LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Id Iota) & Rotaryfest Stage 1 Concert Previews!!

The biggest local concert weekend of the year (holidays excepted) is upon us, so here is the first of our weekend concert preview posts! We're largely focusing on half of a major annual festival today, but let's start with a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!

Local indie/hard rock quartet Id Iota will headline one of two post-Rotaryfest afterparties at LopLops Lounge TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced this past Friday. After co-headlining Stage 2 at 7:30 PM (more on that later today), this fan favourite band will head to LopLops to continue that venue's "re-directed"-era run of post-Rotaryfest concerts with Stage 2 performers, and they should be in fine form with their high energy originals TOMORROW! An opening act is teased, but not announced yet, though if past years are any indication, they'd likely be a Second Stage performer this year as well. We'll let you know if one is announced! TOMORROW'S 19+ concert has a $5 cover charge, and a special late start time of 11:00 PM to not conflict with Treble Charger's headlining Stage 1 set at 10:00 PM (more on that later in this post.)

The late scheduling makes sense, as punk and indie fans now don't have to pick and choose who to see on Friday, especially if you couldn't see Id Iota on the Second Stage that evening, and hopefully they deliver a knock-out set in both of their concerts TOMORROW NIGHT! Stay tuned for more on the opener if announced, and for our Stage 2 previews in our next post, but don't miss out on tomorrow night's action, and here's Id Iota live!



Next up, let's move to Clergue Park, where Rotaryfest's two stages are returning, and the covers-centric Stage 1 is taking things back with the "Rotaryfest Rewind" theme, in honour of the local Rotary Club's 100th anniversary! For the 20th modern Rotaryfest, stage director Shaun Antler and organizers have largely dropped their regular performer lineup in favour of hosting one-off reunions of defunct local bands of all stripes, with only five bands this year having played Rotaryfest at all since 2006, so if you've complained about the samey lineups of past main stage lineups, you'll want to pay attention! Given the roster of bands, I expect the covers-only rule won't be enforced as stringently either. Today's opening night lineup is hard rock free, as usual for Stage 1, but there are still many familiar faces scheduled! In descending order, today's bands are 1970s-1980s country band George Pinder & Patches at 10:00 PM, ...

...1960s classic rock outfit The Dark Side at 9:00 PM, 1960s-1970s classic rock quartet The Polisi Basson at 8:00 PM, 1980s jazz/blues rock quartet Zak's All-Stars at 7:00 PM, and 2000s Rotaryfest mainstays The Northern Jazz Ensemble kicking things off at 6:00 PM. No heavier bands to speak of, but expect a great lineup of local entertainment for FREE at Clergue Park today, especially if you were around for these bands' original runs!

TOMORROW'S lineup will be headlined by local indie/punk veterans Treble Charger at 10:00 PM in their first recorded Rotaryfest appearance and first local show in almost a year, so if you want a free & high profile set from them, here's quite the opportunity! A special tribute set will take place at 9:20 PM to honour past local musicians and bands, now to be hosted by Mac Headrick instead of Adrian Vilaca, and it'll be interesting to see what form this takes, especially with the involvement of Ric Datson from the Sault Ste. Marie Museum! Classic rock veterans Mustang Heart will play a special Bon Jovi & Journey tribute set at 8:30 PM to continue their current iron band streak at the festival. Early 2010s classic/hard rock cover band Turner Up will play their first Rotaryfest set since 2011 (as Full Circle) at 7:30 PM, featuring a five-piece composite lineup from across their run, while 1980s country/bluegrass quartet Road Fever will precede them with a reunion set at 6:30 PM.

Friday's openers are local hard rock/funk trio Tripod the Dog, who will bring their swing and ska-influenced sound back for the first time in over a decade at 5:30 PM. This may be the best package of hard rock and punk-per-pound at this year's Rotaryfest on any stage, so don't miss the FREE & ALL AGES action tomorrow night, and it's great to have these bands back at it! For a preview, here's Treble Charger live last year!



As for SATURDAY's extended lineup, that will closed by local classic/hard rock cover favourites That's Chester in their first show since Rotaryfest 2016, with guest guitarist Dan Belanger in tow, plus a special appearance by original singer Richard Fullerton, so look for more hard rocking hits at 10:30 PM! The nominal headliners are Juno-winning Calgary classic rock trio The Stampeders (of "Sweet City Woman" fame) at 8:30 PM, making them the first non-tribute/cover headliners at Rotaryfest in nine years, while another short tribute set to past local musicians will precede them at 7:50 PM. Local Celtic punk quartet Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide (with Chris Johns on drums) will make their Rotaryfest debut at 7:00 PM, while Chicago-influenced 1970s soft rock collective Pegasus will return at 6:00 PM, and 2010s hard rock quartet The Suicide Kings (featuring guest drummer Johnny Belanger) will play their fourth Stage 1 set at 5:00 PM, in their return to their original name.

Sporadically seen jam rock favourites Odd Man Out are on at 4:00 PM, while one-off pop rock tribute The Sun Dogs will host a "summer beach party" at 3:00 PM featuring covers of 1960s and 1970s summer and beach-themed songs. Wailing Aztecs alumni will perform folk & pop covers under their own names as McGillivray, Martinelli and Roy at 2:00 PM, while members of Korah Collegiate's school band Mustang Sally will kick things off under the name The Kids From Sally at 1:00 PM. Quite a stacked lineup of local favourites and special attractions on Saturday, let alone for FREE & ALL AGES, so see above for more details, and here's That's Chester live!



We're just getting started with our weekend concert previews, so look for our previews of the Second Stage and Saturday night's LopLops afterparty (a.k.a. The Dinunion) next on the SMS later today, with more yet to come on this stacked local concert weekend! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Rudyard Musicians Festival), New Video Finds, And Rotaryfest Updates!!

After a busy weekend of personal commitments, we are back on this Sunday morning with a new news post, largely covering the Sault Michigan area via some new/old videos and a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for next month! To round things out, we do have some lineup updates for a major Sault Ontario festival to round things out, so here's what you should know!

The third annual Rudyard Musicians Festival will go down at Rudyard Township Park (18725 South Mackinac Trail) on Saturday, August 18th! This late-summer concert event is back for a third go-around, with all proceeds going to Rudyard Area Schools' music and band programs once again, which remains a great cause! E.U.P. music lovers can take in a pig roast dinner, concessions, and camping before and after the festival, among other fun stuff, so visit the official Facebook page for full non-musical details! Promoters are again sticking to returning bands, with only 3 acts not back from 2017 (The Karstens, The Neighborhood Dogs, and Denny Verrett), and only two acts are debuting, so if you liked past years, expect a familiar day of entertainment! This year's only verifiable "hard rock" band is Project 906, and while it's great to see them back for year #3, note that they're on much earlier this time, namely at 3:00 PM. Local classic rockers and festival organizers Steelhead will headline this year's installment at 11:00 PM.

