Soundcheck Concert Preview, New Videos From Two Mikes, And More Recent Updates!!

Before we begin today's post, just a heads up that tonight & tomorrow night's announced Banned concerts at The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino are not taking place. The Kinross, Michigan classic/hard rock band announced the news on their Facebook page yesterday, citing that the "casino messed up on bookings", and given that Kewadin's entertainment page was indeed advertising Banned, that reason sounds legit. Hopefully all's well at the venue, and don't miss Banned there late next month! Now, today's post features some assorted recent updates, a couple of new videos, and to start, here's one more concert preview!

Sault Ontario classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will continue their recent run of monthly Water Tower Pub concerts when they play there for one night only TOMORROW NIGHT! Just two weeks removed from their last Saturday nighter there, this popular veteran group have clearly been gaining a following at the Great Northern Road nightclub, and hopefully tomorrow's concert is another hit for fans and the band alike! Remember that this is a one-nighter, The Water Tower Pub traditionally books a different performer each night where they have live music, rather than having anyone double up. As usual for the Mourning Wood successors' shows at this locale, tomorrow's concert has a 19+ age limit, no announced cover charge, and 9:30 PM start time. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and hopefully some video footage surfaces at some point!

Next up, here's some new videos from a pair of local solo hard rock artists named Mike, starting with Mike Haggith, who shared his new acoustic live album "From The Nickel Stage" on his YouTube channel on the day of it's release last month! Apologies for not covering it at the time, he didn't promote the YouTube posting at the level of the sale copy. Featuring 6 new originals and a Din carry-over, this YouTube version is a nice free way to sample this live concert from Thompson, Manitoba's Nickel Days festival last month, so give it a listen below, and stay tuned for more updates!



Also today, here's a humorous parody video from fellow local solo artist Mike McCleary's YouTube channel, where he dubs his own original song "Get Out" (from his newest album "What've You Done To Me") over the latter half of the 2010 viral video Double Dream Hands, where music teacher John Jacobson performs the title dance to his own composition "Planet Rock". It is amusing to see the silly dance from the original performed to Mike's alternative hard rock composition, so give it a look below, and "Get Out" proper begins 45 seconds into the video!



Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by event, venue, or website name:

• The revolving door of identities and themes at the former Docks Riverfront Grill continues, as the current HD Sports Grill will close later this month and re-open on August 27th as the long teased Montana's BBQ & Bar location. 75-100 jobs will be available at the chain restaurant's Soo branch, and while it's unclear if the 89 Bay Street location will continue to host the occasional concert, Montana's will reportedly retain the HD Sports Grill's golf simulator. This will be the fifth identity that this building has had since 2014, but hopefully Montana's can survive where their other post-Docks themes didn't, and click here for more on the changes! 
• Local rapper Planet Rock has quietly been added to the lineup for this year's Oh!No concert festival in Leeburn on September 8th, as per this updated poster on the Facebook event page on last week. I honestly can't find an online page for Planet Rock, but he (they?) performed at Soo York City's 10th anniversary event last year, and hopefully this is a solid addition to the now 19-acts-strong Oh!No festival this fall! FYI, the Planet Rock name has nothing visibly to do with the pre-dubbing song from Mike McCleary's parody video above.
• Music networking service PureVolume (which over 100 local music acts have current profiles dating back to 2004) announced earlier this year that the site would be closing "in it's current form", and musicians had until June 30th to archive music from their pages. In preparation for this news, I archived everything I could from local artists there, but as of today, PureVolume is still up, with only some dead photo links to show for the teased "sunsetting". I don't know when/if the site proper is closing or being redesigned, but head there while you still can, just in case severe changes are imminent!

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

Theatre Of Night & June Jam Updates, Plus More News & Notes!!

I hope everyone's having a great Victoria Day/May 2-4 weekend! News remains at a slow pace this month, so today's post is largely comprised of assorted shorter stories, but we are leading off with some big updates from bands on each side of the border, starting with the latest from Sault Michigan classical metal project Theatre of Night! Yesterday, the group revealed on their Facebook page that they are indeed planning their second Christmas tour run for the end of the year, and had recently conducted "late night sessions" towards the tour. After the positive response to their gigs last year from here to Illinois and points in between, hopefully the encore is bigger and better for them! While not seasonally timed, this preview video was posted to their YouTube channel yesterday, which is ostensibly of their November 2011 debut CD "Christmas Night", but actually features newer recordings featuring their recent touring band members (as distinguished particularly by the inclusion of vocals.)

The video proper combines live concert footage from the tour with some in-studio performances, as well as some scattered photos. It's well put together and a nice sampling of what to expect this winter, so if you can get past the seasonal content in late May, give Theatre of Night's new video a look below, and stay tuned for more from them soon!

Next up, here's some new updates related to the upcoming June Jam concert at The Rockstar Bar in Sault Ontario on June 1st, starting with a lineup withdrawal, as local hard rock quintet Skeyes of Seven have dropped out of this concert, as per their Facebook page. A reason was not publically stated for their exit, but hopefully nothing bad happened, and that we see them back on stage sooner or later! At press time, they have not been replaced on the bill, we will let you know if they are. Ticket details have also been confirmed for the June Jam, with prices at $8 in advance online (details on that front are not public yet) or $10 at the door, so keep those in mind. Of course, this Live705-promoted show will feature Timmins punk quartet All The Wasted Years alongside locals A Dire Setback and Sault Ontario heavy/power rock quintet Re:Born, who posted four new jam session videos onto their Facebook page last week, so what can be said on those?

The videos include Re:Born covering The Scorpions' "Rock You Like A Hurricane", Saxon's "Denim & Leather", and their precedessors Project 421's original song "Into The Darkness", but embedded below is their new cover of "Lavatory Love Machine" by the German power metal band Edguy. That's gotta be a first from a local band! Though we don't get an optimal look at the band on these clips (we only tend to see singer Robert Nevitt from behind), these performances are solid given the setting, and it'll be cool to see them back on stage next month, especially after their spring break! Give Re:Born's new videos a look above and below!



