Tarnished Updates, Some Shorter News & Notes, And More!!

Before we begin today's post, I wanted to offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of SNFU frontman Ken Shinn, better known as Mr. Chi Pig, who passed away last night at the age of 57. A mainstay of the Canadian hardcore punk scene since co-founding SNFU (short for Society's No Fucking Use) in Edmonton in 1981, Chi Pig achieved wide acclaim for his songwriting, captivating live performances, and his kind and outgoing nature, as has been attested to by fans and friends across social media today. Readers will be very familiar with SNFU from their numerous tour stops in Sault Ste. Marie, including at The Grand Theater in 2009, at The Rockstar Bar in both 2015 & 2016, and in many shows that predate the SMS at venues like Centennial Lanes and Club Princess. SNFU's influence was also felt in the setlists of local punk bands like Jack Spades, Stegadeth, and Talk Shit, who all covered their songs live.

Given the known health issues that Chi Pig was going through in the 2010s, I made sure not to miss SNFU's last local date in September 2016 (read our review here), and while his voice was quieter than in the past, his stage presence and enthusiasm were off the charts. He lived a difficult life, as documented in the 2009 documentary Open Your Mouth and Say... Mr. Chi Pig that I definitely recommend tracking down, and you can also see Donna Hopper interview him for SooToday at this link. He was a true original, and will be deeply missed across the hardcore punk community. R.I.P. Chi Pig!

Now, today's post is reflective of the continued slow news cycle during the pandemic, and while we do have some big news from a recently prominent local band, this post does end with some assorted shorter stories of recent note. That said, let's start by heading to Sault Michigan, where local hard rock band Tarnished will end the heavy concert drought locally by headlining the Rock The Block event at Crooked Music THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! I apologize for erroneously promoting this show as taking place last night in our last post, wires were crossed earlier this week, but at least I caught my error early! Our preview of the show in Wednesday's post has been updated with the correct date. Now that everything's accurate, Tarnished's Facebook page revealed yesterday that this concert is getting a local radio push, but not on the station you would think, as Paradise classic hits station Eagle Radio 95.1 has been giving away tickets on air!

In the lead-up to the concert, frontman Alex Traynor and guitarist Josh Fair were guests on the Eagle's morning drive show this morning with DJ and new station owner Tim Ellis, where Alex & Josh promoted Rock The Block and performed an original song. I didn't catch it, but hopefully it went well and served as good promotion as we ease back into having live music in the area! This may have also filled the void for Alex & Josh's on-hiatus live-streams, especially if you had audio issues on those. Lastly from the Tarnished camp, the guys have revealed the cover artwork and release date for their debut EP "Down To The Wire", which will be released on Friday, July 24th (next week), way sooner than I expected! Part of me is surprised that Rock The Block isn't a CD release party, but alas, social distancing would limit the attendance. The EP will initially go on sale or for streaming on digital music platforms.

As well, it will go on sale "everywhere very soon after that" (presumably meaning physical outlets.) Visit the above links for further details on "Down To The Wire", but I am thinking we have a CD lined up for this month's album review! We'll let you know more details when the album is on sale, but it's great to see everything progressing so well for Tarnished despite the pandemic, so stay tuned for updates, and don't miss Rock The Block TOMORROW NIGHT at Crooked Music if you're in the E.U.P.!

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:

• Barring a sudden sign of life, I'll be moving Sault Ontario classic/hard rock cover quartet Griphook to our inactive band links on Monday due to a year's inactivity. The band has not issued a public update since July 20th of last year, when they thanked Facebook fans for attending their Rotaryfest Stage 1 set the previous day. After falling inactive in 2017, Griphook reunited to open for Kiss tribute band Destroyer last March, but these were their only two shows since their return, ongoing pandemic acknowledged. Hopefully we see Joel, Brian, Dan, and Anthony back on stage together down the line!
• If you're wondering why we haven't covered Mike Haggith's fourteenth #LockdownLive concert (advertised for this past Monday) on the SMS yet, it's because it didn't take place at all. Mike acknowledged on his Facebook page that extensive renovations at his place stretched into the window where he would have been able to film the live-stream, and the episode will instead take place in early August, specific date to be announced. Disappointing, but life can get in the way sometimes, it's totally understandable. We'll let you know when more comes in on episode #14!
• Former Bear Hunters guitarist/Skull After Betrayl frontman Mike Vincent is again looking to get back into the local scene via two separate posts on the Musicians Wanted Facebook group in the past week. One was regarding him and an unspecified bassist looking for a punk/rock drummer, while the other one was more open to Mike just jamming with like-minded musicians, perhaps towards starting a genre-variable band with him on guitar. I guess it depends what you're looking for, but if you're interested in playing with Mike or getting more details, message him at this link or above!

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

SNFU Concert Review!!

Hey everyone, it's time for our review of last night's SNFU show at The Rockstar Bar! Sadly, the attendance was only about medium, but trust me, the fans that were there were largely diehard fans, and they made it feel like it was a lot more packed, especially for the headliners! Nice setup too, with SNFU having loads of merchandise on sale, but how did the bands do?

Opening last night's show was local funk/hard rock quartet The Elements in their first show since April, and for the occasion, the guys went all out by inviting prolific local saxophonist Josh Norling as a guest performer for their whole set, which was a nice touch! Playing a very abbreviated set compared to what their setlist had, the guys roughly split their time between covers of bands like Primus and Sublime with originals like "G20" and the debuting, possibly-to-be-retitled "Triple H". Musically, The Elements were in good form compared to their most recent shows, with Rob Speers making the most of his range, Jesse Cook shining on guitar, and Alex Hagerman solid in his return after time off following the birth of his first child (congratulations to him!) This wasn't the lengthy, full-on Elements show that some fans may have been expecting, but they delivered nicely in their return, especially with Josh providing a ska touch, and hopefully we hear much more from them!

Next was local punk/metal quartet Jack Spades in just their second local appearance with their current four-man lineup, and they acclimated well despite Tiffany's absence (it helps that Jack Spades debuted as a quartet, so having just one guitarist isn't new to them.) Drummer Johnny Belanger picked up the slack on backing vocals, with the guys tearing through originals like "To The Left" and "Breakneck Speed", plus the debuting "Kingdoms", and covers of the likes of The Ripcordz and, in another debut, Cheap Trick's "Surrender"! Everyone sounded good, with J.D. Pearce exploring the stage and adding his usual edge on vocals, but I do want to give special props to bassist Justin Lam, who played very strongly and enthusiastically last night, especially considering the sudden loss of his brother earlier this week. Kudos, you knocked it out of the park! Jack Spades had a fun set, as usual, and hopefully we hear more from them this fall!

