New Videos From Three Local Acts, Plus More Recent News & Notes!!

For our last post of February 2020, we're diving into some recent video postings from a few familiar local faces, including a solo cover, a revived band's album plans, and a prolific artist's TV hosting gig, plus a handful of shorter stories at post's end. Here's what you should know!

Here's the latest from local/Thompson, Manitoba alt-hard rock musician Mike Haggith, starting with the fact that his new single "To Be With You" premiered on February 15th on local internet radio station The Borderline! The song has not been posted elsewhere as of this writing, so until it is, you'll have to tune in to The Borderline to see if it comes up in rotation. The song is brand new, and is not from his still-unreleased "Bridges" album, but it's not yet clear whether it's a standalone single or will be part of another new album release. We'll keep you posted! As for new content of Mike's that you can check out on demand, he hosted another Shaw Spotlight virtual community concert that aired locally on TV and radio in Thompson yesterday, specifically Thompson's Winterfest, an 80 minute event that you can watch on the Shaw Community Link YouTube channel and embedded below!

As hyped with this teaser video, this is very similar to the virtual Christmas concert that Mike hosted for Shaw Spotlight in Thompson in December, with Mike introducing acts & talking to viewers, but the tone is somewhat less jokey and sarcastic this time. Admittedly, Saultite interest in Thompson-based acts may be limited, but there's a lot of talent on display, and Mike himself does perform two songs, including "MorningStar" 32 minutes in & "Come On Home" (from "Bridges", which he promised will come out this year) about 67 minutes in. Solid performances from Mike & Thompsonites alike, and this all came together nicely, so give Thompson Winterfest a watch!

Next up, local progressive metal duo Kraken Mara are back (again!) After a public hiatus since September 2019 (their only month with updates since 2017), the band quietly posted a "scheduled video" of a play-through of a song from their upcoming debut EP, which will now be named "Vibe Check" rather than be self-titled. The video is not watchable until it premieres at 10:01 AM on March 12th, which is definitely unique for a local band to post, and it's proof that this return is going to lead somewhere in the short term! Kraken Mara's Facebook page hasn't been newly updated yet, but their Instagram page has new updates, albeit with all prior videos deleted, sadly. Four short clips are there to check out, including two of guitarist Jake Valois practicing solos for the EP, and two featuring his bandmate/brother-in-law Brendan Christie in brief samples from the "Vibe Check" playthrough premiering on the 12th.

The scheduled YouTube video's description notes that drums on the EP are being provided by Cliff Aubut, who drums for the Kelowna, B.C. metalcore band Stasis. I presume he's a session drummer given the distance, but we'll let you know if his involvement is greater. Assuming that "Vibe Check" does see it's intended release, I'll hold comment on the music proper until then (especially with the full song video not watchable yet), but it's great to see Brendan & Jake back at it once again, and fans of djent-laden progressive metal will want to take notice! Give the second of Brendan's teaser videos a look below, see more above, and stay tuned for updates!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kraken Mara (@kraken_maraband)

Also today, here's a new cover video from ex-Sense Of Truth/Skeyes Of Seven frontman Cory Murchison's YouTube channel on Friday, where he covered Seether's ballad "Broken" (not the version with Amy Lee.) The video quality is a little hazy, but the music comes through well enough, and Cory's voice is a good match for this song (the descripion notes that he plans to do more Seether covers), so give this well done rendition a watch below!

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

• I have moved Sault Michigan hard rock trio Mackinaw Trail to our inactive band links due to the sudden passing of frontman Henry Switzer earlier this month. It's certainly possible that George and Ron could continue forward in a band, bur they hadn't posted anything on their Facebook page about Mackinaw Trail in particular since late 2019, rather sharing info on Highway 63 and Henry's solo pursuits (and don't forget about the pandemic either). Hopefully we hear more from George & Ron musically down the road!
  
• On a similar note to the Mackinaw Trail link update, I have removed Henry's old classic/hard rock band Sir Charge from our inactive band links, this time due to the page's deletion at some point last year. Sir Charge were the short-lived successors to Henry and his son Nathan's old band Monkey's Uncle, and were active on the E.U.P. bar circuit from 2012-2013, though I don't believe they ever had videos to show for their brief run. Hopefully Nathan and the Mayers stay active in music!
• Sault Ontario-based Foo Fighters tribute band The Soo Fighters have quietly added Isolation Sessions/ex-Half Past bassist Arthur Lacasse to their lineup, replacing Max Ambeault, as per an update on their Facebook page this month. A reason for Max's departure was not announced, but he only played live with The Soo Fighters once in 2019 before the pandemic scuttled their 2020 plans. Hopefully we hear from Max musically again, but Art should fit in fine when The Soo Fighters play live next, whenever that is!
  

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

Local Metal/Punk Video Showcase!!

News remains glacially slow around the SMS, but I've cobbled together a video-centric post for you guys to check out on this Monday evening, including a solo cover, a new studio track, a podcast with some familiar faces, and leading off, a prominent solo artist's recent hosting gig on local TV!

Have you been wondering what local/Thompson, Manitoba alt-hard rock musician Mike Haggith has been up to as of late? This won't entirely answer that, but Mike recently hosted Thompson's virtual community Christmas concert, which aired on their Shaw Spotlight affiliate yesterday! As teased via this TV commercial and this teaser video on his Facebook page, the full concert was indeed streamed online via the Shaw Community Link YouTube channel, and Mike's hosting segments are often full of bad one liners, to the point that he jokingly walks out between acts to complain about their quality! In other words, if you liked his #LockdownLive concerts, you'll be right at home in this regard! I do like that the Shaw Spotlight staff there let Mike joke around and inject some personality as host, you don't always get that!

Much like virtual concerts we've seen in the Soo this year, there is a wide array of performers from Thompson and area in this video, so local interest here may be limited unless you want to discover unknown talent. However, Mike does perform near the end of the concert (66 minutes or so in), specifically a cover of Elvis Presley's "Blue Christmas", while the concert proper closes with Mike playing a version of "Have A Holly Jolly Christmas" that goes off into a tangent about the weather in Thompson and social distancing. Looks like everything was well handled under the circumstances, so give Thompson's virtual community concert a watch below!

