LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Riverside Stasis & The Nameless) Plus Related Updates!!

Before we get into another round of weekend concert previews, let's take a look at some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS ahead next month, plus related updates from two of the bands in question, so we'll start today in the E.U.P.!

Sault Michigan hard rock quartet The Nameless have announced multiple gigs into the fall via this image on their Facebook page! Unusual to see them post a proper schedule, but I'll gladly take this over short notice plugs the week of! We already knew about next weekend's St. Ignace Car Show-timed gig at The Driftwood, and they're also playing a private party the following day, but when will you be able to see Josh, the Mikes, and Jamie after that? On Saturday, July 25th, they will be the house band at the third annual American Legion Riders' Hell To Paradise motorcycle rally, and the name is more literal than you think, as participating bikers are travelling from Stockbridge (15 minutes west of the town literally named Hell) to Sault Ste. Marie (over an hour east of the town named Paradise). That alone is a near 5 hour drive, as Stockbridge is outside of Lansing, so even over two days, kudos to everyone making that kind of trip for a good cause!

The Hell To Paradise ride is in support of post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health awareness, as those with PTSD or depression often literally feel stuck between Hell and Paradise, so click here for details on the rally proper! The rally will end with a buffet dinner & awards ceremony at the Sault Ste. Marie Kewadin Casino, and with The Nameless rocking out at The Rapids Lounge, but they have not (yet?) confirmed if they'll be playing there on Friday the 24th or not. Based on the FAQ page, you do not have to buy dinner to enjoy the band, but click here if you do want to participate or donate, and this will obviously be a 21+ concert at 9:00 PM. On August 15th, The Nameless will make the 3½ hour trek west to Republic for a gig at The Pine Grove Bar, which readers may recognize from multiple Exit 808 road trips during their run. The Nameless will end the summer with gigs at a Kewadin Casino branch over the last weekend of August, but which one?

Oddly, they have yet to 100% confirm which branch (Kewadin's entertainment page isn't even updated for July yet), and while they are debuting at The Rapids Lounge next month, their only prior public bookings under the Kewadin umbrella were in St. Ignace in July 2024. The last show on the calendar is just barely outside of our coverage range, as they'll play an early Halloween party at the Paradise Inn (one guess where that is) on Saturday, October 17th, but despite being in Chippewa County, it is a 70 minute drive from the Soo. Maybe not a packed summer for truly local gigs, but it's good to see The Nameless stretching their legs, so visit the above links for more details, and we'll have more from them soon!

Next up, four newer Sault Ontario rock bands will join forces for an all-local concert at Blaster Powerhouse on Sunday, July 26th, entitled "2 Stoned Crows In The River"! The name alludes to all four bands, as two have "Stones" in their name, and two have "River" in theirs. Whether the poster and Facebook event page's band order is reflective of the actual order come showtime or not, the "River" bands are listed first, including new local southern rock quartet Eli Russell & The River Fools (featuring Sylo, Sense Of Truth, and Pesto Shirts alumni) and alternative/hard rock quintet Riverside Stasis (featuring 3/5ths of Headfirst and half of The Barbarians). The show will also feature newer hard rock quartet Stones At The Alter in their first multi-band event without their sister band Doo & The Boyos, and blues/hard rock trio Stones & Crows (featuring Riverside Stasis drummer Anthony Boudreau). There's a lot of established and newer talent here, so don't miss out!

Promoted by Underground Events SSM (check out the lovingly hand-drawn and not-at-all-AI poster that Mikhal made!), this all ages concert will have a flat $15 admission fee at the door, and no advance tickets will be sold online. While it will be on a work/school night for many, this will be an early show, running from 7:00-10:00 PM. If you want to check out some new local talent in one convenient package, then come to the former Soo Blaster for all of the action next month, and visit the above links for more details!

We'll close today with new media from the aforementioned Riverside Stasis, who posted two new videos onto their Facebook page in the last few days! The first video sees the band jamming their new original song "Love You More" to promote their live debut at another all-local show from Underground Events SSM at Blaster Powerhouse on June 27th, though the beginning has no vocals, and Liam is nowhere to be found in frame (if he was there, this is another point in favour of shooting horizontally!). If you want more of "Love You More", let alone with Liam present and in view, then check out their newest video embedded below, which sees Tea and the guys jamming this song in another locale for 65 seconds (if you want to see it in full, go to Blaster next weekend). From what is heard, this will obviously appeal to fans of early-mid 2020s Handsome Sandwich, and it has a catchy groove to the guitar!

I do wish that this wasn't shot vertically, but it is good to get some more previews of what Riverside Stasis bring to the table, and hopefully fans are not in stasis when they debut one week from Saturday, so give their new videos a watch for yourselves above & below!

That's all for now, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews on the SMS next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Soundcheck) & This Weekend's Hard Rock Concert Previews!!

This is a quieter weekend for hard rock-leaning concerts, so let's lead off this preview post with a couple of notes for events this weekend that glanced our radar. If you follow veteran country cover band Tex Riviera & The Ride, you may be aware that they're in the midst of their "Dale Corcoran Appreciation Tour" in memory of the recently passed local musician, who played with Tex in the 1990s country rock band The Hillbilly Heartbreakers. Songs played with Dale and stories about Dale have been shared and will continue to be, but tomorrow & Saturday's Ride concerts at Jay's Piston Broke Pub will feature a one-off (two-off?) reunion of The Hillbilly Heartbreakers, with guitarist Tim Laplante, drummer Jeff Pennett, and saxophonist Risk Wysynski joining in. Tex did note that The Heartbreakers "were the first who managed to get away with playing Motorhead & (Merle) Haggard in the same night", so who knows what you'll hear from The Ride and gang this weekend!

The other SMS-adjacent event this weekend will be the first ever "big three" emo night at Shooters Downstairs Lounge on Saturday night! The big three being My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy, and Panic! At The Disco. Of course, this era of emo and pop punk are very intertwined, and while this isn't a concert, the TVs will be playing music videos by emo bands (especially ones from the 2000s), and Tattoo Tearz will be offering flash tattoos. No word on if you'll hear songs from local emo/post-hardcore bands of the era like The Crossed, Fuller, or A Fall From Innocence in the rotation, but see above for more on this event if you're curious!

