LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (B.A. Johnston, HeadFirst, And Chase Wigmore), Plus Sykotyk Rampage Updates!!

Today's news post mostly looks at LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, one on SHORT NOTICE linked to a cancellation, alongside some big updates on a prolific local band's next album, so here's what you should know!

Local hard rock quintet HeadFirst will not be playing at Shooters Downstairs Lounge tonight, but they will still be in action, if an hour southeast of here, as they'll make their St. Joseph Island debut TONIGHT at the Hilton Beach Community Hall in Hilton Beach! Profuse apologies for the short notice, HeadFirst only announced this show via their Facebook page this morning. I don't know whether they dropped out of the Shooters gig to take the Hilton Beach one or if Shooters had already cancelled beforehand, but note that HeadFirst last mentioned playing at Shooters tonight on their Facebook page on July 31st. That gap is concerning alone, but hopefully all's well with band & venue! TONIGHT's show at 3050 Hilton Road is a fundraiser dance in support of renovating the kitchen at the community hall, and there will be a cash bar, barbecue, and door prizes for the occasion. HeadFirst appear to be replacing The Retrofit Band here.

I don't know a thing about The Retrofit Band beyond that they play(ed?) classic rock covers, but hopefully all's well in their camp re: why they pulled out! Based on what I'm reading, TONIGHT's fundraiser dance has an admission price of $25, and if you aren't on St. Joe to get tickets at the stated physical locations, it appears to be the same price at the door. Remember, this is a fundraiser to renovate the hall's kitchen, hence the price. HeadFirst take the stage at 8:00 PM but doors open at 6:30 PM with a DJ bookending their set. Best of luck all around as HeadFirst hit the road for a good cause, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and for a preview, here they are live!

Next up, here's another new concert coming to Soo Blaster that has somewhat flown under the social media radar, as local folk punk/extreme metal musician Chase Wigmore will return there on Wednesday, August 28th when he opens for Winnipeg "hobo rock" musician Del Boy Druid! Of course, Chase is also playing at Soo Blaster tomorrow as part of the Sylo-headlined all-local concert there, but he and outsider folk singer/guitarist Shae Tull (also playing tomorrow) will serve as the local openers on the 28th for Del Boy Druid, a prolific lo-fi indie rock musician who has performed across Canada. Not a hard rock musician but he is a skilled songwriter with many original qualities and some surprise cover choices, and it will be interesting to see how Del Boy fares locally later this month! Given what I have heard, Chase's acoustic folk punk side will be a good match musically, as will Shae, so fans of outsider folk with a dash of punk rock will be into this concert (if you can swing the work/school night scheduling!)

This presumably 19+ concert has a 10:00 PM start time, and tickets are $10 in advance at this link or at Soo Blaster (I don't know if Chase or Shae have advance tickets on hand themselves), though admission jumps to $15 at the door. Visit the above links for more details on this mid-week concert, and don't miss Chase and Shae there tomorrow beforehand!

Also coming to Sault Ste. Marie next month is Hamilton outsider folk/punk musician B.A. Johnston for his fifth local headlining appearance on Friday, September 20th! Never playing the same local venue twice, B.A. will set up shop next month at The Whisky Barrel, in the acoustic-leaning Gore Street nightclub's second show with a touring headliner in under a month (and if you think this is odd for there, there's one more huge outlier to be announced!). B.A. Johnston last brought his eclectic and self-deprecating brand of acoustic punk originals here at Outspoken Brewing in August of last year, but this show thankfully has more public advance word, so if you've liked his amusing and hard-to-describe evenings of music and irreverence here, your next chance is coming! Local support is via Wyld Stallyns/ex-Elements frontman Rob Speers in an increasingly common solo set.

I still am not positive how closely Rob's solo sets hew to his bands (I don't believe he has any social media pages for his solo work anyway), but he is a talented musician and will hopefully set the tone well next month! This 19+ concert is FREE and has an 8:00 PM start time (though I can't confirm if bringing Hawkins Cheezies will do anything tangible). Visit the official Facebook event page for more on B.A.'s local return next month!

Finally today, you may recall seeing my occasional mentions on the site since May that local "blue Chinese metal crash punk" quartet Sykotyk Rampage had released (and then quickly taken down) a new album on Bandcamp on both May 15th and August 1st, with minor alterations to the cover artwork and album name for the August re-post. What exactly was going on there? Well, the album is now 100% slated to come out for real on Sunday, September 15th, and its final name is "The Waerlogas Sagas 1: Konfysion Of Fyck". As per the band's Facebook page this month, the album will be released alongside a 137 page read-along comic book, which may explain why it was temporarily uploaded twice beforehand! If you scan the provided QR code, you'll be taken to this sale page for the comic, which is legitimately being sold on paperback for $90. That may be beyond the pale for some, but the interactivity is fun and noted!

The album will permanently return to Bandcamp next month and will be on sale likely for $15, but will be freely streamable there too. The teaser images (featuring AI generated art) suggest that the comic will have 9 chapters and the album will have 34 songs, and if these are hints towards actual pages of the comic, the contrast of the text is very inconsistent. Some level of guest musicians will also be involved in the final product, but full credits will hit Bandcamp next month. Intriguing stuff all around, so visit the above links for more on Sykotyk Rampage's 70th album, and stay tuned for more on the site next week! Thanks everyone1

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The Wyld Stallyns) & New Facebook Video Uploads!!