Next up, here's the first full song from St. Ignace, Michigan progressive metal quintet Heavy Lies The Crown's upcoming full length album! Entitled "Every Step Of The Way", this was uploaded to their YouTube channel yesterday, and it is also available on Spotify, while H.L.T.C. have teased more singles to come in advance of the release, schedule to be determined. I'll hold full comments on the song for now, pending our presumed review of the album in 2021, but give "Every Step Of The Way" a listen below!

Also, here's a bit of a surprise from Sault Ontario: a podcast from Redundant drummer Rick White's YouTube channel two weeks ago, where he interviewed his bandmates (with input by friends of the band) using funny job interview questions that he found online. This is over an hour long, so it'll be a time commitment to check out, but it's a funny and clearly unscripted listen that Redundant fans should get a kick out of, especially during this screwy time we're in right now! I wish Rick would have edited out the background hiss with Audacity or something, but give it a listen below!

Finally, veteran local hard rock/jam guitarist Mike Cliffe has posted another Christmas carol cover on his YouTube channel, this time featuring him playing "What Child Is This?" in two different acoustic tracks combined in post production. A lot of wasted space in the video proper as a result, but Mike handles this carol well in a soft & intricate way, so give it a watch below!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for a new post of some kind by Christmas Eve! Thanks everyone!

New Solo Videos, And Much More Recent News & Notes!!

In what may be our last news post before kicking off Halloween concert previews on Thursday morning, we're covering some assorted recent updates (including the three bumped from Saturday's post), plus some new videos, so let's begin with a new guitar cover from Jack Spades/Stegadeth guitarist Tiffany Stocco's YouTube channel, notably her first posting on there since last year! This is a cover of The Distillers' "Dismantle Me", and while not stated there, this has to be a teaser for her upcoming sets at THIS FRIDAY'S Halloween Party concert at The Algonquin Pub, where she will channel Brody Dalle on guitar and vocals in a one-off Distillers tribute band. For what it's worth, personal Facebook postings indicate that Tiffany will be joined by current bandmate Johnny Belanger on drums, alongside A Dire Setback frontman Chris Nielsen on guitar & Destroilet bassist Adam Larocque, and the four will also serve as the Red Hot Chili Peppers and H.I.M. tributes that same night

This news surprises me, as that's a lot of work to put in for one concert, but everyone here is very talented, and it'll be interesting to see how each tribute set looks and sounds, especially with The Distillers and H.I.M. not being regular cover selections locally. As for Tiffany's Distillers cover video, it's a fine rendition with a good tone, and fans should enjoy her take, but does she have a handle on Brody's singing too? We'll find out on Friday, but give Tiffany's guitar cover a look below!



Next up, veteran local rock drummer Jeff Stuckenbrock is hoping to return to local music and has posted a handful of videos to the Musicians Wanted Facebook group since last month in the hopes of drumming up interest in jamming with like minded performers. Two videos feature him playing on a djembe & cajon, but the other three are of him on a full drumkit, including videos linked here & here, with the longest and most recent one below. Jeff hasn't been involved in local bands in a long while, but he showcases solid skill in the videos he's shared, and it'd be cool to see him back out there in a new project! Click here for more details, and here's Jeff in action this fall!



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

• The all ages Devil's Night concert at The Oddfellows Hall on October 30th (next Tuesday) has quietly been cancelled, as per the deletion of it's Facebook event page earlier this month. A reason for the cancellation wasn't announced, but public updates were slow to nonexistent after the event page went online last month. Hopefully nothing too serious happened, I know many fans were eager to see a new Oddfellows metal show again after far too long!
• In their first Facebook page posting since May, local/Toronto Celtic punk veterans Dustin Jones & The Rising Tide revealed that they are recording new material at Mission Control Studios, and that the songs are "guaranteed to put a pep in your step." No word on if this is towards their fourth studio album or not, but recent live drummer Chris Johns is tagged in the attached photo, implying that he's taking over for Mikey Hawdon behind the kit for at least these sessions. It's been over 6 years since the last new Rising Tide CD, so hopefully the new tracks prove to be worth the wait, and see above for more details as they roll in!
• Local power rock quintet Re:Born have parted ways with singer Robert Nevitt, as per their Facebook page on Thursday. The split is 100% amicable, with the band citing "time commitments" for Robert's exit, though the door was left open for him to guest with the band in the future. Re:Born have only played three public concerts to date, but Robert was progressing well as a frontman, and hopefully he turns up in a new band down the line! No word yet on a potential singer search, but fans of their predecessors Project 421 know that guitarist Blair Burch can handle lead vocals if need be.
• Shaw TV Sault Ste. Marie has changed it's name to Shaw Spotlight, which appears to be a nationwide change with the cable provider's local access channels, presumably as an acknowledgement of the stations "spotlighting" their communities. Despite teasers reflecting a new Facebook page, that is for the national Shaw Spotlight networks, and is not geared only to the Soo, so I won't update our link yet. Hopefully some more local music content finds it's way to channel 10 soon, they're a quality resource!
• I have moved local Foo Fighters tribute quartet The Soo Fighters to our inactive band links. A Cherry Crush side project, this band played twice publically last fall, but were primarily formed to play at J.D. Pearce's annual Halloween party, and have not shown any public sign of life since. The one year mark from their last public update will be on Saturday, and despite launching a Facebook page at the time, it looks more & more apparent that their run was a short term thing for the season. Don't miss Jules & the Amendolas with Cherry Crush, and hopefully we hear more from Jeremey soon also!
• Mik & Steve guitarist/Pixo Control alum Steve Edwards is again looking for a drummer "to form an original band", preferably between 18 and 30-something in age, and who "must be committed to practicing and playing." I don't know whether this it towards an expansion of Mik & Steve, a revival of Vol., or a new band entirely, but Steve's been looking for a while, and hopefully the right drummer comes along soon! Message him at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from yesterday if you're interested in trying out!

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

YouTube Channel Profile Series: The Danger Cats

After a quiet weekend on the site (stay tuned for big news on the concert front shortly!), we're back with this month's YouTube Channel Profile, our monthly spotlight of a YouTube channel whose content is at least half devoted to local metal, hard rock, or punk musicians and/or concerts! As always, this month's channel was randomly selected, and the channel in question has lots of entertaining videos from a notable local band's run in the early-mid 2010s, so here's what you need to know!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Danger Cats (http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGkKuEciMmLCAwA2iry4j-A) 

Owner: A member of defunct local hard rock/punk quartet The Danger Cats (possibly singer/guitarist Kate "Kougar" Drew, but I'm not 100% positive)

Channel Timeline: Launched on March 4th, 2014; Videos posted from that day through August of that year

Channel Summary: The official YouTube channel for The Danger Cats, it features 12 videos from their local concert appearances, primarily at The Rockstar Bar, Esquire Club, and Docks Riverfront Grill (now the HD Sports Grill) in 2014. The only non-concert clip there is a Shaw TV interview.