Now to our known hard rock concert previews, and we'll start with SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, as local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will rock Reggie's Place TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, these shows were first announced via the venue's Facebook page on Sunday, though note that the band has not corroborated these bookings on social media at press time. Last seen at The Esquire Club three weeks ago (unless that reported Tap Room show last week actually took place despite a lack of public promotion), TOMORROW & SATURDAY's concerts will be Soundcheck's first at Reggie's since their revival and since Travis and Johnny joined the band's new lineup. If you missed Travis' original run with Soundcheck and/or just wanna rock out with this talented veteran group, head downtown!

All of the action goes down TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT at 9:30 PM with 19+ age limits and no announced cover charges. Visit the above links for more on Soundcheck's first Reggie's stops of 2026, and here they are live!

Next up, let's head to Sault Michigan, where Traverse City metal trio Scarkazm will end their schedule for the first quarter of 2026 by rocking The Rapids Lounge at the local Kewadin Casino TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! After a busy start of the year that saw them and sister band Peril play three combined weekends at the Soo and St. Ignace Kewadin branches, tomorrow & Saturday's shows mark Scarkazm's first in the E.U.P. since they last rocked The Rapids Lounge at the end of January. Scarkazm always deliver a fun mix of hard hitting crowd favourites and select originals, and hopefully Adam, Dave, and Jeff keep their momentum rolling in their latest local stops this weekend! If you can't make it, the guys will be back at the St. Ignace Kewadin in just over a month. Tomorrow & Saturday's concerts are 21+ affairs with no cover charges and 9:00 PM start times. See above for more details, and for a preview, here's Scarkazm live!

Finally for known/advertised hard rock-leaning shows in the area this weekend, we will head back to Sault Ontario, where local classic/hard rock cover quartet Generations will set up shop on SATURDAY NIGHT at The Kiln at Searchmont Resort! Note however that Searchmont have yet to corroborate this booking on social media (they often don't). Temperatures are expected to warm up this weekend, but regardless, the music should be cooking inside the ski resort from this experienced veteran quartet! Generations had previously had a Saturday nighter at The Kiln on February 21st called off due to "a booking error", so this will be their first show at Searchmont since late January. If you're up for the drive or are hitting the slopes already, don't miss Valerie, Joe, Pierre, and Tony's latest classic rock blast on Saturday! This is a 19+ show at 8:00 PM with no cover. See above for more details, and here's Generations live! 

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Cory Marks & Bone Yard!!)

Today's SMS post is devoted to LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for your summer delectation, and while most come from a frequently seen cover band, a big headlining show was also confirmed featuring a rising headliner. Here's what you should know on all announced fronts!

Local southern hard rock trio Bone Yard have announced their concert schedule for the entire summer season (barring anything that could be announced in the interim) on their Facebook page, so what should you know about Greg, Alex, and Warren's mid-2023 plans? Firstly, we won't retread the Queen Street Cruise at The Roberta Bondar Pavilion on June 16th & 17th, as they were already announced for that last month, but click here for our coverage at the time. Five (technically six) of the new shows will take place at Jay's Piston Broke Pub, including a one nighter on Friday, June 2nd and then full weekends on June 30th-July 1st (Canada Day) and August 18th-19th! No word on why they're not playing at the former Roosevelt Hotel on Saturday, June 3rd, but as you can see in the calendar, they will reportedly be replacing Soundcheck as jam night hosts there on Thursday the 1st, though the reason for the switch is not yet known.

This won't be the first time that Bone Yard have subbed in for Soundcheck as the Thursday jam night hosts at Jay's, so prepare for the change in band if you come to that in two weeks! Of note, the August gigs at Jay's coincide with the Dragonfly Run, so what is that? Basically, it's the relaunched and renamed Ride For ARCH, the annual motorcycle rally that benefits the Algoma Residential Community Hospice, which will be held on Saturday, August 19th this year. Bone Yard are no strangers to the Ride For ARCH, having played at the former Reggie's West multiple times to support the cause, and while I'm not sure why the event was renamed, it's still benefiting ARCH in full. Along with the bike rally, there will be a barbecue, a street party on Korah Road, local vendors, and family entertainment outside of Jay's, so be sure to visit the above links and the Facebook event page for details on the event as they come in! All of Bone Yard's upcoming Jay's concerts have 19+ age limits, no cover, and 9:30 PM start times.

Heading downtown, Bone Yard have confirmed five upcoming concerts at Shooters Downstairs Lounge on Dennis Street, so look for them there on June 23rd & 24th, Friday, July 7th only (no word on why they're not playing on Saturday the 8th), and then on August 11th & 12th. Good to see the guys back at this familiar nightclub, so consider checking them out on all five of these dates! These are all 9:00 PM events with 19+ age limits and no cover. The other new dates are not local, starting with their already teased return to The Coulson Entertainment Centre in Sudbury (four hours east of the Soo) on July 21st-22nd, and hopefully they get a similarly strong reception compared to their gigs there in March! Lastly for this schedule, they'll take a road trip on Saturday, August 26th to Larder Lake (7 hours northeast of the Soo, near the Quebec border), so what's going on there in three months?

They're heading to Larder Lake (east of Kirkland Lake) for the third annual Rock N' Country By The Lake festival, whose full lineup hasn't been announced yet by organizers, but clearly Bone Yard got the go-ahead to promote their involvement. Should be a fun time for country & rock fans, so see above for details when they roll in! Conspicuous by its absence in the above schedule is a July return to Rotaryfest, an event that Bone Yard have rocked each year since 2019 and eight times total (nine if you count the virtual 2020 set) since their debut there in 2010. I wouldn't assume the worst yet, as the schedule reveal was in late June last year, so stay tuned there and at the above links for more on Bone Yard in 2023!

We'll close by staying in a country-ish lane, as North Bay country rock musician Cory Marks will make his local debut with a headlining concert at The Machine Shop on Friday, July 21st! This may seem off topic for the SMS, but Cory has been getting real crossover notice on both Canadian and American country & rock radio in the early 2020s, with his single "Outlaws & Outsiders" being a top 15 single on rock charts on both sides of the border, and a #7 country hit in the US at the same time. Adding to the crossover appeal, that song features Five Finger Death Punch's Ivan Moody, country star Travis Tritt, and ex-Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars! There's more collaborations where that came from, including with Lzzy Hale from Halestorm and Theory of a Deadman's Tyler Connolly, among others. If you've taken to country/rock crossover artists like Hardy and Jelly Roll, then Cory will be up your alley come July!