Classic rock favourites The Whole Shabang are back at 10:00 PM, while 2016 performers Second Offense will return to this event at 9:00 PM. Most remaining bands are (once again) country or bluegrass-centric unless otherwise known & stated, including Robert & Bob Malaski at 8:00 PM, The North Country Band at 7:00 PM, and The Wednesday Night Headliners (featuring Brian Harrison) at 6:00 PM. This year's debuting acts are new local country/western trio Rusted Spurs at 5:00 PM and St. Ignace country/folk artist Patrick Springsteen (of The Springsteen Brothers) at 4:00 PM, while the pre-Project 906 acts are Kevin Blakeney at 2:00 PM, pop singer Hayley Malaska at 1:00 PM, Jimmy Williams at 12:00 PM, and Traverse City's New Jazz Trio leading off at 11:00 AM. Musicians Fest III is once again an ALL AGES event with $5 admission at the door, save for kids 10 and under, who remain FREE. It's great to see another stacked lineup of regional musicians back for an excellent & relevant cause next month!

After two successful installments (even with the "NO METAL" disclaimer for last year's band search), this has proven to be a reliable and positive event to help the area school band programs, and hopefully this year's meets the same goals while entertaining large crowds at the same time! Visit the above links for current details on this year's Rudyard Musicians Festival!

Next up, here's a surprise video discovery of a local singer/guitarist covering some heavier music at two Sault Michigan concerts seven years ago! The performer here is Jude Reed, who I am not familiar with from our E.U.P. coverage, but he was the opening act for defunct local metal band Hammerspace for at least two of their early-2011 concerts, and shared a video from each onto his YouTube channel at the time. The latter video comes from their St. Patrick's Day concert at Zim's, where Jude covered The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" & The Foo Fighters' "Best of You", as part of a longer set that Jude lampshaded as being "shameful" aside from these songs. I more dislike the audio quality of the camera, as Jude seems to have a good grasp on these covers! The longer first video is embedded below, from the February 20th concert at The Merchant's Bar, and it features Jude covering Nirvana's "About A Girl", The Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", Elvis Costello's "So Like Candy", ...

...Leadbelly's "Where Did You Sleep Last Night", Nirvana's "Pennyroyal Tea", David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold The World", and The Animals' "House of the Rising Sun", so click each link to go to that song. Clearly a fan of Nirvana's MTV Unplugged album, Jude was honest about making mistakes during this concert (especially the solo during "So Like Candy"), but he is a good guitarist with a melodic yet gritty singing voice! Again, the camera's audio is the Achilles heel of these videos, not to mention the usually dark lighting, but if you can get past that, there's good qualities here, and hopefully Jude's kept at his music! Give his videos a look above & below!



Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news items, all being lineup clarifications for hard rock bands playing at Rotaryfest's main stage on SATURDAY NIGHT! As usual, these are in alphabetical order by artist name, and all are cited from the Sault Ontario summer festival's official program:

• If the program is to be believed, Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide have not enlisted Gianni Gagoots guitarist Liam Seymour as a fifth band member, as was the case in prior online advertising. No word on if a guest spot is planned, but don't miss the four piece Tide at 7:00 PM on Stage 1, and/or Liam with The Barn Board Trio on Stage 2!
• Prolific local metal/punk drummer Johnny Belanger will play guest drums with the reunited Suicide Kings for their one-off set on Stage 1 at 5:00 PM, in place of Ben Boudreau. A reason for Ben's absence hasn't been publically stated, but hopefully nothing bad happened internally, and that we see him on stage again down the line! Johnny filled in with the former Beaumont Avenue late in their run, and has played with band members in The Bear Hunters and Heavy Head, so he should be a fine fit on Saturday!
• North Bay guitarist and sound engineer Dan Belanger will play guitar for That's Chester's one-off festival-closing set at Stage 1 at 10:30 PM on Saturday. Dan worked with That's Chester on their Tommy musical production in 2015, and after guitarist Eugene Orlando's sudden death a few weeks later, Dan filled in at their farewell/tribute set at Rotaryfest 2016, a role he'll reprise this weekend. Very solid and familiar choice, and hopefully the guys deliver another home run!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site this week, especially with Rotaryfest looming large! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Rotaryfest Stage 1!!)

For our first news post of June 2018, we have a stacked and extended news post regarding a major concert event this summer, so let's not waste any more time, here's what you need to know!

The full lineup for this year's Rotaryfest Stage 1 has been announced, far earlier than usual, so what is there to say regarding this year's music lineup at Clergue Park next month? Oddly, each act was announced via individual Facebook event pages on the local summer festival's Facebook page in recent days, and if you piece them all together, you'll find a full lineup that is very different from the recent norm. With this year marking the 100th anniversary of the Rotary Club of Sault Ste. Marie (and the 20th installment of the modern Rotaryfest), organizers have largely dropped their usual pool of active artists for 2018, in favour of a special "Rotaryfest Rewind" lineup, mostly comprised of reunited local bands! In fact, of the announced bands, only five have played Rotaryfest at all since 2006, so if you've ever wanted the covers-centric main stage to have more variety, this is absolutely your year! No idea if they're waiving the covers only rule this year, but with certain bands, you'd have to hope they would!

Thursday's lineup on July 19th remains hard rock free, as is usual for Rotaryfest, but who's playing that day? In descending order, the headliners are 1970s-1980s local country band George Pinder & Patches at 10:00 PM, and they'll be joined by 1960s classic rock sextet The Dark Side at 9:00 PM, 1960s-1970s classic rock quartet The Polisi Basson at 8:00 PM, 1980s jazz/blues rock quartet Zak's All-Stars at 7:00 PM, and the return of long-time Rotaryfest regulars The Northern Jazz Ensemble for the first time since 2009 as the 6:00 openers. Most of these acts are before my time, but it'll be a thrill for many to see these acts back on stage next month! The Friday, July 20th lineup already made our concert listings via the already announced 10:00 PM headlining slot by local/Toronto indie/punk quartet Treble Charger in their first Rotaryfest appearance on record, whish is huge enough alone, but who all's opening for them?

At 9:20 PM, there will be a special tribute set to local musicians and bands of the past, which will be emceed by Adrian Vilaca, and is partially brought together by Ric Datson of the Sault Ste. Marie Museum and many local bands. This set should be intriguing, we'll be curious see who plays what then! The 8:30 PM slot belongs to Rotaryfest's iron men (and woman), classic rock quintet Mustang Heart, who will tackle a Bon Jovi and Journey tribute set for the occasion. How will this compare to Bon Journey's headlining set of 2012? Be there to find out next month! 2009-2012 classic/hard rock cover band Turner Up will also return on July 20th, marking their first Rotaryfest appearance since their sole 2011 turn under their brief Full Circle moniker. No particular lineup is reuniting for the show, with members from across their run taking part, but as best as I can tell, they'll be featuring Travis Sharpe on vocals, guitarists Robert Brown & Len Ward, bassist Jeff Brown, and drummer Scott McLurg next month.