Here's another news post for your Saturday morning reading, which mostly focuses on new video postings from a few local bands, but leading off, here's a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!

Local acoustic hard rock trio The Wyld Stallyns will hit the road for a special Halloween party concert TONIGHT at The Island Bar & Grill in Hilton Beach! Apologies for the short notice, the band only confirmed this gig via their Facebook page on Thursday. A road trip to the small village on St. Joseph Island (an hour southeast of the Soo) is not entirely foreign for us, as Stiffler's Mom played at The Island Bar & Grill back in 2015, while Tym Morrison and CASS Cafe-linked metal bands have also played recorded Hilton concerts elsewhere. In this case, TONIGHT'S Halloween party will see the usual frills for such an event, including a costume contest, though if you are at all interested, the bar is on the site of the Hilton Beach Inn, so you can stay the night if need be. A 6:30 PM start time is in effect TONIGHT, and age limits and cover charges are not advertised. See above for more details, and here's Rob, Christina, and Jesse live!



Next up, here's a brand new video of local Tool tribute band Parabol tackling the classic song "Lateralus" at Soo Blaster two weeks ago! This video was only posted on their Facebook page on Thursday, but better late than never. An incomplete 2:43 clip of the song's end, this still captures their faithful and intense stage show very nicely from a close angle, and John Barber sure is channeling Maynard James Keenan throughout! Fans of Tool and/or Parabol won't want to miss this video and it's professional stage setup, so give it a look below, and visit their Facebook page for details on their out of town gigs in Sudbury & North Bay next month!



Also, here's another new live concert video, this time of Sault Michigan hard rock band Tarnished's most recent "every Thursday" matinee concert at Biggby Coffee! This was posted on the venue's Facebook page yesterday, and it features singer/guitarist Alex Traynor covering Tom Petty's "Free Falling" solo for tips and coffee. Where's guitarist Josh Fair? I have no idea, but seeing as the full three-piece band played at LSSU that same night, this appears to have been a temporary absence, maybe even just this song. Alex handles this cover well, and the video's nicely angled, so give it a look below!



Finally, let's continue our look at Sault Michigan classical metal band Theatre of Night's short video uploads on their Facebook page as they continue their Christmas tour prep! On September 28th and again five days later, the channel posted videos of guitarist Steve Giles playing at a table, with the first one featuring more of his electric shredding, and the second being acoustic and far more reserved. Both are under 40 seconds long, but they showcase his musical range nicely, if not the stuff we'll be hearing on tour for the holidays! This past Sunday, another minute-long video was posted of Steve and bassist Scott Andringa (on guitar) acoustically covering Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here". I'm not a huge Pink Floyd fan, but the cover works well, though the video has too tight of an angle. We'll wrap things with their two newest videos from Monday, including this video featuring a pan & scan of the studio while their version of "O Come All Ye Faithful" plays in the background.

While this and the video featured below have a hazy black & white filter put on them, the preceding clip is a solid enough teaser of the work they've been doing! Featured here, we have Theatre of Night proper playing "Carol of the Bells", giving us our first look at drummer Erik Sales in their 2019 Christmas tour teaser videos in the process. The 30 second clip showcases everyone in their element, though we don't see Craig (who's behind the camera), and Rachel doesn't sing at this point, despite being present in frame. Now we are caught up re: Theatre of Night's Facebook page, so give these videos a look above & below, and stay tuned for more from their camp!

 
That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's YouTube Channel Profile on the site next! Thanks everyone!

Sykotyk Rampage - "Live At The Paris Hilton" Album Review!!

Now's a good time for our 111th monthly CD review at The Sault Metal Scene, as we're taking a look at local alternative/blues rock quartet Sykotyk Rampage's newest album "Live At The Paris Hilton"! Quietly released to their Reverbnation page on April 27th, this is canonically the 61st album from "the original crash band", but it's the first to actually be on sale rather than a free posting upon it's initial release since 2011, and likewise, our first review of theirs since 2012. The band has retroactively made their last 31 albums available for purchase there too, so keep that in mind if you want to support Sykotyk Rampage's work! Regarding "Live At The Paris Hilton", this was recorded over the past two years at River Front Recreation Studios with the band's current lineup, including singer/drummer Paul Becker, guitarists Dirk Becker and Shane Kokis, and bassist Tony Briglio, with Dirk and Tony each getting a song for lead vocals of their own on here.

You can buy this and other Sykotyk Rampage albums for $9.99 each at this link, or get individual tracks for $1.50, though curious fans can stream these songs for free as well. Also, this album is partially made up of re-recordings, so in those cases, comparisons will be inevitable, but I'll try to keep things focused on the new album. With 22 songs running for over 1 hour and 51 minutes, let's get this review rolling!