No word on possible opening acts yet, but tickets for this 7:00 PM concert are now on sale at this link for $37.71, and there are no posted age limits. Country concerts usually do well here, but one that has such a rock component (especially courtesy of his new EP "I Rise") will be interesting on its own, so definitely give Cory's music a listen to see what he brings to the table, and it is neat seeing a Northern Ontario musician getting real notice like this! Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and stay tuned for weekend concert previews on the site next! Thanks everyone!

New Additions & Removals To Our Band Links, Plus More Assorted Updates!!

Before we begin today's post, I wanted to apologize for a missed concert in this weekend's concert previews, as local acoustic hard rock quartet The Wyld Stallyns returned to The Whisky Barrel on Gore Street last night. The band did not announce this date on their Facebook page in advance, but the venue did announce the show last Sunday when revealing their full slate of live entertainment on weekends this month (The Stallyns are not advertised as playing the rest of the month there, FYI). I profusely apologize again, I'd have covered this had I checked the venue page or if the band had plugged it publically, but hopefully the show was a hit!

Now, today's post features some new videos, a few assorted updates, and new additions and removals to our band links, and we'll start positively with the new band, namely Sault Michigan hard rock quartet The Nameless! As our E.U.P. readers may recall, The Nameless debuted at Three One Three on Ashmun in April to open for the also-debuting Buddy Repperton & The Camaros, but their Facebook page presence has always been somewhat cryptic, still not even revealing their full lineup. I can confirm two band members (singer/guitarist Joshua LaCoursiere and ex-Tantrym Tyme bassist Michael McLeod), but their second guitarist and drummer haven't even been named on personal Facebook posts that I've located (the drummer isn't even in most pictures!) We'll let you know if we hear anything, but the band definitely crosses the hard rock line, and we now know that via their first proper video, so what can we see there?

Visually, not a lot, due to the dark stage lighting and placement of the band members, with the second guitarist not in frame whatsoever. Good thing Joshua was in white! Their near-hour long, all-covers set features many songs familiar to FM rock radio listeners, including (in order) Three Doors Down's "Kryptonite", Lit's "My Own Worst Enemy", System of a Down's "Lonely Day", The Offspring's "The Kids Aren't Alright", Chevelle's "The Red", The Animals' "The House Of The Rising Sun", Collective Soul's "December", 30 Seconds To Mars' "The Kill (Bury Me)", Kenny Wayne Shepherd's "Blue On Black", and Seven Mary Three's "Cumbersome", before closing with an instrumental that sounded kinda familiar. The guys didn't really introduce themselves or banter with the crowd between songs aside from encouraging fans to get on the floor once or twice, but Camaros frontman David Waite did take to the mic afterwards to thank them for the set.

If you believe David, he named them The Nameless in reference to their then-lack of a name! As for The Nameless as a band, they're quite promising and I like the diversity of their set while still injecting a heavy flavour, including a surprisingly high amount of screamed backing vocals on songs that didn't have them! The lighting and tight camera angle don't help this as something to watch, but there is something here, and hopefully The Nameless can make a real name for themselves in the E.U.P. as 2022 continues! Give their full Three One Three video at this link! I can't embed it here due to Facebook flagging it for copyrighted content, likely the Theory of a Deadman song played over the venue's P.A. at the very beginning.

Next up, here's the band that I have reluctantly moved to our inactive Sault Ontario band links, namely local acoustic punk solo project Slumshine. They have not issued any public updates or played an announced concert date since releasing their newest EP "Slumlord" in May of last year, perhaps not uncoincidentally the same week as when project leader Brenton Ellis launched his current band project These Magnificent Tentacles. Active off & on from 2017-2021, Brent donned a pink knit ski mask and employed plural pronouns with Slumshine, a folk-inspired punk project who opened for touring bands like Dany Laj & The Looks, The Faps, and The River Jacks in the late 2010s, while also appearing at the third Oh!No festival in Leeburn, and releasing their demo EP "SLMSHN" exclusively on cassette tapes in July 2019. After launching their Facebook page that January, Slumshine's 2020 plans were decimated by the pandemic.

Brent did resurface in the spring of 2021 with new studio material, but a teased second cassette tape release never occurred, and it looks like Brent has switched focus to These Magnificent Tentacles since. Slumshine definitely had a unique presence that was adaptable well to unplugged-friendly venues and electric punk shows alike, and the DIY nature influenced by Brent's own visual artwork also helped set them apart. Hopefully Slumshine resurface down the road, but follow These Magnificent Tentacles to see what Brent and crew are up to nowadays!

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 tenth annual Algoma Ride For Autism will take place on Saturday, June 18th with The Esquire Club as a home base, and local classic rock veterans Angry Joe & The Growlers as this year's featured band. The autism awareness/support motorcycle rally was never cancelled outright during the pandemic, but this year's looks to be a complete return to 2010s form after post-lockdown adjustments the last two years, and while there's no hard rock band this year, the charitable cause is obviously most important. Click here for full details on how to attend as a supporter or rider!
• Former Project 421/Re:Born guitarist Blair Burch is looking to get back into the live music scene, specifically via "an outlet" that doesn't require distortion or growled death metal vocals. Blair is accustomed to classic hard rock, hair metal, and power metal, and he'd be most comfortable in a band with a second guitarist. He also emphasized wanting to actually play music, not in a band where that's seemingly secondary to drinking alcohol. Given Blair's experience and talents, it should be easy to find a new band or at least someone to jam with, but message him at this link or via his Musicians Wanted group post from Wednesday if you want more details on Blair's return to the scene!
  
• As it turns out, singer/guitarist Mitch Sirie did leave revived local death metal band Exploring Detritus, a fact he confirmed with me in a Facebook conversation yesterday. Mitch said that he left due to his own busy personal schedule, which lines up given his ongoing work in Handsome Sandwich, These Magnificent Tentacles, and the teased new metal band he was looking for members for, not to mention The Bear Hunters if they resurface. No word on when Exploring Detritus will confirm their vocalist status, but guitarist Dan Souliere has been providing vocals in their recent jam session clips. We'll keep you posted when more comes out!
  

 

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

Michigan COVID-19 Updates & Concert Cancellations, Plus Sault Ontario News & Notes!!

Here is our 80th straight daily post at the SMS, and it includes some assorted recent news and notes, details on an ambitious project to catalogue local music history (something readers should all care about), and leading off, the latest updates on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Michigan. Here's what you should know!