I don't believe Turner Up ever played with Travis as their lead singer (he was previously their bassist), but it's great to see Turner Up back on stage in any form, they were a fun band! 1980s country/bluegrass quartet Road Fever (featuring Mojo and Flat Stanley alumni) will reunite for a set at 6:30 PM, while the Friday lineup will be opened at 5:30 PM by the long awaited return of local hard rock/funk band Tripod the Dog, with longtime frontman Mark Oliverio joined next month by his former Glitch bandmate Sean Berlinguette on bass, plus drummer Brian Egglesfield. I have memories of Tripod the Dog from early in my following of local music, and it's cool to see Mark bring them back after too long! As for Saturday, July 21st's lineup, we already knew that Juno winning Calgary classic rock trio The Stampeders would be that day's featured attraction, but who else can we find on that day's extended bill?

The Stampeders actually aren't playing last (they have the 8:30 PM slot), as local classic/hard rock cover veterans That's Chester will reunite after a two year hiatus to close Rotaryfest at 10:30 PM! Their advertised lineup for this year is as a four piece with Greg, Gabe, Aubrey, and Ric back (there's no stated second guitarist), but original singer Richard Fullerton will come back home to guest on a few songs. Hopefully the guys have a blast in their 10th Stage 1 set, and honour Eugene's memory once again! Another musicians tribute (described identically to Friday's) will take place at 7:50 PM, while local/Toronto punk/Celtic favourites Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide will surprisingly make their Rotaryfest debut at 7:00 PM.  Their event page indicates that Chris Johns will be back on drums for this set, but it also notes that Marshall Jaaskelainen's Barn Board Trio bandmate Liam Seymour will join them next month. I can't confirm if Liam is now in The Tide or if he's just a guest performer, but it's great to see them on stage again!

1970s Chicago-influenced soft rock collective Pegasus will reunite for a set at 6:00 PM, while the classic lineup of 2012-2015 hard rock quartet The Suicide Kings will come back after three years away on July 21st at 5:00 PM! Visibly resurrecting their original and more prominent name rather than their Beaumont Avenue moniker, it's awesome to see Mike, Steven, Mitch, and Ben back for one more go-around in their fourth Rotaryfest appearance, so don't miss them either! Fan favourite jam rock sextet Odd Man Out will make their festival debut at 4:00 PM, while an apparent one-off quartet named The Sun Dogs will play a set of 1960s summer-themed classic covers at 3:00 PM. Wailing Aztecs alumni Kelly McGillivray, Sue Martinelli and Sue Roy will play a set of folk and pop covers under their own names at 2:00 PM, while the Saturday lineup will kick off with the current incarnation of Korah Collegiate's school band Mustang Sally at 1:00 PM.

As usual, this year's Stage 1 entertainment is FREE and for ALL AGES, so visit the above links for all of the current details! While it is surprising to not find such recent regulars as Obsession, The Reptiles, and Crossroad on the bill this year, the exceedingly nostalgic and possibly original-embracing lineup is more than welcomed, and I know the buzz is already high for this year's Stage 1 roster! Stay tuned for continued updates when and if they roll in, including the Stage 2 lineup to be announced, and look for our Dumpster Mummy preview and more tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Project 906), And New Great White Concert Videos!!

Before we begin our final post before our 10th anniversary (tomorrow!), here's a note regarding Sault Michigan classic/hard rock cover quartet Highway 63, who revealed on their Facebook page on Sunday that they are playing live tonight in De Tour Village at the pavilion there, possibly as entertainment after their Independence Day 5K run. We're not formally covering the show here as De Tour Village is outside of our coverage range (being 75 minutes from the Soo), but hopefully the show goes well as they end their spring break and finally signal the "travelling" they had teased!

Now, today's all-Sault Michigan post is on with some recent concert videos and a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, so let's get things rolling with that new show, as local hard rock quartet Project 906 will play a special Fourth of July concert TOMORROW NIGHT at... the Kings Club Casino in Brimley?! Apologies for the short notice, the band only announced this show via it's Facebook event page on Thursday. While no strangers to Bay Mills Resort & Casino (who also own Kings Club), this will be Project 906's first publically advertised trip a mile up West Lakeshore Drive to Kings Club, which was actually the first tribally owned casino in the United States, so there's history there! As per the event page, Project 906's set will be on this casino's back patio, though I can't confirm whether it connects to Chum's Cafe or not. It's great to see Project 906 back on a public stage after over a month away, so don't miss them at the other Brimley casino TOMORROW NIGHT!

An early 7:00 PM start time is in effect for this 21+ show, which has no announced cover charge. Check the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's some new videos from their private Sault Area High School class of 1997 reunion gig at Moloney's Alley last month! All shared via the downtown bar's Facebook page last week, two videos are of the fireworks in honour of the 20th anniversary celebrations (nice precursor to the July holidays), with one featuring guitarist Joe Jenkins' rendition of "The Star Spangled Banner", before starting The Foo Fighters' "Everlong", while the other video contains more of "Everlong", though the latter is only 15 seconds and focuses on the fireworks over the band. The fireworks looked good, the reunion committee didn't skimp on them! Embedded below is Project 906 covering Poison's "Nothin' But A Good Time", and though this is also abbreviated (only capturing the solo and final chorus.)

Solid videos overall, despite not being optimal views of Project 906, but remember, the reunion and fireworks are the stars of these videos moreso than the band. Still nice to see some new footage, let alone at a venue we rarely cover on the SMS, so give Project 906's new videos a look above & below, and don't miss them at Kings Club Casino in Brimley TOMORROW!

Finally for today, here's some new videos from Jack Russell's Great White's late notice opening set outside of the Kewadin Shores Casino in St. Ignace last month! Filmed by YouTube user spiritinthesky blue and uploaded to her YouTube channel on Tuesday, she had some backstage access of some kind to the outdoor concert, so in her concert videos, you'll see some different and unique angles than you might otherwise see, rather than sticking to one static location. Spirit (I guess you'd call her?) filmed this version of Great White covering Ian Hunter's "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" and Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song", as well as playing their originals "Save Your Love", "Lady Red Light", and "Call It Rock 'N Roll", plus this pre-set video where the band are practicing and setting up, and she remarks on what to expect and being backstage for the show. Embedded here is a two song, 12 minute video of Jack and company so can you find in this clip?

