Last Month's Poll Results & Our Final Poll On Your Favourite Concerts Of 2018!!

It's now time to wrap up last month's poll and launch our final "favourite _____ of 2018" poll for another year! As you may recall, we posed this question to you guys last month: What was your favourite local metal, hard rock, or punk concert in the second half of 2018? Sadly, we only got 10 votes, but that is surprisingly over double our total from it's matching poll from the first half of last year, so thanks to everyone for getting that much higher numbers! Now, here are the final results!

Rivers of Nihil & Alterbeast at The Rockstar Bar on July 6th (4 votes, 40%)
Oh!No II at Robbie's Church in Leeburn on September 8th (3 votes, 30%)
The Gabba Heys at LopLops Lounge on September 22nd (2 votes, 20%)
The Din & A Dire Setback at LopLops Lounge on July 21st (1 vote, 10%)
Treble Charger at Rotaryfest Stage 1 on July 20th (0 votes)
Id Iota & Great Chamberlain at LopLops Lounge on July 20th (0 votes)
The Costanzas & Stegadeth at The Rockstar Bar on August 4th (0 votes)
Ten Foot Pole at The Rockstar Bar on October 25th (0 votes)
Halloween Party #1 at The Rockstar Bar on October 27th (0 votes)
Halloween Party #2 at The Rockstar Bar on October 28th (0 votes)
Shit Liver at The New American Pub on November 22nd (0 votes)
Parabol & The Elements at The Rockstar Bar on December 14th (0 votes)
The Cover-Up at LopLops Lounge on December 21st (0 votes)
Northwest & K.I.C.K. at LopLops Lounge on December 22nd (0 votes)
Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide at LopLops on December 28th (0 votes)
Other (0 votes)

What do you guys think? Well, for the non-voted shows (almost all in the last quartet of 2018), I am most surprised that the Treble Charger-headlined Rotaryfest lineup didn't get any attention, same for Shit Liver's New A show in November, but it's all in who votes! At least "Other" didn't get any votes. The Din's high profile reunion show last July got a vote, which is great to see and helps validate their talent and recognition locally, while the Gabba Heys concert made the podium with two votes, which is mildly surprising, but it's always an event when Mikey comes home to front one of his bands! The second annual Oh!No festival got a good vote total as expected, finishing in second place, and after that huge lineup and fan-friendly camaraderie, how could it not? However, the winner of the half-year poll was the Rivers of Nihil-headlined concert in July at The Rockstar Bar, which speaks to how brutal and entertaining that death metal blast was just after our 11th anniversary, and here's hoping more big shows are in the works from Live705! Maybe Rivers of Nihil will return down the line?

Thanks to everyone for voting, but now we enter our final year-end poll from last year by posing this question to you guys: What was your favourite local metal, hard rock, or punk concert of 2018? As always, we combine the vote getters from last July's poll on the first half of 2018 with those that recieved votes in the second-half poll above, in order to determine a winner for the whole year. If a show you would prefer to vote for isn't listed below, you should have voted in the prior polls! That said, "Other" is an option as usual. Now, here are your final choices from all of 2018!

Bands: Big Wreck & Attica Riots
Venue: The Machine Shop
Date: February 13th
Info: Over 16 years after last rocking Sault Ste. Marie, Juno Award-winning Toronto/Boston hard rock band Big Wreck returned for a well attended and received headlining show at The Machine Shop last February, with Winnipeg alt-rockers Attica Riots along for the ride! The Ian Thornley-led group brought fans back to the 1990s by playing their entire "In Loving Memory Of..." album on this winter night, and fan response was very positive, but can you vouch for this concert?

Bands: Archelon, Jack Spades, Doors & Fours, and Re:Born
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: March 10th
Info: The first promoted concert of the year from J.D. Pearce saw Sudbury metal quartet Archelon  play their first local set in over 3 years, alongside Hamilton grunge/punk trio Doors & Fours, and the 2018 debuts of local punk/metal favourites Jack Spades and Project 421-successors Re:Born, who impressed early fans with their power rock covers and originals. Despite medium attendance, fans at The Rockstar Bar responded well to this four pack, but would you pick it in this poll?

Bands: I Mother Earth, Finger Eleven, and J.J. Thompson
Venue: The Machine Shop
Date: April 18th
Info: Just when you thought the Big Wreck concert was a big deal, The Machine Shop played host to I Mother Earth and Finger Eleven on April 18th for a massive night of hits from these Juno-winning hard rock standouts! Alongside their own sets, fans were also treated to two joint sets from the headliners, including a V.I.P. acoustic pre-show and a plugged-in encore, ensuring that fans got their money's worth from this major package! Would you vote for this concert?