On Tuesday, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer lifted the state's stay-at-home order, and if you want to read into the minutia about that announcement, there's plenty of articles about it on state news websites. The Sault Evening News outlined what you can and can't do now in this article published yesterday, and sadly, concerts as we know them are still prohibited for the time being. Indoor gatherings of more than 10 people and outdoor gatherings of more than 100 are still not allowed in Michigan, and even if something were to be booked, social distancing measures of 6+ feet remain in effect. The announcement doesn't change anything re: restaurant and bars in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Michigan, which were previously allowed to open with appropriate social distancing measures and can still do so (the rest of the state can open these businesses on Monday.) As for casinos, the closure of Michigan casinos until June 12th actually only applies to those under state jurisdiction.

Specifically, this means that tribal casinos (like the Kewadin Casino branches and Bay Mills in Brimley) could begin re-opening this past weekend, but both appear to be exercising caution, as both have clearly announced on social media that they will also remain closed until June 12th. The short term future of concerts at these casinos still doesn't look good, and they took another hit on Friday, when Kewadin formally cancelled the Tripp 'N' Dixie show at The Rapids Lounge in the Soo on June 13th, as per that show's Facebook event page. Also, Kewadin's website's entertainment page has announced that "all events are temporarily postponed until further notice", which covers any concerts booked through at least the Fourth of July. As such, I have removed Tarnished's Signatures Lounge dates in the Soo on June 18th & 24th from our calendar, as well as Highway 63's Northern Pines Lounge shows in St. Ignace on July 3rd & 4th.

As such, our Sault Michigan calendar is now empty until the rescheduled Black Label Society concert at The Dreammaker's Theater on August 8th, but if I was a betting man, I wouldn't be gambling on the new date holding up, alas. Stay tuned to the SMS and your preferred Michigan news source for further details on the coronavirus pandemic and it's effect on concerts as they roll in!

Next up, let's move to Sault Ontario, where Rotaryfest music director Shaun Antler is working on a big project, specifically to catalogue and archive a list of as many local bands as possible. The project was covered in this Sault Star article by Brian Kelly on May 28th, and began in  conjunction with Rotaryfest's Rewind anniversary stages two years ago, but recently resumed work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shaun plans to wrap up things by the end of the month and share her results with the Sault Ste. Marie Museum, with plans to create a music exhibit at the museum in the future using her data. This is definitely a daunting project, especially when trying to catalogue and cite information on local bands before social media. I've given 2005 as my cutoff for reasonable online materials before, but as websites close and overhaul their layouts, that gets harder too. If you can help Shaun add bands or musicians to her database, message her at santler@shaw.ca!

A handful of SMS-relevant bands are cited in the article as needing member information, such as Free Beer, Smeltzer, and Them. I have helped Shaun with this project, and while members of those bands have been covered on the SMS in the past, social media aliases and common names may be tripping up some of her leads. I hope to send her some more info shortly, but contact her above if you want to help out! 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:

• This probably goes without saying, but this year's Algoma Ride For Autism (scheduled for June 20th) has been cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Organizers confirmed this on their Facebook page on Tuesday, but they do hope to bring the event back in 2021. This is SMS relevant because live music has been a staple of the charity motorcycle rally's festivities, including a run of annual sets by local punk veterans Redundant. Hopefully the Ride does return next year, it's a great event for a great cause!
• Local guitarist Michael McCormick is looking for a singer for his current hard rock band project, who take inspiration from bands like The Foo Fighters, Halestorm, Metallica, and Poison. Specifically, he wants someone with "good frontman skills", but singing ability isn't necessarily his primary concern. I'm not familiar with Michael musically, but his post is attracting interest, so message him at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post on Sunday for more details! Just use common sense given the pandemic.
• Had an active social media account existed for them, I would have recently moved Bear Hunters guitarist Mitch Sirie's solo project The Sorrow Fields to our inactive band links. This project last saw a public update via Mission Control Studios' Facebook postings on their unreleased debut album's sessions in January 2019, and Mitch's personal Facebook page (which saw occasional Sorrow Fields updates) was quietly taken down in recent months as well. Hopefully nothing bad happened, as Mitch is a very talented musician, and I hope we'll see The Sorrow Fields and Bear Hunters' long-gestating albums on sale down the road!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site soon! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Parabol & Soundcheck), Plus More Assorted News & Updates!!

I know I'm behind for a number of things on the site, so let's kick off a hopefully busy week with some assorted recent updates, a new (if short) video, and leading off, a pair of LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will return to Reggie's West on Saturday, August 17th when they play at the fifth annual Ride for ARCH! While not listed on the Facebook event page, the performer lineup for this year's Algoma Residential Community Hospice fundraiser was posted on the motorcycle rally's Facebook page proper back on June 26th (apologies for the delay), which confirms that Soundcheck will be playing at 5:00 PM on this day for an hour-long set outside of The Reggievelt on Korah Road, before heading inside for a proper nighttime concert at 9:30 PM. This will be Soundcheck's second straight year playing at this event, which will feature a street party with local vendors to help send off the bikers for this year's rally, so see above for full non-musical details! Bands after Soundcheck this year will include country cover quartet (and fellow 2018 performers) Bone Yard as the 9:30 PM headliners, with classic rockers Flathead Ford at 8:00 PM, ...

...and blues rock trio The Dell Brothers (a.k.a. The Paul Dellavedova Band) at 6:30 PM, while two more 2018 returnees (acoustic country duo The Bearded Lounge and folk/classic rock veterans The Algo Rhythms) will open at 3:30 & 2:00 PM respectively. In fact, only Stone Orchid and Amanda Jeffreys are not back from last year, so if you liked that event, here you go! The indoor Soundcheck set at 9:30 PM is a 19+ affair, but everything else seems to be FREE & ALL AGES, fees assoiciated with the bike rally aside, and of course, ARCH donations would be heavily accepted. Visit the above links for more details on all of the action in almost two weeks!

Next up, local Tool tribute band Parabol will play a solo headlining concert on Saturday, October 12th at Soo Blaster! For a local headlining concert with no openers or visible frills beyond who's performing, it's very interesting to see a venue the size of Soo Blaster hosting Parabol alone like this, but if you know Parabol's faithful and massive Tool tribute show, you'll know they'll fill the room as much as possible! No word on if Parabol will rush to learn songs from Tool's long awaited new CD "Fear Inoculum" in time for this show, but they have the skills to do so! Featuring 705Live (not Live705) behind the soundboard, admission for this 10:00 PM & presumably 19+ concert will be via $5 tickets or $8 at the door. While not available yet, advance tickets will be on sale at Soo Blaster, through Parabol members, at Case's Music, and (believe it or not) at Myers Chiropractic Clinic at 143 Great Northern Road.

