LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Caveman Morrison), Throat Kick Preview, And More!!

Well, I'm back from Detroit and I have some local metal stories to share today, including a preview of a concert tomorrow night and the latest news from Woods of Ypres and The Eastgate Hotel, but first, here's a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!!

Fresh off their new lineup's live debut this past weekend at The Outback, Caveman Morrison have booked a brand new concert for this fall, as they'll be back at The Rockstar Bar for the first time in months on October 1st! Just one show to my knowledge, but if they do end up playing on October 2nd as well, I will let you know! This show will have a 10:00 PM start time, there is no announced cover charge, and you must be 19 to enter. For more information, visit the official Facebook event page! This should be another fun show from Caveman Morrison, who'll deliver another high energy night of heavy metal covers to patrons and fans at The Rockstar Bar to kick off October! But if you want your Caveman fix sooner, remember to check them out this coming Friday and Saturday when they play their first shows at Foggy Notions featuring new bassist Dutch Vanderploeg and drummer Johnny Belanger! I'll be there, and I'll have more on Caveman Morrison soon!

Next up, here's a preview of an upcoming concert, and though it is slightly short notice, it's a very promising show at a new venue, so at least consider going! Tomorrow night at The Vibe Lounge, two British Columbia bands will hit the stage for a concert that's sure to leave an impression! Your headliners are Prince George breakcore band Throat Kick, who have a heavy hardcore-style with a heavy electronic influence in many songs. Unique but moshable, they'll be sure to leave you wanting more tomorrow night! The other scheduled band is Vancouver groove metal quintet GFAP!, who have some nice breakdowns and throw in many different styles and sounds into their music, including some creative experimental touches! Hardcore fans will definitely want to be at The Vibe Lounge tomorrow night, this'll deliver some great stuff! This show will take place at 9:00 PM tomorrow night, there is a $5 cover, and you must be 19 to enter. Sure, it's short notice and in a venue far from most of the other concert spots, but you should have some good times at this concert tomorrow, so make it on out! For more information on this show and the bands scheduled tomorrow, visit the official Facebook event page and the links above! For a video preview, here's Throat Kick's music video for their song "Robot Attack"!



Thirdly today, here's the latest updates on Woods of Ypres! Nothing has came out about "Woods V" yet, but the first photo from what was hyped as their last photo shoot is now online! The shoot was conducted by Miguel Gauthier of Stereo Soul Studios, where the band recorded their last two albums, and the first of these photos can be seen on your right. Looks good, can't wait for the rest! Miguel's actually a very talented photographer, and he has dozens of great photos at his Flickr page to check out, including a couple featuring members of Garden of Bedlam! More on "Woods V" as I hear it! The other Woods note I had was about frontman David Gold's emigration from Canada. Some of you may still be wondering where exactly he went and why, but after clear statements failed to materialize prior to his flight overseas, the questions continued. Well, since arriving, David's shared many photos of his surroundings on his personal Facebook page, and though he never clearly says where he is (he lists his locations as "Brutalandiabad" & "so far from you") the photos all point to him being in Kuwait, an Arabic country near The Persian Gulf.

Probably the most telling is a photo of David outside of The Kuwait Towers, but out of respect for personal privacy, I won't link or embed anything here. I'm assuming he's found work there, possibly as a teacher like when he lived in South Korea, but hopefully he's not done with music after the release of "Woods V"! There, maybe that helps answer a couple of questions!

Finally today, here's some updates concerning the fate of former local metal concert venue The Eastgate Hotel. The offers to buy the unused building are still out there, mostly, but the original offer from Tomasso Petrucci has been withdrawn. The offer from Anna Yurkevich and Walter Jakubsky was ruled to be unacceptable due to their aim to have the building rezoned as a residential building. Lindsay Myles informally offered $30,000 to turn it into low income housing for people on welfare via fax, but it's not being considered. If City Council are going to approve of an offer to save it in today's Council meeting, the only one they'll consider is Robert Berto Jr.'s $17,000 offer for it, though he hasn't announced his plans for it if he gets it. Council could also demolish The Eastgate and sell the vacant lot, or accept an $80,000 offer from Algoma Insurance, which would see them demolish the building for their own purposes. Note that newer offers could be re-evaluated today as well. Read Elaine Della-Mattia's Sault Star article on the topic at this location. Also, click here to read an interesting editorial article about the Eastgate situation from The Sault Star's Doug Millroy.

It seems to me like they could have solved this problem a lot sooner than now, and today may not even decide what will happen to The Eastgate. I'd like to see it stay up in some fashion, and I'm sure many concertgoers from the 1980s and 1990s would love to see it remain where it is for nostalgic reasons, but I wouldn't be surprised if it got torn down. Algoma Insurance have the best offer monetarily, and there's no strange conditions mentioned, so if I was betting, I'd have my chips on them to win The Eastgate. Still, this could go a few different directions, and I'll have more as I hear it!