This album is a spiritual follow-up to Sykotyk Rampage's 9th album, 2005's "Live Upper Rubber Boot Saskatchewan", in that it's a faux-live record with the band introducing songs to a crowd inserted in post-production, so it's relatively unique on that basis. The album's first song is "Breakdown", which was previously included on 2015's "50 Amazing Tales", compilation, after previously being a live concert staple. After a whimsical sampled opening and a French introduction (remember, live at the Paris Hilton), the song proper kicks in, which is very similar in structure to the 2015 version, if slightly faster. The song has an energetic fast bluesy vibe and effective shouting of the song's name by multiple band members (Tony adds some particular force in this way.) "Breakdown" has been a fan favourite set opener in late-period Sykotyk Rampage concerts, with a punk essence and catchy vibe, and it's an ideal opener to the album!

Second is the album's first brand new track, a cover of The Beatles' "Come Together", which is relatively what you'd expect from a Sykotyk Rampage cover, though the intro before the first verse is extended, and some of the lyrics are altered. Paul adds his distinctive bluesy vocals well to this rendition, and the instrumentation lends itself well to the original, but given Sykotyk Rampage's blend of "blue Chinese metal crash punk", I actually assumed this cover would be more off the wall. Effective overall, but diehard fans may appreciate their original chaos more. That's followed by a new original named "Shitty Love", which is a mid-tempo blues rock song that will have a very familiar sound for Sykotyk Rampage loyalists, with Paul's singing flowing as expected over free-wheeling guitar jams and strong bass work. A bit of a funk aspect to some of the riffs, this is a fun song that perfectly fits Sykotyk Rampage's usual improvisation M.O. in studio, and fans will enjoy it!

After a brief announcement to locate the missing towel folder(!), another new song named "Plastic Bag" is next, which has more of a low-down gritty sound, almost like there's some inspiration from "Jesus Built My Hot Rod" by Ministry. Paul's vocals sound a little over-processed, but on the flip side, the drumming is loud and forceful, so that meshes well! The song as a whole is too down-beat and deliberate for my tastes, though it is well performed. That's followed (fittingly enough) by "Bag On Your Face", which made it's studio debut on 2010's "Bella Disgusta". In this form, the song is overlaid with sampled audio of Paris Hilton (as in, the socialite, not the alleged venue) talking about her personal recommendations for the first half. I get the reference, but this takes away from much of the song! This version of "Bag On Your Face" hews relatively close to the original with it's more lively structure, sing-along chorus, and fun guitar riffs, but the repetition won't be for everyone.

"Bag On Your Face" remains a fun, crowd-engaging song, but the Paris Hilton sound clip takes away from the re-recording, so I'd recommend checking out the 2010 original first. Sixth on the album is "Better We Feel", another apparent new track, which has more of a dream-like ambiance to Paul's vocals while still retaining their usual crash stylings. Tony's bass work is particularly strong here, and the guitarists hold up their end of the bargain, but this song has more of a downbear vibe from the vocals and the more deliberate structure. Hard to explain, but this song doesn't feel better than some of it's contemporaries. Seventh is the oddly titled "Anarchy Nogona Togeth", which runs for an album-long 9:16. The song actually starts with a cover of The Sex Pistols' "Anarchy in the UK" featuring Dirk Becker on lead vocals, and while it feels a little slow compared to the original, it's faithfully done, and Dirk's unique snarl was the right pick for this rendition!

Paul takes over lead vocals for the "Nogona Togeth" stretch afterward, which appear to be their own recordings, and likewise are more in the usual Sykotyk wheelhouse, with free-wheeling improvisation, bluesy undertones, and solid chemistry. Nothing about the last two thirds immensely stands out, but they're reliably fun compositions! That said, why lump "Anarchy In The UK" with them for this extra long track, instead of splitting them up? That's followed by "24/7", which is another entry into Sykotyk Rampage's cadre of drinking songs, and this song seems to be better suited to the lyrics and underlying story than some others on the album. The bass is effective, and the song has a solid vibe to it for fans of their blues side, but it's not as aggressive and lively as the songs of theirs that I like the most. Still a well done track!

The next two songs are re-recordings, starting with "9 Days", from their 2008 album of the same name. Compared to the original version, this rendition feels a little slower and more laboured (not helped by the opening with "live" audience chatter), but Tony's backing vocals help give this a heavier edge at times! "9 Days" was an early favourite of mine from when first researching Sykotyk Rampage for the SMS, and the sonic assault remains ever present on this heavier number, in conjunction with solid lyrics, but the original version is more lively and natural. Tenth is "Drinking Problem", another live favourite found on "50 Amazing Tales" (among other releases.) As preceded here by fireworks, this version of the song is slightly abbreviated, but is otherwise faithful in tone and performance. If anything, Paul's singing is more prominent in the mix, but that's not a bad thing on this bluesy drinking number. Fun song with catchy lyrics, this is a live favourite for a reason, but I do prefer their faster and heavier work.

Next is their fan favourite cover of "Fuck You, I'm Drunk" by Bondo (not Flogging Molly, as is commonly stated), which I can't find reference to being on a past album of theirs. Though popularly sang by Shane Kokis in live concerts, Paul handles that aspect on the album, with backing assistance from his brother Dirk on some verses. The vocals here are often muffled, which is a shame, as the performance of this Irish drinking punk song is upbeat and suitably high impact. If you can get past the vocal mix, the cover's solid, but something's lost with how they did the singing here. The album's second half begins with a lengthy new original named "Strange Landscapes", which definitely plays more to Sykotyk Rampage's experimental side with a drawn out structure, trippier effects, and more of a psychedelic undertone, with Paul's distinctive quaver fitting especially well on this track. While not exceedingly heavy, this track gets the job done well!