And your headliners last night were Vancouver hardcore punk legends SNFU in their first local appearance in just over a year, and they got a raucous ovation from fans in their return! Playing familiar originals from their run like "Big Thumbs" and "She's Not On The Menu", the crowd level arguably peaked when they broke out the fan favourite "Drunk on the Bike", with fans rushing to the stage to sing along! Of course, Ken Shinn (a.k.a. Mr. Chi Pig) was the star of the show, and don't let the loud clothing, pig hat, and masks fool you, he was in full command, singing each song with conviction, and while his singing wasn't always audible, diehard fans were eager to give an assist! Randy Steffes and Kurt Robertson were also solid on guitar, dipping SNFU into metal territory at times on certain riffs, and everyone flowed together nicely on these hardcore punk favourites. SNFU sure delivered in their third local show in the past 7 years, and here's hoping they're back soon!

Overall, this was a very fun concert, and while the crowd could have been bigger, those who came out sure made it feel like a packed house! Kudos to J.D. for bringing SNFU back, and this was a great way to kick off the fall season! You can check out our photos from the show at this link or via our official Facebook page, and as for our videos, here's The Elements and Josh Norling playing "Liar", Jack Spades playing their new song "Kingdoms", and SNFU playing "Voodoo Doll Collector" and "Rusty Rake"!







Just as an aside, I do want to give a shout out to local artist Patrick Le Duc (a.k.a. Rockafella), who had set out free artwork and short stories in the foyer of The Algonquin Hotel for people to have, and I did partake in the offer. He has talent, especially with his shark paintings, hopefully he keeps at it! That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post and a new news post soon! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The 3 Day Millionaires, Mourning Wood, And Tym Morrison), And Weekend Concert Previews!!

What wasn't looking like a busy concert weekend for the Labour Day holiday has balooned thanks to a bunch of SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS in recent days, so as a result, we will postpone our preview of Sunday's Dumpster Mummy concert to our next news post, likely for tomorrow or Saturday. Don't worry, it's coming! Now, let's tackle this weekend's hard rock shows, including a highly anticipated, previously announced show taking place tonight for you hardcore punk fans to cap things off!

Longtime Caveman Morrison frontman Tym Morrison has confirmed his latest Gliss Steak & Seafood shows for TONIGHT, TOMORROW, and SATURDAY, so we'll now add his September slate of solo shows there to our listings! Apologies for the short notice on this weekend's gigs, we were waiting for official public confirmation of them, which came earlier this week via the official Facebook event page. It's not yet clear if the return of his thrice-weekly acoustic shows was a seasonal extension or if it will continue past Labour Day, but for now, we have Tym listed to continue his Gliss arrangement with shows TONIGHT through SATURDAY, then on September 8th-10th, 15th-17th, 22nd-24th, and from September 29th-October 1st, so keep these shows in mind! Tym's successful run at The Quality Inn's house restaurant should yield more solid returns this monthd, so don't miss out!

As usual for his Gliss concerts, Tym will be on TONIGHT, TOMORROW, SATURDAY, and all month at 6:00 PM, and while these shows don't have a confirmed age limit or cover charge, remember that this is a sit-down restaurant, not a traditional concert venue or nightclub. Check the above links for more details, and here's Tym live!

Next up, local classic/hard rock cover quartet Mourning Wood will return to The Esquire Club for headlining concerts TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Apologies again for the short notice, the band only confirmed the shows publically yesterday via their Facebook event page. Last seen at Reggie's Place three weeks ago (barring an unannounced weekend of some kind), this will be Mourning Wood's first concert weekend at the Second Line West bar since July. The event page notes that their full quartet lineup will be back together after largely playing shorthanded and/or with guest fill-in performers over the summer, so if you've missed Terry, Steven, Paul, and Glen together lately, be at The Esquire Club TOMORROW or SATURDAY to get your fill of their varied & often heavy covers! Mourning Wood will be on at 9:30 PM for these 19+ shows, which have no announced cover charges. See above for more details, and here's Mourning Wood live!

Also newly announced for this weekend, fellow local classic/hard rock cover quartet The 3 Day Millionaires will return to The Rockstar Bar for shows TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Again, apologies for the short notice, the band only announced these concerts via their official Facebook event page earlier this week. Just two weeks removed from their last Rockstar Bar stops, the Havadder sister band have been on a roll as of late, and their fan favourite, often harder-edged brand of covers should attract a solid audience to The Rockstar Bar to follow up tonight's SNFU show (more on that next!) There is no announced cover charge for The 3 Day Millionaires' shows this weekend, you must be 19 or older to attend, and there is an advertised start time of 10:30 PM in effect. See above for more details, and here's The Millionaires live at The Rockstar Bar!

Finally for today's preview post, it's time to open up and say "SNFU!", as the Vancouver hardcore punk legends will return to Sault Ste. Marie TONIGHT for a headlining show at The Rockstar Bar! Fans last saw Mr. Chi Pig and company rocking out at this same venue during the peak of last year's Gonqshow concert series (and before that, way back in 2009), but if you're at all familiar with SNFU, you know how entertaining and extreme their live sets can get, so don't miss out tonight as they devastate the local stage once again! Last year's did win our poll for favourite metal or punk concert of 2015 for a reason! The locals will include punk/metal veterans Jack Spades (who opened for SNFU last July), in what is just their second local date with their current four-man lineup, while local funk/hard rock quartet The Elements will take over Destroilet's spot from last year with their own blend of originals & covers, in their first announced concert since April, so welcome them back to the stage as well tonight! Remember that C.T.W. replaced them at last month's Big Brother show.

Tonight's stop on SNFU's 2016 Canadian tour will have $20 door admission unless you bought an advance ticket online or locally. This is a 19+ show, but note that the Facebook event page lists a runtime from 9:00 PM-12:00 AM, so if things are accurate, this may be an early night as bar concerts go. I was unlucky enough to miss SNFU's shows here in 2009 and last summer, so the third time will definitely be the charm, and I hope to see everyone at The Rockstar Bar tonight! Check the above links for more details, and here's SNFU live in the Soo last year!



And of course, we send our deepest condolences out to Jack Spades bassist Justin Lam and his family following the sudden passing of his younger brother Travis earlier this week. Stay strong, and keep all of the positive memories close! That's all for today, but stay tuned for our Dumpster Mummy preview, more news and notes, and this month's Where Are The New Albums? post soon! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Still Of The Night & Stiffler's Mom), New Videos, And More!!

Here's a new news post for your Saturday afternoon, and while we had planned to put this up tomorrow, we have a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT, so let's lead off with that! Also today, we have another new show, some new live concert videos, and more assorted notes, so here's what you should know!