Why You Should Watch: Fans of this all-female power quartet would be well served to check out this channel, which is loaded with videos from the height of their year and a half together! However, note that 2013 concerts featuring original singer Summer "Snow-Leopard" Stevens are not featured on this channel, nor are their final shows from 2015, with updates not continuing following their breakup that year.

Our Recommended Videos To Check Out

The Danger Cats Shaw Interview: Back in July 2014, The Danger Cats (minus drummer "Calico" Katie Maskell) were featured in a Shaw TV Sault Ste. Marie interview with then-correspondent and prolific former local rock bassist Jonna (Nathan) Bouliane, intended for his "Boardwalk Sessions" series with other local musicians. Jonna isn't seen on camera for the actual interview, with title cards showing questions on how the girls met, how they came up with their name, why Kate formed the group, their musical background, how the local music scene was, their plans for that year, and where you could find them online. Though teased songwriting for an album didn't meet that end, you do get to see Kate and guitarist Paula "Panther" D'Agostino perform two acoustic originals in this interview clip, which is informative and arguably conducted at the right time during their run!



Cherry Bomb, Big Balls By the Danger Cats: Though a part of the original rock scene in Sault Ontario at this time, The Danger Cats played a few well received solo weekends at The Esquire Club as well, with a July 2014 show there being the source of three videos on the channel, including one cover of Blondie's "Call Me", and one containing both The Runaways' "I Love Playing With Fire" and The Scorpions' "The Zoo". Featured here is The Danger Cats covering both The Runaways' "Cherry Bomb" & AC/DC's "Big Balls", which both feature bassist Jamie "Jaguar" Van-Schooneveld on lead vocals. Though the lighting is hit and miss, the covers are lively and well performed all around, and their confidence was definitely building! Two more Esquire Club videos from a show the following month were their channel's last uploads.



I Love Myself Today and Metal Queen Cover by The Danger Cats w/ Marisa!: The Danger Cats were good friends with the members of local power metal quartet Late & Loud, so it was a no brainer for them to open for that band's one-off farewell show at The Rockstar Bar on August 1st, 2014. Two videos of theirs were posted from that night, including one with their original "Give Me" & The Scorpions' "The Zoo" (both with guest guitar work by Late & Loud's Jonathan Tiberi), but featured here is the channel's most popular video, of the girls covering Bif Naked's "I Love Myself Today" & Lee Aaron's "Metal Queen" alongside current Red & The Muscle singer Marisa Valois. This was a nice surprise for gathered fans, especially given Marisa's own vocal talents, and hopefully she and Brendan got a nice send-off before their move to Britain from this well received show! Despite fans in camera range, The Danger Cats were on point here!
 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I hope you guys liked this month's YouTube Channel Profile! Next month in this series, our random selection has given us multiple channels due to the first one only having one video, and the second being in the same boat. It's a triple header in April, as we're looking at the YouTube channels of C Auffrey (featuring a Hedley video; remember, random selection), the late Guy Thiffault (featuring a Hangdowns song), and excellentand (featuring a Treble Charger video.) Look for all of those then, and stay tuned for more news and this month's CD review soon! Thanks everyone!

New Metal & Hard Rock Concert Footage From OnStage On Shaw TV!!

Before we post this month's Defunct Local Band Profile, we have a new news post for your delectation, all focused on recent concert video uploads from a local TV channel that you can watch on Shaw Cable and/or online, so here's what you should know!

Shaw TV Sault Ste. Marie's YouTube channel has posted new videos for their OnStage series on local musicians in concert, and they include three hard rock or metal bands! Running for a combined two hours, the new rotation of OnStage footage should premiere on Saturday night at 9:00 PM, though it remains to be seen if all of the bands will be aired in one lengthy block, or if they'll be spread out or rotated. The videos on Youtube include Shaw TV's footage of acoustic folk artist Jacob Quarrell (a.k.a. J.Q. or Shit Creek Survivor) at Live705's Easter Bash at The Rockstar Bar last month, while a house party event featuring DJ Seith and rappers Kodex and Joonas "J.S.K." Kamula was also posted, albeit in two parts that you can see here and here. Both are solid segments, with Jacob performing strongly and Seith & company delivering in a unique setting, so give these a look above! No word yet though regarding OnStage features from other bands at the Easter Bash.

The rest of the OnStage videos come from Live705's March Mash-Up event at The Canadian Nightclub, with three of that night's six bands featured in this current wave of videos (The Din and A Dire Setback were previously featured from prior concerts, and the usage of sampled material presumably rules out DJ Seith's set making the series.) That said, what should you know of the other three? In descending set order, we'll start with young blues/hard rock trio Electric Church, who are featured here playing 5 songs back in March, including an instrumental jam, "Muddy Waters", "Ain't Got None", "Carey Baby", and what may be called "Take Me Away" (I'm not 100% positive.) This is a solid performance of this fast rising band, and definitely are best quality and most substantial look at Electric Church yet, so give this multi-camera footage a look below, or on Shaw TV!



Next up, local death metal trio Pillory were also filmed in March for OnStage, who were filmed playing their songs "Angst of Existence", "Sculptor of Cadavers", "Wasting", "Abhorred Apprehension", "The Passing", and two songs whose titles I'm not 100% positive on (linked here and here), so like with Electric Church, click each song name to go to a specific track. This was a ferocious set from Pillory, who continue to brutalize fans like has become standard since their reunion, and this is arguably their best concert footage yet, so give everything a look below!



Lastly for this new OnStage concert video batch, we have new local alternative hard rock quartet Bizotic's set from the March Mash-Up, and they were filmed playing their songs "Record Light",  "Psychic Vampire", "Subway Delay", an instrumental, "Echoes In Your Head", and one more instrumental. (I can't 100% verify either instrumental's name, but one was called "Dirty Time Machine".) This creative band are given a nice showcase here, and Louise's trumpet comes through much better on video than it did originally, so give Bizotic's best live footage yet a watch below!