Here, you'll see the band playing "Mista Bone" (with Jimi Hendrix "Voodoo Child" interlude) and "Rock Me", so click each song name to hear the individual song. Overall, these videos are solid quality and capture Jack Russell's Great White in fine form, even though with the nightfall, there's still no obvious way to tell that this was an outdoor concert! The alternate camera angles are a nice touch to see more of the stage from angles you wouldn't expect, so keep all of them in mind above & below! Note however that she didn't upload anything from Lita Ford's headlining set.



There is one more video from this channel that I'll show separately just to spread things out, but here's a final video to close, as "Spirit" informally interviewed frontman Jack Russell backstage for one of her YouTube uploads! The video features Jack being questioned about the meet & greet to come, his upcoming autobiography, and some general praise for himself and his talents. Loose and candid, it's a nice look at the show and Jack's open and friendly nature before their set, so give it a look below as well!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for a special post TOMORROW to commemorate our 10th anniversary! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Pixo Control), Plus New Videos!!

Here's another news post to open a new week, so what can you find within? New videos from two very different recent concerts, and first, LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for a rising young band's next three shows, all with some big developments attached, so here's what you should know!

Local alternative/hard rock trio The Pixo Control will indeed play a CD release concert in honour of their debut album "Probably Not" on Saturday, December 12th... two of them, in fact! The band announced on their Facebook page last night that they'll headline two separate concerts at LopLops Lounge that day, the first being an ALL AGES afternoon gig and the latter being a nighttime 19+ show, so fans of all ages will be able to check the guys out and be the first to get a copy of their first CD! Notably, these will be The Pixo Control's first concerts since The Emergency Festival in August, and consequently, just their second & third with new drummer Matthew Thibert (no word as of yet on if he recorded tracks for the album.) Support will come via post-punk quartet Gnaeus (fresh off of their Devil's Night concert at LopLops) and glam/punk trio Caroline Divine (in their first announced concert since July), and both are great fits, so don't miss them on the 12th!

No word yet though on if the openers are playing both shows, or if each band has one each, but we'll treat them as playing both unless said otherwise. Presented by label Tidal Records, each show has a $10 cover charge (it's not clear whether that includes a copy of "Probably Not" or if that's separate from entry), the all ages show is at 2:00 PM, and the 19+ show is at 9:00 PM, both on December 12th. For more details, visit the above links! This is an ambitious idea to play two release shows in the same day, but hopefully The Pixo Control have a successful launch(es) of their debut CD, and we'll keep you posted as extra updates roll in!

Next up, we have another new Pixo Control concert to mention, as they'll apparently be opening for Saskatoon blues rock favourites The Sheepdogs at The Machine Shop at Mill Square on Tuesday, February 9th! While not announced via other sources as of this writing, The Pixo Control's Facebook page indicated that they'd be opening for The Sheepdogs on Saturday. The second February gig in as many years to feature the guys as an opening band (joining this year's Treble Charger concert), this is another huge showcase for Michael, Steve, and Matthew, and hopefully they can make some new fans in February! If you're not familiar with them, The Sheepdogs are well known from hit singles like "Feeling Good" & "The Way It Is" from their platinum self-titled album, and have made lots of fans with their roots & southern rock-influenced originals, so there should be a very solid audience for their Soo debut! Also, the show is definitely on February 9th, SooToday's advertising accidentally has it listed for the 8th.

An 8:00 PM start time is listed for this 19+ concert, and tickets are available for $30 & $35 ($25 early bird tickets are sold out) at this link, so visit the above links for full current details! While The Sheepdogs aren't a "heavy" band, they're very talented and have a great fanbase, and they should rock the house on February 9th (and it's nice to see a big non-country show at The Machine Shop, hopefully there's more to come!) Stay tuned again for updates as we hear them on this and The Pixo Control's release shows!

We'll close today with new videos, including a look at Shot In The Dark Productions' production of The Who's Tommy at The Machine Shop earlier this month, featuring local classic/hard rock quintet That's Chester as the house band! Uploaded by drummer Ric Datson to his YouTube channel yesterday, this is of That's Chester and the cast of Tommy performing The Who's "Pinball Wizard" during one night of the production (which one isn't specified), and it gives a nice five-camera look at arguably the most famous song from Tommy! Greg Simpson does his best Elton John for the rendition, complete with the cast acting and singing in turn, and while everything looks and sounds good, Greg's vocals are very muffled (and note that there's a 31 second intro before the video actually starts.) Excellent crowd, and good details for the set and acting (yes, that is a real pinball machine being lowered in), so hopefully we see more live stage musical productions like this in the future, and yes, more That's Chester concerts! Give everything a look below!



Finally for today, here's a new video find of the aforementioned Caroline Divine from their Rotaryfest afterparty concert at LopLops Lounge on July 18th! Apologies for missing it for this long, it slipped us by in prior Facebook scans. Filmed by attendee Katie Huckson and shared on the band's Facebook page the next day, this is an incomplete video of Brendan, Devin, and Anthony playing one of their originals (title unclear, possibly "Looking For A Fight".) Solid audio and energy to be had from this promising young band in their most recent concert, albeit with dark lighting, so check it out below, and don't miss them back at LopLops on December 12th!


 
That's all for today, but stay tuned for much more news and updates this week! Thanks everyone!

Ten Kings Updates, Plus Lots Of Recent Assorted News!!

Believe it or not, this is our first full news post at the SMS without concert previews attached in almost two weeks, but hopefully the news will pick up in short order! Today, we're touching on a number of shorter assorted recent notes, but first, here's a pair of new Sault Michigan video finds, including some updates on a recently dissolved band, so here's what you should know! (Updated on Sunday at 11:08 PM)

Here's the latest on the now-inactive local hard rock quartet Ten Kings, so what should you know on them now? While it's still not public what happened to them, it looks like singer Brandon Carr made use of their St. Ignace Kewadin Casino bookings for this weekend by playing both last night & tonight with half of fellow local hard rockers 415E (guitarist Chris Hubbard and bassist Mitch Goetz), as well as ex-Absolute drummer Justin Lawless. Our sources are personal Facebook posts by Brandon & Chris yesterday. No word on if this is an official new band or not, and if they'd still skew hard rock if they were, but Chris did jokingly muse on if they should call themselves Nixxon Dixxon (his and Brandon's old local band) or Two Weeks Notice (presumably referencing the time they had to get ready following Ten Kings' dissolution.) Whether this is just a one-off group, a Nixxon Dixxon revival, or something brand new, we'll keep an eye on things, and hopefully this weekend's concerts went well!

As for Ten Kings, we had embedded a YouTube video of them covering Stevie Wonder's "Superstition" at The Northern Pines Lounge in St. Ignace in August here that was still online when this post went up, but the band member that controlled the account took their YouTube channel down as well yesterday. I wish bands wouldn't erase their existence from the internet like this when they break up, as there are fans that still like and enjoy their material, even if something bad happened behind the scenes, but it is what it is. Hopefully their breakup was amicable, and best of luck again!