Bands: Rivers of Nihil, Alterbeast, Inferi, and Pillory
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: July 6th
Info: One of the heaviest shows of last year saw a trifecta of American death metal bands make their way to The Rockstar Bar in July, with Reading, Pennsylvania's own Rivers of Nihil inciting a huge circle pit for their brutal original headlining attack! Alterbeast and Inferi were more than up to the challenge as openers, while local death/thrash metal trio Pillory impressed in their only public show in the past 18 months. Was this extreme metal blast your preferred choice?

Bands: Treble Charger, Mustang Heart, Turner Up, Road Fever, and Tripod The Dog
Venue: Clergue Park (Rotaryfest Stage 1)
Date: July 20th
Info: As part of their "Rotaryfest Rewind" theme of band reunions at the covers-centric main stage last year, our local summer festival loaded up the schedule each night, with a very SMS-friendly Friday lineup to boot! Featuring prominent indie/punk quartet Treble Charger, a one-off Turner Up reunion, and the return of Tripod the Dog alongside festival regulars Mustang Heart and a reunited Road Fever, fans ate up this day's roster, but would you vote for it in this month's poll?

Bands: The Din & A Dire Setback
Venue: LopLops Lounge
Date: July 21st
Info: The second post-Rotaryfest show from LopLops last year saw a surprise reunion set from defunct alt-hard rock trio The Din, marking their first local concert appearance since their "Suburban Sendoff" at the same venue last fall! Also featuring their friends in pop punk trio A Dire Setback fresh off of their own Stage 2 set, this "Dinunion" reminded LopLops patrons how big of an attraction The Din were in their heyday, but was it your favourite 2019 show featured here?

Bands: Garbageface, Cross Dog, The Therapists, The Franquilizers, Lightmares, Beaver Slap, Fat Cop, Forest City Aurora, Planet Rock, Pointless, The Dynowaves, Jack Spades, Mik & Steve, Winkstinger, A Dire Setback, The Elements, Jackson Reed, and Shae Tull
Venue: Robbie Adamson's Church in Leeburn
Date: September 8th
Info: Local promoters Six, Two, Oh. brought back their Oh!No concert festival to the familiar church locale in nearby Leeburn on September 8th, and delivered with an even bigger day of music than in 2017! Featuring the long awaited local return of Mark Rand's Cross Dog, the Soo debut of The Therapists, fan favourite returnees from Oh!No I, Beaver Slap karaoke, and even a piano bonfire, would you vote for this fast-rising festival?

Bands: The Gabba Heys, The Cover-Up, and Amy Gabba
Venue: LopLops Lounge
Date: September 22nd
Info: After an almost 2 year hiatus from fronting bands locally, veteran local punk musician Mikey Hawdon returned home in September with his new Ramones tribute band The Gabba Heys (not the same band as the former Merves), with his AMY/DC bandmate Amy Zucchetto breaking out a Joan Jett tribute set for good measure! Also featuring the online page-less Cover-Up for a set of their own punk classics, was this punk rock lineup your preferred show out of all others in the poll? 

Other: Did we miss a preferred concert that you saw locally last year? For reference, metal, hard rock, or punk artists like All The Wasted Years, The Bananas Guerrillas, The Bear Hunters, Carried Away, Chase Wigmore, Coral Fang, The Costanzas, Crucify the Whore, Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide, Electric Church, The Elements, The Faps, Fluid 5ive, Frightlight, Handsome Sandwich, Id Iota, James Watterworth, Northwest, Parabol, Poison Girl, Redundant, Shit Liver, Soundcheck, Stegadeth, The Steves, The Suicide Kings, Ten Foot Pole, That's Chester, The Therapists, The 3 Day Millionaires, The Truth Of All Death, Tym Morrison, Who Made Who, Whoop-Szo, and The Wyld Stallyns all played live last year, not to mention shows from Sault Michigan-area acts, and un-listed concerts featuring bands already in the poll. If, for whatever reason, the show you want to vote for isn't here, vote for "Other"!

VOTE TODAY!! You have until June 18th to cast your votes, and hopefully we get a decent turnout to wrap up another year of polls with, as a lot of good shows happened in the area last year! That's all for today, but stay tuned for a new news post tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

A New And Inactive Band Each In Sault Michigan, Plus Last Month's Poll Results!!

Let's get a new post on the site on this Tuesday morning, which is half devoted to the final results from our most recent poll, and to lead off, some big news on a new and old band project each in the E.U.P.!

415E guitarist Chris Hubbard has launched his own eponymous solo project, entitled Hubbard! This talented Sault Michigan guitarist will be familiar to many fans dating back to his mid-late 2000s work with Nixxon Dixxon, and with 415E still officially on hiatus, this appears to be Chris' current musical pursuit. Posts are minimal as of yet on Hubbard's Facebook page, but Chris indicated on Sunday that it was "song writing time", and a later post teased that he will have pictures and videos to share "as I record my solo album." This picture is currently the project's Facebook profile photo, and if this is the album's planned cover artwork, than the album is named "415E" like his dormant band (both coming from the police radio code for a disturbance from loud music or a party.) There are no musical hints yet as to how Hubbard will sound, but it is no secret that Eddie Van Halen has been a major influence on his guitar playing and past songwriting, not to mention live covers.

