YouTube Channel Profile Series: gunghoguy & bummer2112

Here's this month's YouTube Channel Profiles for you guys to check out! As usual, this monthly feature series looks at 1-3 randomly selected YouTube channels (2 this month) whose content is at least half devoted to local metal, hard rock, and/or punk bands or concerts, in order to spotlight their uploads and encourage readers to check them our and/or subscribe to them! This month's random choices are our first double dip of 2018, due to the first only having 4 videos from 2 distinct events, so a single video channel was added to fill things out. Punk fans should find something to like here, so here's what you should know for this month's YouTube Channel Profiles!
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james whalen (http://www.youtube.com/channel/gunghoguy) 

Owner: Former Polly Pockets Melting In A Microwave drummer and Motion Carried bassist Jamie (or James) Whalen

Channel Timeline: Launched on January 1st, 2008; Videos posted from August 2010 through March 2015

Channel Summary: This personal use channel is mostly devoted to videos of Jamie's local punk band Polly Pockets Melting In The Microwave (a.k.a. PPMM, PPM², or Polly) playing live in the early 2000s, but his final upload there was of a Modern Minds song with no direct local ties.

Why You Should Watch: As a slice of the local punk scene from a decade and a half ago, this is well worth a watch, whether you're familiar with Polly or not, and it captures some young and energetic performances well for the era! However, note that Jamie has not visibly updated this channel in almost three years, nor has he included material from later bands of his.

Our Recommended Videos To Check Out

Polly Pocket's Meltin' In the Microwave - talk to me summer (screeching weasel cover): Two of Jamie's P.P.M.M. videos come from a 2001 concert at The Elks Hall opening for Operation Makeout, where they covered D.B.S.' "Sunday" (featuring Operation Makeout & D.B.S. singer Jesse Gander on guest vocals!), and as featured here, The Screeching Weasels' instrumental "Talk To Me Summer", the most viewed of the four Polly clips. Featuring Jamie alongside future Stripped Of His Wings singer Matt Parent, guitarist Steve Mogg, and bassist Ivan St. Jules, the video isn't an optimal look at the guys due to Matt's lack of vocals, the (intentionally?!) low framerate of the video and fans obscuring view of the band, but this is a solid rendition! Though less popular, the D.B.S. cover is better quality.



polly - look back and laugh (minor threat cover): James' other PPM² videos are from a show at an unclear venue on February 24th, 2002, where they covered Face to Face's "Blind" and, as featured here, Minor Threat's "Look Back & Laugh", both filmed by "Kerry & Fluff". These side-stage videos are by far the best look at Polly Pockets Melting In The Microwave on the channel, thanks to vocal presence, angle, and normal framerate, and they deliver nicely for fans of fast paced modern punk rock! Hopefully the guys will turn up in new bands when the time is right!


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Joe Bumbacco (http://www.youtube.com/bummer2112)

Owner: Former RedD Monkey, The Fury, and Devastation of the Heavens drummer Joe Bumbacco, most recent seen with the Toronto grind/sludge metal band Theriac

Channel Timeline: Launched on July 12th, 2006; Video posted on November 22nd, 2010

Channel Summary: Joe's only video comes from defunct local/Toronto/Kelowna classical/hardcore punk trio RedD Monkey's November 2010 concert at The Oddfellows Hall where they opened for Total Chaos, with attendee Darcie Piche filming this clip of their song "Monkey's Paw (5th Wish of the Swamp Donkey)", which was on their debut EP "Thought Control Tower" from earlier that year. The incomplete clip captures one of Joe's earlier live gigs with RedD Monkey, alongside singer/guitarist Steve Mozarowski and his brother Pete on the cello. Though the inconsistent and largely dark lighting doesn't help matters, this is a vibrant performance of one of RedD Monkey's earlier songs from their more experimental punk beginnings! Though Joe still uses this channel for personal use here and there, no videos followed, but other channels have far more from their run.


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I hope you guys liked this month's YouTube Channel Profiles! Next month in this series, our new random selection will be defunct all-female hard rock quartet The Danger Cats' YouTube channel, featuring 13 videos from their local heyday, so look for that on or around March 26th, and stay tuned for more news and notes in the coming days, including this month's CD review! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Project 421), Punk Rock Bingo Preview, And More!!

We're nearing a week since our last news post without an attached concert preview, so let's correct that with today's post, which features new archive video discoveries, the latest from a popular music webseries, and a preview of a non-concert event for you punk fans, but first, here's a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for next month!

