LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Soundcheck, Double Down, HeadFirst, And Curtis McKenzie!!)

For our last news post of the month, we're looking at LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (one on SHORT NOTICE), all via weekend nightclub cover circuit regulars, so here's what you should know on this Friday evening!

Former Project 421/Eclipse frontman Curtis McKenzie will return to The Dive Gastro Pub for concerts TOMORROW NIGHT and on Thursday, September 12th! Apologies for the short notice on TOMORROW's show, Curt only announced it via his Facebook page this afternoon, where he admitted that it was "a bit last minute, but I'll never turn down a gig". In one more kinda-new confirmation, he will be playing at the Rowdy Ranchers Horse Show at the Laird Fairgrounds on Friday, September 13th as well, joining the previously confirmed Saturday the 14th gig there, so whether you're into horses or just want to see his acoustic hard rock covers just outside of town, keep his dual bookings in Laird in mind in two weeks! Back to The Dive, Curt's show TOMORROW at the former Low & Slow will be an outdoor "Patio Play" gig, while his show on the 12th will be a part of the restaurant's "Think It Over Thursday" series, which is traditionally held indoors.

All three new shows are free, with The Dive shows being at 9:00 PM and 19+. The Rowdy Ranchers Weekend is definitely open to all ages, and while an 8:00 AM start time is listed, I don't know when exactly Curtis plays (pop rock cover quartet Lime are the Saturday evening headliners). The Weather Channel's current hourly forecast is calling for 20° temperatures and increasingly cloudy skies TOMORROW NIGHT, and there is a strong possibility of rain after midnight that could obviously abbreviate Curt's show, if not move it indoors. If you are at all concerned about the forecast, follow Curt or The Dive for updates. Visit the above links for more on Curt's September slate, and here he is live!

Next up, here's what was originally planned to lead off today's post before Curt's shows were announced, as The Esquire Club has announced their fall concert schedule through to the end of the year! After the Second Line West nightclub's two months summer break from the weekend cover band grind, they resume hosting live musicians next weekend, and surprisingly, only six different bands are in the rotation across these seventeen weeks. As per the official schedule shared on their Facebook page on Tuesday, they will welcome classic/hard rock cover quartets Silent 9 and Double Down there next month, but both bands already announced those dates on their social media and were thusly already announced here. Silent 9's website has all of their 2024 Esquire Club dates beyond listed too! The first new-to-us shows here from hard rock-leaning bands are courtesy of fellow classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck, so when can you see them?

Soundcheck (still no space) return to Second Line West for the first time since late June when they take the stage on Friday, October 25th & Saturday, October 26th, with returns slated for November 22nd-23rd and then on December 20th-21st! No word yet on if The Esquire Club will hold their Halloween party early with Soundcheck or if they'll wait a day to do so with Silent 9 for a second straight year, but we'll keep you posted! Also note that Soundcheck's December shows are the last before Christmas, so there could be holiday themes there too. All six of Soundcheck's shows have 19+ age limits, no cover charges, and 9:30 PM start times, and good rocking covers will be present at all three!

While classic/hard rock veterans Double Down had announced their September dates at The Esquire Club (playing there on the 13th-14th and on the 27th-28th), their calendar doesn't go further than mid-October, leaving out two upcoming concert weekends there. Fans can see the Syrettes, Brad, and Ric back on Second Line West when they take the stage on November 8th-9th and December 6th-7th, so if you want to see this union of Griphook, Bone Yard, and Mojo alumni, you have four upcoming west end weekends to take note of! No major frills or holiday weekend tie-ins to note here, but Double Down's hard rocking blend of covers should attract positive notices once again, so keep their shows later this month in mind along with their already-known dates this month! Again, these are 19+ events with no cover charges and 9:30 PM start times

Finally, the other new dates from an established hard rock-leaning band come courtesy of rising young hard rock quintet HeadFirst, who will return to The Esquire Club for one weekend only on the current schedule, that being on Friday, December 13th & Saturday, December 14th! The guys debuted here as late notice replacements for Mustang Heart (get well soon, Lorenzo!) in June, and while it is mildly surprising that HeadFirst (also no space) are only booked for the two gigs in this slate, they should inject things with a positive energy and lots of solid originals and covers! Note that new local classic rock band Headrush (who debuted at Toystock last year) are playing The Esquire Club for three weekends in the fall schedule. I plan to talk about them in an upcoming post, but despite both being bands with classic rock covers and having names starting with "Head" (which is bound to get confusing for some), they are very different.