Local hard/party rock trio Stiffler's Mom will hit the stage TONIGHT for one night only at The Rockstar Bar! Apologies for the short notice, the band only acknowledged the show on their Facebook page this afternoon, and the venue's Facebook group only confirmed the show online today as well. A one-nighter due to last night's show from newer dance rock cover band The Killer Hooks (featuring Gsis Murphy & Midpoint alumni), this will mark Greg, Mike, and Jon's first show together since rocking Rotaryfest's main stage last month, and their first announced Rockstar Bar stop since the spring. Stiffler's Mom should be raring to go with their fan favourite covers and high energy TONIGHT, so don't miss out at The Rockstar Bar on this fairly quiet weekend for hard rock shows! There is no announced cover TONIGHT, you must be 19 or older to attend, and a 10:30 PM start time is likely. See above for more, and here's Stiffler's Mom live!



Next up, here's another new show announcement for The Rockstar Bar, as Southern Ontario-based Whitesnake tribute band Still of the Night will rock Sault Ste. Marie for the first time on Saturday, October 1st! Self-described as "Canada's premier Whitesnake tribute", Still of the Night definitely provide a faithful take on the David Coverdale-led band's classic material, and given how well attended The Rockstar Bar's tribute concerts usually are, this one should be in the same vein! Of course, many local fans did see the real Whitesnake in Sault Michigan in August 2011, but if you've missed them in the past 5+ years, this is the next best thing! Like the venue's other tribute shows, there will be advance ticket sales at The Algonquin Hotel's front desk, but prices have not been announced yet (for reference, this year's cancelled Hells Bells show cost $12.) A 9:00 PM start time is advertised for this 19+ event, so visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and stay tuned for updates!

Also today, here's some new live videos of Kinross, Michigan classic/hard rock trio Banned from a private out of town function last night! Uniquely streamed live to their Facebook page during the show, these were filmed at an event for Northwind Services in Iron River, which is in the Western Upper Peninsula. One video is a cover of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues", notably featuring bassist Wayne Lawrence on lead vocals, but embedded below is their cover of Alice in Chains' "Man in the Box" with guitarist Alex Traynor in his regular singing role. Dancing attendees can get in the way of the band at times, and the square dimensions are a little Instagram-ish, but Banned sound reliably good and diverse on these clips, and had I known that the band was experimenting with a live stream, I'd have acknowledged it on here beforehand! Give the videos a look above & below, and best of luck to Banned as they complete their tour run in Gould City tonight!



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

• Stemming from yesterday's YouTube Channel Profile on this band, we have sadly deleted Sault Michigan hard rock trio Division of Sanity from our inactive band links due to the closure of their Facebook page in the past year. Though the band still has an online presence via YouTube and Soundcloud, that was their only formal band page, so I reluctantly had to delete them from our listings. Division of Sanity had promise, and hopefully Caine, Myke, and Gabe return in new projects down the road!
• Sault Ontario goregrind/cybernoise solo project Malignant Neoplasm have resurfaced with a new digital EP! The Tyler Gibson-led studio act hadn't publically surfaced since "Kittens Have Crustys" was released over a year ago, but you can buy their newest 4 song release on a "name your price" model at their Bandcamp page, though note that the cover art and song titles may be seen as offensive. Give it a look if you want, and Malignant Neoplasm are back in our active band links!
• THIS THURSDAY'S SNFU concert at The Rockstar Bar now has in-person ticket sales for $20 at both The Algonquin Hotel's front desk & at The Rad Zone, so if you didn't want to or couldn't buy yours online, keep both of these physical options in mind before next week! Also, promoter J.D. Pearce noted on the Facebook event page that this is the "last show" that he has booked for this year... no Halloween party? We'll keep you posted!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (SNFU & Debutaunt), The Astral Gunk Concert Preview, And A New Video!!

Here's another news post for your Tuesday morning, and of course, I hope that our American readers had a great Fourth of July! Today, we have one more video from a major recent major concert, a special mid-week concert preview, and leading off, LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for you punk fans, so here's what you should know!

Edmonton pop punk quartet Debutaunt will make their local concert debut on Tuesday, August 9th when they headline at The New American Pub! Hitting the "road to nowhere" on their Canadian tour next month, Debutaunt are touring in support of their new EP, and have a fun alternative punk sound that calls to mind a number of big punk acts, so they should attract a solid response next month at The New A! There will be at least one local opening band, identity to be established, and we will let you know when there is a public announcement on the local band(s). Promoted by Six, Two, Oh. in their latest New A event, this 19+ concert will start at 9:00 PM, and the Facebook event page curiously lists both a $5 cover charge and a "pay what you can" model of entry, so we'll clarify that on here if promoters specify their intended payment method(s). Punk fans should circle August 9th on their calendars for Debutaunt's local debut, so stay tuned for updates!

Next up, here's another major show for punk (and hardcore) fans on Thursday, September 1st, as Vancouver hardcore punk legends SNFU will return to The Rockstar Bar for what should be another huge headlining show! Last seen almost a year ago during promoter J.D. Pearce's Gonqshow concert series, Mr. Chi Pig and company are no strangers to the area, always attracting a lively crowd for their classic songs, and things should be no different to kick off September! Like last year, J.D.'s punk/metal quintet Jack Spades will be on the opening lineup (fittingly so, given that they cover "Drunk on a Bike" frequently), while there will be at least one additional local band to be announced. For reference sake, last year's SNFU show was opened by Destroilet (who haven't played live since the fall), while the dormant Bad Back were once scheduled too before quietly dropping out. This 19+ show is being held at 9:00 PM (the 3:00 PM start time on the Facebook event page is obviously incorrect.)

As for admission, this is another show that's so big, it warrants online advance ticket sales, and they are $20 a piece at this link starting at 10:00 AM today! There is apparently a limit of 100 advance tickets, and I can't confirm if admission at the door will be raised at all, let alone possible given the advance ticket sales. It's great to see SNFU back in the Soo, and much quicker than the previous six year delay prior to last year's show, so check the above links for full current details on this concert!

Also today, here's a special Wednesday night concert preview, as Sackville, New Brunswick "punk gnar-wave garage psych" quartet Astral Gunk will rock The Gore Street Cafe in their local concert debut TOMORROW NIGHT! Punk fans should be interested in checking out Astral Gunk's blend of old school punk and retro styles that even add some new wave and techno to their sound, and they should deliver tomorrow at the laundromat! Venue co-owner Sam Decter's new experimental/rap duo The Leash Kids were originally advertised to open the show, but they have quietly been removed from the lineup for unannounced reasons (maybe Mikey's unavailable?) In any event, the Facebook event page lists a band to be announced as the openers, and if they are confirmed, we will let you know! Could it be one of Sam's numerous recent one-off bands? This ALL AGES event will have a "pay what you can" model for admission, and assuming there is an opener, will start at 7:00 PM. Check the above links for more details, and here's Astral Gunk live!