In scope, this could be Parabol's biggest local concert yet, so if you love John, Steve, Al, and Anthony's tribute to the progressive metal masters, don't miss out on all of the action in two months' time! Visit the official Facebook event page for more details as they roll in!

Also today, here's a brief video hyping up the huge Muddfest concert at The Dreammaker's Theater at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino on November 1st, courtesy of the Meridian Entertainment YouTube channel. In this case, the video features Tantric frontman Hugo Ferreira (the video proper is a still image) giving an 11 second plug for their set that night, with no mention of the other bands on this stacked lineup, aside from Saving Abel in the video title. Fans of the Kentucky hard rock band and their big hit single "Breakdown" should give it a listen below, and get tickets at this link!



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

• As briefly alluded to in yesterday's "Where Are The New Albums?" post, local alt-punk trio A Dire Setback strongly hinted on their Facebook page on Saturday that their debut album is currently being mastered... in New York. Very intriguing news, we'll have to see how things continue to progress for their long awaited CD, so see above for more info as it rolls in!
• Local indie/punk quintet Northwest have shared photos and videos from their road trip to Timmins last month for the Rock on the River festival onto their Facebook page! The photos are of great quality, but note that the videos are live streams of The Trews' set that same night, and as such, are not embedded here, as this wasn't a local concert. I do like The Trews (especially "So She's Leaving"), hopefully they play here down the road!
• Destroilet drummer Matt Waples has relaunched his graphic design company (previously known as Sonigraphix Design Solutions) under the new name Underdog Grfkdzn Co. A reason for the name change wasn't announced, but the new Facebook page features a very professional looking portfolio outlining his extensive work in this field, including many high quality concert posters and band logos. I can't say I'm a fan of the vowel-less corruption of "Graphic Design" in the new name, but it's great to see Matt's company back up, so give them a look above, and our link is corrected on the site!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes on the site tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Parabol & The Elements), The Studio 10 Fire, And Much More!!

Here's a new news post for your Saturday afternoon reading, so what can you find here? A bunch of assorted updates, some overdue coverage on a devastating news event from earlier this week, and leading off, some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for next month. Here's what you should know!

Local funk/hard rock quartet The Elements will reprise their role as backing musicians for another round of live band karaoke at The Rockstar Bar on Saturday, March 16th as part of their St. Patrick's Day weekend festivities! An encore for this style of event that debuted last month, The Elements proper will rock out with karaoke singers (and Rob presumably when none are ready) on this night, though it'll be a special abbreviated gig, as they will immediately follow a triple header of out of town stand-up comedians, the first such booking from Six, Two, Oh.. It'll be interesting to see how that event does, so click here for full details on the performers and admission info therein! As such, The Elements' set proper will have a late start time of 12:00 AM, technically placing it at the beginning of St. Patrick's Day itself, so what better way to ring in the holiday? Yes, The Rockstar Bar will have green beer.

A presentation of (Choose) Maxx Entertainment, this concert is definitely 19+, and while the stand-up comedy show has a $5 cover charge, I don't think that would apply if you just came at midnight to see The Elements and/or sing karaoke with them. Looks like a fun night of diverse entertainment next month to get in touch with the Irish spirit with, and The Elements should deliver some hard rocking tunes, with or without karaoke singers! Visit the official Facebook event page for more details!

Next up, The Elements aren't done for shows at The Rockstar Bar next month, as they'll reprise their Red Hot Chili Peppers tribute band alter ego on Saturday, March 23rd when they open for new local Tool tribute band Parabol once again! Basically a direct encore to the two bands' joint tribute concert at the same venue in December, this will be Parabol's third public concert appearance, their first of 2019, and first since confirming their permanent name. With this local supergroup's faithful sounding and technically proficient tribute to Tool winning them many fans last year, how will they perform for concert #3 next month? Of course, The Elements are no strangers to The Chili Peppers, but on March 23rd, they'll take on a temporary tribute band moniker, performing under the name Scar Tissue. Fitting name, but given Jesse Cook's involvement, I'm surprised they don't just recycle the name of his 2007-2008 Chili Peppers tribute band Sikamikanico.

Another presentation of Maxx Entertainment, this concert has a $5 cover charge, a 19+ age limit, and a 9:00 PM start time. This should be a fun night of familiar tunes from two proficient and chemistry-filled tribute acts, so visit the official Facebook event page for more on Parabol and "Scar Tissue" returning to The Rockstar Bar next month!

Also today, I thought I should give some overdue thoughts on a recent major news event, namely the severe fire at The Dime Nightclub (better previously known as Studio 10) this past Sunday and Monday. As well documented in local news media, the 89 Hudson Street venue and it's on-site apartment buildings were destroyed by the fire, which police are not treating as suspicious, and the fire unfortunately took the life of a 60 year old tenant (our best thoughts and wishes are with his family and friends.) The remnants of the building have since been torn down, and you can read more on the fire proper and response on relevant news websites. Though primarily known in recent years for it's exotic adult entertainment, SMS readers will recall Studio 10 as the host of a handful of Havadder concerts from 2014-2016, while it was a far more active concert venue in the 1970s and 1980s, playing host to numerous bands back when it was known as The New Ontario Hotel.

As it wasn't a regular concert venue for most of my adulthood, I can't remark first hand on Studio 10/The Dime, but it's unfortunate to lose a familiar downtown venue that provided entertainment, employment, and a home for many locals. Visit local news websites for much more on the fire and response, and our best goes out to every employee, tenant, and customer affected by this devastating event.

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

• Algoma Ride For Autism is looking for bands to play during this year's charity motorcycle rally on Friday, June 14th. No word on location or timing, but for reference, local punk trio Redundant were among performers at last year's official afterparty at The Verdi Hall, while prior years featured live bands before the rally. If you're interested in playing this year, contact organizers at this link, and stay tuned for updates as they roll in!
• Local arts & culture Facebook page SooSpin is looking for local albums on CD or vinyl for an unspecified project. I have no insider knowledge on what they're doing, but if you're interested in donating or loaning any local albums, contact SooSpin at this link!
• A SaultOnline article by Megan Pounder from Sunday speculates that The Tech may have closed for good, based on inspection notices being posted on the front door, businesses moving out, and calls to building owners going unanswered. SMS readers will best know the former Lakeway/St. Mary's building and it's W.W. Baldwin Auditorium as an occasional concert venue for events like The Sky's The Limit, The Soo's Got Talent, and The Din's CD release party. A positive picture wasn't painted by SaultOnline, but hopefully things get resolved for all parties, and that 130 Wellington Street East finds a permanent use again down the road!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates on the site next week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide, Northwest, And Chase Wigmore), Plus Other Notes!!