That's all for today, but I already have some assorted stories lined up for my next update, so stay tuned for that in the next day or two! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Throat Kick), Another New Show, Half Past's New Bassist, And More!!

Hey guys, I'm still in Detroit doing some family stuff, and I have some time tonight to update you all on some news from the local metal scene that popped up over the last little while! This may be shorter than I'd hope for a post, but better some than never, right? So here's what you need to know, starting with a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!!!

I apologize for the short notice of this show, I was only first alerted to it yesterday. Remember back in May when I mentioned that two metal bands from British Columbia, Throat Kick and GFAP!, were looking for a joint booking in Sault Ontario in September? Well, they got it, and they'll be in town on TUESDAY! The two bands will make their way to, oddly enough, The Vibe Lounge, which I can't recall ever hosting out of town metal bands like this. Great to see regardless! As I said, this show will be TUESDAY NIGHT, with a start time of 9:00 PM and a $5 cover. You must be 19 to enter, because after all, this is a bar. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! Now I know this show is both short notice and a bit out of the way from most of the local concert spots, but seriously consider going! Both bands bring a unique style to the table! Throat Kick (from Prince George) have a electronic-influenced "breakcore" style that we certainly don't see often locally, while GFAP! (from Vancouver) have a more straightforward groove metal sound, and have a great intensity going for them! Check the above links for more on the bands and the show, and stay tuned for a preview of it tomorrow or Monday!

Now, the title above says that I have another new show, and yes, it is new with bands announced, but why am I not treating this as a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT? Because there's no venue announced, but when one is, I'll give it the proper treatment! But this is publically aware with Facebook event page in tow, so here's what you should know beforehand! On November 25th, California punk legends Total Chaos will play a concert in Sault Ontario! They're an awesome punk band, but how does this qualify for SMS attention? Well, check out who's opening! The scheduled openers include local horror punk/metal quartet Frightlight, local death metal band Bring The Fallen, and in their live concert debut, local grimecore trio Shit Liver! Also announced are Toronto-based classical/punk band RedD Monkey (featuring ex-Gates of Winter drummer Kevin Overton), and what could be another opening band, labeled as "(TBA/NO NAME)". A 7:00 PM start time is announced, but I've heard little since about venue or ticket details. Stay tuned to The Sault Metal Scene and the above links for updates as they come in, cause this concert sounds VERY promising!

Thirdly, here's some long awaited news on a local band's bassist search! On Thursday, local hard rockers Half Past announced the addition of WinkStinger bassist Ryan Disano to the band, replacing former bassist Arthur Lacasse. Aside from WinkStinger, you may recognize Ryan from his work in bands like Time of Ruin and Caveman Morrison, who he played bass with briefly last year upon their local return. The news was announced on the band's official Facebook page on Thursday, with the band commenting that Ryan will bring a "style and intensity" that we're gonna love. This should be a great move, cause Ryan has some definite skills on the bass, and hopefully he fits in well with Half Past! After all, it's been five months since we last saw Half Past on a local stage, so the anticipation is building as we await their return! I'll keep you posted with more Half Past news as I hear it!

And finally for today, it's finally official: Recording sessions for Garden of Bedlam's upcoming full length LP have FINISHED! After delays from the Kiss concert and some personal ailments, Buzz has wrapped up all of his vocal tracks for what is tentatively titled "Everything Will Die" a few days ago, and he announced the recording sessions' conclusion on the band's Facebook group on Thursday! Great to hear, I can't wait to hear the finished product! That's all for today, but I will have more very soon, be it when I get home or not! Stay tuned!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Breaking The Fourth Wall) & Five Bands Looking To Play Here!!

Some big updates today, mostly of the concert variety! The bulk of today's post comes from FIVE new bands that want a local booking! Well, three, but one need help again to secure a date I'd already posted here about. I'll give you all the details in a second, but first, here's a LOCAL CONCERT ALERT!!!

Montreal hardcore band Breaking The Fourth Wall are coming back to Sault Ontario! A year after their planned show with Constructed Apocalypse quietly evaporated without notice, they will make their long awaited local return on July 30th at The Oddfellows Hall! Good, bookings there are picking up! Joining them are Calgary metalcore group Fall City Fall! This reminds me of some of the shows we used to get so often at The Oddfellows Hall from 2008 and earlier, maybe this is a sign of things to come? Well, that depends on how successful this show is. Click on the band names above to check out their material on MySpace, solid stuff from both bands! And the lineup doesn't end there, as local openers are needed! If you or your band would like to open at this all ages hardcore show, message Jasmin Nott at this location to show your interest! Start times and cover charges will be announced next week. Promoter Nathan Bouliane (Lorax/ex-As It Stands bassist) is hoping to bring lots of lights and a smoke machine to help make this show as good as possible! Sounds good to me, as soon as I hear more on this show, you'll be sure to find out here!