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

Eclipse/Hazytones Concert Preview, Jack Spades' New Bassist, And Much More!!

Here's another new post for your Friday morning, so what's on tap? Some assorted recent news and notes, new video footage from a concert this past weekend, and a newly confirmed lineup change in a prominent local band, but first, here's our promised preview of a special concert on Sunday that's nearly an encore of a concert from 8 months back!

Local hard rock quartet Eclipse will return to the stage THIS SUNDAY NIGHT, when they and funk/hard rock jam quintet Gianni Gagoots open for Montreal stoner rock trio The Hazytones at The New American Pub! After nearly 5 months away from the stage, plus a teased April 1st return show that never happened, Eclipse will finally be resurrected after a tumultuous break-up last fall, but how will Curt, Dan, Fred, and Chris fare in their return? Find out on Sunday night! Note that hashtags used in recent Facebook page promotion of the show reference Jimi Hendrix and Rush songs... are they dipping a little older for cover choices? Gianni Gagoots will continue their recent momentum with another set that will surely make some more fan of their creative improvised instrumentals, so keep them in mind as well on Sunday! And yes, the headlining Hazytones will make their second local concert appearance on Sunday, following a well received late notice gig in August at the same venue that Eclipse also opened, though K.I.C.K. were the second openers.

Though not a full "hard rock" band, The Hazytones' psychedelic and retro-styled originals left a solid impression on fans last summer, and they should be up to similar tricks at The New A in a couple of nights, so don't miss them either! Promoted by Six, Two, Oh. associate and punk rock bingo caller Brenton Ellis, this 19+ event has a 19+ age limit, and while there is no listed cover charge, note that last August's Hazytones concert had a $5 cover. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Eclipse live!

Next up, local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades have announced the addition of Talk Shit guitarist Steve Shaw to their lineup as their new bassist, replacing Justin Lam, as per their Facebook page on Wednesday. A reason for Justin's departure hasn't been publically announced, but when ex-drummer (and Bear Hunters bandmate) Johnny Belanger confirmed his own departure from the band in February, he didn't know at the time if Justin was leaving too or not, hence why we didn't call that on the site at the time. Justin has been a skilled component on bass since Jack Spades' 2013 debut, but don't miss him with The Bear Hunters when they return to the stage at Oddzfest in June! As for Steve, he has proven to be a solid addition to the reunited Talk Shit as a guitarist, but how will he do as a bassist with Jack Spades' new lineup? You can find out at the CKY concert in June, so don't miss that show, and stay tuned for the reveal of Jack Spades' new drummer!

Also today, here's some new videos from the aforementioned Gianni Gagoots' headlining concert at LopLops Lounge on Saturday, courtesy of YouTube user Alex Moore's channel! Previously known from posting Stiffler's Mom's demo there, "Mr. Evil Gobi" has struck again with almost 12 minutes of footage from the Gagoots' latest concert, with the longer 9 minute clip featured below (click here for the first shorter video.) Of note, their earlier teasers of having two drummers are even more true on these clips, as "Bergio the IceBurg" has not just the congas, but his own full drum kit beside Frank, so if you've ever wondered what a band with two drummers at once sounded like, here's a sampling! The loose informality is clearly on display here though, as mid-way through the longer video, guitarist Matt Sibilo randomly comes back after not playing in the first portion, and then an uncredited guest shows up to play the congas.

Alex noted that his camera's memory card filled up before this song wrapped up due to it's "intensity & epic-ness", so if an announcement was made regarding the guest conga player's name, it's not recorded. You never know what you'll get with Gianni Gagoots, and they showcase their fun jam/improv style here, so check out their new videos above & below, and don't miss them with The Hazytones & Eclipse on Sunday!



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:

• Autumn Roots guitarist Chase Wigmore is looking for musicians to form an industrial band, part of a long-term ambition of his as a musician. He doesn't even mind if he only finds one singer willing to sign on (remember This Is Your Band On Drugs?), but additional musicians would be a bonus. Industrial metal isn't a genre we see a lot of locally, with Riverin one of the few recent examples of note, so message Chase at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from Tuesday if you're interested!
• According to personal Facebook postings, local alternative/hard rock quartet Id Iota featured ex-RedD Monkey cellist Pete Mozarowski as a guest performer during their set opening for Windigo at The New American Pub on Monday. That would have been cool to see, and Pete has been missed on local stages in recent months, so hopefully some video footage turns up!
• We have changed the name of the Facebook group for Jack Spades frontman J.D. Pearce's concert promotion agency back to Johnny Pints Presents in our "Other Local Metal Links", as the group's name had been switched back from Tidal Records Presents last month. J.D. is still on positive terms with Tidal Records, but maybe the name was causing confusion between events that Tidal management themselves were putting on? Either way, the link is updated now!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates over the weekend! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Gutter Demons & Stiffler's Mom), Plus New Videos!!

For the first time since April 1st, we have a new news post on the SMS that has no imminent concert previews! This has been a long time coming, but I'm back home, and we have some big stories to touch on regarding recent video uploads, and first, LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, so here's what you should know!

Montreal psychobilly/punk trio The Gutter Demons will make their way to The Algonquin Pub for a headlining concert on Monday, May 1st! It's been too long since the last psychobilly headliners in the Soo, but The Gutter Demons will help fill the void with their creative fusion sound, as seen during numerous live concerts over the past 15 years, so prepare as they tear up a local stage in three weeks time! The local openers will notably both feature guitarist Jesse Cook and bassist James White, with their new punk/alt-rock trio Handsome Sandwich rocking out in their second live concert appearance and Algonquin debut. If you missed their debut at LopLops in February, keep this show in mind, especially as this uniquely named band has yet to post media of their sound! The advertised opening band are local funk/hard rock favourites The Elements in their first concert set of the year, so if you've been waiting patiently since Toystock, here's your next chance!

Promoted by Jack Spades frontman J.D. Pearce in his first announced concert of the year (nice to see him book his old bandmates as openers!), this show has a 19+ age limit, $10 cover charge, and 9:00 PM start time. Fans of punk, alternative, and psychobilly would be well served to check out this show at the beginning of next month, despite it's unfortunate Monday scheduling, so check the official Facebook event page for more details!