Another new song follows next, namely "Wolf Among The Sheep", which is a fairly straightforward return to Sykotyk Rampage's crash roots, with everyone playing to their strengths in the band, including a solid near-guitar solo, nicely timed drumming, and a heavy yet steady structure. Paul's vocals are confident and have some soul to them, and fans of Sykotyk Rampage's distinctive sound will eat this one right up! Nothing really to complain about, just a solid track that is a highlight at this stage! Next is a cover of Motorhead's "Killed By Death", and as you would expect, Tony takes over lead vocals on this one. He pulls off his best Lemmy impersonation for the occasion, and while not an exact match, he sounds enough like him to suit the cover! Musically, this song isn't in the usual range for the Becker clan, but they handle Motorhead capably, and it's a solid rendition of a band you don't hear covered locally all that much, so fans should enjoy it on it's own terms!

Four apparently new tracks are next, starting with "Master of Time", which has a trippy yet aggressive sound that combines the best of both worlds, with the guitar particularly shining throughout this extended track. Paul's singing is more of the affected spoken word variety for the first half, and sounds off to me, but his angry yelling as the title character adds a much needed spark to the song and characterization. The music makes this song especially worthwhile from it's free spirited-yet-heavy structure, but the vocals only catch fire when Paul gets aggressive. Then we have "Little Blue Bird", which also opens (and closes) with fireworks before transitioning into a mid-tempo blues rock number that, more than any other song so far, feels like it runs for too long. The song's fine, but it moves at the same trajectory without changing course or theme until the song's almost over, which doesn't help a bluesy track. Solidly performed and structured, but I like my Rampage to be faster and looser overall.

Song #17 is "Room 132, Ordered Egg Salad" (perhaps a reference to being at the Hilton), which begins with some related banter before commencing into Sykotyk Rampage's usual chaos, with some of the more bizarre lyrics of the album. At least we now know that Paul likes egg salad sandwiches! His percussion is particularly effective on this track, and the free-wheeling improvised guitar riffs return in full force to this amusing number. It's not as heavy or fast as some predecessors, but it's a return to form, and is a late highlight on the album! That's followed by "Disagree to Disagree", which has a simpler, more deliberate structure, but is relatively upbeat and consistent in tone. Paul's singing is a little softer and more melodic, while still maintaining the bluesy edge, and I like the guitar melody! That said, this isn't an overly heavy song, but it's fun for what it is!

A pair of Black Sabbath covers come next, starting with "Fairies Wear Boots", which is the third song here to start with fireworks. This is more of a reworking or interpretation of the original, especially regarding how the lyrics are changed, so fans may want to erase the Sabbath version before judging this one. Tony's bass playing is a highlight on this cover, and the melody is faithful while also being "sykotyk", but with the lyric changes and more muddled mix late, this isn't an optimal cover from their repertoire. "Hole In The Sky" keeps the cover action going, and while it's not as structrally altered lyrically, Paul doesn't even tackle the song's choruses (though his voice was straining to hit Ozzy's notes on the verses.) This version has more of an indie grit to it, if that makes sense, and the guitar work is particularly grungy in tone, but the song fades out too abruptly. Interesting adaptation, but Sabbath diehards may have more direct thoughts on how these covers turned out.

"Live At The Paris Hilton" closes with two originals, starting with it's shortest track, "I Was With Her". Despite it's relative length, this is a slower and more progressive track, which definitely serves to showcase Shane and Dirk on guitar in particular. The song flows well throughout, and it has a pleasant yet anarchic vibe, but it's not an aggressive free-wheeling number, comparatively speaking. The closing number is "Mother Goose Tales", which was previously featured on "50 Amazing Tales", but is unrelated to their second album "Mother Goose Lullabites". Suitably long compared to the original, this is basically the same song with minor structural tweaks, and the title is apt, as the lyrics are just Paul putting a bluesy spin on nursery rhymes. It's amusing to hear such innocuous rhymes sung in this fashion, let alone over drawn out alt-rock! The song proper would normally not be my taste given it's meandering instrumentation, but the lyrics alone give it enough entertainment value, and it's a fun closer to the album!

So, what are my final thoughts on "Live At The Paris Hilton"? Well, first off, it's nice to review a new paid Sykotyk Rampage album after far too long, hopefully there will be more now that their 2012-2016 discography is for sale! This is a trickier album to grade, given that it's under the guise of a live album, but on it's own merits, it's an entertaining mash-up of new songs, familiar live standbys, and some surprise covers, and everyone plays their part well! Paul Becker's deep bluesy vocals are welcome to hear, his drumming meshes well with Tony Briglio's rhythmic bass, and Dirk Becker & Shane Kokis keep the free-wheeling, distinctive guitar riffs rolling well throughout this album! Of the new songs, tracks like "Room 132", "Nogona Togeth", and "Strange Landscapes" were particularly entertaining, but there are aspects I would change. Certain covers weren't optimally done, a few too many songs were more along the meandering drawn out side, and I'm surprised we only heard Dirk on lead vocals for one song.