Finally for today, here's six assorted shorter news items from the last while, and as usual for these short-form items, these are in alphabetical order by artist, event, or program name:

• Local punk trio A Dire Setback (of the aforementioned June Jam) will hit the road for a second out of town show this summer, as they'll be featured on a rock/rap hybrid event at The Asylum in Sudbury on Saturday, July 28th! Full details are not out yet, beyond the involvement of an act named Mooch, but this should be another big chance for A.D.S. to make new fans outside of the Soo, so hopefully this show goes as well as their Timmins trip next month!
• I have deleted the former WLSO radio show CRaMPS from our "Other Sault Michigan Metal Links" section due to the quiet deletion of it's Facebook page for unannounced reasons in recent months. Airing on Friday mornings on Lake Superior State University's campus radio station in late 2010, the student-hosted program hadn't visibly on the air since then, though to be fair, I don't even know if 90.1 FM still broadcasts on terrestrial radio at all. Hopefully Pat and Seth have found success in more recent endeavours!
• Former Din bandmates Mike Haggith and Tammy Hill reunited in Windsor on Saturday when they travelled from Manitoba and Sault Ontario respectively to attend the long awaited Canadian premiere of the movie Ashes of K, whose soundtrack is entirely comprised of songs from The Din and Mike's solo project. It's great to see this movie finally released and distributed, and you can see photos of Mike, Tammy, and Din producer Daniel Schmidt on the red carpet at their Facebook page! (Yes, a review of Ashes of K could make the SMS if we can find a way to see it.)
• I have also deleted former local concert venue Docks Riverfront Grill from our inactive concert venue listings, due to the deletion of it's Facebook (and last surviving online) page in recent months. The Foster Drive nightclub and restaurant had initially been sold to new ownership in 2014, and after brief stints as Waterfront Legend and The River Cookhouse, it became The HD Sports Grill in 2016, and has sporadically hosted live music since Docks itself ended. Hopefully more is on the horizon there down the road!
• The Indie Spring concert at LopLops Lounge on Saturday had a late lineup withdrawal, as Sudbury garage rock headliners The Almighty Rhombus were forced to drop out after bassist Laura Willett badly cut her finger in an accident. That's definitely a bummer, hopefully Laura gets well soon! In their place, local indie/hard rock quartet Id Iota played an extended headlining set.
• A local musician named Jay Daug is looking for a "heavily influenced (John) Bonham drummer" between 20 and 40 years of age, as per a post on the Musicians Wanted Facebook group on May 9th. Jay didn't specify if this was for a band he's working on, for informal jamming, or something else, but message him at this link or above if you fit the bill and need more details!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the SMS later this week! Thanks everyone!

Iron Maiden Comic Book Review, New Videos From Grindcore Acts, And More!!

Before we dive into our last weekend concert previews of the month, here's a new news post for your Wednesday, including some assorted recent notes, a new concert video, and some recent coverage of a popular local band, but first, here's a first for the SMS: A comic book review!

As you may remember, local artist Darren Emond launched the Iron Maiden comic book that he did the pencil artwork for at The Rad Zone on Saturday, and I absolutely came to get an autographed copy (this is a scan of mine), so I thought it was fitting to give it a review on here! One of a series of recent comic books from the Rock & Roll Biographies series from Acme Ink, the comic book is basically the Cliffs Notes version of Iron Maiden's band history, from the late 1970s through to the modern day, as nicely illustrated by Darren to a story by Paul Birch that covers most ground from their history. As well, the comic also explores a side-storyline on the band's mascot Eddie The Head and his efforts to protect the band and the titular Iron Maiden herself from evil forces out of the real world. The comic is solely in black & white, but the art pops, especially in the Eddie panels, and while some eras of the band are glossed over a bit in the story (the 1990s, in particular), the comic book is a fun way to explore Iron Maiden's history!

Note as well that Darren's last name is given as "Emmonds" in the credits, but everything else is well done and nicely laid out, with a tribute to late Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister even included. Overall, the Iron Maiden comic book is worth buying for $5 at The Rad Zone (if you can find it in the States, it's $3.50 there), so if you love Iron Maiden and/or comic books, pick up a copy A.S.A.P., and kudos to Darren on a job well done!

Next up, here's the latest from local/St. Catharine's grindcore trio Shit Liver, starting with an overdue note from their SooToday article from May 2nd, which bypassed us in our original write-up on it (my apologies), as Josh, Mike, and Matt will be performing in a Live at Six, Two, Oh. episode on Sunday! This occurs as Shit Liver return east from this latest Canadian tour, but unless there's a late notice show announcement, I don't believe they'll have a local concert this weekend. This should be a fun episode of the local recording studio's video series, so look for it on Sunday or later! Also from Shit Liver, their long awaited episode of Tuned with Donna Hopper went up on SooToday on Saturday, so what should you know on it? Filmed during the Motherfuckers-headlined concert last month, the episode features Donna interviewing all three guys about their move to St. Catharine's, what keeps them going, their work in the bluegrass band Dirtfight, and how they marry their bands' two genres, as set to video footage from both bands' tour dates last month.

Though the episode treads some of the same ground as the original article, it's a solid episode with some brutal clips from the Oddfellows Hall show, but the interview portion is badly drowned out when clips from Dirtfight's Gore Street Cafe show are featured (also, "Shitliver" is spelled without a space in the opening bug.) Still, this is some solid press for Shit Liver, so give the full Tuned episode a look above, and note that SooToday's video host still doesn't permit external video embedding.

Also today, here's some new concert footage from local goregrind solo project Crucify the Whore, as per the Blood Shed Productions YouTube channel yesterday! A 12 minute video with clips from C.T.W.'s set at the Metal Massacre 2 house party show on May 7th, the video captures some ferocious jamming from Tyler, with a receptive audience, but the video is compromised by being letterboxed when it doesn't have to be (it was already widescreen, why not upload it as such?) Give it a look below!



Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter items from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist or venue name:

• After brief turns as Waterfront Legend & The River Cookhouse, the former Docks Riverfront Grill has again changed names & formats to the HD Sports Grill, as per this SooToday article plugging a recent job fair to hire new employees. Imee Yeun still owns the restaurant and former local concert venue, and it's unclear when the Foster Drive location re-opens, but part of the grill will include a golf simulator. Hopefully this theme and name takes for the long term at the former Docks, and we'll let you know if live bands return with it!
• Local musician Mario Gionet is looking for a singer for his new metal band that he's launched, as per his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from last week. No word on what he's playing in the band (I'm unfamiliar with him), but message Mario at this link or above for more details!
• In this SooToday article from Donna Hopper last week, downtown concert venue The Machine Shop is spotlighted to reflect on it's recent full launch as a public events site, it's upcoming restaurant, and the hiring of LopLops Lounge owner Stephen Alexander as the venue's events promoter (don't worry, he's still bringing bands to LopLops!) The article also serves to avoid confusion with St. Mary's Paper site locations from their development, as the Mill Square owners sold it in January, and it's not The Yard or The Tech either. Informative article, so get more above, and The Machine Shop's new website is now linked in our venue listings!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews and this month's YouTube Channel Profile next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Halloween Party), A New Video, And Many Assorted Updates!!

With a new week in full swing, here's a packed news post for your Monday, including lots of assorted recent news & notes, a new jam video, and first, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for the end of October! Here's what you should know!

For the third time in four years, The Algonquin Pub will host J.D. Pearce's 11th annual Halloween Party on Saturday, October 31st! Yes, this show was previously covered on here, but we hadn't officially called it as a concert because the venue wasn't confirmed yet, which J.D. announced on the Facebook event page on Saturday. Fitting choice, seeing as (save for 2013 at The Rosie), this long running Halloween concert event has found a good home at The Gonq, so keep the familiar venue in mind! No word though on if this will be considered as an official Gonqshow series event, as it's currently slated to wrap up the week prior at the Ripcordz concert. A previously announced, the lineup will take on an all-tribute band theme for the first time since 2008, with Toronto extreme metal quartet Caym tackling Metallica, and two local tribute bands (identities to be determined) covering The Misfits and a hybrid of Rancid & NOFX songs.