Next up, local party hard rock trio Stiffler's Mom will return to The Esquire Club for shows on Friday, June 9th and Saturday, June 10th! Announced with unusually long notice, these actually come from a concert calendar shared on the venue's Facebook page for shows in the second quarter of 2017, presumably also distributed in person at the venue, so if you're curious as to who's playing there through the end of June, give it a look! We'll likely see Stiffler's Mom elsewhere before June, but this will mark the guys' first concert weekend at this west end venue since December, and just their second weekend there in the past year. Greg, Mike, and Jon should be in their usual fine forms come June, so don't miss their fan favourite covers then at The Esquire Club! As usual, expect 10:00 PM-ish start times, no announced cover charges, and 19+ age limits for both nights. Visit the above links for more info!

And yes, I am aware of Mourning Wood concerts being listed on the above calendar, but given their teased assimilation into their newer Soundcheck project "very soon", I am waiting for public confirmation regarding whether these shows are now Soundcheck concerts, or if they're using the Mourning Wood name in transition. Stay tuned!

Closing with some new videos, remember how local alt-punk quartet A Dire Setback were interviewed by Shaw TV Sault Ste. Marie prior to their headlining set at the January Jam at The Canadian? Well, it has finally aired on channel 10 and was posted to Shaw TV's YouTube channel last week, so what should you know? Aired as part of Shaw's "Community Producers" program and produced specifically by frontman Larry Babic, this features all four band members passing the mics to talk about their inception, original material, songwriting, and more, complete with on-screen graphics to credit band members, though they misspelled guitarist Chris Nielsen's last name. The interview is also interspersed with concert footage from A Dire Setback's set at the January Jam (as seen in full at this link), though we await Shaw TV's premiere of their footage from last month's March Mash-Up concert, which A Dire Setback headlined.

The interview proper isn't too long, but it's a fun and light way to introduce casual fans to A Dire Setback,who are on the fast track locally, and given their hints in the interview towards future recording sessions, hopefully they keep on their current trajectory in the local scene! Give their Shaw TV interview a look below, and stay tuned for more from their camp!



Finally, here's a new YouTube video featuring Sault Michigan classical metal project Theatre of Night, as set to footage of the video game Elite: Dangerous! Uploaded to the band's YouTube channel on Saturday, this is of a new 7 minute long demo instrumental named "3303". The song is appropriately epic for the space adventure setting of the game footage, giving things a suspenseful and grandiose feel without getting boring, and hopefully Theatre of Night can build on this with some more orchestral metal epics soon! Give it a look below, and see above for links regarding the game!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates as the week rolls along. Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (AlgomA), A Dire Setback On Shaw TV, And More!!

Before we dive into another weekend of concert previews, here's some news and notes on this Wednesday afternoon, including a solo performance video, updates on what to see in a recent Shaw TV OnStage episode, and first, a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, so here's what you should know!

Local doom metal trio AlgomA will hit the stage for the first time this year on Thursday, March 30th when they make a rare headlining appearance at The New American Pub!  The show is AlgomA's first at The New A since October, and it will serve as their kick-off event before they head across the pond for their first ever European concert dates, though the band hasn't publically acknowledged specifics yet. Very cool, hopefully the guys have a blast overseas and make lots of new fans! This is also AlgomA's first concert since the release of their split single with Hooded Menace, though the show isn't advertised as a release party, and they aren't hyping up sale of the split there (at least not yet.) The openers will be local death/thrash metal trio Pillory in what I believe is their New A debut, and they should shred some of their own brutality to kick things off, so don't be late! Obviously promoted by AlgomA's own agency Six, Two, Oh., this is a 19+ event with a $5 cover charge and a 9:00 PM start time.

Though this is a smaller show than usual for Six, Two, Oh., expect a concentrated blast of sludge & death metal at month's end, and hopefully it sets off their ambitious tour on the right foot! For reference sake, AlgomA drummer Jamie Vincent's personal Facebook page recently featured a video including the posters for two more upcoming Six, Two, Oh. concerts at The New A that have not yet been publically announced (as of press time.) When & if more comes out of a public nature, we'll let you know!

Next up, local alt-punk quartet A Dire Setback are featured in the third episode of Shaw TV Sault Ste. Marie's new live music performance series OnStage! Originally advertised to air last month via Shaw Cable's guide, it instead premiered this past Saturday, following the second episode from Jay Aymar's show at The Tech in December. The new episode is the first to be a composite from different events, and it includes well done pieces on local rap label Underground Empire Records and local radio DJ/country musician Jeff McNeice opening for Brett Kissell, but the rest comes from Live705's January Jam at The Canadian Nightclub, which Shaw TV had a heavy presence at. The OnStage episode includes segments on only three of that night's bands, excluding Stegadeth, The Din, and headliners Gnaeus. In terms of Stegadeth's exclusion, I theorize that they didn't make the cut because they only played two original songs that night (Shaw can't clear cover songs for air easily, so they are usually removed in post-production.)

As for The Din & Gnaeus, they were the sole focus of episode 1 of On Stage, via The Din's CD release show last summer, so it's probably too soon, but might their footage and Stegadeth's originals be used in some form in the future? In terms of what Shaw did include in the OnStage episode, you can check out over 20 minutes each of opening indie/folk trio The Autumn Roots (who debuted second guitarist Chase Wigmore that night) and the local debut of Ottawa electronic project SleepWellCity (featuring veteran local punk bassist Nathan Bouliane), and both are nicely recorded and edited as you'd assume, so be sure to check them out (plus U.E.R. and Jeff's segments) via the above links! Now to A Dire Setback, and before we get too far, note that the interview segment with Shaw that they filmed pre-show is not in this episode, no word on when that will make it's way online and/or to channel 10. That said, what does the 25 minute video capture from their set in January?

In order, you'll see A.D.S. playing their songs "Catastrophe", "Nightmares", "Wasting Away", their newer originals "Faded" & "Forget This Memory", and "Kicking & Screaming", so click each link to go to each song! Like with the Autumn Roots & SleepWellCity videos for OnStage, this is well filmed and edited on  multiple cameras, and A Dire Setback sound vibrant and energetic as ever, though note that their OneRepublic cover and some between-song banter has been cut from Shaw's airing. Solid performance and video all around, so check out A Dire Setback's January Jam set below, and don't miss them, The Din, and four other bands THIS SATURDAY at The Canadian!