This is all sudden news, but also very welcomed, as Chris is an excellent guitarist, and it'll be interesting to see how his solo project shapes up in studio and possibly beyond! Remember that 415E (as The Hubbard-Menard Band) had teased recording sessions for a debut album in 2012, so might some of those tracks return in this new project? Stay tuned at the above links for more details, and Hubbard is now in our active band links!

While we're on the subject, we'll now move Chris' aforementioned local hard rock band 415E to our inactive Sault Michigan band links. Aside from this month's post regarding the new Hubbard project, 415E has not posted on their Facebook page since June 24th of last year when they advertised Chris and his dad (drummer Tony Hubbard) playing an open mic set in Rudyard. In any event, the band proper last played live at the St. Ignace Kewadin earlier that same month, which were teased as their last St. Ignace concerts "for a while." Active from 2012-2017, 415E evolved from a two man studio project into a full live band in 2013, debuting live at the Sebastian Bach concert at The Dreammaker's Theater that January. A frequent attraction at Kewadin Casino branches in the mid-2010s, 415E often had a cryptic online presence, with few photos of the band shared on their Facebook page, and even fewer videos circulating, but that may have been intentional to encourage fans to attend their shows.

While arguably not hitting Nixxon Dixxon's preceding heights, 415E was a popular sight at The Rapids and Northern Pines Lounges for over 4 years, even during their brief period of playing two man concerts, and I hope this isn't the last that we've seen of 415E on a local stage! Best of luck to Dave, Chris, Mitch, Tony, and other former members in the future, and don't miss Tony's reunion with his old classic rock band Stonewall Creation at Three One Three on Ashmun next month!

We'll close today's posts with the final results of last month's poll, where we posed this question to you guys: What was your favourite local metal, hard rock, or punk concert of 2017? A whopping 6 votes came in last month, which isn't great, but thanks to those of you who did vote! Here are the final results on Sault Ontario shows last year:

The Din & Bizotic at LopLops Lounge on October 21st (3 votes, 50%)
Diamond Head at The Rockstar Bar on September 2nd (2 votes, 33%)
Garbageface & Vaultry at The Canadian Nightclub on July 7th (1 vote, 17%)
Gianni Gagoots at LopLops Lounge on February 18th (0 votes)
Rock For Autism at The Canadian Nightclub on May 6th (0 votes)
Northwest & Greg Callaghan at LopLops Lounge on May 27th (0 votes)
CKY & The Wild at The Canadian Nightclub on June 8th (0 votes)
Go Skateboarding Day at Queen Elizabeth Park on June 21st (0 votes)
Mike Mikus & Id Iota at LopLops Lounge on July 15th (0 votes)
Oh!No 2017 Music Festival in Leeburn on September 9th (0 votes)
AlgomA & Shit Liver at The New American Pub on October 2nd (0 votes)
Taryn Bugyra benefit at The Rockstar Bar on October 14th (0 votes)
Other (0 votes)

After losing the late 2017 poll to Diamond Head, The Din's farewell(?) concert came from behind to win the year end poll, which is a sign that their loyal fans are still giving in to The Din, even after their dissolution! Both were high profile concerts last fall, and it's nice to see that July's Live705 event with Garbageface and Vaultry didn't fall in vote count! Unfortunately, every option from the first half of 2017 failed to receive a single vote, even the CKY concert which won our early 2017 poll, but perhaps recency mattered this year to see the earlier shows get snubbed. It's all in who votes! All of these concerts received a vote at some stage of the year for our biennial polls, and hopefully the involved bands continue to entertain local audiences this year, but congratulations to The Din and Bizotic on their victory to end 2017's concert calendar with! That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews on Thursday, and for our poll on your favourite shows from the  first half of 2018 next month! Thanks everyone!

Last Month's Poll And Your Final Poll On Your Favourite 2017 Concerts!!

It's the 18th again, so let's shut down last month's poll and launch our new one to round out our "favourite _____ of 2017" polls for another year! As you may remember, we posed this question to you guys last month: What was your favourite local metal, hard rock, or punk concert in the second half of 2017? Only 9 votes came in this past month, which is actually an improvement on our first half of 2017 poll, so there's that, and thanks to everyone who voted!

