LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Customer Service & Dos Amigos), The Krash Concert Preview, And More!!

Keeping our ongoing efforts to clear this backlog out, here's another news post on this Saturday night, which also finishes up this weekend's hard rock/punk concert previews and looks at some recent assorted updates, but let's kick things off with two LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS!

Local acoustic punk cover duo Dos Amigos will return to Thomson Farms Cider & Winery for one night only on Thursday, August 27th! Their second and presumably final show at the 4057 Third Line West farm/winery for the season, and one of a number of Thursday-only musical acts to play there for 2026, this show was first announced earlier this week via this Instagram-only poster for Dos Amigos' late-August dates (we'll address their now-short notice Tap Room gig on Friday when we get to our next weekend concert previews). In fact, the Thomson Farms show will kick off a busy summer-ending weekend for Mikey & Dustin, who will also play previously announced shows at The Whisky Barrel the next day and at the first annual Prince Fest on Saturday the 29th, so if you like the BookcluB sister band's unplugged covers, keep all three shows in mind! As usual, Thomson Farms concerts are on their patio.

It's worth noting too that Dos Amigos members teased in Facebook "Stories" that they played a gig on a Miss Marie Lock Tour boat on August 9th. While live music has been ticking upwards on Miss Marie tours for special events, as best as I can tell from decorations in photos shared in the "Stories", this was a private event. It would be interesting to cover some proper concerts on the Soo Locks tour boats though! The outdoor Thomson Farms show on Thursday the 27th will be at 6:00 PM with no age limit or announced cover charge. Visit the above links for more details!

Next up, here's another newly-announced concert from local promoters Underground Events SSM, this time on Saturday, October 24th at Blaster Powerhouse, as Halifax pop punk/emo quartet Customer Service will make their local debut here that night! A newer alt-rock group with a nostalgic sound for fans of 2000s mainstream emo and punk with some suitable song names to match, hopefully Customer Service pull a solid crowd in two months' time! Local openers will include ska punk quartet ASDP (led by promoter Mikhal "Cha" Muto), hard rock quartet 5 Dollar Bribe (who the Facebook event page describes as "pop? punk" but I wouldn't necessarily agree), and lo-fi/anti-folk singer/guitarist Shae Tull, who will be known on both sides of the border now thanks to her varied regional concert appearances. While the show is a week before Halloween, costumes are encouraged, so keep that angle in mind!

All of the action at the former Soo Blaster has a 7:30 PM door-opening time, advance tickets will cost $20 through the local openers or at The Rad Zone (the door charge will jump to $30), and there is no age limit as usual. Sounds like a fun time for punk fans in particular, and a suitable attraction for the Halloween season to come, so see above for more on this concert!

While we're on the subject re: Underground Events SSM-promoted concerts at Blaster Powerhouse featuring ASDP, there's one taking place TOMORROW NIGHT to cap off this weekend's hard rock concert previews, to be headlined by Saskatoon "D-beat hardcore punk" band Krash! The first band from Saskatchewan that Mikhal has brought in for a concert, Krash's name is apt given their aggressive and raw brand of hardcore punk and noise rock, so they should brutalize Blaster Powerhouse tomorrow! The aforementioned ASDP will be joined as local openers by local death metal quartet Eden Plague, as the former Bear Hunters continue their local resurgence, though they revealed on their Facebook page that this will be their last show of the year before "shifting all gears to our debut LP (as Eden Plague), although we may have something big in October". What do they mean? We'll know soon!

Note that their one new original song is actually named "Primogenesis", not "Primal Genesis" as I heard at Rotaryfest. My bad, but the two sound near identical! Tomorrow's concert (which ASDP may be closing if you believe the band order on the poster) is also all ages, tickets cost just $10 in advance through the local openers and/or The Rad Zone (the door charge jumps to $15), and bands start at 7:00 PM with an expected early ending time given that this is a work/school night. Visit the official Facebook event page for more on what should be an entertaining night out of mixed genre action for metal and punk fans, and here's Krash live!