Local classic metal quintet Project 421 will mark the second anniversary of their live debut with a headlining concert on Saturday, December 5th (or, next Saturday) at The Rockstar Bar! As announced yesterday via the official Facebook event page, this show should be a fun time for fans of Project 421's fan favourite covers and increasing originals, and while it's upstairs rather than at The Algonquin Pub downstairs (the site of their live debut), they should rock the house next weekend! Opening bands will include funk/hard rock quartet The Elements and the mysterious new band Eclipse (not spelled Eclypse like before), but what do we know on them now? Not a lot, but the concert poster uniquely lists covered bands by each group, and Eclipse are listed as covering nu-metal and modern rock bands ranging from Billy Talent to Disturbed to Three Days Grace. Interesting range! Also, the poster credits this as as their live debut, implying that they didn't play the Jason Michaud benefit after all, but the band advertising for that event was always vague.

I believe I know at least one band member's identity, but we'll wait to confirm anything until something is publically announced! There will be a $5 admission fee for this concert, you must be 19 or older to attend, and a 10:00 PM start time is advertised. Check the above links for more details, and stay tuned for updates on this concert (and Eclipse) in the coming week!

Next up, here's our preview of the rescheduled second installment of Six Two Oh's punk rock bingo at The New American Pub TOMORROW NIGHT! After the planned October installment was postponed following the late Sabrina Pelchat's passing, the punk rock bingo encore goes down tomorrow, so get your dabbers ready to mark those cards, and unlike in September, the prizes are described online! The Facebook event page notes that everything from CDs & VHS tapes to skateboard decks & paintings, and even cans of soup, plus an apparent contest to make the Six Two Oh gang sign. Sounds like a fun time, and even if it's not a concert, expect punk music on the loudspeakers and many prizes befitting the genre! Once again, prolific local hardcore punk singer/bassist Brent Ellis will be the caller for tomorrow's bingo action, which has a lower price of 50¢ per card, no cover otherwise, a 19+ age limit, and an 8:00 PM start time. Check the above links for more details, and don't miss out on tomorrow's punk rock bingo action!

Also today, here's the latest from Local2's ongoing music webseries Tuned with Donna Hopper! While most recent episodes have not directly touched on metal, punk, and hard rock bands (including ones featured around DJ Seith & Conika, The Mayhemingways, Kalle Mattson, The Gore Street Cafe, and The Elwins), the newest episode is set at the K'Man & The 45s concert at The New American Pub on November 8th, so what should you know within? Bookended and interspersed with concert footage, the episode features Donna interviewing frontman Kristin "K'Man" McNulty about his experiences playing live & on tour, what he expected from the crowd that night, and future recording plans, with the requisite bloopers during the credits as well. Fairly concise (especially with no mention of the local openers), but it's a fun interview, and K'Man definitely seems to like playing in the Soo! It's nice to see a new Tuned episode focusing on recent punk or metal bands, and The 45s sound good in the clips, so give it all a look at this link! Remember, I can't embed Local2 videos here.

Finally for today, I wanted to acknowledge some old local concert videos that a reader shared with me in a recent e-mail conversation! A few days ago, reader Mark Felt sent me links to videos from an early 2000s local punk band named Polly Pockets Melting In The Microwave (a.k.a. PPMM, PPM², or Polly) that has never crossed our radar since the SMS started. According to Mark, their lineup featured future Stripped Of His Wings singer Matt Parent, guitarist Steve Mogg, bassist Ivan St. Jules, and future Motion Carried bassist Jamie Whalen on drums, though he also played guitar at times. Details on PPMM are minimal at best, but Jamie's YouTube channel features four videos from two concerts from their 2001-2003 run, mostly posted there 5 years ago, so what can be seen there? Covers of The Screeching Weasels' "Talk To Me Summer" and d.b.s.' "Sunday" are featured from one show (the latter with d.b.s. singer Jesse Gander on guest vocals), while the other two videos from a different concert venue are of Face To Face's "Blind" and, as embedded below, Minor Threat's "Look Back & Laugh", so give these a look!

It's odd that these videos have flown under the radar for our purposes for this long, but kudos to Mark for alerting me to these! The quality is mixed given the age of the videos, but P.P.M.M. have a hard hitting skate punk sound that looks like it attracted positive notices during their heyday, and the band sounds good overall! To get d.b.s.' own singer to guest on a cover of theirs, you'd have to be! Check these videos of Polly Pockets Melting In The Microwave out above and below!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and features as we wind down the month! Thanks everyone!