Diamond Head at The Rockstar Bar on September 2nd (3 votes, 34%)
The Din & Bizotic at LopLops Lounge on October 21st (1 vote, 11%)
Taryn Bugyra benefit at The Rockstar Bar on October 14th (1 vote, 11%)
AlgomA & Shit Liver at The New American Pub on October 2nd (1 vote, 11%)
Oh!No 2017 Music Festival in Leeburn on September 9th (1 vote, 11%)
Mike Mikus & Id Iota at LopLops Lounge on July 15th (1 vote, 11%)
Vaultry & Garbageface at The Canadian Nightclub on July 7th (1 vote, 11%)
Darsombra & Pillory at The New American Pub on July 17th (0 votes)
Project 421 & The Din at The Canadian Nightclub on July 22nd (0 votes)
Treble Charger & A Dire Setback at LopLops Lounge on July 27th (0 votes)
Dany Laj & The Looks at The Canadian on August 10th (0 votes)
The Din at the Fringe North Theatre Festival on August 12th (0 votes)
Project 421 at The Canadian Nightclub on September 8th (0 votes)
Dokken & Firehouse at The Essar Centre on September 30th (0 votes)
The Ripcordz at The Algonquin Pub on October 7th (0 votes)
K-Man & The 45s at LopLops Lounge on October 10th (0 votes)
Halloween Party night #1 at The Rockstar Bar on October 27th (0 votes)
Halloween Party night #2 at The Algonquin Pub on October 28th (0 votes)
Dany Laj & The Looks at The Rockstar Bar on November 18th (0 votes)
Guy Thiffault tribute at The Canadian on December 27th (0 votes)
Other (0 votes)

What do you guys think? In ascending order, you'll notice that all but 7 choices received 0 votes, of which the Treble Charger, Dokken, and Ripcordz shows surprise me the most, given their scope. Alas, it's all in who votes! Six shows tied with a single vote each, which can be hard to accept as a "second place" finish given the turnout, but someone liked each of these shows the best, which is important! All six were big in scale or importance in their own way, from a large-scale festival to a farewell concert and everything in between, and they'll all be back for this month's poll! However, the clear winner of this poll with a third of the overall turnout is the Diamond Head concert at The Rockstar Bar in September, and for all the NWOBHM fans that came out in full force for this concert, I can easily see a pocket of attendees voting this show as the poll winner! There's one more poll ahead, but for the second half of 2018, Diamond Head's local debut is your victor, and thanks to everyone who voted!

As you may expect, we're now bringing the voted shows from last July's poll on your favourite concerts of 2018 together with the aforementioned 7 shows for one final poll on this topic, so here's the question we're posing this month: What was your favourite local metal, hard rock, or punk concert of 2017? Remember, to make the poll, this show must have received a vote in one of our half year polls, so if something's missing, that's why, and if you must vote for it, "Other" will return as an option. Now, here are your final choices as we close the book on 2017 and find out what show was your favourite in all of last year!

Bands: Gianni Gagoots, Bizotic, and Handsome Sandwich
Venue: LopLops Lounge
Date: February 18th, 2017
Info: What started as the first headlining showcase for creative instrumental jam/hard rock project Gianni Gagoots soon evolved into a special showcase for them and two new local bands, including the second live set from alt-hard rock quartet Bizotic and the debut live appearance from punk/alt/no genre trio Handsome Sandwich. With three extremely original bands on hand, including the headlining sauce masters, it's easy to see why it was well received, but would you concur?

Bands: Bone Yard, Justin Langlois, and The 3 Day Millionaires
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: May 6th, 2017
Info: A fundraiser concert to help kick off last year's Algoma Ride for Autism and help buy sensory equipment for the Algoma Autism Foundation's Sensory Lending Library, May 6th's Rock For Autism was a well attended and received event for a great cause, with country veterans Bone Yard and classic/hard rock cover quartet The 3 Day Millionaires sandwiching a solo set by Redundant frontman Justin Langlois. Kudos to everyone for their support, but was this your #1 choice?

Bands: Northwest & Greg Callaghan
Venue: LopLops Lounge
Date: May 27th, 2017
Info: After a 9 month hiatus from the local stage, indie/punk quintet Northwest re-emerged from the studio with a headlining set at LopLops two months ago, reintroducing themselves to fans with their up-tempo originals that punk and indie rock fans can each appreciate! Opened in a solo set by guitarist Greg Callaghan's solo project, this concert received a solid reception, and surely gave fans a preview of their upcoming second EP, but can you vouch for it in this poll?

Bands: CKY, The Wild, Jack Spades, and A Dire Setback
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: June 8th, 2017
Info: Despite the late drop-out by the reunited As It Stands, fans flocked to The Canadian on June 8th for this highly anticipated concert, with Pennsylvania alt-metal trio CKY hitting the Soo for the first time with a set full of classic and new originals alike! Joined by Victoria, B.C. hard rock standouts The Wild, the new-look Jack Spades' first show since late 2016, and a rousing opener from A Dire Setback, this concert won many fans over, but after winning our early 2017 poll, would you vote for now?

Bands: The Din, A Dire Setback, and Electric Church
Venue: Queen Elizabeth Park
Date: June 21st, 2017
Info: A free and all ages concert returned for a third straight year for Tidal Records' annual Go Skateboarding Day event at the John Rhodes Center's skatepark, with The Din returning from 2016 for another vibrant set of original hard rock action, as joined by recent live favourites A Dire Setback and Electric Church in rare outdoor appearances. All three bands rocked the top of the ramp while local skaters demonstrated their skills, but was this concert your favourite of last year?