My biggest gripe is that, for a "live" album, it didn't have more live favourites of Sykotyk Rampage's, like "Lowest of the Low", "Called In Dead", and (most glaringly) "Drinking on the Weekend." For such a long release, why not devote it entirely to new originals or what would be a full live set? Overall though, it's great to have Sykotyk Rampage back, if only in studio, and this will whet the appetites of diehard fans, assuming you have your environ-mental suits ready! Hopefully there's more coming in some fashion from the masters of the crash, but stream or buy the whole thing at the above links! I hope you guys liked this month's CD review, and as for next month's, I am 99% sure that we will be reviewing local punk trio Redundant's self-titled debut EP from July! Though they never had a formal release party for it, their first local concert since then will be at the Ten Foot Pole concert on October 25th, that event will be a perfect tie-in for when we finally review their new CD on here. Look for that next month, and stay tuned for news and weekend concert previews on the site tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

Sykotyk Rampage's New Album, Plus Three Inactive Band Notes!!

Today's news post revolves around four bands shifting places in our active and inactive band links (one's moving up, three are unfortunately moving down.) However, the band moving up has some big news attached to their return to activity, so here's what you should know!

Remember how local "blue Chinese metal crash punk" quartet Sykotyk Rampage quietly posted a new album cover on their Facebook page last month with no context? Well, it turns out that the dormant crash band did indeed release a new album on their Reverbnation page on April 27th! Apologies for the delay in this making the SMS, I need to pay more attention to that site. Entitled "Live At The Paris Hilton", this contains 22 songs (some more familiar than others) in a faux-live setting, a'la their old "Live Upper Rubber Boot Saskatchewan" album, but the inclusion of covers of bands like The Beatles, Motorhead, and Black Sabbath is a change from their past pace! This is Sykotyk Rampage's first album-format release since "Sanctuarium" in late 2016, but more surprisingly, this is their first paid album that you can actually buy a full sale copy of since 2011, which means that we could very well review "Live At The Paris Hilton" on the SMS this year! You can buy it at the above links for $9.99, or stream individual songs for free.

I don't know to what extent Sykotyk Rampage are active in 2018 (their Facebook postings remain sporadic, they haven't played live since the 2016 Zombie Walk, and guitarist Shane Kokis has since moved out of town), plus it's hard to determine how "new" these recordings are. However, it's great to see the Beckers, Shane, and Tony back with new material, and hopefully there's more on the horizon in some form or another! Give their new album (and much, much, much more) a listen at the above links, and Sykotyk Rampage are back in our active band links!

Next up, we have three local bands to move to our inactive band links today, starting with local indie/hard rock band Vol., who announced that they had disbanded on their Facebook page on June 12th. Frontman Steve Edwards cited "lineup changes and other obstacles" for their demise, though he did thank fans for their support online, and he noted that he's "currently working with other projects" and is "looking forward to other musical opportunities in the future." Spiritual successors to the mid-2015 Pixo Control lineup, Vol. (pronounced "volume") debuted last summer and quickly made a name for themselves opening for bands like Zaum, Dirtfight, and Johnny 2 Fingers & The Deformities through the fall, as well as playing a set at the first Oh!No festival, but teased "rad things" in 2018 never occurred following the departures of half of their lineup, with Steve and keyboardist Mikaela Murtonen seen more recently in the acoustic rock duo Mik & Steve.

I unfortunately did not get a chance to see Vol. live, but their old school indie-influenced sound seemed to help them carve their own identity well, while also harbouring lots of aggression and heavy themes at the same time, and Steve acclimated well as a frontman in this role! Vol. seemed primed for big things locally last year, but best of luck to Steve, Shane, Mikaela, and Matthew in the future, and hopefully we see everyone musically again soon!

Also being moved out of our active band links today is local death metal/punk duo Them, who have not issued a public update or played live since opening for Uncle Ray at The New American Pub one year ago yesterday. Debuting in late 2014 as the de facto successors to Social Suicide, Them were primarily seen at house party concerts in the ensuing years, often ones affiliated with Blood Shed Productions, though they did play select public concert venues, notably opening for both of Bookakee's concerts at The Oddfellows Hall. Their lineup fluctuated between a duo and a quartet, but frontman Tyler St. Amour and drummer Anthony Boudreau were constants throughout their run. Despite the almost-too-common band name, Them were a fine fit in the Blood Shed house party era with their aggressive sound, and Tyler never sounded better as a metal frontman during their peak! Sadly, plans to release a debut EP never visibly reached their intended conclusion.

It would have been nice to see Them as a more frequent presence on metal concerts of the era, and their sound was definitely fuller and better realized when they had more than two members, but Them delivered some entertaining originals for extreme metal fans, Hopefully we hear more from Tyler, Anthony, and other former members down the road!

Finally for today's post, I am reluctantly moving local indie/hard rock quartet Bizotic to our inactive band links as well. While we are not at our 1 year threshold for public inactivity, keytarist B.J. Swire confirmed in an e-mail conversation last week that the band is "pretty much done", and he has since joined a new band that is planning to debut later this summer, and if that band's genre fits our primary coverage, we'll let you know! In any event, Bizotic proper have not posted on their Facebook page at all in 2018, and have not played a live concert since opening for Dany Laj & The Looks at LopLops in November, which can't be a good sign regardless. This union of No Arrow, Bring the Fallen, and Sounds From The Green Room alumni became a fan favourite sight following their December 2016 debut via sets opening for the likes of K-Man & The 45s, Garbageface, and The OM Sound, while also kicking off The Din's "Suburban Sendoff", and playing in Wawa, among other events.