It's very likely that J.D. will front the Misfits tribute, but will they be existing local bands, or one-off tributes for the occasion? A presentation of Tidal Records, this Halloween party will have a $10 cover charge, 19+ age limit, 10:00 PM start time, and presumably, a costume contest with prizes, so be sure to check the above links for more details! This is a great event for the Halloween season, so stay tuned for updates as they roll in!

Next up, here's an almost 22 minute new jam session video from local grunge/hardcore duo Bad Back! Uploaded to drummer Nathan Sauve's YouTube channel on August 9th (and shot the previous day), the video is somewhat unique among Bad Back jam videos in that frontman Jamie Vincent does not appear to sing at all for the duration, even though there's a microphone to his left (I wonder why?) More of a freewheeling jam that sounds at least partially improvised, it's a solid listen, but that glare through the window is a little much in terms of video clarity. Give it a look below, and don't miss Bad Back TONIGHT at The New A!



Finally for today, here's six assorted shorter news items from the last while, including two more inactive band notes. As usual, these are in alphabetical order by band name:

• Local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades have been confirmed as the final opener for the Diemonds-headlined concert at The Rednecks Saloon THIS FRIDAY, as per recent updates on the Facebook event page. This is a bit surprising given that the band previously said they wouldn't play live again until their split CD release party, but they're a fitting choice, as J.D. Pearce & Tiffany Stocco opened for Diemonds with T-Rex Manning two years ago! Stay tuned for our preview of this show later this week!
• Frightlight alum & ex-Fist Fighting Stephen Hawking frontman Jeff DeRose is looking for a drummer for his new "rock/punk/metal" band, as per his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post on Friday. Despite his own drumming background, he's on bass for this band alongside musicians named Mike and Ryan, last names to be confirmed (possibly Ryan McLaughlin from F.F.S.H.?) If you're interested in trying out, message Jeff above or at this link!
• Apologies for this being so late, but newer local grunge/punk duo The Red & Black (featuring Telephone & Address' Chris Shoust & drummer Damjan "Spider Fingerz" Binda) made their live debut at the IRN-headlined concert at The New American Pub on June 21st! Promoters never confirmed that The Red & Black were playing, or if they replaced or played alongside Telephone & Address that night. According to their Facebook page, Damjan came in from Wawa (where he's lived recently) for the show, and it apparently went well despite the two not jamming together any time recently. Good to hear, and hopefully there's more to come!
• We have moved Sault Michigan alternative hard rock trio The Spendthrifts to our inactive links due to a year's inactivity, albeit under their original name Plastic, as they were active far longer & accomplished far more under that name. The Half Stupid successors played a number of notable local concerts after debuting in 2013, but after drummer Paul Burns moved that fall, the band only played at last summer's LemmaFest, before changing their name & falling inactive. I liked what Plastic were doing, but hopefully they turn up again, and best of luck to Zac, Matt, Aaron, and Paul in the future (also, check out Zac Crook's active solo project at this link!)
• After less than a year as the Chinese buffet restaurant Waterfront Legend, the former Docks Riverfront Grill at 89 Foster Drive has change themes once again, and is now The River Cookhouse with a more general menu, though there are plans to bring back the Chinese buffet as a weekend attraction. This new SooToday article on the changes notes that the nightclub area formerly known as Club Current (or Club 89) will now be used as a hall for event hosting like weddings and banquets, which would presumably end concert bookings there if that goes through. Disappointing, but hopefully the new focus does well for them!.
• We've also moved Sault Michigan hardcore band When All Fell Silent to our inactive links, as they haven't posted an update since last summer's name change, after previously going as Angelic Genocide, The Eleventh Hour, Changing You For Better Days, and One Hour Till Dawn at varying points (we'll list them as The Eleventh Hour, which they were the most active under.) Active since 2012, this band has ambitious plans for albums & shows, but like most young extreme Sault Michigan metal bands of recent years, they sadly weren't able to get far off the ground. Best of luck to Sean, Josh, the Josephs, and other former members in the future!

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

New Archive Concert Videos, The End Of Docks, And More!!

Let's get a new news post up on this Tuesday evening, including some assorted recent notes, an archive concert video from a couple years back, and a recent concert venue closure, but first, here's a new video upload from a major metal show that we enjoyed over seven years ago!

Courtesy of AlgomA bassist Kevin Campbell's YouTube channel, this video is of defunct metal supergroup Heaven & Hell playing the Black Sabbath classic "Computer God" at The Essar Centre (then known as The Steelback Centre) on March 20th, 2007, and it's great to see another video from this show! Note that Kevin credits them as Black Sabbath in the video, as this was the "Mob Rules" era lineup, but they toured and recorded as Heaven & Hell. As preceded by Vinny Appice's drum solo, this is a nice video, and though Kevin wasn't too close to the stage, he used the zoom on his camera to good effect on this solid rendition of one of the better songs on the "Dehumanizer" album! I stand by this being the best concert to ever hit the arena on a musical basis (Kiss topped it theatrically), and I'll always be grateful that I got to see Ronnie James Dio live before his passing. I wonder if Kevin has any more footage from this event? Check out the full clip below!



Next up, we appear to have lost another local concert venue, as Docks Riverfront Grill re-opened earlier this month as Waterfront Legend, a new higher-end Chinese buffet restaurant. The Foster Drive location was quietly sold to new owner Imee Yeun on May 1st, and had operated as Docks briefly over the summer before the relaunch, though the venue hasn't hosted an advertised band since classic rockers Redline played there in late March. According to a new SooToday article on the overhaul from Michael Purvis, the main dining area is mostly unchanged, and the bar's still there, but there's Asian art and effects, new lighting, and buffet tables in place of the pool tables. Given the changes, it seems very unlikely that live bands will be in the cards for Waterfront Legend, which will be disappointing for old Docks regulars, as it was a nice venue that played host to numerous cover bands over the years!

We have moved Docks to our defunct local venue links under it's Facebook page (as it's website was closed), and if you like Chinese food and buffets, give Waterfront Legend a chance! I had heard rumours for a while regarding Docks' ownership and changes, and the lack of recent band bookings had also been noticeable, but hopefully old regulars there find steady places to play in the near future! Best of luck to all former Docks employees!

Also today, here's another older YouTube video of local classic/hard rock cover band Havadder, as we slowly get up to speed concerning their older videos that we never addressed on here! Courtesy of a February 2012 concert at The Nicolet Tavern (now The Rednecks Saloon), this was uploaded to the band's own YouTube channel at the time, and remains the only upload there. Featuring their 2011-2012 Turner Up-hybrid lineup, then-bassist (and recent live guest) Travis Sharpe handles lead vocals on this cover of The Foo Fighters' "These Days" alongside guitarists Jason Roy (Havadder's founder & usual frontman), Jason Nisbet, and Robert Brown, and drummer Scott McLurg. It's a well done cover shot from a good central angle of the stage, but Travis doesn't have the right force on the chorus vocals. Check it out below though, and stay tuned for more from Havadder, new and old!



Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter items from the last little while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by band name:

• Likely stemming from a prior musician search in May, Social Suicide alum Anthony Boudreau is again looking for a rhythm guitarist for his new local band that would play hard rock & hair metal inspired by the likes of Avenged Sevenfold & Guns 'N Roses, with originals and covers planned. If you're interested, message Anthony at this link (or fellow member Damon King) on Facebook with media of you playing the song of your choice, and click here for more info!
• Former State of Misery drummer Nick Kainula is again looking to join a new local band, citing "any music from the '80s up" and Motley Crue as his biggest influences. Right now, he just wants to jam, but would love to play shows too. It'd be nice to see him back in an active band, but if you're interested in jamming with him, message Nick at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from September 5th!
• I have removed Haggith frontman Curtis McKenzie's Sound X solo project from our band links for two reasons. One is that he hasn't posted public updates concerning the project since late last year, and the other is that the link we had for Sound X (Curt's solo music page) has not tended to focus on this project over his more active band work. Hopefully he revisits his solo work soon though, and stay tuned for more on Haggith's new CDs!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and previews soon, plus this month's poll and last month's poll results on Thursday! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The Suicide Kings) & New Videos!!

Before we get into the poll updating and such, we're going to clear out some backlogged news from this past busy weekend (personally and computer issue-related, it is what it is.) Most of these relate to new YouTube postings, but we do have a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, so here's what you need to know!

Fresh off of their set opening for Anvil this past weekend, local hard rock standouts The Suicide Kings will make their first ever appearance at Sault College TOMORROW as the entertainment at a fundraiser event! Apologies for the short notice, I only just heard about this show late last week, and it got lost in the shuffle until now. They'll be playing at Odeno, the college's new lounge and bar that replaced The Outback last fall upon completion of the Health & Wellness Center that it's inside, and this (I believe) will be the first ever public hard rock show to take place there since it's opening. The event itself will be a benefit event for Sault College's Social Service Worker/Native Specialization program and their upcoming project & scholarships to connect Aboriginal youths to community role models to help build sustainable relationships, which is a nice cause for sure, so come on out to support it! Admission is $5 in advance and at the door, it is an ALL AGES event, and it has an early start time of 6:00 PM. For more information, check the above links or click here!

This show flew under the radar in many respects, but it is for a good cause, and fans might be curious to see how Odeno compares to The Outback as a concert venue, so keep it in mind for some mid-week hard rock action from this talented quartet! For a preview, here's The Suicide Kings live at Rotaryfest last summer!



Next up, we have another newly posted video from the Heaven & Hell concert at The Essar Centre in March 2007! Courtesy again of filmer Duane Roy's YouTube channel, this went online on Sunday, and it features the end of their set, specifically the last seconds of their song "Heaven & Hell", before closing with their full encore song "Neon Knights" (both from their eponymous 1980 album released as Black Sabbath.) The same video quality as before is on this clip, so there's not a lot to look at, but the sound's good, and it's a nice reminder of my favourite Steelback/Essar Centre concert to date (on a musical basis; Kiss' presentation can't be topped.) Check out Duane's new/old video below!



Also today, here's some new videos from local all-female hard rock quartet The Danger Cats! The girls launched an official YouTube channel last week that already features three videos from their two Docks Riverfront Grill gigs three weeks ago! One is of their cover of The Spice Girls "Wannabe" (with Paula Panther on lead vocals), while the other two (both from the same separate show) feature bassist Jamie Jaguar on vocals, and they're covers of The Runaways' "Cherry Bomb" and, as embedded below, AC/DC's "Big Balls"! The filmer had a nice close angle of the action, and the crowd sounds into everything, but it does look like there was an auto-focus setting put on them. The audio's pretty good too, and it's nice to get some solid quality footage of the girls' Docks debut weekend, so check out these new videos above, and here's their AC/DC cover!



Finally for today, remember the Superior Heights student cover trio featuring Sailor's Tongue guitarist Liam Seymour, singer/guitarist Adam Gualtieri, and an uncredited drummer that often covered hard rock material? Well, the first live recording of theirs in 8 months is now up on Adam's YouTube channel! An audio-only upload, this is a cover of Mumford & Sons' "Little Lion Man", but while it's not a hard rock cover, it is well performed and melodic, and it is nice to see them playing together still! Solid audio quality too, so check it out below, and stay tuned for more from Adam & Liam!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for last month's poll results & this month's poll details later today! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Lucky 13) & More Of This Weekend's Metal/Hard Rock Concert Previews!!

In another busy local concert weekend at the SMS, we're actually gonna have to bring this to a third post to cover all the hard rock shows due to another SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, so with that in mind, I'll postpone our preview of tomorrow's Slopefest 2014 to a second post later today along with some other news items (unless a recent note concerning a member departure leads to their withdrawal, but we'll elaborate on that tonight.) Check out the post below for our first of the weekend previews, and now, let's tackle the next hard rock shows this weekend!

Local alternative/hard rock quartet Lucky 13 will return to The Rockstar Bar for a one-nighter TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this concert was only just announced on Monday via it's Facebook event page, though I only first heard about it yesterday. After an off weekend, this will be the third weekend out of five to feature Ed, Jeremey, Jeff, and Roger at The Rockstar Bar for at least one night, so things must be going well for their recent Algonquin Hotel appearances, and hopefully their gritty alt-rock covers get a solid turnout once again! Note that they're not playing tomorrow night due to the previously announced Suicide Kings show that we'll touch on next. Admission should be about $5 for this 19+ show, and a 10:30 PM start time is advertised. For more details, check the above links! Should be a solid night of entertaining hard rock covers, so don't miss Lucky 13 at The Rockstar Bar TOMORROW NIGHT, and for a preview, here's the guys covering a pair of songs at the first Toystock!



Moving to previously announced concerts, the aforementioned Suicide Kings will return to the site of last year's battle of the bands victory when they rock The Rockstar Bar TONIGHT for their own one-night-only appearance! Last seen at The Marquee at Bon Soo two weeks ago, this will be their first stop at The Rockstar Bar in almost six months, so tomorrow's show has definitely been a long time coming, but sadly, they'll be sans bassist Mitch Sirie tonight, as per their Facebook page yesterday. Though the band gave a joking reason for his absence, his personal page confirms that he has an ear infection, and I know how painful that can be, so get well soon, Mitch! According to guitarist Steven Flint's personal Facebook page last night, his and drummer Ben Boudreau's Punch bandmate Daniel Horton will fill in for Mitch tonight, and knowing their chemistry, Daniel will be a solid fill-in, so fingers crossed everything goes great in honour of frontman Mike Gaetano's 30th birthday!