Bands: Rick E & Kodex, A Dire Setback, Garbageface, Vaultry, Bizotic, Coach Bombay, Handsome Sandwich, and Mikey Thomas
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: July 7th, 2017
Info: Arguably Live705's biggest concert of last summer in scope, this July concert united the worlds of punk and rap into a well received clash of styles at The Canadian, including three out of town acts, fan favourite Peterborough rapper Garbageface among them. Despite mid-show lineup placements for the touring performers, this show was a success, but can you vouch for it?

Bands: Mike Mikus & Id Iota
Venue: LopLops Lounge
Date: July 15th, 2017
Info: Fresh off of both acts' Rotaryfest Stage 2 appearances that same afternoon, LopLops would play host to former Pixo Control frontman Mike Mikus' final concert as a solely local artist before moving to Montreal. Also featuring his bandmate Dustin Goodall's indie-hard rock quartet Id Iota, Mike got a great sendoff, and we even got a Pixo throwback, but was this your favourite 2017 show?

Bands: Diamond Head, Jack Spades, and Project 421 
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: September 2nd, 2017
Info: Fans of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal were undoubtedly excited when the legendary Diamond Head came to Sault Ste. Marie to help kick off the fall season with hits like "Am I Evil?" and "Helpless" in tow! Also featuring explosive heavy rock from Jack Spades and Project 421, this well received show was definitely a highlight, but after winning the late 2017 poll, does it win your vote now?

Bands: DJ Seith, Run Coyote, Beaver Slap, Lightmares, Artificial Dissemination, The Franquilizers, Vol., Jack Spades, Pointless, A Dire Setback, The Elements, Slumshine, Winkstinger, and
Handsome Sandwich
Venue: "Robbie's Church" in Leeburn
Date: September 9th, 2017
Info: Finally realizing their goal for a large-scale concert festival, local promoters Six, Two, Oh. hosted the Oh!No 2017 Music Festival last September to a very positive response, attracting dozens of concertgoers for the wide array of local and out of town bands, and the camping and hangouts surrounding it! With this year's now announced, was Oh!No I your pick?

Bands: AlgomA, Shit Liver, Winkstinger, and The Bear Hunters
Venue: The New American Pub 
Date: October 2nd, 2017
Info: Death metal fans flocked to The New A in October for local/St. Catharine's favourites Shit Liver's tour finale in support of their and fellow locals AlgomA's split covers cassette tape "Trading Faces", with both bands unloading lots of brutal renditions for the occasion! Notably featuring AlgomA's only tour stop after prior medical concerns, did this concert win your vote in this poll?

Bands: Lucky 13, The 3 Day Millionaires, Cherry Crush, and The Soo Fighters
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: October 14th, 2017
Info: Four local bands joined forces last October to help raise funds for the family of Cherry Crush frontwoman Taryn Bugyra, due to medical expenses related to her battle with kidney cancer. A big crowd came out to support her and bear witness to a one-off Lucky 13 reunion and the debut of the Soo's own Foo Fighters tribute band, but were you among them to pick this show?

Bands: The Din & Bizotic
Venue: LopLops Lounge
Date: October 21st, 2017
Info: After a successful local run together, alt-hard rock trio The Din announced their dissolution last fall following their "Suburban Sendoff" concert, where they ended their run with a bang via releasing their final studio album "Suburban Dream". Fans packed LopLops to see Mike Haggith off before his move to Manitoba, and the show & CD received rave reviews, but would you have agreed?

Other: Did we miss a show that you'd prefer to vote for in 2017, perhaps one with few or no metal, hard rock, or punk bands, or one in Sault Michigan? For reference, acts like Adam's Mind, The Alien Boys, Anavrin, The Apocalyspe Afterparty, The Bananas Guerillas, The Band Camp Rejects, Bankshot, Curtis McKenzie, Darsombra, Destroyer, Dokken, Dri Hiev, Eclipse, The Faps, Firehouse, Flying Fortress, Gnaeus, The Gutter Demons, The HTs, If I Look Strong, You Look Strong, Incredible Woman, K-Man & The 45s, Love 'N Revenge, Mike McCleary, Mourning Wood, Nebraska Arms, The Noochin' Lanterns, The Old Wives, Pillory, Pseudo, The Raygun Cowboys, Return For Refund, The Ripcordz, River Jacks, Rob Speers & Jesse Cook, Ruptured Birth, Skeyes of Seven, Soundcheck, Special Ops, Stegadeth, Stiffler's Mom, Talk Shit, The Tea Party, Telephone & Address, Thekillingfield, Them, Treble Charger, Twistory, Tym Morrison, Who Made Who, Worst Days Down, and Zaum all played shows this year not otherwise included in the poll, not to mention shows only featuring bands who played in shows listed in the poll. If, for whatever reason, we missed your preferred choice, "Other" is for you! 