And now, pay attention, anyone who might wanna help these bands! FIVE more bands are looking for help getting a booking in Sault Ontario, and I'm always willing to help out, so I'm gonna tell you what you should know about these bands and how you can contact them! This goes for concert promoters, venue workers, and local band members who might want to play with them at a show, if you like what you hear and would like to help them get a show here, take the initiative! So, here's what you should know!

Firstly, we have a band I plugged a few months ago for a show here in July, but apparently had an issue with their planned promoter falling out. I won't say anything else about why here, but the band really would like to play here, and I've helped them in the past, so I've gotta try again! They are Aquila, a metal band from Windsor, and frontman Mark Arruda recently sent me a MySpace message seeing if I could help them with a date here for either July 6th or 7th. Trust me when I say this, Aquila kick ass! Very heavy band with some good thrashy qualities, and your head will sure be banging if you see them live! I'd love to see them here, and hopefully someone out there does too! Time's running out to lock up an Aquila show here on this tour, so if you can help in some way, send the band an e-mail through their MySpace page to show your interest, and check out their material! They really wanna come here, can you help?

Secondly, we have a band that I first heard wanted to play here today! They are The Great Sabatini, a progressive sludge metal band from Montreal, and if you want some slow grinding doom-ish heavy metal, this is what you'll be looking for! Very down-tempo and methodical, but very heavy, it's definitely something we don't see here often! The band itself actually didn't contact me, I was actually e-mailed by a booking company they're represented by, Tugnut Booking out of Cambridge, Ontario, and they're hoping to get The Great Sabatini booked here for...Halloween! Yes, Sunday, October 31st, and I was told that they always have trouble booking here for tours. If nothing else, this would be a unique show for here, and fitting too considering the night of it! Doom/sludge metal fans take note, if you want to help get a booking for The Great Sabatini here in Sault Ontario on Halloween, e-mail Tugnut Booking at this location! Click the above links to check them out too!

The other three bands I'm plugging concerning their search for a Sault Ste. Marie booking came to my attention me via e-mail, and in the case of this band, we've seen them here before! They are Fredericton, New Brunswick punk/thrash trio Hard Charger, and you may remember seeing them at a headlining show at The Oddfellows Hall in July 2008 with various local openers, including an early version of Bring The Fallen! I got an e-mail from drummer Tom Blizzard a few days ago, and he told me that Hard Charger would like to play here again on Wednesday, August 4th. I'd be up to see Hard Charger again! Despite a bad turnout for the 2008 show, I was impressed with their raw energy and mix of styles! I of course gave him some contact info, but if you'd like to help Hard Charger get a booking for here on August 4th, e-mail Tom at struggles999@hotmail.com or by messaging them through MySpace! There, you can check out some of their songs, lots of short, but heavy and relentless death/thrash/punk that will be sure to get a crowd moving! Want Hard Charger back? Then e-mail them and see if you can book them or help at all!

Finally, we have a double bill of bands hoping for a show here! Prince George, British Columbia electronic metal band Throat Kick (pictured) and Vancouver metal band GFAP are hoping to play in Sault Ontario on their upcoming Canadian tour! Looks like the show might be in September, but a specific date wasn't given, so there may be some flexibility here! The bands are both solid, Throat Kick have kind of a "breakcore" vibe and lots of electronic influences, interesting mix! GFAP are more straightforward groove metal with nice aggressive vocals, I'm really digging them too! Throat Kick frontman Kyle Pigeau e-mailed me today looking for some help to get both bands a show on their upcoming tour, anyone out there wanna help out? E-mail Kyle at kylepigeau@gmail.com or message either band at their above MySpace pages to offer your help to bring them here for a show! They're good bands, they just need a venue, or local openers, or a promoter, or something!

There's got to be someone out there that can help out these bands for a local booking of some type! We need more shows here, and if no one shows any interest, then these concerts won't happen! Even if you're just a local musician that would wanna play with them on that date, that would help! If you're interested in booking one of these bands for a show on the dates they'd like, playing with them on said show, or bring them to your venue, PLEASE e-mail them today! Let's bolster the scene with more concerts!

That's all for now, I don't know if I'll have a post tomorrow or not, it's actually my 21st birthday tomorrow so I could be busy, but I do have some cool things on the newsdesk to share, so keep an eye out, you may see something tomorrow!