. Would you vote for the return of Reggie's here?

Room 21 closes after Acoustic Heartstrings concert: A venue closure that had nothing to do with the pandemic, Albert Street West acoustic nightclub Room 21 announced that they were shutting their doors in February due to their host restaurant Low & Slow's move downtown, ending their two year run with a three band Valentine's Day show. Is this your preferred choice?

Rotaryfest music lineup takes place virtually in September: Ensuring that our annual summer festival took place in some form in 2020, Rotaryfest was delayed to the early fall and held virtually, with a pre-recorded YouTube concert headlined by Crystal Shawanda. No hard rock bands played (cover songs aside), but did Rotaryfest's 2020 changes top last year for you?

Shit Liver upload their 2016 tour documentary: After a four year wait, local/St. Catharine's grindcore trio Shit Liver finally posted the video of all of their antics from their cross-Canada tour run in the second quarter of 2016, including highlights from their Oddfellows Hall sho that April. It was great to see this video at long last, but would you vote for it here?

Tarnished release their "Down To The Wire" EP: The only high profile album to come out last year from a Sault Michigan hard rock act, "Down To The Wire" gave fans a nice compact package of five upbeat and heavy original music, and it gotr some strong publicity in the area during the first lockdown! Was this EP last year's top story of these choices?

Theory Of A Deadman rocks Sault Ontario in February:A rare hard rock concert hit The Sault Community Theater Center last year when Canadian rock radio mainstays Theory Of A Deadman returned to the region for a well recieved headlining date alongside openers W3apons. As the last high profile Sault Ontario event before the pandemic, does it earn your vote?

We Will Rock You musical takes place in January: While not a concert in the traditional sense, the touring production of the Queen musical We Will Rock You made it's way to GFL Memorial Gardens last January, featuring Queen's classic songs in a jukebox musical format. Definitely an interesting way to experience Queen, but would you vote for it in this poll?

Other: Did we miss something you'd rather vote for? Was a specific unlisted concert or album more to your liking? Was there a pandemic-influenced event that struck you as more newsworthy? Remember, the question begins with "COVID-19 aside,". If, for whatever reason, we missed your own top news story of 2020, then "Other" is for you!

VOTE TODAY! You have until March 19th or so to cast your votes, and as always, it will be interesting to see what comes out on top here, perhaps more than ever given how screwy of a year that 2020 was! That's all for today, but stay tuned for a new news post tomorrow. Thanks everyone!