Likely The Suicide Kings' last show before they open for Anvil at The Canadian on March 15th (remember, they replaced Pillory on the lineup last month), these local hard rock favourites will be on at 10:00 PM tonight, a $5 cover charge is likely, and you must be 19 to enter. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! Hopefully the remaining Suicide Kings & Daniel paint it red as advertised with their hard hitting originals and covers, so don't miss out, and for a preview, here's the guys at the last year's battle!

Closing this preview post are some two night runs in the area, including the return of Charlevoix metal trio Peril to The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! Their second concert weekend of the month at a regional Kewadin Casino branch, these will be Peril's first St. Ignace shows in almost two months, and as they won't be back to the U.P. until May, why not consider a run down to see Jeff Hudson and company tear through some classic metal covers this weekend? Like usual for Peril, this weekend's shows have 21+ age limits, no announced cover charge, and 9:00 PM start times. For more details, visit the above links! It's always nice to see Peril back up in our area, so be sure to check out their diverse metal attack TONIGHT & TOMORROW, as they always bring a good time when they play at one of the Kewadin Casinos! For a preview, here's the guys live in Vanderbilt in 2012!



Finally for this post, Sault Ontario all-female hard rock quartet The Danger Cats will make their official Docks Riverfront Grill debuts TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! Fresh off a successful set at last week's Late & Loud reunion show, these won't be the girls' first experience at Docks, having been a surprise guest at a Stiffler's Mom gig there in October, but now the spotlight is theirs in the Docks' Playroom performance area, so don't miss their ever improving originals and covers this weekend! Remember, these will be just their second and third shows since ex-singer Summer Snow-Leopard's departure, but if the reception they got last weekend is any indication, their current lineup shouldn't have much to worry about over the next two nights! Admission is FREE both nights, you must be 19 to attend, and 10:00 PM start times are advertised. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, definitely think about checking out The Danger Cats this weekend, and here are the girls at The Algonquin Pub last year!



That's all for now, but stay tuned for our SlopeFest preview and more TONIGHT! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Lucky 13) & More Weekend Concert Previews!!

Keeping the concert previews rolling on this busy weekend, we're looking at four shows taking place tomorrow, though one of the bands below is playing on Saturday as well for the whole weekend. Tomorrow's post will look at Saturday-only gigs, so watch out then for what's missed today! Now, let's begin our second of three preview posts, including a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!!

Local alternative/hard rock cover quartet Lucky 13 will make their first ever appearances at The Roosevelt Hotel TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, the band only just announced the Friday show on Tuesday, with Saturday's only getting announced on The Rosie's Facebook page last night. After a two weekend stretch at The Rockstar Bar, it'll be interesting to see how Lucky 13 do in their first ever Rosie stops (though half the band played there with the debuting Throwbacks in December), so if you've missed them in recent weeks, give them a look at The Roosevelt Hotel tomorrow or Saturday! Admission tomorrow is likely free, you must be 19 to attend, and there is a 10:30 PM start time in effect. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! It's nice to see bookings ramp up for Ed & company, so keep TOMORROW & SATURDAY'S shows in mind, and for a preview, here's the guys at Toystock in late 2012!

Moving to previously announced shows, the second of three hard-rock featured nights at The Marquee at the Bon Soo Winter Carnival goes down TOMORROW, as local metal/punk quintet Jack Spades are headlining the day's entertainment at The Roberta Bondar Pavilion! Fresh off of last night's set at Heavy Thursday at The Rosie, look for this entertaining band (featuring current members of T-Rex Manning, The Elements, and Bear Hunters) to rock out hard in front of their fans and the Bon Soo faithful tomorrow evening! They're the last slotted band at 7:30 PM, and while tomorrow's entertainment begins at The Pavilion 5:00 PM, I can not confirm the other acts' times (partly due to the lack of a full public Marquee schedule), but click here for the identity of some Wednesday-Saturday performers. Like before, admission is FREE if you have a $7 Bon Soo button (or buy one upon entry), and this is definitely ALL AGES. Check the above links for more details, don't miss Jack Spades in this unique outdoor setting, and here they are live in December!

Also TOMORROW NIGHT, Kinross, Michigan hard rock trio Banned will return to The Runway Bar in nearby Hessel, but according to their Facebook page, their previously announced one nighter is now extended to Saturday night as well! The only hard rock band playing across the river this weekend that I can reasonably verify, these will be Banned's second & third shows of the new year (following last weekend's stop in Gould City), but these will be their first within an hour of the Soo of 2014. After taking January off, and with only an April weekend at Kewadin Casino otherwise known, why not head out this weekend just in case those are next? Also note that their sets coincide with this year's Snowsfest at the nearby Les Cheneaux Islands, so keep that angle in mind tomorrow! Alex, Don, and Jim will be rocking Hessel tomorrow at 9:00 PM & Saturday at 8:00 PM, you must be 21 to attend, and there's no announced cover charge. Check the above links for more details! It's great to see Banned back at it, so don't miss them this weekend, and here's the guys live last year!

Finally for our second preview post this week, Sault Ontario classic hard rock quintet That's Chester will make their first live appearances of 2014 TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT when they return to Docks Riverfront Grill! Last seen live at Toystock over 2 months ago (and at Docks that same weekend), it's nice to see this talented veteran band playing more regularly following their reunion last year, and hopefully they have a great weekend of entertaining covers for their fans tomorrow & Saturday night! Like usual, these are 19+ shows with 10:00 PM-ish start times, and as with other recent Docks shows, there is NO COVER CHARGE! For more information, visit the official Facebook event page! Sounds like a good time to party out with That's Chester, so keep their Docks return in mind for this weekend, and for a preview, here are the guys at Docks a few years back!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for the rest of our weekend concert previews tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

This Weekend's Hard Rock/Metal Concert Previews, Including The First Heavy Thursday!!

In today's post, we're previewing this weekend's slate of metal & hard rock shows in the Sault area, and while there's a lot of entertaining shows going down on both sides of the border, we'll start with a new weekly concert series' debut TONIGHT, so here's what you need to know, and if any late notice shows turn up, we'll have them A.S.A.P.!

Over 18 months after the original Roosevelt Hotel metal nights' last official installment took place, local concert promoter J.D. Pearce is bringing regular metal & punk shows back to The Rosie with Heavy Thursdays, whose first scheduled event goes down TONIGHT! Though the new series also has a new promoter and (mostly) new band selection, this will be a familiar and exciting return of sorts for fans who missed the regular Thursday nighters at this popular Korah Road venue, so who's playing in tonight's debut? Local melodic death metal quartet The Bear Hunters will return to familiar ground as the announced headliners (they were the original metal nights' most frequent band), so look for a brutal onslaught of originals tonight in their first show of the new year! Newer local hard rock quartet Punch (featuring two members each of Project 421 & The Suicide Kings) will rock The Rosie for the first time in just their third live appearance, and hopefully they'll rock hard tonight as well! The other band is new local funk/alternative quartet The Elements in their live concert debut, so what do we know on them?