We'll close today with (at least) one more video from the Hedley concert at The Yard from Tuesday night! Uploaded by attendee Chris Paci on Sunday to his YouTube channel, this came well after the bulk of his Hedley concert videos were posted, hence why we didn't acknowledge it during that morning's SMS post. This is of the Abbotsford, B.C. pop punk quartet playing their song "Anything" (which I believe closed their set), complete with introductions of the band's members, and it's a good & lively video to cap off Chris' videos from this massive concert, so give it a look below, and see more of Chris' videos above!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for concert previews and more later this week! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Highway 63), New Rockstar Bar Videos, And Inactive Band Notes!!

We're back for a surprise second post today, as we have SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS to take note of, but be sure to check out this morning's Emergency Festival preview post (with notes on the Downtown Association surviving) in the post below this one! Today's second post also has new Rockstar Bar-related videos, and a bunch of notes regarding bands moved to our inactive band links, so here's what you should know! (Updated on Saturday at 12:19 AM)

Sault Michigan classic/hard rock quartet Highway 63 will return to The Satisfied Frog for concerts TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the very short notice, the band only announced the shows on their Facebook page yesterday, and The Satisfied Frog doesn't have their own Facebook page (that I know of) to plug concerts. After taking almost a month off, these will be Highway 63's first local concerts outside of the Kewadin Casino umbrella since their Frog debuts in early April, and hopefully they can keep the good will going with another entertaining weekend of hard rock classics! There's no announced cover charges this weekend, you must be 21 to attend, and 9:00 PM start times are likely. Check the above links for more details, and for a preview, we have a new Facebook video to share of the Monkey's Uncle/Sir Charge successors in action, so what should you know about it?

Filmed by attendee Wendi Clement and shared by the band on their Facebook page, it's of the Switzers and company covering Boston's "Peace of Mind" as their closing song at The Rapids Lounge at the Sault Michigan Kewadin Casino on July 18th. Sadly, it's not of the full song, but you get the unique visual of the band getting closer and closer in view as Wendi approached the stage early on, and it's a solid cover of this classic rock standard! Give it a look below, and don't miss Highway 63 at The Frog TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT!

Next up, the newest episode of Local2's music webseries Tuned with Donna Hopper is now online, as she was there for the mayhem at last month's SNFU concert at The Rockstar Bar! Bookended and interspersed with video footage of SNFU's set during this Gonqshow event, Donna interviews SNFU founder & frontman Ken Chinn (a.k.a. Mr. Chi Pig), who reveals that he's actually watched Tuned episodes in the past! The interview itself features discussion about how he feels about seeing himself on video, and his thoughts of the documentary "Open Your Mouth and Say... Mr. Chi Pig", but it's less of an interview and more of a candid conversation that, while polite and fun to listen to, does contain some adult language. Of course, there's bloopers during the credits, and it's a fun watch, so give it a look at the above links! Remember, I can't embed the episode here, as Local2's video host doesn't allow external embedding.

Note that three other recent Tuned episodes are from the Northern Lights Festival Boreal in Sudbury and don't contain local bands, a point that Donna asks the organizer about in this episode, so give that and others a look also, but note that this festival isn't known for being a metal or punk hotbed.

Also today, here's a new Facebook video from newer local pop punk quartet Stereo North! As uploaded to their Facebook page, this is of the guys playing their original "Fall Before Me" at The Rockstar Bar, on August 8th, though there was some initial confusion regarding the filming date, as their Facebook page says it was posted at noon that same day, hours before the show took place. Well, it turns out that the video was filmed at last week's concert, and was posted on Wednesday, but the band gave it a retroactive date of the 8th for one reason or another. Thanks to Blair Burch of Project 421 (who also played that night) for clearing up the confusion! As for the video itself, it's got solid quality and the band sounds good, but it was filmed on a very high stationary camera that didn't have the stage at a center angle, so it's not the optimal viewpoint for the performance (and the black & white backdrop is a remnant of the previous night's Rockstar Republic event.) Still, give this new Stereo North video a look below, and stay tuned for more from them!



Finally for today, here's three assorted shorter news items, all related to Sault Michigan-area bands that we've moved to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity (there's more to come too.) As usual, these are in alphabetical order by band name:

• We've moved Sault Michigan alternative hard rock trio Division of Sanity to our inactive band links, as they have not posted a public update on any of their pages since plugging their Sault Summer Arts Festival set on August 5th of last year. Active since 2012, Division of Sanity released some demos and played frequently at special outdoor events, and though I'm not sure what happened to them, they had a unique sound that was a nice change of pace! Hopefully the guys turn up again soon, and best of luck to Caine, Myke, Gabe, and other former members!
• Also moved to our inactive band links is Drayton Fever, the Soo/Paradise-based thrash solo project from Half A Man alum Doug Reed, as they haven't been the subject of any new postings or media since label Werehold Records' Friday the 13th postings last June. Active off & on since 2008, Doug had good ideas and talent to take Drayton Fever far, with brutal demos to boot, and hopefully he revisits the project down the road!
• And we've also moved local hard rock duo Lift The Broken to our inactive links, as they haven't posted on their Facebook (and only online) page since last July, ironically in a status that said they were "back to work." A young band that was only around for a few months, they played at least one open mic set at Biggby's Coffee in Sault Michigan, but nothing major followed. Hopefully Carol & Nathan stay active in music, their postings seemed encouraging!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes soon, and remember not to miss The Emergency Festival! Thanks everyone!

SNFU Concert Videos & More Assorted Updates!!

Today on the SMS, we have some long overdue videos from a recent major punk concert, but to round things out, some assorted recent news & notes will cap things off. The show in question was the SNFU-headlined Gonqshow event at The Rockstar Bar on July 24th, and I apologize for the delay in these making the site, things have been personally hectic lately. YouTube user and frequent local concert filmer Christopher Paci is once again the source of our videos from the show, with all uploaded to his YouTube channel last week, and he shot no less than 10 videos, which is awesome of him! Six of them are from the headliners, Vancouver hardcore punk legends SNFU, including of their songs "The Ceiling", "Painful Reminder", "Broken Toy", "Seein' Life Through The Bottom Of A Bottle", and "Cannibal Cafe".

Embedded below though is SNFU playing two songs, those being "Victims Of The Womanizer" & "I Forget", so click each link for each track! The videos are solid and capture the chaotic nature of the floor during the headlining set, and while the audio's a little rough and the angle a little shaky, it comes with the territory in this case. SNFU sound as dependably aggressive as ever, but Mr. Chi Pig is sometimes hard to hear on vocals. Give Chris' SNFU videos a look above & below!