Next up, here's a new solo video from ex-Ten Kings guitarist Joe Jenkins' YouTube channel! Uploaded last week, this is of Joe's musical discovery when stacking his guitar pedals, and he definitely seems to like what this produced! Also, this is unique from his past videos that we've shared here, as he talks to the camera about his gear and the pedals' effects on his playing. You get some solid instrumental playing too, so give it a look below!



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

• Former local concert venue Club Princess (a.k.a. The Princess Theatre) has had it's iconic arrow sign taken down amidst ongoing renovations by new owner Marc Muto (yes, the former Lion Ride drummer), who bought the Gore Street location and is planning to reopen it in the future in some form. The sign was removed due to safety concerns and that it was showing it's age, but it will be put in storage towards a possible restoration and return to the building. It's nice to hear that the Princess is being revived, and hopefully the sign returns down the road! Click here for more details!
• According to a post on Mike Haggith & The Din's Facebook page on Thursday,  the band shared the stage with funk/hard rock quartet The Elements (an apparent late addition) and DJ Seith during that night's Jason Michaud fundraiser at The Marconi Hall, without crediting the publically listed Redundant, Project 421, and Eclypse. No word on if those bands dropped out or not, but remember, official event advertising oddly didn't credit the full lineup. Nice of The Elements to rock this benefit too, and hopefully lots was raised to help Jason out!
• The recap article and photos from SooToday's Donna Hopper's coverage of last month's "Fed Up!" split CD release party at The Algonquin Pub can at last been seen at this link! Featuring brief remarks from Jack Spades frontman J.D. Pearce & Destroilet singer Mike Hull, the article recaps the show and CD, and reiterates plans to release the split in other formats, while the photos (all in black & white) include 7 from headliners The Ripcordz' set & five each of the local bands, including a guest return from the departed Brent Ellis during Destroilet's set. Despite the delay, Donna got some great shots again, so see everything above!
• Local classic metal quintet Project 421 will replace Destroilet on the lineup for the Sabrina Pelchat memorial concert at The Rednecks Saloon on Friday, as per updates to the official Facebook event page yesterday. A reason for Destroilet's exit wasn't announced, but hopefully nothing bad happened, and Project 421 will fit in nicely in their return to the former Nicolet Tavern! Stay tuned for more on this show next week!
• We have moved local grindcore/experimental duo This Is Your Band On Drugs to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity. The Blood Shed Productions project has not made a public update since being advertised to play at last October's Devil's Night concert at The Oddfellows Hall, which they dropped out of after being on hiatus since last spring due to work commitments. T.I.Y.B.O.D. were an entertaining and creative band in their genre, complete with a demo CD, and hopefully Chase & Nick revive them in the future!
• As you may have seen, there was not a Friday the 13th new music event from Sault Michigan independent metal label Werehold Records yesterday, breaking a streak of six straight Friday the 13th events dating to April 2012. Label owner Jason Mills said in a personal conversation that it was due to many artists on the label having "downtime" as of late, and he didn't want to post new songs from just his own projects. Hopefully things pick back up come the next Friday the 13th in May!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more on the site in the coming week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Stiffler's Mom), More Weekend Concert Previews, And A Band Breakup?!

With an unusually busy concert weekend for early November, here's our second weekend concert preview post, and if there's any extremely late notice hard rock shows to touch on, look for them tomorrow! Now, we have previews on both sides of the border, a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, and an apparent band breakup impacting shows this weekend, so here's what you should know, and check out our first of the weekend's concert previews in the post below this one!

Local party hard rock cover trio Stiffler's Mom will return to the stage for one night only THIS SATURDAY NIGHT at The Canadian Nightclub! Apologies for the short notice, the show was only announced on the venue's Facebook group on Wednesday. Filling in for singer/drummer Greg Simpson's country band Bone Yard after guitarist Alex D'Ettore broke his wrist, the bands are still returning to The Canadian this weekend after Maxx Entertainment took last weekend off to focus on the Tommy production. Hopefully Alex heals up fast, but Stiffler's Mom's fun sound and strong reputation should lead to a good turnout on Saturday! No word on why Stiffler's Mom aren't playing tomorrow night though, but for reference, Bone Yard were scheduled to play the Friday too before they dropped out. There is no announced cover charge on Saturday, you must be at least 19 to attend, and there's a 9:00 PM start time. Check the above links for more details, and here's Stiffler's Mom live last summer!



Moving to previously announced concerts, we were planning to look at this weekend's concerts from Sault Michigan hard rock quartet Ten Kings at The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino for tomorrow & Saturday night, but I have doubts that they're playing now. Why? Because their Facebook page was quietly deleted for unannounced reasons at some point in the past three weeks, and that has historically been a good indicator that a band has broken up (also, their Instagram page was made private.) I have not seen any official statements about Ten Kings' status on members' personal Facebook pages since their last shows in the Soo over the October 24th weekend, and I'll monitor things in case something comes out, but we won't treat these shows as on unless something is publically said otherwise. Sadly, without an active online page (I wish they'd have left it up), we'll have to delete Ten Kings from our band links as well.

If Ten Kings are indeed defunct, this is very surprising and sudden, especially given how fast they'd risen since launching in January, including their set opening for Theory of a Deadman this summer, and a strong lineup featuring many familiar faces, but you can still see bassist Barney Gravelle in Retro Troop in the meantime. It'd be nice to be wrong, but if they have dissolved, best of luck to Brandon, Joe, Barney, and Will in the future!

However, there is one hard rock show that is definitely going down this weekend in the E.U.P., albeit at an unusual venue, as Kinross classic/hard rock trio Banned are scheduled to play a rare concert in their hometown THIS SATURDAY NIGHT at The Kinross Township Hall! More specifically, they'll playing at the Orioles' Club inside the hall at 4916 West Curtis Avenue, and while I don't recall prior hard rock concerts at this venue, I'm sure Banned don't mind playing in their hometown for a change! Saturday's show follows an off weekend for the Traynors & Wayne, and will mark their first show within an hour of the Soo since their St. Ignace stops three weeks ago, so if you've missed Banned's diverse & often heavy covers, head to Kinross on Saturday! If you'd prefer a local bar show however, they'll be live at The Runway Bar in Hessel next weekend, so keep those dates in mind.

For what it's worth, a Fall Fest has been held at The Orioles Club at this time in past years with dancing, music, beer, and so forth, and you can click here for details on 2013's, but I can't definitively say if Banned are playing at a 2015 Fall Fest installment or not. If it is, expect a $5 cover and 21+ age limit, but in any event, they are playing at an early start time of 8:00 PM. For more details, visit the above links, and here's Banned live last year!