Finally for today, here's the first new posting on veteran local hard rock guitarist & Audiofumes podcast host Mike Cliffe's YouTube channel in eight months! This is of an original song named "Crimson Pogostemon", so named because it features a pre-recorded drum track by Mississippi drummer Bill Ray named "Green Patchouli". Mike is on guitar and bass here, as tiled with some trippy visualizations, before an epliogue where Mike talks to the camera about some musical effects and tones that he added to this track with his computer. I'd have put that first to set up the song proper, but it's a quality psychedelic yet hard-edged instrumental, so check it out below!



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

Shaw TV's OnStage Premiere, Plus More New Videos!!

With our review of Saturday's January Jam now online, let's dive back into the news with an all-video showcase from four local bands, and coincidentally, three of the four played on Saturday night! These include some new assorted Facebook clips, recent live concert footage, and first, the debut content of a recent local TV debut, so here's what you should know!

As you may know, Shaw TV Sault Ste. Marie premiered a new series called OnStage this past Saturday night at 9:00 PM, and in the first episode of the planned weekly program on channel 10, the featured concert was August's CD release concert from The Din & Gnaeus at The W.W. Baldwin Auditorium at The Tech! Fans may recall Shaw TV's Christian Lemay and crew filming the show live on multiple cameras, and with music clearances and red tape out of the way, we can finally see the finished product after a 5 month wait, so what should you know? Ironically, both bands were playing at The Canadian on Saturday during the premiere, but they, you, and I can now see the full original contents via Shaw TV's YouTube channel, and kudos to them for getting these online so fast! Starting with The Din's headlining set, the local alternative/hard rock trio can be seen below playing the band Haggith's "75" (with "Leamington, Ontario" intro), then their originals "Alleyways & Apartments",  "In Search of the Perfect Moment", ...

..."Out Of My League", and "Remember", an abbreviated cover of Mike Haggith's solo song "Of Cars & Criminals", "Flux", Mike's own "Potato (Should've Known Better)", "The Rose", "A Drive Through The Peninsula", and for an encore, "Differences". Featuring their entire debut album plus two non-album tracks, this is a solid set of original alt-rock action, with great filming by the crew at Shaw to accentuate the scale, but at times, the audio can be slightly muffled, and The Din's covers of bands outside of Mike's career are not included. Still, this is an awesome extended look at The Din, so be sure to give it a look below!



Next up, here's the video of opening post-punk quartet Gnaeus, who were filmed first that night in their own Tech debut! Coming off of their own CD release show at the time (The Din opened for that one in return), Gnaeus mostly played tracks from "Meditations" on this August night. In order, the video features the guys playing their songs "Mountains", "Circles", "The Edge", "Exercise In Self Awareness", "Lovers", "Fire", "Electricity", and "The Sound", notably omitting "Calling Out" and "Where You're Gone" that night, while a performed Cold War Kids cover is not included in Shaw's public footage. Notably starting with Mike Haggith introducing Gnaeus and apologizing for delays (a fire alarm went off in the building before their set), this video is of comparable quality and stature to The Din's video, and given that they only covered one outside artist, it's is a fuller video for those that recall this set, so you aren't missing too much!

Solidly and reliably performed as usual, so check out Gnaeus' half of the OnStage episode below, and stay tuned for more on both bands' next concerts in the coming days, which are sooner than you may think!



Also today, here's a couple of new video finds from new local alt-punk quartet A Dire Setback, and while they also have some new videos from Saturday's January Jam concert to share, these are actually from last month's YouTube Party at The Canadian Nightclub. Guitarist Chris Nielsen's wife Heather filmed these and posted them to A.D.S.' Facebook page a few days afterward, and they include renditions of their original songs "Wasting Away" and, as embedded below, "Catastrophe". The stage set-up seems to be a little standard despite the teasers and hype for the YouTube party, but Heather had a great view of the band, who were their usual energetic selves for these solid performances! For reference sake, a banner in memoriam to late Canadian Nightclub DJ Jay Perron (who died in October) can still be seen on the back wall of the stage in these clips. Give these "new" A Dire Setback videos a look above and below, and apologies for the month's delay!



Finally, here's a trifecta of new Facebook videos from local death/thrash metal trio Pillory! At the moment, these are Facebook exclusive, and aren't on Bret's YouTube channel yet. One video features bassist Jordan Leach (in fake voices) jokingly interviewing frontman Robert Sartini, with occasional asides by drummer Bret Shuttleworth, while another shorter video features Bret getting similar questions, before turning the tables and interviewing Jordan briefly. Both are light and amusing, and give you a more casual look at the band! The other video is a sideways jam session instrumental clip, and the band seemed to acknowledge that, titling the video "Sideways, 'The Foundational Esoterica'" If that is the case, I guess I'm out of the loop for understanding the angle choice, but the performance is suitably brutal and heavy, and fans of Pillory's recent work will enjoy the metal action regardless of angle! Give them a look above & below!

 
That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and updates as the week rolls along! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Banned), New Videos, And Much More!!

Make it 7 in 11 for our run of posts largely geared towards the Sault Michigan area, which is very nice to see, and hopefully the E.U.P. scene continues to grow in the coming months! Today on the SMS, we're tackling some assorted recent notes, new videos from each side of the border, and first, LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for next month, so here's what you need to know!

Kinross, Michigan classic/hard rock trio Banned will rock The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino over the I-500 weekend on Friday, February 3rd & Saturday, February 4th! Announced yesterday on Banned's Facebook page (the venue has yet to publically confirm 2017 shows online), the shows are great timing to coincide with the annual snowmobile race, with Banned having also played last year at both Kewadin and inside the beer tent at the race proper, so hopefully there's some great crowds next weekend to take in Banned's varied but often heavy originals! No word yet on who'll be playing in the beer tent this year, or on if these shows will officially be a part of the annual I-500 pub crawl. Aside from the I-500 timing, next weekend's shows have 21+ age limits, no announced cover charge, and 21+ age limits. For more details, check the above links, and stay tuned for more updates on their 2017 concerts soon!