Any band with a trumpet and a keytar in their repertoire will immediately turn heads, and Bizotic did just that, and their varied and creative originals were always an entertaining element at local concerts, with some jam rock touches and a harder edge where needed! Hopefully this isn't it for Bizotic and their unique stage show, but best of luck to Brad, B.J., Louise, Travis, and Kevin in the future, all would be assets in any band that they're in! That's all for today, but stay tuned for this weekend's concert previews on the site tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

Northern Vibe Festival & Pirate Biker Party Concert Previews!!

Barring extremely late notice concert previews, let's close out this weekend's hard rock and punk concert previews with some events taking place just outside of Sault Ste. Marie, so if you're living on the outskirts of town or are up for a road trip, here's what you should know for this weekend!

The first annual Northern Vibe Festival begins TODAY at the old Hempfest location on Poplardale Road in nearby Ophir, Ontario, and will welcome punk/country favourites The Billy Bastards back to the local stage TOMORROW NIGHT! Two years after Hempfest's local swan song, the guys over at Planetary Pride (who put on the first 11 Hempfests) are throwing their hat back into the concert festival game for this freshman event, which will focus on the music for this summer-ending bash featuring musical performers on two stages, so who all can you expect in Ophir this weekend? One stage is the "Beach Stage", as it's backdrop is the waterfront in that area, and will be devoted to DJs and turntablists, so click here to find out who's playing and on what day! Yes, the Northern Vibe Festival's website lists performance orders finally, but oddly, not set times (no word on why, but it may be in case of lineup changes or set length uncertainty.) Bands and solo musicians will be playing on the "Forest Stage", so who can you expect on the lineup there?

TONIGHT's abbreviated band lineup features Burlington reggae rock favourites The Killin' Time Band as headliners, with local support via alt-folk favourites The Boot Hill Crooners and local/Toronto folk musician Cody McMillan and his band The Soft Shoe Shufflers. TOMORROW'S main band lineup will be headlined by Kitchener folk quartet Drew Leith & The Foundation, with the aforementioned Billy Bastards (with relocated guitarist Paul Michael Stos in tow) co-headlining in their first concert since December 2013. It's been way too long for The Billys' punk/country attack on the local stage, and might we see their long teased new material during their set? In listed order, other Saturday bands will include veteran local soul/funk outfit The Hustle Brothers, blues rock notables Al Wood & The Woodsmen, cover rock quartet Changing Lanes, roots rock collective Frank Deresti & The Lake Effect, and in a late replacement, solo folk musician Kylie Precepa, who is filling in for Britta Wolfert on Saturday due to personal family matters overseas.

And finally, local/Wawa keyboardist and busker Damjan "Spider Fingerz" Binda will open Saturday's lineup, if there are no late notice changes. As well, Sunday's action on the Forest Stage will be devoted to group jamming, drum circles, and open mic performers, so keep that in mind, as you never know who'll be playing! Also, keep an eye out for fire spinners, hula hoopers, yoga, and art installations during the festival's duration. Tickets are $125 for the full weekend with no single day rates advertised, while there are group rates if you have a party of 10 people. Tickets can be bought locally at Planetary Pride on Queen Street East or online at this link, and while The Northern Vibe Festival is a 19+ event, kids and pets can come (if absolutely necessary) with an adult attendee if you follow the instructions at this link (which includes has full info on festival guidelines.) For full posted details on The Northern Vibe Festival, visit the above links!

It never hurts to have a new summer concert festival in the area, with shades of Hempfest (in organization and location) and the LopLops-ran Second Stage (in band content), so keep those angles in mind, and if you love punk with a splash of outlaw country, don't miss The Billy Bastards' first public set in over a year and a half TOMORROW NIGHT! I have heard some grumbling over the ticket cost and lack of single day pricing, but hey, you've got to start somewhere, and if all goes well, we'll see The Northern Vibe Festival back in 2016! Stay tuned in case there's fallout from the event, and for a preview, here's The Billys live a few years back!




Finally, we'll take a look at local party hard rock cover trio Stiffler's Mom's next concert, as they're hitting the road for a rare St. Joseph Island concert TOMORROW for the Biker Pirate Party at The Island Bar & Grill in Hilton Beach! That's an hour southeast of the Soo. Fresh off of last week's one-nighter at The Rockstar Bar, Greg, Mike, and Jon will rock out at this motorcycle show & shine event, which will raise funds to help repair Hilton Beach's baseball diamond fence, so keep the cause in mind, and remember to dress in your best pirate costume for the costume contest if you go! Stiffler's Mom's set itself will take place at 1:00 PM, the Biker Pirate Party itself is presumably all ages, and there's no admission fee unless you're entering the motorcycle show. As for the address, everything will the place at The Island Bar at 3117 Marks Street. For more details, visit the above links! Nice to see Stiffler's Mom spreading their wings and helping out for a cause, so consider checking them out tomorrow afternoon in Hilton Beach! For a preview, here's Stiffler's Mom live at another charitable event a few years ago!