Finally for this weekend's known hard rock previews, we'll head back to Sault Ontario for the long awaited return of Barrie-based AC/DC tribute band Hells Bells, as they'll be headlining at The Rockstar Bar THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! Though we've never had a shortage of AC/DC tributes coming through the Soo in recent years (notably Who Made Who), this will be Hells Bells' first local stop since headlining at The Canadian Nightclub way back in May 2010, so if you liked and missed this band's dose of high voltage rock 'n roll in particular, the 5 year wait is over on Saturday night! I have seen them live, and they will definitely get AC/DC fans going, so keep this one in mind! Advance tickets for $12 are still available at The Algonquin Hotel's front desk, but The Rockstar Bar's Martin Fiser noted on the venue's Facebook group that tickets are 90% sold out, and there's no guarantees of availability at the door (but if you want to try, note that there has been no announced hike in the price at the door either.)

This concert is definitely a 19+ event, and a 10:30 PM start time is advertised. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, and if you love AC/DC, get your tickets A.S.A.P. to check out Hells Bells' faithful tribute set on Saturday night! For a preview, here's Hells Bells live in Orillia!



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

Sabrina Pelchat Funeral Details, Speak Easy Battle Of The Bands Updates, And More News

I hope everyone had a great Halloween, despite the rain! Our first post of November includes new live concert videos, assorted updates, and updates to an upcoming battle of the bands, but first, here's some details on final services for a departed local musician, so here's what you should know!

The obituary for late Chronic Demonic singer Sabrina Pelchat has been posted on SooToday, which confirms that her services will be held on Tuesday at 3:00 PM at the Northwood Funeral Home at 942 Great Northern Road, with visitation beginning there at 1:00 PM. Helen Smith will officiate the service, and interment will be at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. She is survived by her parents, four siblings, partner/Shadowthrone bandmate Robert Sartini, her grandmother, and numerous other extended family members. The family is asking for donations to the Sault Ste. Marie Humane Society in her memory, and you can also offer condolences at this link. This is all still very sad for family and friends of Sabrina's, but hopefully everyone can remember the good times on Tuesday, and if you were a friend or colleague of hers, definitely consider going to the service on Tuesday, and/or the memorial concert at The Rednecks Saloon later this month!

Next up, here's some bad news for fans eagerly awaiting the second Speak Easy Battle of the Bands on Thursday, November 19th, as it has been postponed until March 2016. Co-promoter Jordan Leach (now going under the name Ye Tang Che on Facebook) revealed the news on the Musicians Wanted Facebook group on Friday, citing "sponsorship issues" for the delay. He didn't elaborate further on what the issues were, other than to say that he announced the postponement "with great distaste, but there's no way around these difficulties." A fixed March date for the battle will be announced "within a few weeks", and while the four previously announced acts (Mike Haggith & The Din, Pillory, Jesse Merineau, and the yet-to-be-revealed Eclypse) are still signed up for the battle, they are free to drop out if necessary for scheduling or other concerns. Jordan was hoping for 8 competing bands the last time out, so if you're interested in playing the delayed Speak Easy battle in March, message him above or at this link!

This is disappointing news, but honestly, the lack of updates regarding the lineup and prizes in recent weeks was a giveaway that something was up with the battle. At least with a March date, it'd (in theory) begin an annual pattern for the battle to be held in March like it was this year, and I'd assume it will be on a Thursday like before, but specifics are to be confirmed. Could it fall on March 3rd to loosely be a one year anniversary? Will these four acts remain come then? Who exactly are Eclypse? Stay tuned for more updates!

Also, here's some long teased media from Ten Kings guitarist Joe Jenkins' Instagram page, which has no less than 224 videos uploaded, far more than on his YouTube channel! There's beyond too many solo videos to cover at the moment, so while I figure out how to best approach covering them, Joe did upload three short clips there of him performing with Ten Kings in the past year! They include a guitar solo of his (song unclear) from July's Theory of a Deadman concert at The Dreammaker's Theater, and two brief clips from concerts at The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino, including one of the second guitar solo from their cover of Guns 'N Roses' "Paradise City". Embedded below is a snippet of Ten Kings' cover of Billy Squier's "Lonely Is The Night", his only band upload that isn't of a guitar solo, and while you don't hear a lot, the guys sound good! It'd be nice to see more videos from Ten Kings concerts, but give Joe's Instagram clips a look above & below!

\m/ #guitar #guitarist @tenkingsband #cover #billysquier #classic #rock #musician #band #drums #fender #stratocaster #peavey #mapex #sabian #jackson #shure #guitfiddlin #likeforlike #tone #tonegeek #toneheaven #live #livemusic #supportlocalmusic #savethemusic #samplessuck #knowyourtone #instarock #instalike #beard

A video posted by Big Joe Jenkins (@bigjoeguitar) on Oct 14, 2015 at 9:02pm PDT

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

• Local post-punk quartet Gnaeus launched a contest on their Facebook page on October 19th, where they're looking for silly suggestions. The best suggestion (which would presumably be performed by the band) would net the winner a free copy of their upcoming debut CD "Loomings" and a chance to touch guitarist/synth player Brad Irwin's hair. If you're interested in submitting a suggestion, visit the above links!
• In a pair of house cleaning notes from last night's annual Halloween Party at The Algonquin Pub, The Elements enlisted Lake Effect saxophonist Josh Norling to round out their Sublime tribute set (nice touch!), while a personal Facebook post by Jack Spades drummer Johnny Belanger indicated that the one-off punk tribute band that he played in last night apparently had the ribald name of Ball Licker Inc. (but I have not seen references to that name elsewhere.) No word on who played what in the band, but we'll let you know if we hear anything! I wish I could have been there!
• Once again, Asylum Country/ex-Mourning Wood drummer T.J. Case is looking to join a new local band, as per his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post on October 13th. T.J. is a very skilled drummer, as fans of his band work will surely know, and he has experience in hard rock and punk acts, so message him at this link or above if you want more details!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Ten Kings), And New Video Uploads!!

I wasn't expecting to have a second post today, but with two more SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS that came to our attention earlier today, I got this mostly Sault Michigan-centric post ready! The rest of the content revolves around new videos, including a song from a Sault Ontario project, so read on below for what you should know, and check out more weekend concert previews and Sault Ontario updates in the post below this one!

Sault Michigan hard rock cover quartet Ten Kings will apparently return to the stage TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT at The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino! Apologies for the extremely short notice, we only heard about the shows via frontman Brandon Carr's personal Facebook page this afternoon (we missed their Facebook page's plug of them yesterday), and Kewadin's entertainment page still isn't updated to reflect October dates at The Rapids Lounge. After about two months off from public concerts, it's great to see this popular and very talented band back on stage, and believe it or not, this is their first announced concert weekend at The Rapids Lounge since February! Of note, Brandon indicated in the personal posting that TONIGHT'S show followed the annual Dancing With The Stars charity event for the Hospice of the E.U.P., and he's among the local celebrities and dignitaries who danced for the mirror ball trophy, so hopefully he got high marks at this great event earlier today!