VOTE TODAY!! You guys have until June 18th to cast your votes, and it'll be interesting to see who the ultimate winner is before we shut the polls down for a month! This is it, so vote A.S.A.P., and stay tuned for more news in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

Last Month's Poll Results & Our Newest Poll!

After a slight delay into the evening, here is the final results for last month's poll on the SMS and the launch of our new poll! First, recall that we posed this question to you guys last month: What was the biggest local metal, hard rock, or punk news story of 2017? We received 16 votes, which is better than recently usual for our polls, so thanks to everyone who voted, and without any further adieu, here are the final results!

The Din dissolves following final CD release concert (4 votes, 25%)
Oh!No Music Festival debuts in Leeburn in September (4 votes, 25%)
Diamond Head perform at The Rockstar Bar in September (2 votes, 12.5%)
Theory of a Deadman end year with Kewadin show (1 vote, 6.25%)
Skeyes of Seven return after 2 year stage hiatus (1 vote, 6.25%)
Treble Charger return for LopLops headlining concert (1 vote, 6.25%)
The Quiet Riot & Rock the Border Fest cancellations (1 vote, 6.25%)
Alter Bridge and In Flames hit Sault Michigan in May (1 vote, 6.25%)
HMV closes and is replaced by Sunrise Records (1 vote, 6.25%)
AlgomA release splits with Shit Liver & Hooded Menace (0 votes)
Bankshot reunite for Guy Thiffault Memorial Concert (0 votes)
Bret Michaels rocks Kewadin Casino once again (0 votes)
CKY and The Wild rock The Canadian Nightclub in June (0 votes)
Dokken & Firehouse play at The Essar Centre (0 votes)
Gnaeus suddenly disbands in March (0 votes)
Grooves Music reopens as Crooked Music (0 votes)
Handsome Sandwich debuts (0 votes)
Jack Spades return with lineup overhauls (0 votes)
Lita Ford & Great White's outdoor concert in St. Ignace (0 votes)
NLFB Meltdown battle takes place at LopLops Lounge (0 votes)
Pop Evil returns to The Dreammakers Theater (0 votes)
Project 421 breaks up in October (0 votes)
The Tea Party headline free ONTour concert in July (0 votes)
Theatre of Night launch their Christmas tour in December (0 votes)
Vol. debuts (0 votes)
Other (0 votes)

What do you guys think? Well, while I'm happy to see more of a vote spread this month, it is a shame to see 16 options (besides "Other") not receive any selections from readers. I'm most surprised by the lack of love for the CKY concert, most Kewadin Casino events, and the breakups of Gnaeus & Project 421, but as always, it's all in who votes! I can't take too many qualms with the six options to get a single vote, all reflecting concerts in one way or another, but I am definitely most surprised by Skeyes of Seven's return show getting a pick. The guys haven't been heard from since, but hopefully they have something up their sleeves for 2018! The highly anticipated Diamond Head concert last fall came in third place, an expectedly good finish for the NWOBHM legends! In terms of the winners, we had another tie result between the debuting Oh!No Music Festival in Leeburn in September, and The Din's farewell/CD release concert in October. Both are very deserving shows with lots of positive buzz from the autumn months!

As our tiebreaker in such cases is recency (as a newer news item will have had less time to garner the same responses and recognition), I am deeming The Din's suburban sendoff as the "winner" of this poll, and hopefully they continue to garner posthumous attention from fans new and old in 2018! Thanks to everyone for voting!

As for this month's poll, we're posing this question to you guys: What was your favourite local metal, hard rock, or punk concert in the second half of 2017? As you may have surmised from past years on the site, we're winding down our "favourite _____" polls by looking at last year's concerts again, and with the first half of 2017 covered in July, we're due to tackle concerts that took place between July 1st and December 31st! Of course, to make this poll, shows must have had at least 50% of their lineup comprised of metal, hard rock, or punk bands, which omits such notable events as the Tea Party concert, Mike Mikus & K.I.C.K.'s CD release shows, Toystock, Rotaryfest, and The Northern Vibe Festival, among others (but "Other" is a choice as usual!) This month's voted shows will join those from our early 2017 in next month's total year poll, and I hope I picked 20 shows covering a little of everything notable in 2018 from our guidelines, so here's some info on your final choices (and "Other")!

Bands: Rick E & Kodex, A Dire Setback, Garbageface, Vaultry, Bizotic, Coach Bombay, Handsome Sandwich, and Mikey Thomas
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: July 7th
Info: Arguably Live705's biggest concert of last summer in scope, this July concert united the worlds of punk and rap into a well received clash of styles at The Canadian, including three out of town acts, fan favourite Peterborough rapper Garbageface among them. Despite mid-show lineup placements for the touring performers, this show was a success, but can you vouch for it?