Things have picked up as of late for stories, and with lots of shows to preview this weekend, we're going to have at least 5 straight days of new posts on the SMS, and this is day #2! We're focusing primarily on LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS today, plus some new video postings related to one of these performers, so here's what you should know in chronological order!

Local alt-folk/metal solo artist Chase Wigmore will apparently be playing a solo set at Soo Blaster's second Indie Music Showcase on November 30th (or, one week from Friday!) Though not listed on official event advertising yet, Chase has played around with that by Photoshopping the poster and claiming that "Special Guests" are his new band, and that "TBA" is a separate act following them. In reality, Chase has been sharing new songs to his Facebook page credited to "Chase & The Bastards", implying that he has launched a full solo band of that name, but we don't know much about them beyond his involvement. His set will be at 8:00 PM, and he will be opening for the reunited veteran rock trio Wishbone (nice to see Dennis & company back!) and The Blackmagic Bluegrass Band, a new supergroup featuring members of Tex & The Ride and A Band Named Soo, who will apparently play both originals and rock covers in a bluegrass style. Intriguing shades of Hayseed Dixie there!

Co-presented by prolific local drummer Anthony Fabiano, this 19+ concert will mark the first Soo Blaster concert featuring a metal act, and it has a $5 cover charge. It'll be interesting to see how the second Indie Music Showcase does at this new-ish Queen Street East sports bar, so visit the above links for more details, and stay tuned at post's end for Chase's new songs!

Next up, here's two concerts for next month at LopLops Lounge, both courtesy of promoters/local indie label Tidal Records, starting with the long awaited Northwest EP release party on Saturday, December 22nd! As first quietly teased on their Facebook page two months ago, the indie/punk quintet will indeed release their second CD "Songs From 2015-2017" in just over a month's time, in what is already looking like a bigger and splashier release than their 2014 debut got. While details are slim as of yet regarding the release formats, price, and track listing, the first 50 attendees in the door will get a free download code for the EP, so if that piques your interest, don't be late! Local indie rock quartet K.I.C.K. will play their first concert in over a year as the opening act, following months of studio sessions, medical mishaps, and work commitments. It'll be great to have the Keep It Cool Kids back on stage themselves, so there's all the more reason to come early next month for all of the talent on display!

A cover charge was not announced, let alone the EP cost, but bring $10 just in case, as $5 for each makes sense. This is a 19+ show, and a 9:00 PM start time is advertised. Indie punk fans won't want to miss Northwest finally wrap up the lengthy album process with a big holiday season party, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and stay tuned for updates on the show and album when they roll in!

Lastly for this batch of new shows, fans can check out local/Toronto Celtic punk quartet Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide as they return to the stage for a headlining joint at LopLops Lounge on Friday, December 28th! Though they have played live since in Thessalon, this will be The Tide's first local concert appearance since their very rainy set at Rotaryfest Stage 1 in July, and their first where everyone is under a roof since March. It's seemingly rarer and rarer to see Dustin and company on stage, so don't bypass this post-Christmas opportunity, especially given their recent studio sessions! The poster (as shared on the band's Facebook page) confirms that Lake Effect drummer Chris Johns will be back behind the drumkit, while Barn Board Trio guitarist Liam Seymour is also pictured in the fold. The Tide are still listed as a quartet with Mikey on drums on Facebook, but is this a belated new lineup confirmation? Local country/pop duo The Steeletown Girls (featuring ex-Din guitarist Tammy Hill) will open this concert, in what should be an intriguing style clash, so definitely give them a look as well!

Also promoted by Tidal Records, this 19+ concert has a $10 cover charge, and a likely 10:00 PM start time. With the holiday season still ongoing then, this would be a fun way to help send 2018 off with a bang, so visit the above links for current details! (Yes, I am also aware of the cover band concert that Tidal is hosting on Friday, December 21st, but all advertising for it that I've seen is via personal Facebook accounts, so I am waiting for public confirmation before covering it here. Stay tuned!)

Finally, let's tackle those new Chase Wigmore songs, as he posted four new videos onto his Facebook page on Sunday featuring new original material, so what should you know there? Three are audio tracks credited to "Chase & The Bastards", including a reworking of his previously pulled original "Psychic Driving" and new tracks named "Scabies" (an experimental folk/punk number) and "Running Out Of Beer" (an eclectic song that reminds me of outlaw country meets Daniel Johnston, if that makes any sense.) Very creative overall, and never boring, hopefully we hear and learn more about the full band! Embedded below is "A Story About A Kid Named Todd (Episode 1: The Art of Busking)", a 26 minute video of Chase playing largely continuously, which is very impressive alone! As described on his new Wix website, this is a lengthy conceptual piece about "adventure, desperation, madness and beyond" that has only been selectively performed in the past.

If you love Chase's acoustic alt-folk concerts and material, this is a must watch, and it's very cool to see him seamlessly perform so naturally and casually like this, though it'll be old hat if you see him live often. With his vocal, guitar, and lyrical versatility, and his irreverent storytelling, this is bound to entertain, and hopefully Episode 2 isn't far off (or perhaps an album?) Give it a look below, and hear more above!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for weekend concert previews tomorrow morning! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Fringe North Festival) & Weekend Concert Previews!!

A busy weekend with lots of festivals and fundraisers is upon us, so let's get most of this weekend's hard rock concert previews up, including SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS and a related apology! Due to the amount of shows, we're holding our preview of Saturday's Rudyard Musicians Festival in the E.U.P. for tomorrow's post so we can give it proper emphasis, so look for it then! Now, let's start this weekend's previews in Sault Ontario!

Local funk/hard rock quartet The Elements are advertised to rock this year's Fringe North International Theatre Festival at the Up The Arts stage at the Roberta Bondar Pavilion TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this concert had previously been announced via the festival website and related advertising, but between this event not being a hard rock haven, and The Elements not plugging it publically on their own pages, it fell through the cracks until now. As per the poster, The Elements are headlining at 9:00 PM ahead of indie rockers Great Chamberlain (in what's advertised as their local farewell set), folk/pop artist Hannah Lindsay, jugglers Karl & The Prodigy, and and young local performer Madi Schomogyi Lime. In case you needed a refresher, the Fringe North Festival is a week+ long arts festival featuring music, theatrical performances, busking, visual arts, culture, and more, which is a great idea for the local arts community, and hopefully this year's installment has been a hit so far!