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:

 

• A mystery band named Needhealer have been added to the Viscera-headlined concert at Three One Three On Ashmun this coming Saturday, as per Viscera's Instagram page on Thursday. I can't find anything concrete on who Needhealer are, where they're from, and/or what they play, but unless nothing comes out next week, you can be the first to find out at the former Back Door on Saturday! Stay tuned for more in our next weekend concert previews regardless!
• After holding the successful SOOpfest acoustic charity concert at a private Sault Ontario locale on July 24th, the aforementioned Underground Events SSM are looking into hosting a sequel to that event on Saturday, September 19th, presumably at the same place. Last month's SOOPfest featured an acoustic ASDP set, rappers Fvcksxvad, uncredited guests, and an open mic block. In the event that it has a stated location or an "ask a punk" angle, keep it in mind, especially given the presumably returning charitable aims, and click here to inquire about performing!
• A review of last month's Go North Music Festival in Richards Landing was the lead article in last week's issue of the St. Joseph Island publication Island Clippings, which you can read online at this link. While most fallout from this year touched on the festival in general or the Friday program, Island Clippings' reporter praised Wide Mouth Mason's Saturday co-headlining set for harnessing a high crowd energy. It's a good write up on the biggest points of the Centennial Grounds music festival, so give it a read above!

 

That's all for today, but stay tuned for a single-band post about upcoming concerts from them next! Thanks everyone!

Recent News & Updates From Bone Yard 225, Eden Plague, And Fort Creek!!

For today's second post, let's continue clearing our our July backlog with some more recent news and updates from three local bands, so here's what you should know as the Civic Holiday long(?) weekend continues!

Let's go in alphabetical order by starting with southern hard rock trio Bone Yard 225, who released their fourth studio single (and first since January of last year) to major streaming platforms yesterday! I'll hold comment on the song for now, pending our review of Bone Yard's long-gestating debut album, but the song is named "Welcome To The ShitShow", which the guys have used as a tagline for live concert introductions in the past, and they have been playing it during their full-band plugged-in concerts. As per Distrokid, you can hear the song on Spotify, Apple Music, and (as embedded below) via YouTube Music, while it is definitely on Amazon Music too and a handful of smaller/foreign-targeted services. Without giving too much away, it is classic rock-tinged. No idea why it has taken well over a year and a half for them to release a new studio track, but it's good to see things progressing!

Of course, hopefully this weekend's Beck's concerts were a hit on all fronts, and if you want to hear the song live, your next chance will likely be at the Algoma Tree Services meet & greet concert on Saturday, preview forthcoming. Check out "Welcome To The ShitShow" (no space before "Show") below or on your major streaming platform of choice! 

Next up, here's the latest from local death metal quartet Eden Plague (née The Bear Hunters), so what's new from their camp? Following the fulfillment of their 11 year old petition to play on Stage 2 at Rotaryfest last month, the band revealed on their Facebook page on July 23rd that frontman Nik Deubel had "just finished recording vocals for our first two singles" (presumably referencing "Primal Genesis" & "Colony Of Parasites"). The attached photo features Nik standing in a mystery location, which the band noted "doesn't look like a studio", and invited suggestions as to where he was. Occam's Razor would (to me) suggest a music video shoot, but the band did share a "Story" on Facebook last month featuring Nik tracking vocals for one of the new songs at Dustin Jones' Mission Control Studios. Alas, "Stories" vanish forever after being seen once or twice, so as much as I'd prefer a permanent public source, you'll have to take my word for it.

On Tuesday, drummer Johnny Belanger starred in the video embedded below live from Beck's Bar where he and the members of Cornwall metal band Hellrager promoted that night's concert featuring the two bands. Fun promotion while it lasted, and interesting to see two very different eras of Jack Spades/Spades GT uniting with Johnny and Jay on camera together! Three videos of Eden Plague's set on Tuesday were also shared from Instagram user frutigeraerhoe's page, but either due to their privacy settings or the fact that they're tiled in a batch post, I can't embed them here. Well shot and with a familiar brutality that old Bear Hunters fans will appreciate, especially as I recognize the songs being played! Solid camera angles by frutigeraerhoe too from a side-stage angle that you don't often see at Beck's. The last of the new videos is another vertical update video, though external embedding of it is not allowed.