I can confirm that their lineup features singer Rob Speers (The Side FX), guitarist Jesse Cook (Jack Spades/Winkstinger) and bassist James White (Redundant), and though I have an idea on the drummer's identity, I have yet to find official confirmation. No online pages yet, but hopefully they put on a great show in their debut tonight! Admission is $5, you must be 19 to attend, and there is a 10:00 PM start time. For more details, click here and the above links! There's a little something for everyone in TONIGHT'S first Heavy Thursday, and I'll see you there for the action! For a preview, here's The Bear Hunters playing "Casualties of War" at The Rosie in 2012!



Next up for our previews, we'll head across the river briefly, as Charlevoix classic metal trio Peril will return to The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino for shows TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Their first Sault Ste. Marie stops of the new year, these come just one week after frontman Jeff Hudson played with his other metal band Scarkazm in St. Ignace, so hopefully the metal train keeps rolling in the Eastern U.P. with Jeff in more familiar surroundings with Peril! The guys will rock the stage with their classic metal and hard rock covers (and originals?) at 9:00 PM tomorrow and Saturday night, there's no announced cover charge, and like usual, there is a 21+ age limit in effect. For more details, check the above links! It's great to see Jeff, Adam, and Brooks keeping their presence high in these parts for what should be a busy year for Peril (and Scarkazm), so don't miss out on Peril's return to the Soo this weekend, and for a preview, here are the guys covering Ozzy Osbourne a few years back!

Moving back to Sault Ontario, local party/hard rock veterans Stiffler's Mom will return to Docks Riverfront Grill TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT for their second & third live dates of 2014! Last seen at Docks late last year, these precede singer/drummer Greg Simpson's scheduled dates with That's Chester at the same venue next weekend, so if you can't make it to Foster Drive this weekend, you can partially make it up sooner than expected! Of course, Stiffler's Mom's diverse and hard rocking sound should be welcomed once again tomorrow & Saturday, so if you're up for some classics and a good time, you know where to go! Like other recent Docks gigs, there is NO COVER this weekend, you must be 19 to attend, and a 10:00 PM-ish start time is likely. For more details, check the above links, and for a preview, here's the guys playing their original "Enjoy The Show"!



Finally for today's previews, Caveman Morrison frontman Tym Morrison will return to The Harp Bar & Grill on Pine Street this weekend for his 10th straight weekly appearance there in his current arrangement with the former Madison's Pub, though not tomorrow night. For reasons still to be publicized, Tym's weekly concert/hosted-jam night will temporarily move to Saturday for two weeks before returning to Friday on the 21st, so if you like his current run at The Harp, or were planning to go this weekend, go on Saturday, NOT tomorrow! Despite the temporary day switch, the usual entertainment will be going down, with Tym's unplugged metal & hard rock songs sure to deliver some solid music, and don't forget about the open mic angle, whether you're a fan or performer! There's no announced cover charge, you must be 19 to attend, and there will be a start time of around 10:00 PM. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, and for a preview, here's Tym covering Heart (get your tickets for them tomorrow!



That's all for today, but I'll see you guys at The Rosie TOMORROW NIGHT for the first Heavy Thursday, and stay tuned for more news and notes soon! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Merves, That's Chester, And The Danger Cats) & Much More!!

News has been slow lately, but for the first time since Monday, we have a post without any concert previews, and there's some big things to take note of! Just to clarify, this month's Defunct Local Band Profiles are coming, but given the recent quiet news stretch, I'm bumping it to tomorrow to spread things out better. Today, we have some random assorted recent news, some new drum cover videos, and first, some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, so here's what you need to know!

Remember The Merves, the Toronto-based Ramones tribute band featuring ex-Lion Ride frontman Mikey Hawdon? Well, they'll be back at The Rockstar Bar next Friday (January 17th) for the first time in almost a year, but with a hard rock twist. They're splitting the song selection to cover Joan Jett & The Blackhearts for half their set, so now there's a hard rock edge to this popular band! Featuring respected Toronto-area punk musicians, and with talented Toronto-area singer Amy Zucchetto channeling Joan Jett, it should be nice to have The Merves back in town after such a long time away, so don't miss their return next week! A $5 cover charge is likely for this 19+ concert, and a 10:30 PM start time is advertised. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! It's great to have Mikey back for another local concert, and hopefully punk and hard rock fans get an equal dose of great tunes from The Merves' Ramones & Joan Jett covers next Friday! If any updates roll in, we'll have them here!

Next up, local classic/hard rock quintet That's Chester will return to Docks Riverfront Grill's Playroom for a full weekend on February 14th & 15th! Though yet unannounced on their Facebook page, we can confirm these dates through Docks' event calendar on their website, so there's my source. Last seen at Toystock on December 1st (and at Docks that same weekend), these currently sit as That's Chester's first shows of 2014, and it will be nice to have their diverse and often heavy covers back after a two and a half month break, so keep these shows in mind next month! These are 19+ events, 10:00 PM start times are likely, and like other recent Docks events, there is NO COVER CHARGE. For more details, visit the above links! Though live gigs for That's Chester have been more sporadic since their reunion, That's Chester's talents and skill are still ready and present, so keep their (presumably) first shows of 2014 in mind for next month, and stay tuned for updates!

Lastly for our recent batch of new Docks concert announcements, all female hard rock quintet The Danger Cats will make their official Docks debuts on Friday, February 28th and Saturday, March 1st! Apologies for the late announcements on these shows, as they were originally announced on December 20th, but they slipped through our radar until today. Barring an interim announcement, these will be the girls' first live dates of 2014, but not the first time that they've played there, as Stiffler's Mom invited them to play a few songs during their October 2013 weekend there. That should be some solid experience for these early March dates, so don't miss their entertaining covers and slowly expanding original repertoire then! Like the aforementioned That's Chester shows, there is no cover charge, a 19+ age limit, and a 10:00 PM-ish start time. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, and stay tuned for more as we hear it!

Also, As It Stands drummer John Mignacca has posted a pair of new drum cover videos onto his/the band's YouTube channel on Wednesday! His first solo postings in 9 months, these are (once again) electric drum covers to songs you may not expect, including Ke$ha's "Tik Tok" and (as embedded below) Christina Grimmie's cover of David Guetta's "Titanium". John's drum skills are on full display, and he adds well to these tracks, but the volume of his drumming is too muted, and it could stand to be louder. Note that while it's great to see some new work from John, As It Stands have not made any public updates since October (or played live in almost a year & a half), but John has stayed busy as a drummer with the Hamilton djent studio project Rancor. Hopefully we hear some more from As It Stands soon, but see Jon's new solo work above & below!



Finally for today, here's three shorter assorted stories from the last while, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name:

• Local metal/punk quintet Jack Spades aren't just opening for Anvil & Caym once in the Soo on March 15th, as they're actually hitting the road to open for the Canadian metal legends during their Sudbury & North Bay gigs on the surrounding days. Awesome news, and hopefully these are just a start for Jack Spades' rise and Anvil's northern takeover! Check the above links for more details on the other Northern Ontario dates!
• Are local classic metal quartet Late & Loud reuniting? A post on their Facebook page saying "Get stoked for February more details soon." was added this morning, and if it points to a reunion of some kind, it would end (at least temporarily) their inactive period since their Rockstar Bar Battle appearances last April. When we hear more, we'll be sure to let you guys know!
• Dafter, Michigan hard rocker Ken "SweetKenny" Sutton now has an official Android/Google Play application! Created through Reverbnation (similarly to Sykotyk Rampage's application), you can download it or get more details at this link, so give it a look!