Hopefully venues keep that straight if HeadFirst and Headrush are booked in close timeframes! Again, these are 19+ events with 9:30 PM start times and no cover charges. Sounds like a quality (if smaller than normal) lineup of upcoming bands at The Esquire Club, so definitely visit the above links for more on these bands, Bourbon Blue, and Mid Life Crysis' upcoming shows there! That's all for today, but stay tuned for our review of HeadFirst's debut EP on the site next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Gabba Heys, Re:Born, And Tym Morrison), Plus More Concert Previews!!

Today's post is half devoted to this weekend's remaining hard rock/punk concert previews, but to round things out, we have some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for this fall, and one of this weekend's gigs is on SHORT NOTICE as well! Here's what you should know!

The ever-prolific Tym Morrison will have at least one public concert this weekend, as he'll return to Room 21 for consecutive Saturdays TOMORROW NIGHT and next Saturday the 15th! Apologies for the short notice on TOMORROW'S show, that concert was only confirmed via it's official Facebook event page on Wednesday (next week's show was announced with more notice on Sunday.) With the ongoing wait for Tym's regular Gliss run to resume, it's great to see that he's staying busy with regional concerts, and these two Room 21 gigs should provide patrons and fans a solid chance to take in his unplugged hard and classic rock covers! Note that TOMORROW'S concert is a one nighter due to the previously announced Wyld Stallyns concert tonight, but I don't know why Tym's only playing Saturday next week. Both TOMORROW'S and next week's concerts have 10:00 PM start times, 19+ age limits, and no cover charges. Click here and above for more details, and here's Tym live!



Next up, here's some more new concerts with lots of advance notice, starting with the local concert debut of Toronto-based Ramones tribute band The Gabba Heys (fronted by prolific local punk musician Mikey Hawdon) on Saturday, September 22nd at LopLops Lounge! This is nothing new for Mikey, as he fronted the preceding Ramones tribute band The Merves from 2010-2015 (who played here 5 times in that span) before joining The Gabba Heys in 2016. New faces and name, but Mikey's Ramones love and knowledge isn't new to fans, so hopefully their set goes over well in two weeks! Mikey's Surfers & Tide bandmate Dustin Jones will open the proceedings with his active (but online page-less) punk quartet The Cover-Up, while fellow Merves alum Amy "Gabba" Zucchetto will play a selection of Joan Jett covers to kick off this concert, as she did for half of late-period Merves sets. Stacked lineup, which fans can also see the previous day in Sudbury, so click here for details on that Townehouse Tavern event if you're in the area!

This "Punk Rock Blitz-O-Rama Dance Party" is brought to you by Tidal Records, and it has a 19+ age limit, $10 admission fee, and 9:00 PM start time. Advance tickets can be purchased at LopLops' website, The Rad Zone, Case's Music, Thomas Walls School of Music, and presumably at the door. This should be a fun concert for long time followers of Mikey and Dustin's local punk careers, even if you're not a Ramones scholar, so visit the above links for complete details on this intriguing concert later this month!

Lastly for new concerts, local power rock quintet Re:Born and funk/hard rock quartet The Elements will join forces on Saturday, October 6th at The Sault Theatre Workshop as part of the musical entertainment for a benefit concert for prolific stage actor and director Pirie "Bear" Kaufman! A familiar presence in the local theatre community, including via his recent productions with the Chippewa Theatre Guild, Pirie is currently battling cancer, so his family has put together this benefit to help raise funds and support at this difficult time. A buffet, cash bar, and silent auction are all planned for next month, as well as a solid musical lineup, with The Elements' diverse set sure to nicely compliment Re:Born's first public concert appearance in four months! Unspecified acoustic acts are also advertised to open this concert, we will let you know when their identities are publicized. This presumably all ages fundraiser will have $30 tickets and a 6:00 PM start time, and the Sault Theatre Workshop is located at 121 Pittsburgh Avenue in the west end.