Note that The Elements' acoustic side project The Wyld Stallyns had been advertised as being the co-headliners at the Pavilion this past Saturday alongside The Algo Rhythms, The Barn Board Trio, the debuting Johnny & The Revelators, and Sasa Jurko. The Stallyns did not publically promote the show in advance, but I profusely apologize for missing it last weekend, I promise to be on top of the Fringe North musical lineup next year! As for TOMORROW's Up The Arts stage action, it all begins at 5:00 PM, and this is a FREE & ALL AGES event. See above for more, and here's The Elements live!



Next up, and joining his previously announced Roadhouse Bar & Grill solo concert TOMORROW NIGHT, prolific hard rock singer/guitarist Tym Morrison will also be playing a special set THIS SUNDAY as part of the final night of the Fringe North Festival! Again, apologies for the short notice, this concert was only announced via it's Facebook event page yesterday. The festival's schedule lists local folk/indie solo artist Jackson Reed in SUNDAY's 5:00 PM slot, but for unannounced reasons, Tym has reportedly replaced him that day. Hopefully nothing bad happened with Jackson, but Tym's a solid choice to fill in! For this set, Tym will uniquely have a guest performer on SUNDAY, namely HTs bassist Ryan Disano, who was briefly a member of Caveman Morrison in the late 2000s. Nice to see Ryan back out there, hopefully he adds a solid component to this one hour set! Tym and Ryan are on at 5:00 PM, with poet Corey Marques at 6:00 PM, followed by an all-star finale at 7:00 PM, of which I have no extra details.

Of course, Tym alone will be at The Roadhouse on Trunk Road tomorrow for his already-announced night of solo covers, so east end fans won't want to bypass that concert either! That's a 10:00 PM affair with no announced cover charge or age limits,  while SUNDAY'S Fringe North finale is FREE & ALL AGES. Visit the Roadhouse show's Facebook event page and the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's Tym live!

Moving to shows that were entirely previously announced, we'll take a quick trip across to Michigan's E.U.P., where classic/hard rock cover quartet Cousin Eddie are scheduled to rock The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Note that the band has not plugged these shows on their Facebook page at press time, but they are advertised on Kewadin's entertainment page, so we'll treat them as on unless otherwise stated publically. Last seen at the Sault Ste. Marie Kewadin last month, this should be a prime opportunity to see this group of (past?) Highway 63 members in a familiar live setting, so don't miss out on this hard rock action in Mackinac County over these two nights! As usual for Kewadin Casino lounge bookings, expect 21+ age limits, 9:00 PM start times, and no announced cover charge for this weekend. Visit the above links for more on these newest Cousin Eddie concerts in our area, and hopefully they have some videos to publically share soon!

We'll close today's previews back in Sault Ontario, where fellow local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will co-headline THIS SATURDAY'S Ride For ARCH street party concert outside of Reggie's West! Hard rock hasn't been a constant presence in the musical lineups of this four year old charity motorcycle rally (especially compared to the Rides for Autism and Sight), but this Algoma Residential Community Hospice fundraiser is back with another strong music roster for a wonderful cause! Visit the official Facebook event page for complete details on the non-musical aspects of this year's Ride, including on how you bikers can take part in the rally proper. Soundcheck's outdoor set on Korah Road takes place at 8:00 PM on Saturday, with country rockers Bone Yard at 9:30 PM. Preceding prize announcements at 6:30 PM, the remaining acts are Bone Yard's sister acoustic project The Bearded Lounge at 5:30 PM, Wild Iris side project Stone Orchid at 3:30 PM, ...

...young guest performer Amanda Jeffreys with a mini-set at 3:15 PM, and the aforementioned Algo Rhythms opening at 2:00 PM. Stacked lineup with many familiar faces, and a dash of hard rock via Soundcheck (last seen on the road in Wawa last week for a drag race event there), so don't miss out on all of this action for a great local establishment and the work they do! The concert proper appears to be FREE & ALL AGES, but visit the above links for costs associated with being in or fundraising for the rally. ARCH deserves all the support and funds it can get, so keep this concert and the ride in mind, and here's Soundcheck live earlier this year!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for our Rudyard Musicians Festival preview and more next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Ride For ARCH & Soundcheck), Plus New Videos!!

Here's a new news post for your Saturday morning, featuring some new videos, and to lead off, some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, one on SHORT NOTICE with attached apology, so here's what you should know!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will return to The Esquire Club TONIGHT, after previously playing there last night! Profuse apologies for the short notice and for missing last night's concert on here, they were only announced last night on their Facebook page, less than two hours before showtime, and we didn't hear about them until it was too late for a second post. That said, the late public announcement mirrors the online promotion of their last shows at The Esquire Club three weeks ago, so this isn't shocking. Regardless, Soundcheck's hard hitting and fan favourite covers have proven to be a fun attraction locally, and hopefully lots of west end fans can pause their ace-catching TONIGHT for some live music, as they hopefully did last night too! Soundcheck's plug of this weekend's shows mentions that drummer Steven Flint will be on bass in place of an absent Paul Belair for unannounced reasons, though they didn't indicate who'd be behind the kit.

For what it's worth, Soundcheck featured ex-Turner Up/3 Day Millionaires drummer Scott McLurg on guest drums at The Water Tower Pub in June (as seen in the preview video below), but I can't confirm if he's filling in again. TONIGHT's (and last night's) Soundcheck concert is a 9:30 PM affair with a 19+ age limit and no cover charge. Visit the above links for more details, here's Soundcheck live, and apologies again for missing yesterday's show, we'd have covered it here had it received more notice!



Next up, here's a Soundcheck show in the west end with plenty of advance notice, as they'll be among the performers at a Korah Road street party outside of Reggie's West as part of the Ride For ARCH charity motorcycle rally on Saturday, August 18th! Though similar in format and aims as the Rides for Autism & Sight, live music hasn't crossed our radar the same for this Algoma Residential Community Hospice fundraiser since it's 2015 debut, with only The Band Camp Rejects (featuring Soundcheck's Steven Flint) playing there in 2016 among heavier bands in the past. Well, as part of this special outdoor street concert, Soundcheck will rock out for a great cause at 8:00 PM in two weeks time! Headlining that night are country rockers Bone Yard at 9:30 PM, while remaining bands include their acoustic sister band The Bearded Lounge at 5:00 PM (with prize announcements following), Wild Iris side project Stone Orchid at 3:30 PM, and classic rockers The Algo Rhythms opening at 2:00 PM.