Chris' other four videos come from the local opening bands (two a piece), including local punk/metal quintet Jack Spades playing their songs "Crossroads" and, as embedded below, "Frederick". Filmed from a table rather than on the floor (similarly to the Anvil openers that he filmed), the lighting and standing attendees can be a problem at this angle, but the audio is clearer and it captures Jack Spades nicely! Note that the band has indicated on Facebook that this will be their last show until October's planned release party for their split CD with The Ripcordz and the band we're touching on next, so give these an extra look above & below!



The last of Chris' videos come from the other band on the aforementioned split CD, local hardcore punk sextet Destroilet, whose videos at this show include this short song whose name I can't place off hand, and, as embedded below, their cover of Fistmagnet's "Evil God Hater". Similar quality to the Jack Spades videos, but their ferocity comes through well, and you can tell that Mike and Brent are making good use of the surroundings for their usual rapid and engaging stage presences! Give Destroilet's videos a look above & below, and thanks again to Chris for filming all of these!



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

• In new posts on their Facebook page, Sault Michigan hard rock quartet 415E revealed that they'll be jamming at singer Dave Menard's house in Sugar Island, as well as attending this weekend's Sugar Island Music Festival. As best as I can tell, they are not playing at the actual festival, and the house show is understandably private unless you know the address, but keep this in mind if you're close with 415E members and are going to the festival!
• As previously mentioned in our latest "Where Are The New Albums?" post, Sault Ontario doom metal trio AlgomA are apparently working on a split CD with Saskatchewan space/doom quartet Chronobot as their second release! The news was revealed by Chronobot guitarist Dafe Landry in this interview with Vancouver webzine Not Your Scene last month, with plans for cassette and vinyl printings and a release later this year. The two bands shared the stage at 180 Projects last spring, and this would be neat if all goes well, so stay tuned for updates!
• Local hard rock quartet Skeyes of Seven will apparently play their first out-of-town show on Wednesday, September 16th when they head to Little Montreal in Sudbury to open for Toronto punk veterans Broomfiller (who have played in the Soo in the past.) Though Skeyes of Seven haven't confirmed this themselves, they are listed on the Facebook event page. Nice to see the guys continuing to spread their wings, and look out for more from them!

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

Most Of This Weekend's Metal, Hard Rock, And Punk Concert Previews!!

I'm out of town for the weekend (at least), but the SMS can't stop, as there's another big concert weekend upon us! We're focusing on previously announced shows today, with a nice mixture of sounds and styles within, including a big returning hardcore punk band, so here's what you need to know for this concert preview post, starting with Thursday nighters taking place tonight!

The announced seventh installment of J.D. Pearce & Tidal Records' Gonqshow concert series goes down TONIGHT, as Toronto folk/death metal quartet Vesperia will play Sault Ontario for the first time as headliners at The Algonquin Pub! An extreme, brutal, and mature sounding band featuring Hallows Die drummer Dylan Gowan in their lineup, the former Bolero should devastate The Gonq TONIGHT, so don't bypass them for some Thursday night entertainment! Though there is one other out of town band on the lineup, local death metal veterans The Bear Hunters are the listed co-headliners, and you know what aggression and excitement they bring to the table, so expect a great set from Nik, Mitch, Justin, and Johnny tonight as well! The listed openers are Sudbury "sci-grind" quartet Ruptured Birth in their own local debut, and with members of Before The Black Gates in their lineup, their unique take on grindcore shouldn't be missed, so don't be late!

Note that a previously announced set by Sudbury death metal trio Fractal Generator will not take place as they couldn't make the show, while a hoped headlining set by Crimson Shadows didn't reach it's Kickstarter goal to fund it. Now promoted by Destroilet's Brenton Ellis despite still being a listed Gonqshow event (Bear Hunters guitarist Mitch Sirie passed the job to Brent), admission will be $8 for this 19+ show, which will start between 9:00 & 10:00 PM. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! A nice throwback of sorts to the Rosie's Thursday metal nights, there's a solid lineup here, so keep this show in mind for TONIGHT! Here's Vesperia live last month!

Next up, former Caveman Morrison frontman Tym Morrison will continue his pair of weekly concert arrangements with solo headlining gigs at Gliss Steak & Seafood TONIGHT, TOMORROW, AND SATURDAY, followed by his long running Harp Bar & Grill series TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Though we haven't found Facebook event pages for these shows yet, all are confirmed on SooToday's entertainment page. Fans of Tym's acoustic rock covers once again have a wealth of options to check out this weekend, whether you want suppertime entertainment at the restaurant at the corner of Bay & Dennis, or nighttime revelry at the former Madison's Pub, so keep all five of Tym's shows in mind for TONIGHT through Saturday! The Gliss shows are all 6:00 PM events with no cover and no age limits (but remember, this is a restaurant), while the two Harp shows start at 10:00 PM with no cover and a 19+ age limit. For more details on Tym's busy weekend, check the above links, and here he is live a few years back!

Also this weekend, local hard rock quartet Long Shot are scheduled to return to The Fraternal Order of Eagles' clubhouse in nearby Heyden TOMORROW NIGHT! Though oddly not plugged recently on their Facebook page, this will be the guys' first show since their Rotaryfest debut last weekend, their last local gig before taking a road trip to Sarnia for a show there, and (at least) their third show at this sporadically-used Heyden venue since last year. Evan, Adam, Nathan, and Jeremy have steadily been growing in profile in recent months, and while this is somewhat of an unfamiliar venue to some, this should be a solid location for Long Shot's next show! If last fall's Eagle Club show is anything to go by, tomorrow's concert will have an earlier 7:00 PM start time & no announced age limits, and bring cash just in case, but we'll let you know if something finite is announced. Check the above links for more details, and here's Long Shot on Saturday!

Finally for today, here's the main event of the weekend, as Vancouver hardcore punk legends SNFU will make their long awaited return to the Soo TOMORROW NIGHT at The Rockstar Bar! Yes, this is officially the eighth Gonqshow event in that series, but given the size and hype, it's naturally upstairs rather than downstairs. After the cancellation of their planned 2013 local show, this will be the first Sault Ste. Marie appearance by Mr. Chi Pig and company in over six years, so it's way overdue for a local audience to open up and say "SNFU"! Notably, this show is during the band's 30th anniversary tour for their debut album "...And No One Else Wanted to Play", which will be performed in full tomorrow, so keep that in mind! Local support will come via by local punk/metal bands (and upcoming split CD participants) Destroilet & Jack Spades, the latter of whom finally getting a chance to open for SNFU after the 2013 show was called off. Very fitting choices, so don't be late!

Note that local grunge/hardcore duo Bad Back are listed as performing on the poster above, but are not credited on the Facebook event page, and the band hasn't recently acknowledged the show, so they appear to have dropped out. A $20 cover charge is in effect for this 19+ concert, which has an announced 9:00 PM start time. Given how successful SNFU's 2009 show was at The Grand Theater, there are high expectations for tomorrow, so if you love old school hardcore punk, be at The Rockstar Bar TOMORROW NIGHT for SNFU! Here they are at The Grand 6 years ago!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for Sault Michigan and late notice previews next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (The Pixo Control), AlgomA & Redundant Updates, And More!!