Bands: Mike Mikus & Id Iota
Venue: LopLops Lounge
Date: July 15th
Info: Fresh off of both acts' Rotaryfest Stage 2 appearances that same afternoon, LopLops would play host to former Pixo Control frontman Mike Mikus' final concert as a solely local artist before moving to Montreal. Also featuring his bandmate Dustin Goodall's indie-hard rock quartet Id Iota, Mike got a great sendoff, and we even got a Pixo throwback, but was this your favourite late-2017 show?

Bands: Darsombra, Pillory, and Pointless
Venue: The New American Pub
Date: July 17th
Info: One of the most unique concerts of 2017 saw Baltimore, Maryland "trans-apocalyptic galaxy rock duo" Darsombra travel to Sault Ste. Marie for an audiovisual experience that had to be seen to be believed, making a number of new fans in the process! Also featuring drone rock trio Pointless and one of death metal trio Pillory's last shows to date, would this one earn your vote over all of the others?

Bands: Project 421, The Din, The Peach Thieves, Electric Church, The Elements, and A Dire Setback
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: July 22nd
Info: After a 9 month hiatus, classic metal quartet Project 421 made their triumphant return to the stage last July to help kick off their own final stretch of shows together. A stacked lineup hit The Canadian on this evening, including a rare appearance by jazz rock trio The Peach Thieves, but was this metal and punk array from Live705 top of the line for you here?

Bands: Treble Charger & A Dire Setback
Venue: LopLops Lounge
Date: July 27th
Info: Despite an oddly minimal amount of promotion for this concert at first, LopLops was sold out on July 27th for local/Toronto indie/punk quartet Treble Charger's first local concert appearance in well over two years. It was great to have Greig and Bill back in a more intimate setting, and A Dire Setback got a huge rub as openers, but was this show your favourite of these options?

Bands: Dany Laj & The Looks, A Dire Setback, The Din, and K.I.C.K.
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: August 10th
Info: Already no stranger to Sault Ste. Marie from their headlining shows in the 2015-16 winter season, Montreal power pop quartet Dany Laj & The Looks played their first of two Soo shows last year at The Canadian in August, headlining one of Live705's final shows of the year. Also featuring an array of punk and alternative openers, was this your favourite late-2017 concert?

Bands: The Din & Bold Noize
Venue: The Roberta Bondar Pavilion
Date: August 12th
Info: We may not have gotten the Rock the Border Fest at this venue, but The Din still got to play The Roberta Bondar Pavilion last summer when they headlined a special show during The Fringe North International Theatre Festival, marking the one year anniversary of their "Give In To The Din" CD release. Also featuring a rap set by Bold Noize, was this concert your pick?

Bands: Diamond Head, Jack Spades, and Project 421
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: September 2nd
Info: Fans of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal were undoubtedly excited when the legendary Diamond Head came to Sault Ste. Marie to help kick off the fall season with hits like "Am I Evil?" and "Helpless" in tow! Also featuring explosive heavy rock from Jack Spades and Project 421, this well received show was definitely a highlight, but does it win your vote?

Bands: Project 421, A Dire Setback, and Skeyes of Seven
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: September 8th
Info: Though no one knew it at the time, Project 421 played the final concert of their four year run on this September night last year, but fans sure didn't know it from their hard and heavy array of covers and originals! Also featuring punk rock action from A Dire Setback and the first show in over two years from Skeyes of Seven, did you love this concert more than any other choice in this poll late last year?

Bands: DJ Seith, Run Coyote, Beaver Slap, Lightmares, Artificial Dissemination, The Franquilizers, Vol., Jack Spades, Pointless, A Dire Setback, The Elements, Slumshine, Winkstinger, and
Handsome Sandwich
Venue: "Robbie's Church" in Leeburn
Date: September 9th
Info: Finally realizing their goal for a large-scale concert festival, local promoters Six, Two, Oh. hosted the Oh!No 2017 Music Festival last September to a very positive response, attracting dozens of concertgoers for the wide array of local and out of town bands, and the camping and hangouts surrounding it! With this year's now announced, was Oh!No I your pick?

Bands: Dokken, Firehouse, and Love 'n Revenge
Venue: The Essar Centre
Date: September 30th
Info: A rare cross-border promotional event saw Sault Michigan's Superior Entertainment bring a quality hair metal package to The Essar Centre last fall, with past Kewadin Casino attractions Dokken and Firehouse joining forces to bring their classic hits to the Canadian side of the border! Despite mixed attendance levels, did this whet your Hair Scare appetite?

Bands: AlgomA, Shit Liver, Winkstinger, and The Bear Hunters
Venue: The New American Pub
Date: October 2nd
Info: Death metal fans flocked to The New A in October for local/St. Catharine's favourites Shit Liver's tour finale in support of their and fellow locals AlgomA's split covers cassette tape "Trading Faces", with both bands unloading lots of brutal renditions for the occasion! Notably featuring AlgomA's only tour stop after prior medical concerns, did this concert win your vote in this poll?