Why, I have no clue, but it stars guitarist Mitch Sirie, who rarely stars in online promotion like this. The video (shot while lying down with his cat) featured him complimenting the Hellrager show, even positively comparing it to the former Roosevelt Hotel metal nights, and then plugging the Krash concert at Blaster Powerhouse that they're helping open on Sunday, August 16th. He accidentally called fellow local openers ASDP "ADSP" twice (believe me, I have made that mistake a lot), but he hyped the show well and highly complimented Krash! See above and below for more from Eden Plague, and if you need $10 advance Krash tickets, contact the band A.S.A.P.!

Finally, we have new updates from local southern hard rock band Fort Creek, who had been largely silent on band matters since last year, so what's new in their camp? Last week, the band posted on their Facebook page to reveal that they were finally looking for a new bassist so that they can begin playing live concerts again, and they encouraged fans to pass the search along or suggest possible candidates. Fort Creek last played live when they opened for Josey Scott at The Rink at The Canal District in August 2023, with then-bassist Robin "Bones" Lee and drummer Anthony Fabiano quietly leaving shortly afterwards. The band opted to scrap original material written with them and start their debut album over fresh, with Fort Creek since adding a new drummer and releasing their first formal studio single ("One For The Road") last year, followed by a teaser for their next song "Sweet Rosie" in December.

Fort Creek also revealed yesterday that they are planning to shoot a music video this month with Golden Scoundrels/ex-Shit Liver frontman Josh Penno's Spacebag Productions (who handled the "One For The Road" music video), and they are looking for an actress to play the flag girl for a drag racing scene. Is this for "Sweet Rosie" or a different song? Does this imply that they're shooting at Runway Park or somewhere else? In any event, click here for full details on the actress search, and for more updates from Fort Creek, who will hopefully end their 3 year concert hiatus soon! That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and notes tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Hellrager & Krash), A New Local Band, And More News & Notes!!

Another packed news post is ready to check out for this Tuesday night, and it includes some recent shorter updates, two LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for later this summer with a common band, and first, a new addition to our links & coverage, so here's what you should know!

We have a new-ish local band to add to our active links, and they are local alt-rock quartet The Reeves! You may recognize this band from their debut set at Toystock in November, but at the time, I wasn't sure of their general sound, aside from what their predecessor bands played. The Reeves are basically the successors to 2023-2025 alternative band The Haze (f.k.a. Skinbox), with singer/guitarist/synth player Brad Irwin (ex-Gnaeus) and guitarist Steve Edwards (ex-Pixo Control/Vol.) returning from that group. The rhythm section here is filled out by former Long Shot bandmates Adam Dawe and Jeremy Ganuelas on bass and drums, and it is good to see them back in a new project! While sound descriptions of Skinbox/The Haze pointed to them playing alternative/indie rock and Arctic Monkeys covers, the write-up on Rotaryfest's website says that The Reeves "combine elements of hard rock/blues and other genres to create their own unique vibe".

No word on if the name is an allusion to small town mayors, celebrities named Reeve/Reeves, or some other reference, but their second public concert will see them as the first scheduled band at Rotaryfest Stage 2 on Saturday, July 18th, and their set will reportedly feature "a collection of songs that will become their debut EP". No media of The Reeves is publically streamable yet, but this is a talented group on paper, and they do have descriptions pointing to a heavier sound than The Haze/Skinbox had, though be advised that Steve or Brad took down The Haze's social media pages when that band broke up. Stay tuned for more from them when things go public!

