This incredibly busy concert weekend will almost be 3/4ths addressed on the hard rock/punk side of things after this post is wrapped up! We're now down to Saturday-only events, and this one looks at an annual concert event just outside of town and two big events in Michigan's Easter Upper Peninsula (including big updates from a local band across the river), so here's what you should know on this Friday evening!
We'll pick things back up in Sault Ontario with the annual Algoma Tree Services community meet & greet and charity barbecue TOMORROW, which is being headlined this year by local southern hard rock trio Bone Yard 225! As you may recall, local classic/hard rock veterans Soundcheck headlined this event in the past two years (despite not plugging the show in advance on social media at all in either year), so kudos to Greg, Alex, and Warren for giving this some actual advance promotion! Taking place outdoors at Algoma Tree Services' 1424 Haviland Shores Drive headquarters in nearby Goulais River, this annual event features a bonfire, family activities, the aforementioned meet & greet with staff, and the barbecue alongside two live bands, with Bone Yard headlining at 7:00 PM and classic rockers Angry Joe & The Growlers opening the day at 1:30 PM (both bands are blocked for four hours apiece, nightclub style).
This is a FREE & ALL AGES event, though as this is outdoors, be advised that they are calling for showers all day tomorrow. I'd highly recommend keeping tabs on Algoma Tree Services and Bone Yard 225 on social media for updates on the weather, but temperatures will range from 15-17°. See above for more details, and for a preview, here's a brand new Facebook video of Bone Yard live in Thessalon this past Saturday for the Aubrey Falls Trading Post & Outpost Camp's Civic Holiday weekend pig roast! As plugged in this "Reel", the outdoor set's opening song was filmed (horizontally!), namely a cover of AC/DC's "Ride On". It's a strong jam take on this Bon Scott-era classic, so check it out below!
Next up, let's head to the E.U.P. for Sault Michigan hard/blues rock quartet Project 906's continuation of their #summerof906, when they rock The Islander Bar in nearby Hessel TOMORROW! Last seen there via a normal nighttime show last month, tomorrow's concert is actually a 4:00 PM matinee, coinciding with this year's Les Cheneaux Islands Antique Wooden Boat Show, an event that Project 906 also played a show during last year, albeit at nighttime. The boat show isn't inside The Islander Bar, but the venue is definitely playing up stopping by there while in town for the festival, so hopefully there's a decent crowd, and click here for details therein! It is worth noting that both of Project 906's shows last weekend in Pickford & Cedarville featured guest hand drummer Brian Duford for at least part of both days, as per pictures shared from both events on their Facebook page, though the band has not confirmed if he'll be back tomorrow.
This 4:00 PM matinee gig has no announced cover charge, and I'd presume it's still 21+ given the locale. No word on if they'll be having another charity drive for guitarist Joe Jenkins' wife MaryJo's cancer fight tomorrow, but I doubt they'd turn away any help on that front, Visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's Project 906 live!
Finally for this post, the second annual 2nd Street Music Festival returns to 376 North 2nd Street in St. Ignace TOMORROW NIGHT, giving E.U.P. fans an all too rare opportunity to see local hardcore/extreme metal quartet Heavy Lies The Crown at a public event! This will be H.L.T.C.'s first public date in our coverage range since they performed at last fall's LSSU Battle of the Bands, and it will also be their first local set since Nathan Switzer returned on guitar in lieu of Ted Olson. However, there's another huge change to take note of, as the band has indeed welcomed recent Exit 808 guest bassist Blaze Beairl to their ranks, albeit on drums. A reason for existing drummer Jaxon Massaway's departure was not publically announced, but Jaxon has been busy in recent months working on his own solo material, and I hope to touch on that on the site next week. Hopefully things are amicable with Jaxon in any event!
Blaze debuted with H.L.T.C. as a mixer/DJ when they opened for Born Of Osiris in Pontiac in May, but when they returned to the stage for the Sturgeon River Shred Fest in Wolverine (90 minutes south of here) on July 27th, Blaze was behind the kit there, and our preview video for tomorrow's 2nd Street Festival will be a full set video from that day! Before then, the rest of tomorrow's outdoor action in St. Ignace will feature the local debut of Hannahville "rez metal" band Ghidora (who also played at last month's festival in Wolverine) as well as Sault Ste. Marie hard rock/classic metal band Tarnished in their first show since bassist Parker Talentino's departure (the Highway 63 rhythm section will be back to fill out Alex & Josh's sound here). The 2nd Street Music Festival is FREE & ALL AGES, and starts at 7:00 PM. Be advised however that 9&10 News is calling for a 30-40% chance of rain showers tomorrow evening, if less than in the Soo.
It will be cloudy with temperatures in the low 60s (16-18° Celsius) regardless, but if you are at all concerned about the rain scuttling the 2nd Street Music Fest, keep tabs with H.L.T.C. on social media in the next day+. Visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, I wanted to upload this drumcam video of their entire Sturgeon River Shred Fest set, courtesy of Blaze's solo Facebook page last week, but I can't due to Facebook content matching the band's pre-recorded intro tracks. Honestly, I've had trouble trying to ID some of the songs there anyway, as the audio quality is not good, with very thin guitars and too loud bass and drumming, and the camera being set up directly behind Blaze is not ideal to see what's going on (yes, it's likely to focus on him for his solo page, but even then, we can't see most of the kit behind him!) Regardless, Blaze is a talented drummer, and this is what he wants to play first and foremost, so his skill level is sound there!
Also, props to singer Brandon West for the clever deception (even if unintentional) re: hiding his hair underneath that baseball cap at the start of the set. With the audio quality and how the drumcam was framed, I literally thought that the guy in the hat was the MC until the song began! It will be an adjustment for fans to not see Jaxon behind the kit after his 2+ year run, but check out Blaze's first video with Heavy Lies The Crown at this link, and for our actual preview, here's thy are live downstate last year!
We'll close this incredibly busy concert weekend tomorrow morning (as early as I can manage) with tomorrow's Ripcordz, Handsome Sandwich, Generations, and Curtis McKenzie concerts, so stay tuned for those then and much more news to follow! Thanks everyone!
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