Presumably due to the D.W.T.S. event's scheduling, TONIGHT'S show only will have a special 10:00 PM start time (TOMORROW'S will start at 9:00 PM as usual), and both have 21+ age limits and no announced cover charges. For more details, visit the above links, and don't miss Ten Kings' entertaining hard rock covers this weekend! Here they are live this summer!



Next up, local metal/classical project Theatre of Night have posted three new videos to their Facebook page last week, so what should you know? Two of them are just 10 seconds long each, and feature keyboardist Craig Harrison working on parts for new original material, and while they're too short to effectively comment on, you can watch them here & here! Embedded below though is a 2 minute clip of Craig performing an instrumental passage for a new song, this time with a stationary horizontal camera. Suitably dramatic (albeit obviously incomplete at this stage), it's good to see Theatre of Night staying busy, so give this video a look below, and see more from the guys above!



Also today, here's a new original song from Sault Ontario goregrind solo project Crucify The Whore, as uploaded to label Blood Shed Productions' YouTube channel on Monday! Entitled "Don Q", the song references Tyler's favourite rum brand (not Don Quixote, the rum's literary namesake.) Aside from a late hiccup of a different song entirely, this is a nice wallop of goregrind brutality for C.T.W. fans, and the song has been teased to be included on their next full length CD, planned to be released by the spring. Give it a listen below, and stay tuned for more from the Blood Shed!



Finally, here's a new solo performance video from Ten Kings guitarist Joe Jenkins, as uploaded to his YouTube channel on Sunday! It's the third version of his own solo composition "Pitch Black" to be posted there, and he noted in the description he re-recorded it for an uncredited friend that wants to add a drum track to it, and he does plan to upload that when complete. Sounds good as before, but definitely empty without added instruments. Give it a look below, and don't miss Ten Kings at the Soo Kewadin TONIGHT & TOMORROW! (Note that the Guitfiddlin reference is to an Instagram page that spotlights guitarists daily, Joe included.)



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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Scarkazm & Ten Kings), And New YouTube Postings!!

Keeping things rolling on this Saturday morning, we have some new videos from each side of the border, but leading off, we'll touch on LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for the remaining new hard rock show announcements for late 2015 from Kewadin Casino's entertainment page, which ideally would have been their own post, but we tied Highway 63, Banned & Peril's with their separate own concert previews and/or announcements in our last two posts, hence the wider spread. Now, here's what you should know!

Traverse City, Michigan metal trio Scarkazm will return to The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino on Friday, November 6th & Saturday, November 7th! As announced via Kewadin's entertainment page, this will mark the Peril sister band's first weekend in St. Ignace in about 4 months, though they have played at the Kewadin Casino in Manistique since. Since we last saw them, the guys won $10,000 in a battle of the bands at the Traverse City Music Festival and opened for Pop Evil, so they're bound to still be riding high with their metal covers and originals in four weeks' time, and this will likely be your last chance to see Scarkazm live in the E.U.P. this year as well! As usual for Kewadin Casino concerts, there is no announced cover charge, you must be 21 or older to attend, and there will be 9:00 PM start times. For more details, visit the above links, and stay tuned for more on their and Peril's next regional dates as they roll in!

Next up, Sault Michigan hard rock quartet Ten Kings are advertised to rock The Northern Pines Lounge in St. Ignace themselves the following weekend (Friday, November 13th & Saturday, November 14th!) Aside from a private event last month, Ten Kings have been fairly quiet since the summer (and haven't announced the November shows yet themselves, for the record), but this talented local cover band should attract a solid crowd once again next month, so keep their advertised returns to the stage in mind then! And again, there's no word from Kewadin Casino's entertainment page regarding new Rapids Lounge shows at the Sault branch from any band, though it remains to be seen if it's an oversight or if something's going on with that venue. Like with the previous week's Scarkazm shows, these are 21+ affairs at 9:00 PM with no announced cover charge, so keep their entertaining hard rock covers in mind for then, and stay tuned for more from a band member in a second!

Also, here's a surprise new studio recording by Sault Ontario/St. Catharine's grindcore trio Shit Liver, as per their YouTube channel yesterday, and it's a cover of fellow local metal trio AlgomA's original "Fell Down A Well"! You don't see a local band covering another local band very often (not counting cases of bands covering songs from a member's prior band, like with Shit Liver's old OBCD covers), so this is a nice surprise, and it's interesting to hear this sludge metal song effectively sped and grimed up all at once! Fans of both bands should get a kick out of this, so check it out below!



Finally, here's some new YouTube video postings from Ten Kings guitarist Joe Jenkins, courtesy of his YouTube channel in the last few days! His new postings (with varying filters added in post) include covers of Soundgarden's "Outshined" and Kenny Wayne Shepherd's "True Lies" (both with his own spin on them), along with this demonstration video and song "Jedi Flip" using his new fuzz pedal, and as embedded below, this original funk rock guitar solo. Not bad at all, he shows his range and skill nicely on these, though on the covers, the original songs could be a little louder, and sound thrown in. Check out Joe's new videos above and below, and stay tuned for more new solo content from Joe's Instagram page!



That's all for now, but stay tuned for this month's Defunct Local Band Profile next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Broomfiller), Tym Morrison Concert Previews, And More!!

With another slow concert weekend (barring late notice shows) upon us, let's combine the only set of previously announced hard rock concerts with some extra stories, including an intriguing event and a new video, so here's what you should know, starting with a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!

Toronto punk veterans Broomfiller have finally secured a local concert date for Thursday, September 17th (one week from today), as they'll be headlining at The New American Pub next week! Last seen at the former Foggy Notions way back in 2002, this high energy quintet have a fun sound that is reminiscent of everyone from Bad Religion to The Foo Fighters, so be sure to give them a listen! It's nice to finally see them get a local booking, I know they were struggling to secure a Soo date, though no word if their hoped October 3rd date here will also go down. Kudos to Destroilet's Brenton Ellis for putting this one on on a week's notice, so don't bypass the action at The New A in seven days time! At least one local opening band is to be announced. There is no announced cover charge (yet?), you must be 19 to attend, and a 9:00 PM start time is advertised. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, and stay tuned for updates!

Next up, long time Caveman Morrison frontman Tym Morrison's ongoing weekly concert runs are advertised as continuing this weekend, with his usual Gliss Steak & Seafood appearances taking place TONIGHT, TOMORROW, AND SATURDAY, which will be followed by Harp Bar & Grill appearances TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Though oddly not yet announced via Facebook event pages, his website's calendar and SooToday's entertainment page confirm the bookings as part of his lengthy arrangements at both venues, but of course, we'll correct this if there are any announcements to the contrary. Tym's skilled and prolific blend of acoustic hard rock covers are a fan favourite sight, so whether you're a recent Gliss or Harp regular, or haven't seen Tym in a long time, keep this weekend's shows in mind for some solid live entertainment!