I don't know Pirie at all, but those that do have spoken very highly of his impact in local theatre and as a person, and I hope this benefit goes a long way to helping in this fight! Cancer sucks in every way. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, kudos to everyone involved in this concert, and if you'd like to support Team Bear and/or can't make the event next month, send PayPal donations to teambearpkk@gmail.com!

Finally, here's our last currently announced hard rock/punk concert preview of the weekend, as local musicians will hit The Marconi Club on Albert Street West TOMORROW NIGHT as part of Joe's Weekend Warrior Fest! This special event (co-presented by Joe's Sports & Surplus and Sault Ontario radio station Country 104.3) will serve as the kick-off for Northern Superior Brewing Company's new Weekend Warrior Wheat Ale, and for the occasion, fans can partake in a craft beer social, taste testing, and specially paired dinner selections. If you're in this more for the beer than the music, you'll be in good hands with the craft brews on tap, and where else have you seen a new type of beer launched this big? Scheduled performers will include indie/punk quintet Northwest, blues/country notables The Barn Board Trio, and Country 104.3 morning host Jeff McNiece, who is now publically listed on the bill.

The aforementioned Cover-Up & indie rock musician Jesse Merineau were also previously advertised, but have both since dropped out. Jesse cited "a miscommunication & unforeseen changes" on his personal Facebook page, while Cover-Up frontman Dustin Jones is currently in Toronto for concerts with his non-local bands. We'll surely see both back on stage soon! Tomorrow's 19+ concert is at 7:00 PM affair at The Marconi Club, with $25 admission, though remember that the price includes food and drinks. This is a very unique event, but with Northwest adding some punk to the proceedings, don't miss out on the tunes & brews tomorrow! Here's Northwest live!



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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Joe's Weekend Warrior Fest & A Dire Setback), Soundcheck Preview, And Gliss Updates!!

Let's cap off this weekend's announced hard rock concert previews and more updates, but before we dive in, just a clarification on Tym Morrison's busy slate of solo concerts. His personal Facebook page was advertising shows at The Machine Shop yesterday and in St. Joseph Island on Sunday, bookending private gigs, but I have found no public promotion of these events, so I believe they're also private. If I'm wrong, I'll let you know, but look for his return to Gliss at it's new home soon! Now, let's dive into today's post with a pair of LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS, one on SHORT NOTICE!

Local alt-punk trio A Dire Setback will make their Room 21 debut with a headlining concert there TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced via it's official Facebook event page on Tuesday, and we didn't preview it yesterday because it would have gotten buried under our Northern Vibe Festival coverage. After a month-long break from the stage following Rotaryfest Stage 2, A.D.S. have hyped "some changes" to their set and forthcoming debut album, so how will things sound for this high energy outfit? Head to the nightclub above Low & Slow to find out TOMORROW! Two more punk/alternative bands will open the proceedings, including fellow punk favourites Stegadeth, and the Room 21 return of Handsome Sandwich, with that "no genre" band hitting the stage for the first time since June. Solid lineup overall, and it's great to see this trio of trios joining forces before the summer season wraps up at this popular rising venue!

A late 11:00 PM start time is advertised for this 19+ concert, which has no announced cover charge, nor does it have an advertised "Sangria Saturday" theme (though whether punk pairs well with sangria may be up for debate.) This should be a fun night of punk rock action for local fans TOMORROW NIGHT, so head to Albert Street West for all of the action! Check the above links for more details, and here's A Dire Setback live!