With a new week upon us, let's keep the news rolling on this Monday afternoon, including assorted recent updates, a lengthy new video from a popular local punk band, and updates regarding an upcoming concert and an opening band's tour plans, but first, here's a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!

Local alternative hard rock trio The Pixo Control will return to LopLops Lounge on June 20th (one week from Saturday) when they open for Edmonton psychedelic/garage rock band The Archaics once again! Yes, they just headlined at The New A last week, but on their way back home from Quebec during their summer tour, they're hitting some of the same cities they already played, hence why they're playing here twice in 20 days. Obviously, The Archaics left a positive impression last week too, so if you liked their garage rock originals or missed them, here's your second chance! Of course, The Pixo Control will be hitting LopLops for the first time since Lopstock II, and their aggressive grunge throwback sound will be more than welcome back next weekend, so don't miss them either! Note that this is ostensibly a more intimate show, hence why there's only one local opening band. Also, this show is apparently being promoted by Danger Cats guitarist Paula D'Agostino, which is good to see, hopefully this is a hit!

This 19+ concert has a $5 cover charge, and a 10:00 PM start time is advertised. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page, and don't miss the return of The Archaics and The Pixo Control next weekend!

Next up, here's some updates relating to the upcoming IRN-headlined concert on June 21st, including the news that it's been moved from 180 Projects to The New American Pub, as per promoter Jamie Vincent on the Facebook event page last week. A reason for the move wasn't announced, but the show will still be ALL AGES despite moving to a bar. Hopefully nothing bad happened with 180 Projects, but The New A should be a solid venue, so get more details on this show via the above links! As previously indicated, the show will serve as local openers AlgomA's kick-off to their upcoming tour, and we now have more details on that, so what should you know about their first ever formal tour run? According to the new poster from their Facebook page, the tour will take them from the Soo on the 21st to Sudbury in June 28th, with mostly Southern Ontario dates in between, though the June 26th & 27th dates between St. Catharine's and Sudbury are currently open.

This should be a great way to get some exposure and new fans throughout Ontario, so if you live in Sudbury or Southern Ontario, be sure to check Facebook for event pages for your area's closest AlgomA concert! Stay tuned for updates, including on the IRN show, when they come in!

Also today, local punk trio Redundant have re-emerged for the first time in 2015 with a new YouTube video... a 94 minutes long video at that! Uploaded to drummer Rick White's YouTube channel yesterday, it's a movie called "The Fun We Have, Vol. 1", but how can Redundant fill a non-concert video with over 90 minutes of content? Well, it does feature many assorted videos from Redundant concert sets, but we also get band members trying oysters, ghost peppers, 40 year old apple wine, dog treats, and hot sauce, adventures with an outhouse, footage from the 2011 Hempfest, multiple types of hair removal, pre- and post-show footage from the Riding Shotgun/Project Mars show in 2012, dancing, jamming, outdoor discoveries, a bonfire, and assorted other drunk fun and good times, and even a full studio song ("What'll You Do") and slideshow 63 minutes in! Note however that there isn't much in terms of videos visibly from 2013 and later, or from their beginnings as Motion Carried, but "Vol.1" implies that a sequel is coming.

Fans of Redundant will have a great time with this video, which captures their fun covers, originals, and off-stage antics (just don't try many of them at home!) It's still unclear what lies ahead for Redundant given bassist James White's college plans out of town this fall, but be sure to check out early Redundant antics and concert performances below! Note also that the video is dedicated to the memory of late Woods of Ypres frontman David Gold (a very good friend of frontman Justin Langlois), with the "I Was Buried In Mount Pleasant Cemetery" video closing the movie.



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:

• We have moved local industrial metal band Riverin to our inactive band links due to a year's inactivity. Featuring Dirty Virgin alumni Matt Hicks & Matt Clement, Riverin haven't posted an update referencing band activity on either their Facebook or Twitter pages in well over a year. Riverin seemed to have big plans, but activity has never came fast or large from their camp. Hopefully we hear from the Matts again soon!
• I've shuffled the link lists on the left & right of the Sault Metal Scene's main site to promote our local band listings (both active and inactive) to far higher spots. This will allow readers to check them out and visit them easier without having to scroll far down the page just to directly check out a band, which is arguably more of a priority than our listings of past feature posts, which are otherwise untouched. Hopefully this is a positive move!
• Though still labelled as part of the Gonqshow concert series, the SNFU-headlined concert on July 24th will actually take place upstairs at The Rockstar Bar rather than in The Algonquin Pub. Given SNFU's notoriety and success, this sounds like a good plan! As also confirmed on the Facebook event page via the show's new poster (designed by Destroilet's Matt Waples), SNFU are touring to support the 30th anniversary of their debut album "...And No One Else Wanted to Play", which they'll also play in full during their set! Awesome to hear, and stay tuned for more!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Gnaeus), The Return Of SNFU, And AlgomA Updates!!

With a lot of extant backlogged stories still waiting to get on the site, here's an extra new post on this Sunday morning, but be sure to check out this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post below this one! Today, we have all the latest from a popular local metal band, and the identity of mystery headliners for an upcoming concert, but first, here's a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for TODAY!!

Local post-punk/gararge rock quartet Gnaeus will return to the stage TODAY when they rock out at The Essar Centre during the grand finale of this year's Passport To Unity multicultural festival! Apologies for the short notice, the band announced the show via their Facebook page on Thursday, but it slipped us by until now. The VM Radio Battle winners will be among a very diverse lineup of performers that you can check out at this link, and while most are cultural bands and groups, local garage/folk band Honest Job are among the scheduled acts, so keep them in mind as well (they're on at 3:30 PM.) Fans may remember seeing The Pixo Control at last year's Passport To Unity finale after their Downtown Diversity set was rained out, and it will likely be similar circumstances for their friends in Gnaeus this year, so be sure to check them out TODAY during all of the entertainment and events!

Gnaeus are on at 4:25 PM amidst the ALL AGES activities taking place at The Essar Centre, which will also be hosting numerous arts, culture, and food vendors for the occasion of this great and diverse annual event, and while there's no announced admission fee, bring cash just in case. Check the above links for more details! Passport To Unity is a great event, and hopefully Gnaeus' entertaining music adds to that today, so don't miss them at 4:25 PM, and here they are live in March!