Next up, relaunched local death metal quartet Eden Plague have announced two upcoming indoor concerts that they'll be rocking out at, so besides Rotaryfest, when can you see the former Bear Hunters next? The first of the two will be on Tuesday, July 28th, when they make their debut appearance at Beck's Bar, and the headliners will be Cornwall hardcore metal band Hellrager in their first regional concert since playing at the Northern Vibe Festival in 2023! That's not for a lack of trying, as they dropped out of the last two Northern Vibes, but it will be good to see Hellrager in city limits for a change! Nice punishing sound that is reminiscent of bands like Clutch and Motorhead, and remember that guitarist Jay "Beard" Sarrazin was a member of Spades GT from 2022-2023 (playing with them at Northern Vibe 2022 as a fill-in bassist). He previously came to the Soo with his old band Caym twice in the mid-2010s.

Joining Eden Plague as openers are local metal quintet With Gunfire (the former Sault Side Squad) in their first concert of 2026 and first since finally launching their own Facebook page. Hopefully their recent break has been fruitful towards their promising original slate! Promoted by Eden Plague drummer Johnny Belanger, this stop on Hellrager's Jurassic Punk tour will have a 19+ age limit, no cover charge(!), and an early runtime of 6:00-10:00 PM, which is just as well given that it's a work/school night. This should be a fun one for metalheads across the board, with lots of familiar faces, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details!

The other new Eden Plague show ahead will be at Blaster Powerhouse on Sunday, August 16th, and apologies for the almost month-long delay in this making the site. Compared to the metal show three weeks prior, this is more of a genre hybrid event as put on by promoters Underground Events SSM, and it will be headlined by Saskatoon "D-beat hardcore punk" band Krash in their local debut. If you like down and dirty hardcore punk with aggressive vocals, Krash will deliver the goods, and they should take names when they rock the former Soo Blaster in two months! Note that the Facebook event page claim that "we're getting our first Saskatchewan band in the Sault!" clearly only refers to Underground Events SSM bookings, as The Sheepdogs played here in April, among other bands from there in the past. Promoter Mikhal Muto's ska punk/"crackrocksteady" band A.S.D.P. are slotted ahead of Eden Plague in the band order here, and may be the last band if you believe the poster.

While not a hardcore punk act, it's only natural that Adam Smith Death Parade get in on this one! A 7:00 PM start time is advertised on the Facebook event page for this all ages concert, and tickets cost $10 in advance (I presume at the venue and through the local openers, as I haven't seen an online ticket sale page). The door charge will jump to $15, and given that this too is on a work/school night, Mikhal pledged that the show will end early due to that. Add another intriguing concert to the pile for your summer plans, just don't krash when driving to Blaster! Visit the above links for more details on both upcoming Eden Plague shows!

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 show name:

 

• While not yet confirmed by name within the band's slim social media presence, it looks like former One Shot guitarist Tucker Lidstone has joined the aforementioned A.S.D.P., making them a quartet. Tucker had previously performed at common folk punk-leaning events with frontman Mikhal Muto, and has been pictured in recent photos with the band, including at the Write-Ups show at The Speak Easy in May (source here). No word on if he is the guest guitarist "Keagles" from their debut album "Atom Bombs & Lemonade", but hopefully Tucker is a solid addition to their live roster! 
• Remember when a mystery act named "Benny's Acoustic Thing" was booked to open the Saturday bill at The Northern Vibe Festival last year? Well, that was supposed to be Ben "Boom" Poitras, the singer/bassist for the aforementioned Hellrager, but he and the band both dropped out of last year's festival after the heavy rainstorm severely damaged the Forest Stage overnight. It would have been interesting to hear how his acoustic thing sounded, but alas, blame Mother Nature! Thanks to former Forest Stage curator J.D. Pearce for confirming who Benny was.
• This is old news now, but it looks like the Sunday Night Vinyl Series ended on 104.3 The Fox and their sister Rogers Radio rock stations at the end of 2025, as did the conceit of on-air theme weeks (which always tied in with that week's album of choice). The 8:00 PM series featured Howard Mandshein from 92.1 CITI in Winnipeg spinning a classic rock album from front to back while discussing its backstory and legacy. While inconsistent depending on musical preferences, the Sunday Night Vinyl Series was an informative listen during The Fox's first year! I would have liked to seen newer bands/albums selected though, as well as more Canadian content.

 

That's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and updates on the SMS soon! Thanks everyone!