Next up, we have one more new show that has lots of advance notice, as four local bands will join forces at The Marconi Club (also on Albert Street West) on Saturday, September 8th for Joe's Weekend Warrior Fest! Sponsored by Joe's Sports & Surplus and Sault Ontario radio station Country 104.3, this special event will commemorate the release of Northern Superior Brewing Company's new Weekend Warrior Wheat Ale, with a craft beer social, taste testing, food, and musical entertainment planned at the downtown event hall. A local concert at a beer launch is new for us, but it'll be interesting to hear how this event does for beer lovers and music fans alike! Despite the Q104 sponsorship, only one country band is on the bill in two weeks' time, with the advertised lineup featuring local indie/punk quintet Northwest, online page-less punk favourites The Cover-Up, blues/country standouts The Barn Board Trio, and indie rock artist Jesse Merineau with his solo band.

A poster floating around on personal Facebook accounts also lists Country 104.3 DJ Jeff McNiece as playing a solo set, but he's not publically advertised from what I've seen. Admission for this presumably 19+ event is $25, but remember that this includes the beer tasting and meal, while a 7:00 PM start time is advertised. The Weekend Warrior Fest sounds like a fun event to help launch it's namesake ale in style, and with some high profile punk bands providing some attitude within, so keep this concert in mind for next month! Visit Country 104.3's website for continuing coverage and updates!

We'll move back to this weekend's concert previews now, as local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck are returning to The Water Tower Pub for one night only TOMORROW! Fresh off of their set at last week's Ride For ARCH fundraiser and the preceding week's Wawa road trip, this will be their first trip to the Great Northern Road nightclub in about two months. Soundcheck's tried and tested brand of covers should get another solid reception tomorrow night, so don't miss out then! While we're on the subject, we should note that former Turner Up drummer Scott McLurg does appear to have replaced Steven Flint on drums with Soundcheck, which was quietly confirmed in recent months via personal Facebook postings, but was never publically stated online by the band. A reason for Steven's departure hasn't been announced, but things seem amicable, given that he filled in on bass with Soundcheck at The Esquire Club earlier this month. Hopefully we hear more from Steven musically in the future, but Scott's a solid fit!

As usual for Soundcheck's Water Tower Pub concerts, expect a 9:00 PM start time tomorrow, and a 19+ age limit, while there remains no announced cover charge. Classic and hard rock fans would be well served to head to The Water Tower Pub for all of the action tomorrow night, so visit the above links for more details, and here's Soundcheck live!



Finally, I wanted to touch on the recent closure of Gliss Steak & Seafood at The Quality Inn on Bay Street, as the site of Tym Morrison's weekly concert arrangement ended it's run at that location last month, with plans to move elsewhere announced then as well. While rumoured previously, Gliss management confirmed at the end of July that they were indeed moving the restaurant to the former Cesira's Italian Cuisine building this fall, ending a 2 year dormant period at the 133 Spring Street location. Renovations are ongoing at the new locale, and the target appears to see Gliss re-open next month, with Tym Morrison's weekly run there expected to resume at that same time. Meanwhile, the new restaurant taking Gliss' place at The Quality Inn is Johnny's Chophouse & Bar, which is a new upscale barbecue restaurant, though they do happen to still have steak and seafood on offer. You can check out it's menu here if you're so inclined, though I don't believe they've opened yet either.

I don't know if Johnny's opening is due to or the cause of Gliss leaving The Quality Inn, nor do I know if Johnny's will feature live musicians in any capacity, but I hope these moves are the best for the hotel's and Gliss' management, and we wish Johnny's the best on their upcoming launch! And no, the Derek Turner who co-owns Gliss is not the Derek Turner of Garden of Bedlam fame. Stay tuned for more on Gliss' relaunch and the resumption of Tym Morrison's weekly gigs there, and for more news and updates on the SMS next week! Thanks everyone!

Halloween Weekend Metal/Hard Rock Concert Previews!!

It's time to preview this weekend's concert previews, and given that it is Halloween weekend, there's a special air to the proceedings! Before we get to the metal concerts going down, here's a couple of related notes. We won't preview the Garden of Bedlam show on Devil's Night until next week because it's too early, but it is coming! The majority of bars and concert venues in the Twin Saults have bands or Halloween parties either this weekend or next week, so check venue & band pages, SooToday, and Sault This Week to hear about all of the ones that wouldn't fit well on the SMS! And for the record, I don't believe there's any metal/hard rock bands playing live in Sault Michigan this weekend (Powerslug are at Manistique's Kewadin Casino on Saturday though, if you're up for a road trip), but Sault Michigan are having their own Zombie Walk tomorrow night for the first time (but with no visible concert attachments.) Of course, if I hear of any heavier Halloween season concerts across the river, I will have them here, so keep an eye out! For now though, let's get to the Sault Ontario metal shows over this spooky weekend schedule!