That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and this month's CD review soon! Thanks everyone

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Stiffler's Mom) And Lots Of Recent News & Notes!!

Before we begin, I profusely apologize for missing Lucky 13's Rednecks Saloon concert yesterday for coverage on the SMS, as the public announcement of it came too late for us to slide it into a post, but we did address it on our Facebook page. We'd have plugged it if it had more advance word, but hopefully it was a hit! Also, Tym Morrison might not be playing at The Harp TONIGHT due to their possible broadcast of UFC 190, but his own Facebook event page still lists a show tonight. In other words, proceed with caution if you go, as I can't 100% confirm if it's on. Now, today's post features a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT and more recent updates, so here's what you should know!

Local classic/hard rock trio Stiffler's Mom will take a rare road trip out to St. Joseph Island for the Biker Pirate Party at The Island Bar & Grill in Hilton Beach on Saturday, August 29th! The event itself will see a motorcycle show & shine event with a pirate costume contest to match, with proceeds going to repair the baseball diamond fence in Hilton Beach (an hour southeast of the Soo), so hopefully everyone can help fulfill that goal! Stiffler's Mom's set will be at 1:00 PM, while this presumably all ages event will begin at The Islander Bar at 3117 Marks Street at noon that day, and there's no listed admission charge unless you're entering the motorcycle show. Intriguing event that mashes together a few very different styles of events into one day, but it's for a good cause for the community, and if you're in St. Joseph Island or are up for the events, consider the Biker Pirate Party with Stiffler's Mom at the end of the month! See the above links for more details!

Next up, local concert venue The Rockstar Bar (and it's downstairs sister venue, The Algonquin Pub) are now on board for a new weekly nightclub event called Rockstar Republic that may impact future concerts at the venue. According to this SooToday article, this will effectively turn The Algonquin Hotel's two bars into a double-floor dance club with DJs, electronic music, drink specials, and an open patio on every Friday, with the aim being to "change the face of Sault Ste. Marie's nightlife". The Rockstar Republic Facebook page will have more details on this new weekly event, but for reference, note that the page originally was for Club Current at Waterfront Legend (the former Docks), though I have no word on if this means anything dire for music events there. The Rockstar Republic's "grand opening" (it's treated like it's own venue) was last night, and it'll be interesting to hear how night #1 went!

Assuming this is a successful venture with the former Club Current gang, this presumably would end Friday night bands on either floor of The Algonquin Hotel, but on a quick scan, only the Hard Up-headlined Gongshow event this coming Friday would be affected, and we'll keep you posted if there's clarification about it. I wonder if this is an attempt to compete with The Canadian Nightclub's own dance party and club nights? Of course, best of luck to everyone involved, hopefully Rockstar Republic is a huge hit for the nightlife scene in the Soo!

Finally for today, here's six assorted shorter news items from the last week or so, as we slowly catch up on things now that I'm home! As usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist or promoter name:

• Former Bring The Fallen guitarist Dan Souliere is looking for a drummer for his new local band project, which he describes as "playing some heavy music". Nice to see him back in the local scene, he has been missed, but if you're interested in trying out for this band, message Dan at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from Wednesday!
• After some initial uncertainty on if they'd be able to play, new local alternative/hard rock duo Infinity Grinder have finally been confirmed as the opening band for the Ballot Burner-headlined concert at The New American Pub on August 17th, which will mark their New A debut. Great to see, and give Terrence & Brad's new project a look then if you haven't yet! Our source is the Facebook event page on July 15th.
• In another Musicians Wanted Facebook group posting, local musician Kiefer Barone is looking for a drummer that plays metalcore, presumably for his own new local project. He's posted on this group before regarding artist searches, but if you can help out this time, message him at this link or via his Musicians Wanted group post from last week!
• Bear Hunters guitarist Mitch Sirie has reportedly ended his work as a local concert promoter once again, as per a post on his personal Facebook page last week, citing "too much stress" & upcoming personal & band commitments for the reasons why. This disappointing news may be deja vu for fans who recall when he left the promotion game 3 years ago after his brief run with the Rosie metal nights, but hopefully Mitch comes back to promoting when the time is right, and message him at this link if you can take on the Dusty Tucker show in October!
• Local classic/hard rock trio Mourning Wood have quietly dropped out of next week's Superior Festival at Aune-Osbourne Park in Sault Michigan, as per the new poster for the event, with Sault Michigan cover rock quartet Retro Troop replacing them. A reason for the change was not announced, but Mourning Wood never confirmed their involvement in the event, and remember that playing shows across the border (either way) isn't easy. Should be a great festival though, so check the above links for full details, including on a motorcycle giveaway!
• As previously mentioned in our review of his most recent CD "Fleabag Hotel", Dafter, Michigan hard rock solo artist Ken "SweetKenny" Sutton's upcoming 13th album will be called "Charlie Hidelburg: Ancient Hunter", as per his Bandcamp page. No word on what the title references (perhaps a concept or inside joke?), but the name turned up no obvious results on Google. If his recent album schedules are any indication, look for this one to come out in the fall, but stay tuned for updates!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post next! Thanks everyone!

Buckcherry/Fuel Concert Preview, F.A.T.I.L. Videos, And More!!