That's all for today, but stay tuned TOMORROW for this month's Defunct Local Band Profiles! Thanks everyone!

This Weekend's Metal/Hard Rock Concert Previews!!

I apologize for the slow news stretch lately, as despite having some new concerts to plug, everything else has been fairly slow for the early part of 2014, but things are guaranteed to pick up soon! In that respect, today's post is 100% dedicated to weekend concert previews (all of which have advance notice), so what heavier artists are rocking the Twin Saults and area this weekend? Read on below to find out!

Caveman Morrison frontman Tym Morrison will continue his current weekly concert arrangement TOMORROW NIGHT with another solo show at The Harp Bar & Grill! Remember, though unannounced on Facebook as of this writing, the calendar on his website confirms he'll be back at the former Madison's Pub tomorrow for what will serve as both his newest solo gig and as a jam/open mic night, so if you love such events, keep that angle in mind! For the concert aspect of tomorrow's event, be sure not to miss Tym's talented acoustic covers of hard rock and metal classics, especially if you live centrally, as this should be another entertaining night of tunes! There's no announced cover charge for this 19+ concert, and a start time of 10:00 PM is likely. For more details, visit the above links! Approaching the sixth weekly installment of his current run at The Harp, Tym always puts in a good show, so definitely consider a run to The Harp tomorrow for this event, and for a preview, here's Tym covering Eric Clapton at the former Foggy Notions!



Next up, we'll take a quick detour across the river, as Charlevoix classic metal veterans Peril will return to The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Last seen there (or in the U.P. at all) in October, these will be Peril's first regional dates of a busy 2014 that will see them play two more Kewadin dates through March, joining frontman Jeff Hudson's other band Scarkazm's own regional dates over the next while, so this should be a big year for them! Peril's classic metal covers and experienced talent should be welcomed back to St. Ignace this weekend, so if you're up for some hard rocking intensity, head down to The Northern Pines Lounge! There's no announced cover charges this weekend, you must be 21 to attend, and 19+ age limits are to be expected. For more details, visit the above links, and for a preview, here's Peril playing 4 covers at a Vanderbilt show in 2012!



Moving back to Sault Ontario to close this post, local alternative/hard rock cover quartet Lucky 13 will make their Docks Riverfront Grill debuts TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! The band's first dates of the new year, it'll be interesting to see this union of Route 69, Gully Yodelers, and Bangers N' Mash alumni in Docks' Playroom for the first time, but their alt-rock covers and gritty sound should serve them well this weekend, so keep a trip to Foster Drive in mind for this weekend for some Lucky 13 action! Like other recent Docks shows, there is NO COVER CHARGE this weekend, though a 10:00 PM start time and 19+ age limit are still in their usual effect. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! Lucky 13 have proved to be a consistent and entertaining sight since their debut, so definitely don't bypass this weekend's shows, and for a preview, here's Lucky 13 at The Canadian in 2012!



Finally for this weekend's known hard rock shows, Sault Ontario quartet Glitch will return to their favourite local venue The Rockstar Bar THIS SATURDAY NIGHT in their own first gig of the new year! Note that this is a one night only event, possibly because The Rockstar Bar's hosting local country band Summer Thunder tomorrow night, so if you wanna see Glitch, don't come tomorrow. Featuring alumni of Foothill Road, W.F.O., and Bondar, this newer quartet has been a popular sight at The Algonquin Hotel's upstairs venue since their debut last fall, so don't miss their well mixed blend of covers, including many heavier tunes, on Saturday night! A $5 cover is likely for this 10:30 PM event, and you must be 19 to attend. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! Keep the return of Glitch in mind for your Saturday night plans, and for a preview, here's the guys rocking out at their live debut!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news soon, along with this month's Defunct Local Band Profiles! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS!! (TheKillingField, Stiffler's Mom, Lucky 13, and Glitch)

We're finally back with a new news post after a quiet weekend, as we're devoting this freezing Monday to LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS! A few respected hard rock cover bands have some new concerts advertised, along with a very cool all ages metal show at The Oddfellows Hall later this month, so read on below for what you need to know on the current concert schedule!

Local alternative/hard rock quartet Lucky 13 will take the stage for the first time of the new year THIS FRIDAY AND SATURDAY at Docks Riverfront Grill! Note that the band has yet to officially confirm these dates, but they are listed on Docks' website's schedule, among other dates that we'll touch on in the next while from other local talent. Last seen at The Rockstar Bar early last month, this weekend's shows will be Lucky 13's first at Docks (unless I've missed any unannounced dates), and it'll be good to see this union of Aftersight, Throwbacks, and Gully Yodelers alumni back at it with their usual high energy covers to kick off 2014! These likely 10:00 PM shows have 19+ cover charges, and according to the schedule above, Docks has scrapped cover charges in recent months, so there is NO COVER this weekend! Stay tuned for updates from the Lucky 13 camp as we hear them (and our previews closer to Friday), and hopefully this weekend's shows keep up their usual talents!

Also this weekend, Sault Ontario classic/hard rock cover quartet Glitch will play their first local concert date of 2014 when they return to The Rockstar Bar THIS SATURDAY! Their first live appearance in almost a month, the event was just announced by guitarist Marco Pedalino on their Facebook group yesterday. A favourite sight at The Rockstar Bar since their debut last fall, look for a varied but often heavy selection of classic songs from this union of Sneaky Pete, Lion Ride, and Tripod The Dog members, so keep their first show of 2014 in mind for this weekend! A $5 cover charge is likely for this 19+ event, and a 10:00 PM start time should be expected. For more details, check the above links! Though their focus on The Rockstar Bar for all of their solo gigs is still somewhat surprising, it's been a great venue for Glitch since their debut, so take in another entertaining night of music from them on Saturday night, and if there's any updates, we'll have them here!

Next up (and as previously hinted at), new local metal promotion agency Heavy North Entertainment are indeed bringing North Bay extreme metal trio TheKillingField back to the Soo for their first official concert, which goes down at The Oddfellows Hall on Friday, January 24th! Last seen locally at the 33rd Roosevelt Hotel metal night in September 2011 (and their first Oddfellows appearance since opening for Cattle Decapitation in 2009), it's been way too long for TheKillingField's brutal and technical originals to grace the Soo, and knowing how many fans they've made here, they should pick up right where they left off in just under three weeks! Joining them are fellow North Bay standouts Buried Out Back (featuring ex-Empyrean Plague guitarist Dave Strba), who you may remember as one of the openers at Hallows Die's June 2012 show at The Canadian. Their death metal sound should be right at home with the local crowd on the 24th, so be sure not to miss their second local date! Like the pre-H.N.E. Devil's Night show at The Oddfellows Hall, an extensive band roster is slotted for this ALL AGES show, so what locals can be expected?