None have an announced cover charge, the Gliss shows have no listed age limit and are at 6:00 PM, and The Harp shows are 10:00 PM, 19+ affairs, but remember that Gliss is a restaurant. Check the above links for more details, and here's Tym live at the former Bossy's!

Also today, here's some new videos Sault Michigan hard rock quartet Ten Kings, courtesy of their Facebook page and, in a new find, their Instagram page! A new Facebook video (shared from attendee Michelle Leazier's personal page) is actually not of the band itself, but of the reason why they played a private gig in Hulbert Township on Saturday, as it features regional musician Tom Adams drumming and jamming "Folsom Prison Blues" with Ten Kings guitarist Joe Jenkins. Tom's battling health issues of some kind, but it's good to see him rocking out, and hopefully he gets well soon! As for their Instagram page, it features two short videos from recent concerts, including this short clip of Joe playing a guitar solo (song unclear) at The Savoy Bar & Nightclub in June, but embedded below is this video of the guys covering Billy Squier's "Lonely Is The Night" at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino last month.

Not the best song for Brandon Carr's vocal range, but what little we hear points to a solid rendition, so give it a look below, and see the rest of Ten Kings' recent video postings above!

A video posted by Ten Kings (@tenkingsband) on Aug 12, 2015 at 10:30am PDT

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

• The title for the upcoming Ripcordz/Destroilet/Jack Spades split CD is "Fed Up!", as confirmed via the new Facebook event page for their CD release show at The Algonquin Pub on October 24th. Is there a context to the name? I'm not yet sure, but the release concert will have $10 advance admission and $15 at the door, with CD copies (price to be confirmed) on sale that night, though promoter/Jack Spades frontman J.D. Pearce hopes to have future printings in other formats. Check out new details at the above links!
• Ex-Suicide Kings frontman Mike Gaetano is looking to get back into a local band, as per his post on the Musicians Wanted Facebook group on Tuesday. He didn't offer extra details, but fans of his band work will know his singing talent, and he can play guitar as well. If you're interested in jamming with Mike, message him at this link or above!
• Former Haggith bassist Jordan Leach (currently going as "Whate Ver" on Facebook) is looking for bands interested in playing the second Speak Easy Battle of the Bands, following March's inaugural fan-voted event won by Gnaeus. There's no genre restrictions, and cash prizes again await the winners, but other details (including the date) are not yet known. Mike Haggith & The Din have expressed interest in playing again, but if you or your band want in, message Jordan at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post on Tuesday!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (K'Man & The 45s), Mike Haggith & The Din Updates, And New Videos!!

Let's keep the news rolling now that I'm back home, including a pair of new Facebook video uploads, some recent updates from a local band that we touched on in yesterday's post, and first, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for later this fall, so here's what you should know!

Montreal ska punk quintet K'Man & The 45s will return to Sault Ontario on Sunday, November 8th for their third headlining concert appearance, though this time at The New American Pub! After two fall appearances in the past two years at The Rockstar Bar via promoter J.D. Pearce, this lively and entertaining band will bring their originals & "Ska-mones" tribute set to The New A this time around with promoters Six Two Oh at the helm, but expect the same great time from K'Man & The 45s come November 8th, especially if you love and/or miss ska punk in the Soo! The hoped opening band is local funk/hard rock quartet The Elements, who made their first posting on their Facebook page in seven months earlier today to note their involvement, but promoters haven't finalized them yet. The Elements have not played an announced concert since Sault Michigan's Superior Festival last month, and last played publically on this side of the border in the spring, so it'd be good to see them back!

Note that The Elements also indicated on their page that they're working on a concert in early October with bands to be announced, and we will keep you posted on that when/if things are announced! The K'Man & The 45s concert has a 19+ age limit, 9:00 PM start time, and a $5 cover charge, $2 less than last fall's show. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, and stay tuned for more updates on this concert and The Elements' autumn resurgence when we get it!

Next up, here's the latest from local alternative hard rockers Mike Haggith & The Din, though I will give the caveat that the posts came before guitarist Curtis McKenzie's sudden departure, so I can't say how they'll be affected as a result.  On August 11th (a month after their most recent concert), the band revealed on their Facebook page that they had begun recording their "legitimate debut album", and recording a re-release of Mike's 2012 solo album "Neighbourhood Watch", though no word yet on if it will be considered a Din release or just a solo revision with guest performances like "The Warinside" had. Though a complete album re-recording may seem like a little much, Mike is no stranger to revising old material for newer projects, including albums, singles, and even the live performance versions, so we'll have to see how this shapes up! As for the regular Din debut CD, the band indicated that "Potato" would be the first single for the planned new album.

As well, the band followed up that post with the revelation that their older "albums" ("Dinner with the President", "Chaotic Symphony", "Perpetual Musings", and "Live In Goulais Mission") were on sale through The PaperClip Productions' store for $5 a piece, finally marking confirmation that they actually had sale copies, though Mike confirmed after Curtis left that they'd left PaperClip (which Curt co-owns), so you'd have to ask PaperClip staff if Din albums are still available. None are new anymore, so reviews on the SMS would only be as archival picks, but of course, the new album plans would get first dibs if they're still on. Get much more from Mike & The Din above!

We'll close today with new videos, including one of two new video postings by Sault Michigan hard rock quartet Ten Kings! We'll touch on the second (from a recent private gig) in an upcoming post, but this comes from their set (with guest bassist Chris Hubbard) opening for Theory of a Deadman at The Dreammaker's Theatre at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino in July, where they covered Fuel's "Shimmer"! Shared from attendee/ex-These Sins Of Time frontwoman Alexa LeClair's personal Facebook page, this is incomplete (Alexa admitted cutting out a part where she sings), but fans will get a good glimpse of Ten Kings in action, including a nicely elevated Brandon Carr for the duration! Note as well that a recent posting by Ten Kings noted that they have no bookings until November (which haven't been announced themselves yet), but did post contact info if you want to book them for a concert. Give their Fuel cover a look below, and stay tuned for that private gig video soon!



Finally, here's one more video of local rock cover quartet Changing Lanes from last month's Northern Vibe Festival in Ophir, this time of the guys covering The Foo Fighters' "Times Like These". Not the heaviest song from the Foos, but it does fit Changing Lanes' softer and more general cover range. Also, you do get to see Buzz rocking a guitar, which won't be anything shocking for fans of Changing Lanes, but it's definitely something that Garden of Bedlam loyalists don't see a lot of. Pretty good rendition, so give it a look below!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and this month's Defunct Local Band Profile in the coming days! Thanks everyone!