Before we get to the news, I want to apologize for a missed concert this past weekend, as Cheboygan hard rockers The Darwin Project made their long awaited return to Sault Michigan at The Corner Pub on Saturday night for an outdoor parking lot party concert. As far as I can tell, it was their first local concert appearance since last year & since the release of their new EP "Beautiful", and it's one of their last shows before kicking off a midwestern US tour run. It's not like me to miss a Darwin Project show for SMS coverage given their prominence and advance show notice, and I sincerely apologize for missing this. Check them out A.S.A.P. though, they're going places fast, and they're very talented, so keep your eyes peeled for a local return at some point! Now, we have a major concert preview, newly found videos from a local metal band, and some more updates, so here's what you need to know!

For the first time since April, a major hard rock concert is hitting The Dreammaker's Theater at the Sault Ste. Marie Kewadin Casino TONIGHT, and it will be headlined by Los Angeles hard rock notables Buckcherry! The platinum-selling quintet best known for hits like "Lit Up", "Sorry", "Crazy Bitch", and "All Night Long" were last seen in Sault Michigan in March 2011 with Papa Roach, and they definitely have a known following and some entertaining hard rock songs that fans are bound to recognize, so hopefully they can top the mixed reception from their set last year! Joining them for this show are Tennessee hard rock quartet Fuel, who are likely best known for classics like "Hemorrhage (In My Hands)", "Shimmer", and "Innocent" among their multi-platinum resume! Though only singer Brett Scallions returns from their classic lineups tonight, Fuel's recognizable heavier classics should be welcomed in the Soo, so don't miss their set either! There will be a local opening band, that being the indie rock quartet The London Gentlemen, and though they're not a perfect genre match to the out of town headliners, they're fitting in other ways. Singer/guitarists Steve Sivret & Mike Russo opened for Buckcherry last March in their acoustic band Fallen Heroes, while bandmates Kyle Beaumont & Jake LaLonde have ample experience opening for big name acts at Kewadin Casino with Nixxon Dixxon, so they're well suited to this big opportunity!

Tickets are $35 for this ALL AGES concert, and they are still available as of this writing from the 7th row and back, though note that all of the center section seats are sold out. To pick yours up if you haven't already, click here to purchase them online, or visit the Kewadin box office in person, or call 1-800-KEWADIN! Everything starts at 7:00 PM tomorrow, and for more details, check the above links! It's great to see Allstar Promotions bringing another high quality package of hard rock bands back to The Dreammaker's Theater, and hopefully this show is a huge success to ensure more big shows! One in particular is being announced sooner than you think. I'm not a huge fan of Buckcherry or Fuel, but they have entertaining material and strong fanbases, and as long as Buckcherry can top their set last year, I think everything will come out well tonight! Stay tuned for fallout and news from this show as it comes in this week, but for now, have fun at Kewadin Casino tonight, and for a preview, here's Buckcherry playing "Crazy Bitch" at their show here last year!



Next up, remember on Saturday when I alluded to other MySpace videos from local/Central Algoma death metal quartet For All That Is Lost in our last CASS Cafe video post? Well, here they are, and these are from a full early concert of theirs that you guys can check out! For All That Is Lost's original lineup played a headlining gig at The Hilton Community Hall in Hilton Beach (roughly an hour from here in St. Joseph Island) on June 25th, 2010 (I believe), and each of the 7 songs that they played is on their MySpace page, including their originals "Blood Law", "Graves of the Ancestors", "Viscosity of Blood", their recently less frequent songs "Northern Metal" and "Mask of Divinity", and covers of Lamb of God's "Descending", and surprisingly enough, AC/DC's "Back In Black"! Click each link to see the videos, which were well shot and look surprisingly professional, though the lighting can be dark, and fans do sometimes get in the way. Even at this earlier stage, lineup, and pre-Sault concert stage, F.A.T.I.L. show lots of brutal promise in these videos, and it's disappointing to see them stashed away on MySpace when they could be attracting more notice on other websites. I've embedded their performance of "Northern Metal" below, but check the above links for much more from this early F.A.T.I.L. headlining concert!



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

• On July 29th, SBD bassist Brad Griffith was among the victims of instrument theft from the recording & audio/video company that he's launching, and the stolen items include a guitar, two basses, some microphones, and a portable studio. The gear costs over $2,500, and it's very important for his operations, so if you can help or know of the gear's whereabouts, message Brad at this location or see his post at the Musicians Wanted Facebook group from last week!
• Local grunge band Haggith have announced the addition of Wishbone bassist Steven Flint to their lineup, officially making them a quartet. The news was broken on their Facebook page last night, and Steven will debut with Haggith at a Wawa concert on August 24th. Steven's a talented bassist, and he has heavier chops from his work in Silver Dream, so he should add well to this new band! Check the above links for more info!
• Local punk trio Redundant have replaced horror punk notables Frightlight on the lineup for the Skull Fist-headlined show at The Canadian Nightclub on August 31st, as per the Facebook event page. From what I understand, Frightlight dropped out for personal reasons, though I'm not sure exactly what happened. Redundant may not be a genre match, but their entertaining punk music should go over well amongst the metal on the 31st, so don't miss them at their next concert!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes as the week rolls along! Thanks everyone