First up for the Halloween metal concert schedule is the return of Caveman Morrison to The Nicolet Tavern this weekend! Last seen at the Albert Street venue last month, this hard working trio will bring their entertaining metal and hard rock covers back to the stage tomorrow and Saturday night, and yes, Halloween costumes are encouraged! I'd assume moreso on Saturday just for proximity to the 31st, but nothing says you can't get in the spirit tomorrow either! Admission should be free for these 19+ concerts, and a 9:30 PM start time for both nights is advertised. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! This should be a fun weekend of Halloween mayhem from Tym and company, and hopefully a big crowd turns out tomorrow and Saturday to drink in the Halloween themes and great covers! For a preview, here's Caveman Morrison covering Judas Priest's "The Ripper" at The Rosie last year!



And finally for the heavier Halloween weekend concerts is The Halloween Party! More specifically, this is the seventh annual Halloween party/concert held by local promoter/singer J.D. Pearce, and after 6 years at the former Coch's Corner on Bay Street, the event did not move along with the (now acoustically based) venue to the old Foggy Notions location. Instead, the party will be held at The Algonquin Pub & Sports Bar (downstairs from The Rockstar Bar) on Saturday night, and though I don't think The Algonquin Pub has hosted a heavier band since Algoma Hope4Haiti in 2010, there are hopes that it could become a more active concert venue, so hopefully this Saturday's event is a huge hit! With that said, this year's Halloween Party will be bigger than ever, with a fitting Halloween ambiance, the return of the costume contest (which I don't remember happening last year), and the biggest band lineup yet, including headliners Frightlight in their fourth straight appearance at this event! Fresh off of their set opening for The Misfits TONIGHT in Toronto, this popular punk/metal quintet will be sure to deliver a fun set of originals and Misfits covers, and you know that with their lyrics and stage personas, they'll fit perfectly for a Halloween event! Note that I think their full lineup will be present this weekend, following Redundant frontman Justin Langlois' fill in stint on rhythm guitar for tonight's Toronto gig.

Joining them on Saturday will be Toronto pop punk quartet The Fairmounts, who are fronted by former Lion Ride frontman and veteran local musician Mikey Hawdon! Though briefly advertised as the headlining band at one point, this rising pop punk band should deliver a fun set of originals in their Sault Ste. Marie debut on Saturday, and it'll be awesome to see Mikey singing original material in town again! The other bands on Saturday include The Brews (a.k.a. local punk trio Redundant covering NOFX material) and "the original crash band" Sykotyk Rampage, who'll both add some interesting sounds as the opening bands! Redundant can pull off NOFX songs well, so this turn as The Brews should be fun, while Sykotyk Rampage (who will be joined by fill-in bassist Tony Briglio again) should deliver an entertaining set of improvised drinking songs and recent originals, as they did at the Zombie Walk afterparty this past weekend! Note as well that this will be the first Halloween Party in this series since the mid-2000s (if not ever) to not feature the yearly cover band that played under different genres and personas (most recently as The 151s), but hopefully we see them in the future in some form or another!

Admission will be $5 for this 19+ event, and everything starts at or around 10:00 PM. For more details, visit the official Facebook event page! It's great to see J.D. keeping this yearly Halloween tradition going, even if at a new location, and hopefully there's a great response and participation to ensure more shows at The Algonquin in the future! Barring any illness complications, I hope to be there for a review and more, so I should see you guys there on Saturday night! For a preview, here's Frightlight playing one of my favourite songs of theirs at last year's Halloween Party at the old Coch's Corner!



That's all for today, but stay tuned for more news and notes shortly, including our Saultites In Out Of Town Bands Profile on Genocya tomorrow! Thanks everyone!