Bands: The Ripcordz, Jack Spades, and Stegadeth
Venue: The Algonquin Pub
Date: October 7th
Info: Continuing a late-year tradition dating back to 2013, Montreal hardcore punk legends The Ripcordz brought their explosive and heavily tested stage show back to Sault Ste. Marie in October , with familiar linked local punk outfits Jack Spades and Stegadeth providing a fitting compliment themselves. The Ripcordz are always a big attraction, but do you concur?

Bands: K-Man & The 45s, The Faps, and Bizotic
Venue: LopLops Lounge
Date: October 10th
Info: Maintaining a similarly regular schedule of fall concerts here since 2013, Montreal ska-punk veterans K-Man & The 45s came back to the Soo last fall for their second local show of the year, with Saskatoon noise-punk duo also along for the ride in their own local return! Also featuring Bizotic's creative live attack, would you vote for this show over the others?

Bands: Lucky 13, The 3 Day Millionaires, Cherry Crush, and The Soo Fighters
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: October 14th
Info: Four local bands joined forces last October to help raise funds for the family of Cherry Crush frontwoman Taryn Bugyra, due to medical expenses related to her battle with kidney cancer. A big crowd came out to support her and bear witness to a one-off Lucky 13 reunion and the debut of the Soo's own Foo Fighters tribute band, but were you among them to pick this show?

Bands: The Din & Bizotic
Venue: LopLops Lounge
Date: October 21st
Info: After a successful local run together, alt-hard rock trio The Din announced their dissolution last fall following their "Suburban Sendoff" concert, where they ended their run with a bang via releasing their final studio album "Suburban Dream". Fans packed LopLops to see Mike Haggith off before his move to Manitoba, and the show & CD received rave reviews, but would you have agreed?

Bands: The Bear Hunters (as Mount Doom), Jack Spades (as Spinal Remains), and The Soo Fighters
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: October 27th
Info: J.D. Pearce's annual Halloween Party concert grew so big in 2017 a single night and venue couldn't contain it, with night #1 at The Rockstar Bar seeing local tributes to Amon Amarth, The Misfits, and The Foo Fighters for costumed brethren. Despite the late drop-out of planned headliners Decatur, fans responded positively to this one, but can you vouch for it in the poll?

Bands: Eclipse (as SSM of a Down), The HTs (as You First & The Passive Aggressives), The Bananas Guerrillas (as Enema of the State), and Anavrin
Venue: The Algonquin Pub
Date: October 28th
Info: The second half of the aforementioned Halloween Party moved downstairs to The Algonquin Pub, where System of a Down, Me First & The Gimme Gimmes, Blink-182, and Nirvana tributes gathered to rock a new audience! Notably including Eclipse's last concert set, the one-off Anavrin's only show, and two band debuts, did you like night #2 the most last year?

Bands: Dany Laj & The Looks, Bizotic, Handsome Sandwich, and Slumshine
Venue: The Rockstar Bar
Date: November 18th
Info: Making their second local concert appearance in just over three months, Dany Laj & The Looks brought their upbeat power pop originals to The Rockstar Bar in November, giving existing and new fans another entertaining night of music, alongside some harder-tinged openers! Notable as the last local concert co-promoted by Larry Babic before moving, does this one win your vote?

Bands: The HTs, Bankshot, Nebraska Arms, Christian Pasiak, Jack Spades, A Dire Setback, Stegadeth, and Talk Shit
Venue: The Canadian Nightclub
Date: December 27th
Info: A second annual memorial concert for late Hangdowns frontman Guy Thiffault was held at The Canadian after Christmas, with a stacked lineup of punk bands and notables gathering for the occasion! Despite a drumkit mishap, band reunions and debuting new lineups led to a highly anticipated reunion by late 1990s punk favourites Bankshot, but did this take late 2017?

Other: Did we miss a show you preferred in late 2017? For reference sake, metal, hard rock, and punk acts like Adam's Mind, The Alien Boys, The Apocalypse Afterparty, Curtis McKenzie, Destroyer, Dri Hiev, Flying Fortress, Gianni Gagoots, If I Look Strong, You Look Strong, Incredible Woman, Mike McCleary, The Noochin' Lanterns, Northwest, The Raygun Cowboys, Rob Speers & Jesse Cook, Soundcheck, Special Ops, Stiffler's Mom, The Tea Party, Telephone & Address, Them, Twistory, Tym Morrison, and Zaum also played public shows here between July and December, while shows featuring bands otherwise in the poll also occurred. Did you like one whose lineup wasn't 50% heavy, or perhaps preferred a private, non-local, or Sault Michigan event? If we forgot your own favourite show, "Other" is here for you!

VOTE TODAY!! You guys have until May 18th to cast your votes, when last month's and this month's choices will join forces for one final poll on your favourite shows in all of 2017, so cast your votes A.S.A.P.! That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews on the site tomorrow! Thanks everyone!