Next up, remember how one of the upcoming Gonqshow concerts at The Algonquin Pub on Friday, July 24th has headliners "to be announced" yet had a $20 admission fee? Well, we now know why, as none other than SNFU are coming back to Sault Ste. Marie! Yes, the Vancouver hardcore punk legends are returning to our neck of the woods this summer for the first time in over six years, so if you've missed Mr. Chi Pig and company, here's your chance! As previously announced, this show will be opened by local punk/metal bands (and upcoming split CD-mates) Destroilet & Jack Spades, the latter of whom were scheduled to open for both SNFU and Death By Stereo in July 2013 back when they were brand new, but that planned concert was indefinitely postponed & later cancelled. Both are fitting choices to be sure, so don't miss them either on July 24th!

In the midst of the Gonqshow concert series from J.D. Pearce & Tidal Records, admission will again be $20, a 10:00 PM start time is likely, and you must be 19 to attend. For more details, visit the above links! Now that we know the headliners, we can get ready for SNFU's intense and chaotic hardcore punk in the midst of the summer, so be sure to stay tuned as updates roll in over the next few months!

We'll close today with some overdue notes from local doom metal trio AlgomA, so what have they been up to lately? Aside from their set opening for Biipiigwan at 180 Projects last week (more on that in a bit), the guys have produced some new t-shirts and stickers featuring their new "Circle of Willis" logo that you can now buy at shows and sample via photos on their Facebook page. Their exposure continues to grow, with their song "Go On, Git!" from last year's debut album "Reclaimed By The Forest" included on a new compilation CD from metal promotion agency Grand Sounds Promotions, joining 17 other bands from around the world. Nice score getting on that, so see above for info on that too, and stream it all at this link! Also, singer/guitarist Boyd Rendell appears to have completely dropped the Darby Wigwaus stage name according to their Facebook page, so now all three members are billed as themselves.

AlgomA have also alerted fans on Facebook to a number of recent CD reviews that we hope to touch on in the near future as well, but we'll close today with a video of them at the aforementioned Biipiigwan concert last week, courtesy of the band's YouTube channel on Friday! Filmed with a far stationary camera, this is of AlgomA's full 8 song set last Thursday, and in order, the songs they played include "Failed Stunt Fatality", "Tertiary Syphillis", "Phthisis", "Electric Fence", "Fell Down A Well", "Canis Rabidus", a cover (their first ever) of The Kittens' "Great Dane", and "Go On, Git!", so visit each song name for the individual track. Despite being their first public show since it's release, only three of the six songs from "Reclaimed By The Forest" made this set, but the new songs live up to their usual crushing doom standards!

Adding to the far distance, the video is dark and grainy, and it's hard to make out the projected video behind the band, but it does give the overall video an aged look that helps the effect. Nice to see AlgomA back, and hopefully they have a lot more in the tank as 2015 rolls on, so give their new full concert video a look below!


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

Destroilet & Toast Videos, A Concert Postponement, And Much More!!

I was wrong, we do have just enough to push our posting streak into it's 70th day! For tonight's SMS post, we have a bunch of assorted recent news items, and some recent feature profile updates, but first, we have videos from a pair of area bands, starting with this new video of local hardcore/punk quintet Destroilet's return set at The Algonquin Pub last month! Filmed by YouTube user Richard Dryfist (who Destroilet's Facebook page confirmed is AlgomA bassist Kevin Campbell) and uploaded yesterday, this is of Destroilet playing their original song "End Me" followed by covers of the Fuckin' Burnouts/Fistmagnet original "Evil God Hater" and Nirvana's "Tourettes" (all of which are on their newest CD.) The quality's good, and Kevin got a nice high angle of the proceedings, though aside from the lit band area, you can't generally see the crowd response. Audio quality's nice & clear too, and it's good to see more videos of Destroilet in action, so check out this 5 minute blitz of 3 short songs (complete with titles) below!

Next up, remember the Sault Michigan rock cover quartet named Toast that we've alluded to on here? Well, there's finally some YouTube videos of them to share, courtesy of frontwoman Melissa Strand's YouTube channel, and yes, there are some heavier songs there! As you may know, Toast are more or less the successors to the early 2010s hard rock band Swayze Train (albeit with only one guitarist and Bob Helsten on drums), though their sound strikes a more general rock tone, complete with a number of acoustic drummer-less sets in the area, but they still do some heavier material! All of the new YouTube videos were filmed by attendee Paul Steinkohl, and were originally posted on Toast's Facebook page last month (and on YouTube last week), including the Rev Theory, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Deee-Lite songs that we already mentioned on here. The other new videos are of Toast covering The Foo Fighters' "My Hero", Alice In Chains' "Would?", Seether's "Gasoline", and Lit's "My Own Worst Enemy", so click each link to check them out! (Note however that only the Rev Theory & Deee-Lite covers are from non-acoustic gigs.)

I like Toast's sound & talents, and Melissa's vocals are strong and capable on each track, but something happened in the video conversion for Paul's earlier videos, as they all look incredibly pixelated. The other cell-phone clips are better for the YouTube copies, and they help back up my earlier thoughts on Toast: A mix of the rock style of Swayze Train with the acoustic & more varied sound of Melissa & bassist Tony Rogers' earlier band Electric Motor Fish. Good stuff, so check out their Alice In Chains unplugged cover below, and stay tuned for more from Melissa's channel!



Also today, here's three assorted recent news updates, and as usual, these are in alphabetical order by band name:

• Peterborough hardcore/stoner punk band Cross Dog (who are opening for The Dayglo Abortions locally in September) now have a BandCamp page with their first song "Black Hole" posted, so check it out at the above links! They in fact have no guitars (my apologies, Mark!), but their sound has a unique yet familiar edge to it (think a female fronted mix of Detroit & The Fury), so give Cross Dog a listen, and don't miss the Soo's own Mark Rand's return to the local stage this fall!
• The planned SNFU/Death By Stereo concert at The Canadian Nightclub on July 8th has been postponed, according to promoter J.D. Pearce on the Facebook event page tonight. A reason wasn't announced, but he will re-book the concert for a later date when the tour is rescheduled, so keep an eye out for news on that front and any possible changes!
• Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands winners The Suicide Kings posted some Facebook exclusive videos of covers they played during their finals set on April 24th onto their Facebook page late last month, including renditions of System of a Down's "Toxicity" and Velvet Revolver's "Slither", so click the above links to check them out! (I can't embed them here.) Though short and low quality, they at least give a clear view of the guys, so give them a look, and go see them at The Rosie next Friday!