Also, Amanda Jeffreys is credited a "special guest" at 3:15 PM, and as far as I can tell, she's a teenage singer who recently performed in Korah Collegiate's Grease production. Hopefully she impresses with her short set! Given the outdoor street party nature, I imagine this concert is FREE & ALL AGES, but regarding the actual rally and fundraising for it, visit the official Facebook event page for complete details on the Ride for ARCH. This is a great event for a great local estalishment that does needed and compassionate work in the area, so whether you're a biker or music fan (or both), visit the above links for complete details on this year's rally!

We'll close with some videos, starting with a rarity: The first new video upload from Chronic Demonic in almost four years! The long gestating death metal quartet featuring Gates of Winter, Fitswitch, Bear Hunters, and Time of Ruin alumni only tend to post son their Facebook page to reassure fans that they are still a thing, acknowledge their slow pace, and plug members' other projects, but this video of guitarist Kevin Powe should give fans some extra hope! It's of Kevin playing a familiar (but uncredited) cover song that is reportedly in Chronic Demonic's repetoire, and while there's not much else to say on it, the performance sounds good, so give it a look below!



Finally for today, here's a new solo cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" by Highway 63 frontman Henry Switzer, as shared to their Facebook page via his personal Facebook page this morning! Henry has been working to relaunch the Sault Michigan classic/hard rock band with an apparent new lineup (we await details on the new members), and even showcased new stage lighting that he bought in a separate video, but this cover is an apparent teaser to how "the new Highway 63 project" will sound. It's a solid rendition that puts Henry's vocal range to good use, so if you like Journey and miss Highway 63, give his newest cover video a look below!



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

This Weekend's Remaining Hard Rock & Punk Concert Previews, Including A Postponement!!

Let's just take care of the second half of this weekend's concert previews tonight before we forget about them! On this busy weekend, we already tackled shows from The Elements, sister band The Wyld Stallyns, Soundcheck, and Tym Morrison earlier today, so look for those previews in the post below, but here's the rest of the heavier and punk shows to watch for this weekend, along with a postponed concert, but all recieved plenty of advance notice! Here's what you should know!

A partial sequel to March's Punk Covers Night at LopLops Lounge goes down at the same venue TOMORROW NIGHT, where that show's lineup (sans Redundant) returns for another night of high impact punk rock renditions! Headlining tomorrow are online page-less punk supergroup The Cover-Up (featuring Surfers, Rising Tide, Lion Ride, and K.I.C.K. alumni), whose setlist is floating around on personal Facebook accounts, and if things line up, a lot of familiar and up-tempo punk favourites are in store tomorrow night from them! Opening are the similarly online page-less punk trio The Bananas Guerrillas, who themselves feature Stereo North, Long Shot, and Gnaeus alumni in their own talented lineup. If you missed them in March or at their Blink-182 tribute debut last fall, prepare for more punk rock action from them to start at LopLops tomorrow, and a setlist is floating around for them too! This concert is presented by Tidal Records, though it curiously hasn't been promoted by the venue proper online at press time.

A $5 cover charge is in effect for tomorrow's concert, which has doors opening at 9:00 PM, and a 19+ age limit. Despite the lack of online pages for tomorrow's bands (not to mention public videos of them in concert), both The Cover-Up and The Bananas Guerrillas are loaded with talent and familiar faces who have a firm grasp of punk rock from the 1990s and 2000s, so don't miss either band at LopLops tomorrow night!

Next up, we'll head south to the Eastern Upper Peninsula, where Traverse City, Michigan classic metal trio Peril will return to The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino for concerts TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! These shows will surprisingly be the Scarkazm sister band's first concerts in St. Ignace of 2018, last having played at this Kewadin branch in October, with dates at the Soo Kewadin and in Harbor Springs filling their schedule in the interim. This fan favourite trio should have another hard hitting weekend of familiar covers ready to go for fans in St. Ignace tomorrow and Saturday, so keep one/both shows in mind for your weekend plans! As usual for Peril's Kewadin concert weekends, expect 9:00 PM start times tomorrow and Saturday night, you must be 21 or older to attend, and there are no announced cover charges. Visit the above links for more details, and here's Peril live a few years back!

Also this weekend, let's head back to Sault Ontario, where local punk trio Redundant are among the performers for Algoma Ride For Autism's official after party THIS SATURDAY NIGHT at The Bridge View Banquet Hall (a.k.a. The Verdi Hall!) This is the fifth straight year of involvement for Redundant or frontman Justin Langlois with the annual autism awareness motorcycle rally, as the guys played their annual family fun day from 2014-2016, while Justin played a special solo set at their pre-ride fundraiser last year. In 2018, the live musical component moves to the Queen Street West banquet hall as an afterparty once the rally proper concludes, with supper, live music, and some sort of prize/raffle element also on hand for the cause. Redundant will be joined by local classic rock veterans (Tex &) The Ride, but two new bands were also confirmed in recent days on the ride's Facebook page, namely local country/bluegrass trio A Band Named Soo and Korah Collegiate's school band Mustang Sally, in advance of their Rotaryfest return next month.

Quite the varied lineup to be sure, and it's great to see the two new bands sign on to help support the ride and the ongoing work to understand and manage autism! Admission for this licensed event (which appears to be all ages) is $20, but full Algoma Ride For Autism participants will get in for free with their registration. All of the musical entertainment starts at 6:00 PM tomorrow, so visit the Facebook event page and the above links for full details (including on how to participate in the actual rally), and here's Redundant live in concert a few years back!

Finally, we were going to wrap up this post with a preview of the previously announced Project 906 show at the Back Bay Grill & Games at Bay Mills Resort & Casino in Brimley, Michigan this Saturday, but it turns out that both this concert and their Saturday, August 11th show at the same venue have quietly been postponed to June 30th and September 1st respectively. Reasons for the postponements weren't announced, but note that Project 906 themselves had not acknowledged the shows online publically, we first learned of them via Bay Mills' events calendar in April. In their place, both of the original dates have been taken over by The 3 Wisemen, a new local classic rock band featuring former Bad Side drummer Jonah Brockman. I don't know much about The 3 Wisemen yet, but it'll be interesting to hear some media of them or see what songs they cover at some point!  Keep the shifted dates in mind, and don't miss Project 906's next concerts in Sault Ste. Marie and in Eckerman next weekend!

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