Next up, here's some new videos from Sault Ontario death/thrash metal trio Pillory! Drummer Bret Shuttleworth (under the name "Bret Martin") has launched his own YouTube channel featuring 6 Pillory videos, and while four are re-postings of videos from their Facebook page, one of those is new on either source, and there's also two exclusive concert videos too! The new clip is of a new "song" entitled "Juicebox", though the video is just of Bret playing a drum solo with his shirt over his head. Considering he's playing blind, the solo works out even better! Of the re-uploads, their drum-cam performance of their newer original "Exhaustive Incarnation" is especially worth mentioning as it's angle has been fixed (remember how it was sideways when posted on Facebook originally?) As for the concert videos, those were quietly uploaded on Halloween, as filmed by an attendee when Pillory opened for Norilsk at The Oddfellows Hall on October 28th, so what should you know on them?

The videos feature Pillory playing their originals "The Passing" and, as embedded below, "Abhorred Apprehension", but the video quality of these leaves something to be desired. The audio is alright, but the picture is grainy, the venue lighting gives odd tints with this camera, and the filmer switches from portrait to landscape view during the songs (halfway through the former, a minute into the latter.) Still, it's nice to see some new Pillory live footage, and the audio works, so give these a look above & below!



Also today, here's a new video from Sault Michigan classical metal band Theatre of Night's YouTube channel, that being a rough draft of a new original song named "Break Down These Walls". Uniquely filmed at a top-down angle with only Craig Harrison's hands showing (and shot in black and white), the song is apparently "about those you are trying so hard to help", so I'd have to assume there's a personal meaning here. The song (so far) is somewhat morose, yet also orchestral, and it's true to that side of Theatre of Night, so check it out below!



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

• Sault Michigan concert promoters Allstar Promotions asked on their Facebook page yesterday what people thought of Orlando hard rock quartet Alter Bridge, best known for hit songs like "Isolation", "Open Your Eyes", and "Rise Today". They didn't firmly say if they were considering booking Alter Bridge for a show here or not, but it'd be huge if they did, so comment above if you're interested in voicing support! For reference, Alter Bridge are playing a couple of midwestern U.S. gigs in May.
• Former Fitswitch/Sense of Truth bassist Curtis Beauchamp is looking for a singer for a new metal band that he's working on, and they play heavier stuff than we've previously seen him in, like All That Remains, Children of Bodom, and Trivium. It's great to see Curtis back in the scene, but if you're interested in trying out on vocals, message him at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from yesterday!
• Shaw TV Sault Ste. Marie will premiere a new series TONIGHT at 9:00 PM called On Stage, which is intended to be a weekly series featuring full local concert performances. The premiere episode will feature The Din's CD release concert at The Tech on August 12th with openers Gnaeus, so if you're wondering what would become of Christian Lemay's full footage of that event, here's your answer. Ironically, the premiere comes during tonight's January Jam at The Canadian (which both The Din & Gnaeus are playing, and I'm attending), so I can't watch the premiere live, but I'll try and tape it so I can give it a review!

That's all for today, but again, I'll see you guys at The Canadian TONIGHT! Thanks everyone!

FireHouse & Ripcordz Concert Updates, New Din Videos, And More!!

August is already upon us, so let's keep things rolling with a new news post on this Monday morning! Today, we have some assorted recent notes, new video features from a talented rising band, and lineup shifts for an upcoming show, but first, here's some late major updates for what could be the biggest Sault Michigan-area show of 2016!

We have lots of big updates concerning THIS SATURDAY'S FireHouse-headlined outdoor concert in Sault Michigan, so what's new to report on it? In terms of location, the show has indeed been moved from behind Moloney's Alley to a proper street party locale on Ashmun Street, specifically the stretch between Harmony Health Foods and Zim's between West Portage Avenue and Maple/Ridge Street. Both listed establishments will act as sponsors and contributors for the show as well, with Zim's providing refreshments during the festivities, and hosting an autograph signing & afterparty inside their bar on Saturday at 10:00 PM. No word of if live hard rock bands will return to Zim's in the process, but it's great to see them going all out for the occasion! As for the lineup, Rochester post-hardcore band Lights Out Paris have quietly dropped out for unannounced reasons (for what it's worth, the band hasn't posted on Facebook since May), but the teased battle of the bands is on for this Saturday!

To take place at 3:00 PM as the opening sets for this ALL AGES show, promoters Superior Entertainment have yet to confirm the performing lineup or prizes at all, but might we see past local battle winners Tantrym Tyme back for it, especially given drummer Ethan Twardy's ties to Harmony Health Foods? If/when we hear anything on the battle lineup, we'll let you know, but visit the official Facebook event page for full details on this intriguing show! Updates have been slow to come for this event, but everything seems to be falling into place for the returns of FireHouse and Redburn, so get your tickets for $25 (less for children) at this link A.S.A.P.!

Next up, and staying in the realm of concert lineup updates, the full lineup for the Ripcordz-headlined all ages show on Saturday, August 13th at The Canadian Nightclub is now out, as Sault Ontario classic metal band Project 421 & their sister hard rock group Eclipse will return to the site of their most recent battles of the bands next weekend! Though neither skew to the hardcore punk stylings of The Ripcordz, both bands are very talented, and should set the tone well before Jack Spades and the headliners rock the stage! It should be noted that Project 421 (who were added to the lineup first) are a replacement for local hardcore punk quintet Destroilet, who have quietly withdrew from this concert for unannounced reasons, though note that they haven't played live since (ironically) The Ripcordz' local show last October, due to varying personal matters. Hopefully we see the guys back at it soon, but see above for more on next week's ALL AGES Ripcordz show!

Also today, here's some new features on local alternative hard rock trio The Din from two prominent local news video sources! One is the newest episode of SooToday's music webseries Tuned with Donna Hopper, as posted online yesterday, so what should you know on it? Filmed at Rotaryfest's Stage 2 last month (where The Din opened the day's lineup), Donna interviewed all three band members about their formation, musical evolution, upcoming debut CD and release concert, their songwriting process, and frontman Mike Haggith's extensive solo discography, with clips from their set interspersed within as usual. In terms of scoops, the Tuned episode does give some extra info on Pretoria Hill Productions (where their CD was largely recorded), while drummer Brandan Glew did note that they hope to work with Dustin Jones at Mission Control Studios again on future projects. Solid episode that covers a lot of ground, so give it a look at the above links!