Finally for today, here's some assorted updates to some of our Defunct Local Band Profiles! I updated our AtrophiA profile to note ex-bassist Ryan Gray's more prominent band Free Beer's name change to Sarah's Valley, while I restored photos on both their profile as well as the profiles on M7K & The White Knights in this series. I edited the State of Misery profile to add references to the second version of With Blood Build Character (who have featured 3 S.O.M. alumni in their lineups), along with restoring a photo, and replacing Social Suicide with The Unforgiven for lead guitarist Ray Cowan's notable other bands. Also, I updated our Detroit profile to freshen up band members' other projects (including adding drummer Mikey Hawdon's current punk band The Fairmounts and bassist Mark Rand's current projects Cross Dog & Kidshit.) Finally, I updated our Mugwort profile to restore a photo and add references to singer Bob Helsten's current work in Toast and to note the project's similarity to his older bands that he fronted. Check the above links for the updates, and stay tuned for more!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news soon! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Golers, SNFU, And The Dayglo Abortions), And More!!

Well guys, we have a stacked post for huge new LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS today, as local concert promoter/singer J.D. Pearce (a.k.a. Johnny Pints) officially announced four huge metal/punk concerts taking place this summer & fall (one of which is awaiting venue confirmation) on Thursday via separate Facebook event pages, and these include some major returning hardcore punk bands from out of town, a few band debuts, at least one venue you may not expect, and some familiar local opening faces! Just to note before we get into these: Most have been mentioned, but not confirmed, through certain opening bands' online pages, but they hadn't been confirmed otherwise until Thursday. Also, I don't know which of these (if any) is/are the show(s) that the winners of Wednesday's Rockstar Bar Battle of the Bands Finals will get an opening slot at, but I believe J.D. does have at least one more major concert for this year to announce, so it might not be any of these.

When I hear more, I'll let you guys know, but with that said, here's what you currently need to know on each gig (in chronological order), and check out our profile of last year's Sault Humane Society Battle of the Bands in the post below this one!

We start at The Roosevelt Hotel on June 20th for J.D.'s sixth Thursday night show at The Rosie since last year, but all three bands will be playing there for the first time, including headliners The Golers! This crossover thrash quartet from Vancouver have made a big name for themselves in the past decade with dark humour, aggressive metal originals, and plenty of tour runs with major bands throughout North America & Europe, and they should fit right in for this concert on June 20th! The local opening bands include local hardcore/punk quintet Destroilet (in likely their first gig since opening for The Ripcordz last week) and new sludge/doom metal trio AlgomA, in just their second ever public concert! It's great to see Destroilet playing more frequently following the end of their 2 year concert hiatus, and AlgomA should impress in what should be a higher profile setting, as they have the talent and sound to go along with it! This show starts at 10:00 PM on June 20th, admission will be $10 (with advance ticket details forthcoming), and you must be 19 to attend. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page!

This should be a very brutal metal-leaning concert, and with it's familiar placement on the old Rosie metal nights' stronghold, things will be familiar despite the newer and less frequently seen bands, so don't miss The Golers and two furious local opening acts on June 20th, and stay tuned for updates!

The biggest of all of J.D.'s newly announced shows is next on Monday, July 8th, and it involves the return of three prominent out of town bands, including no less than Vancouver hardcore punk legends SNFU and Los Angeles hardcore quintet Death By Stereo! Both were last seen here at separate major local concerts in the spring of 2009 (SNFU headlined at The Grand Theater that April, and Death By Stereo opened for Strung Out at The Canadian the next month), and this show melds the past and present of hardcore punk by their presences on the lineup! SNFU are of course legends in the Canadian punk/hardcore scene, while Death By Stereo are quite popular and prominent partly thanks to their own energetic recent concerts, so don't miss all of this action come July! The other out of town band is The Fairmounts, the Toronto punk band led by veteran local musician Mikey Hawdon, in their first local concert since the Halloween party at The Algonquin Pub, and it'll be Mikey's second stab at opening for Death By Stereo locally, as he played the May 2009 show as well with The Inner City Surfers.

Picture a full on punk version of Lion Ride, and you have The Fairmounts, who should put in a fun set of originals and covers in their local return this summer! There are slots for two local opening bands, one of which is Jack Spades, a new local band fronted by this show's promoter J.D. Pearce, though it's unclear what their genre is, who else is in the band, and anything else really beyond this almost-barren Facebook page. Will they be similar to Frightlight, T-Rex Manning, or Fitswitch, or something brand new? Hopefully we'll find out soon-ish! The other opening slot is reserved for (hopefully) a younger band, with at least three members hoped to be in high school still. This makes sense, as it's an ALL AGES concert, and I know getting underagers playing at and attending concerts will breathe some new air into the scene, so if you're in a young punk/metal band, message J.D. at this location if you want in on this show! Speaking of which, where is this massive gig being held? How's The Canadian Bushplane Heritage Center sound?

The first metal/punk concert to take place at the Pim Street museum since November's Bushplane Musical Madness show, I imagine there's a huge space for a show of this size to go down in, and hopefully this is just the second of many heavier concerts to take place at the Bushplane Museum! Start times & ticket availability details haven't been announced yet, but tickets for this ALL AGES show are $30 in advance ($40 at the door), which is steep, but worth it with this high profile lineup! Check the official Facebook event page for more details, and be sure to check the above links for more on what could be the biggest hardcore punk show of 2013!

The other confirmed concert will take place on Monday, September 9th at The Roosevelt Hotel, and it will see the return of Victoria, British Columbia hardcore punk legends The Dayglo Abortions! Over two years after their most recent local date (at The Rosie in June 2011), the often controversial but highly revered Canadian punk veterans will be sure to attract another massive crowd this fall for their local return, and I know many local fans have been clamoring for their return since their 2011 date here! There will be three opening bands, including the aforementioned Jack Spades (in their likely Rosie debut) and Destroilet, but the other announced opening act will be Cross Dog, the new project from veteran local musician Mark Rand! Aside from scattered online mentions, I know nothing on them (i.e. full lineup, genre, or if they're locally based), but I'll note that Mark has lived in Southern Ontario in recent years, and he only rarely uses Facebook, so I have no idea when/if we'll hear more on the project.

Myself, I wouldn't be surprised if they're similar to his hardcore punk projects like Detroit or Kidshit, but as soon as I get any confirmation on them (and Jack Spades), I'll let you guys know! Advance tickets will go on sale in August for $10 (with $15 charges at the door), you must be 19 to attend, and a 9:00 PM start time is advertised. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! J.D.'s done it again, and this should be another huge concert for punk and metal fans, so stay tuned for updates, including confirmation on Jack Spades & Cross Dog's lineup & genre! Now, there was one more concert announcement concerning Toronto hardcore punk band The Bunchofuckingoofs playing here in August with local opening acts, but I'm waiting for venue confirmation before announcing it on here. It's official and public, but I try not to plug announced shows on here until there's a host venue secured, hence the delay. Click here for current details on that front, and when a venue's confirmed, we'll start the SMS push, as it should be a good one as well!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes tomorrow (including Woods of Ypres/Juno Awards fallout), and this month's YouTube Channel Profiles on Monday, as our posting streak pushes into it's 56th straight day! Thanks everyone!