Though the band lineup is subject to change, TheKillingField will headline at midnight on the 24th with Buried Out Back at 11:00 PM, and while the 10:00 PM slot is currently vacant, bands like AlgomA and Brutaly Fatal have expressed interest in filling it (we'll keep you guys posted!) The 9:15 PM slot currently belongs to local thrash quartet Pillory in what would be their first show since last summer, their Oddfellows Hall debut, and (I assume) their first show with a full lineup since their debut in November 2012. Great to see Pillory back at it, hopefully they have copies of their EP for sale too! Local death metal standouts The Bear Hunters (who have opened for both of the headliners) are slotted at 8:10 PM, while Blood Shed Productions goregrind duo Rotopsy are slotted at 7:30 PM for their second live appearance. Newer local funk/metal trio The Strange Coyotes will return to the site of their inception at 6:45 PM, with the lineup rounded out by new classic metal quartet Project 421's second show and Oddfellows debut at 6:00 PM, and Strange Coyotes singer/guitarist Chase Wigmore opening with a solo set at 5:15 PM.

This ALL AGES concert will have a door opening time of 5:00 PM, and while admission will be $12 at the door, advance ticket information is forthcoming. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! It's great to see Tyler delivering with a big concert out of the gate, and hopefully there's a good turnout to begin Heavy North Entertainment's local run! Stay tuned for updates on the last band slot, advance tickets, and more as we hear them!

Finally for today's hard rock concert announcements, local party/hard rock trio Stiffler's Mom will return to Docks Riverfront Grill themselves on February 7th & 8th for their second & third announced dates of the new year! Like with the aforementioned Lucky 13 dates this weekend, Stiffler's Mom have yet to officially confirm these dates, though they are confirmed through Docks' official website, so visit the above links for that source. To be their first Docks shows in 2 months, it'll be great to see this favourite veteran outfit back at this popular Foster Drive venue next month, so don't miss their often heavy and well mixed cover tunes at Docks next month! As with the Lucky 13 shows, expect a 10:00 PM-ish start time, NO COVER, and a 19+ age limit. Check the above links for more details, and stay tuned for more from both Stiffler's Mom, and some more February Docks hard rock shows with their own Stiffler's Mom connections!

That's all for today, but stay tuned soon for more new Docks concert announcements, and more updates! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Throwbacks & Banned) And The First Of This Weekend's Concert Previews!!

Today's post tackles most of the local metal/hard rock concert previews for this weekend that I currently know about, but we'll touch on the X-Mess acoustic show featuring The Danger Cats TOMORROW, along with any potential late notice gigs I may be alerted to. Two of the shows are SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, and along with said previews, we have extra news on each, including a new show for New Year's Eve, our first video of one of them, and first, a new local band, so here's what you need to know!

A new local rock trio named The Throwbacks will make their live concert debut TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT at The Roosevelt Hotel! Apologies for the short notice, I only just heard about these the other day. No online pages for them yet, but they apparently play a variety of classic/modern rock, and their lineup includes Lucky 13's Jeremey Salatuk & Jeff Gray alongside 2 Buck Beers' Brent Royer on drums (and probably lead vocals.) Brent previously played with Jeremey in Wishbone & with Jeff in the original Turner Up, so there's history all around for these three! I don't know exactly what The Throwbacks will play in concert, but given all three members work in a hard rock-leaning band in the early 2010s, I'm inclined to believe they'll be similar to a Turner Up-ish band. Both tomorrow & Saturday night's concerts have 10:30 PM start times, no announced cover charges, and 19+ age limits. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! I'm curious to hear more about The Throwbacks, and hopefully their debut this weekend goes off without a hitch, so check them out at The Rosie, and when I hear more on this band, I'll let you guys know!

(Note as well that I have no idea if Jeremey & Jeff's presence in this new band means anything negative for Lucky 13's status, but keep in mind that they last played live two weeks ago, and they're not an overly frequent live band as it is. Just in case though, I'll keep you guys posted when we hear new stuff on Lucky 13!)

Also in new concerts (and linking to a show TONIGHT), Kinross, Michigan classic hard rockers Banned will rock The Cozy Corners Tavern & Grill in nearby Barbeau on Tuesday, December 31st as part of their New Year's Eve festivities! This will be their first show at this venue in almost 5 months, and it keeps with their usual trend of playing a concert on New Year's Eve (you may remember them in at The Bird in 2011 and at Todd's Tavern last year), so hopefully they send off 2013 with a bang in just under two weeks! There's no announced cover charge for this 21+ show, and a 9:00 PM start time is likely. This show joins a private wedding that they're playing next weekend, and of course, a rare Thursday night set TONIGHT at The Dreammaker's Theater at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino, where they're the musical entertainment for The Autism Alliance of Michigan's Relentless Tour stop in the Soo! This event is headlined by a speech by Michigan State Spartans basketball star Anthony Ianni about his battle with autism and how he overcame it to find success and purpose in life, so if you go, definitely consider checking that out!

Tonight's event (which also has a resource fair, prizes, face painting, bouncy castles, and other family entertainment) starts at 6:00 PM, it's definitely ALL AGES, and there's no admission fee! For more details, visit the above links & the event poster! This is a very unique but important event that should hopefully raise a lot of awareness for this important cause, so don't bypass it if you're across the river TONIGHT, and Banned should rock  themselves! For a preview, here are the guys playing their song "Plaid Girl"!

Finally for today, Sault Ontario classic/hard rock quintet The Thrill Junkies will return to Docks Riverfront Grill for two more concerts TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Likely their last concerts of 2013, this talented veteran outfit should have another hard hitting weekend of covers and familiar hits in store for fans in Docks' Playroom (the name for the main area for bands), so don't miss this union of Carbon Black, Lois Lane, Full Circle, Havadder, and Scary Uncles alumni down at Docks this weekend! A $4-ish cover is likely for these 10:30 PM concerts, and you must be 19 to attend either tomorrow or Saturday night. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! It's nice to see The Thrill Junkies back at Docks so soon after their November shows there, and hopefully it truly is a Thrill Junkies Christmas this time around, so keep them in mind for your weekend plans! For a preview, we finally have a video glimpse of the band in action, so what should you know on that front?

Filmed by bassist Justin Langlois' dad Michel and uploaded to his YouTube channel two weeks ago, this comes from The Thrill Junkies' set at The Canadian at Toystock on Decmember 1st. The video features the band covering The Foo Fighters' "Times Like These" and Volbeat's "Heaven Nor Hell", and the guys sound pretty good here! Travis Sharpe's vocals are strong, and the guys know the songs well, though their stage presences are somewhat stiff. The camera angle's nice too, if a bit far, but the lighting's inconsistent, with Travis lit up way more than everyone else. Nice to finally see a video of The Thrill Junkies, so check it out below, and don't miss them at Docks this weekend!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for our X-Mess preview and more tomorrow! Thanks everyone!