As SooToday's video host doesn't allow external embedding, we can't feature it here, but this one is embedded below, courtesy of Shaw TV Sault Ste. Marie's YouTube channel on Friday! Filmed at a jam session with interview segments in their van (Id Iota's Christian Lemay conducted it but isn't heard on camera), it treads some of the same ground as the Tuned episode, but it features extra insights on why they dropped "Mike Haggith &" from their name, the band's fast rise, The Din's efforts to involve the crowd in their sets, and their social media presence. Another solid feature that touches on their personalities well, so give it a look below too, especially if you missed it on channel 10 last month!



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

• In case you haven't noticed lately, Facebook has unveiled a new streamlined look and design for pages (including ours), which includes easier tab access and more of a vertical layout. It takes some adjusting, but it seems to address some problems with the earlier layout, so just a heads up on the update, which you can get more info on at this link! It wasn't my call, other Facebook pages should look the same on your computer!
• Local post-punk quartet Gnaeus were spotlighted in this SooToday article from Donna Hopper on Saturday, where they discussed how they began working on their debut CD "Meditations" (out THIS FRIDAY) and their songwriting process, while also noting the spots where you can buy it, including one surprise spot: M&M Food Market, as bassist Matt Fronzi's parents own the frozen food shop chain's local branches, so if you buy groceries there, add "Meditations" to your shopping list! Solid read, so check it out above, along with 7 black & white photos from their LopLops show on July 22nd! Sadly, none of Long Shot's set are included.
• This is probably late to the party, but I thought I'd acknowledge it. Local musician Kyle Derasp is looking for people to jam with at his place, which has a full set-up with drums. He has "beers & beats" every weekend, and requests those interested to not ask him to bring his drum kit to you. If you're interested in jamming with Kyle, message him at this link or via his Musicians Wanted Facebook group post from last month!

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

Mid-Week Concert Previews, Plus New Videos From Shaw TV!!

With hard rock or punk concerts taking place TONIGHT & TOMORROW in Sault Ontario, today's post is half devoted to special mid-week concert previews, with the remainder focusing on a pair of recent videos aired on local TV that have a metal relevance! Now, here's what you should know!

Vancouver hard/blues rock quintet Cocaine Moustache will make their local concert debut TONIGHT when they headline at The New American Pub! This "heavy soul" outfit will bring their fun live experience to the Soo for what should be a hopping Tuesday nighter at The New A during their first cross-Canada tour, and their sound should make lots of new fans for "Canada's party band", as they like to say! Though not the other touring band, debuting local "hard and heavy" jam trio Gianni Gagoots will make their debut concert appearance tonight as well, with their lineup uniting former Redefined bandmates Matt Sibilo & Josh St. Amour with veteran local punk drummer Frank McCormick. This interestingly named band will apparently have improvised hard rock and punk songs in store, but how will they sound? Be at The New A to find out! Vancouver grunge/punk trio War Baby will open the show in their own local debut, and their genre-melding "apocalypse rock" should deliver a jolt of energy to kick off the proceedings!

Note that this show was originally scheduled to be the fifth installment of promoters Six, Two, Oh.'s punk rock bingo series, but any bingo references have quietly been removed from the Facebook event page for unannounced reasons (maybe Brent's unavailable?) Hopefully this isn't it for the punk rock bingo events, they have gotten a good reception from attendees! This 19+ show has a $5 cover charge and a 9:00 PM start time, so check the above links for more on what should be a fun night of hard rock and punk mayhem, and here's Cocaine Moustache live!



Next up, here's one more special mid-week concert preview at The New American Pub, as local grunge/punk solo project Telephone & Address will rock The New A TOMORROW NIGHT as the opening act for Hamilton blues duo Frankie & Jimmy! Marking a rare appearance at the Bay Street bar and concert venue, Chris Shoust's solo project Telephone & Address will be playing their first local concert set since closing The Gore Street Cafe's Fortnight Festival, and Chris should have an entertaining night of acoustic punk originals for fans at The New A tomorrow! Frankie & Jimmy are hitting the Soo in the second stop of their western Canada tour, and their creative and experimental blend of blues originals should get a good following tomorrow, and yes, copies of their vinyl LP will be on sale! Apparently promoted by Chris, this 19+ show has NO COVER CHARGE, and has a listed 8:00 PM start time. This should be an entertaining, if low-key, night of unplugged music for punk and blues fans alike, so visit the Facebook event page for more details, and here's Telephone & Address live!

We'll close today with new videos, including something that I apologize for missing when it first aired. In late May, you may have seen references online to local punk/metal favourites Jack Spades having a special broadcast on Shaw TV Sault Ste. Marie (channel 10), with the program even showing up in Shaw TV guides, so what exactly was this? Basically, it's an extended version of their previously aired profile piece that aired on Shaw TV in the spring, as filmed by Id Iota frontman Christian Lemay, and uploaded to the local Shaw's YouTube channel on June 1st. This still features the interview clips filmed with the band (sans Jesse Cook) at The Oddfellows Hall in April, but now contains full performance footage from their set at March's Speak Easy Battle of the Bands, rather than just clips, complete with some introductions & extended interview segments. Notably, this may be the last professional footage of Jack Spades with the departed Tiffany Stocco to make it's way online, unless SooToday's Go Skate Day footage pops up with audio.

The included songs in the video are "Rise", "Crossroads", "Motorwolf", and "Negative Headspace", so click each link to go directly to the videos. The spacing on the title bugs seems doubled at times, and Jesse's absence is noticeable in the interview, but this is otherwise well put together, and showcases Jack Spades delivering a solid and heavy set at full strength, even if they didn't place at that battle! Give their full Shaw TV piece a look below, and apologies again for missing it at the time, I thought it was the shorter original getting a re-airing!



Lastly, here's one more Shaw TV piece that aired on channel 10 earlier this year, actually getting posted to YouTube one day after the extended Jack Spades feature! This focuses on local artist Darren Emond and his work on the new Iron Maiden comic book, with an unheard Shaw reporter interviewing him at his release & signing event for it at The Rad Zone on May 21st (similarly to SooToday's earlier feature.) The interview features Darren discussing how he got the gig to work with Iron Maiden, reactions from fans, and more, but this video goes beyond to show Darren's process as to how he completes pages of a comic book, as he demonstrates with his own rough sketches, and how the inker completes the colouring and shading, before getting lettered and printed. This is an entertaining look at the work it takes to draw and sketch the art in a comic book, and Darren is definitely a big talent in that regard, so check out the full Shaw TV piece below, and get your copies of the Iron Maiden comic at The Rad Zone for $5!



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