LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (The Lazys & WestFest II!)

Happy Canada Day to our Canadian readers! Just a quick note that the full music schedule for TODAY'S opening day of Poutine Feast was finally revealed on the You Belong SSM Facebook page yesterday, confirming that Vito Tassone (credited as "VT Music") and Josh "The Preacher" McNally will also be performing, as will unspecified indigenous performers. The official timeslots weren't given, but they're in descending performance order with Eli Russell & The River Fools up first at 12:00 PM, and BookcluB & Dos Amigos both confirmed on Instagram that they'd be at 8:15 and 4:15 PM respectively. If you're going to the plaza, have fun and stay hyrdrated! Now, here's two big LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS to look for in the coming months!

The full lineup for the second annual WestFest at Anna Marinelli Park on Saturday, August 8th was gradually revealed on the West Village Renewed Facebook page last month, and with this video 100% confirming the five final acts (down from seven last year), who all is heading to Jamestown next month? Surprisingly, only one band from 2025 is returning this year, and unlike last year's focus on Rotaryfest alumni (all but one act being from recent Stage 2 lineups), the four newcomers here have never played Rotaryfest in the forms you'll be seeing at WestFest II. Headlining this year are local/Collingwood folk rock quartet The Ontarians (featuring the Soo's own Frank Deresti and Chris Johns), while folk/country quartet The Golden Scoundrels will co-headline as the only return act from last year. Two familiar faces will play solo sets prior, including the solo debut of BookcluB/ex-Hails guitarist Carmen Muto!

I have no idea what Carmen's solo set will entail in terms of genres, possible bandmates, if he'll be singing too, etc., but he's an exceedingly talented guitarist for his age, so hopefully he makes a big impression! Also performing at WestFest next month is Ava Nori, the daughter of Treble Charger frontman Greig Nori, who you may recall guesting with her dad's band at their last local concert at The Machine Shop in March 2024. Ava's arguably better known for her poetry (she was interviewed about it on The Borderline, even), but come out to Anna Marinelli Park to see how she does as a solo musician! Opening on August 8th are new local alt-hard rock quintet Riverside Stasis, one year after singer Tea Emlaw headlined WestFest 1 with Handsome Sandwich in that band's final Sault Ste. Marie concert set. I have no clue if Riverside Stasis were always planned to play next month, or if they had signed up for the cancelled battle of the bands to find the opening act.

Given their pedigree (including 3/5ths of HeadFirst), hopefully they were picked on their own merits, but regardless, Sault Ontario has been snakebit for battles of the bands since the pandemic! Like last year, WestFest is a centerpiece event for The West Village Revitalization Project in their efforts to revive and bring attention to the Jamestown and Steelton areas in the west end of the downtown core, and community initiatives and causes therein. Termed as a "block party meets music festival", this outdoor event at 169 James Street will also feature local vendors and family activities, and if the same as 2025, a beer garden, so click here for full non-musical details and any to come. This year's WestFest is blocked to start and end later than last year's, with an advertised runtime of 4:00-11:00 PM, with Riverside Stasis kicking off the live music at 5:00 PM. While last year's was free, WestFest II will have admission by donation, so pay what you can to support the cause.

While Riverside Stasis are the only assuredly hard rock-leaning act next month (again, I don't know what to expect from Carmen solo), there should be a little for everyone to enjoy musically at WestFest II, and I do hope that the weather cooperates, both in terms of possible rain and the temperature/humidity next month. Kudos to West Village Renewed for keeping their revitalization going, and visit the above links for more details!

Finally, Australian hard rock quintet The Lazys will make their local concert debut on Friday, October 9th at Blaster Powerhouse! Announced late last month via this poster that bafflingly doesn't give the date (The Lazys' website and the Facebook comment replies confirmed it), this is a band that will be familiar to listeners of 104.3 The Fox, as The Lazys have far more Canadian rock radio success than American thanks to hit singles like "Too Tough To Die" & "Hot Under The Collar". While not as AC/DC-coded as their fellow Aussies in Airbourne, there's still a retro flair to their catchy brand of hard rock, and no less than Ian D'Sa from Billy Talent has co-wrote music with them, so it'll be neat finally see The Lazys in the Soo! Opening on October 9th (also in their local debut) are Winnipeg "nu grunge punk n' roll" quartet The Bloodshots, an all-Indigenous group whose described genre is pretty accurate, as they cover a lot of ground in their original music, so there's a lot to like within, and do check them out in advance!

A local opening band is to be announced for this all ages concert, which is expected to start at 8:15 PM. Advance tickets are on sale for $40 at this link and presumably at the former Soo Blaster, and the price will jump to $50 at the door. This should be a fun concert for modern hard rock fans with an old school flair, and there's three months to prepare for it, so visit the above links for more details, and stay tuned for weekend concert previews and this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post next! Thanks everyone!

B.A. Johnston & Silent 9 Concert Previews, Plus Early Details On WestFest II!!

Let's wrap up this weekend's known and public hard rock concert previews with what's going down at a popular west end venue, as well as early details on a returning summer concert festival still looking for bands!

Local classic/hard rock cover quartet Silent 9 will cap off their spring calendar with shows at The Esquire Club TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! As usual, the band will not play any public nightclub gigs over the summer, instead focusing on special events, festivals, and private bookings, so if you want to rock out with Jess, Ryan, Paul, and Steve again before their focus shifts for the season, head to the west end this weekend! While there was some confusion as to if Silent 9 would even be playing at The Esquire Club tomorrow given the B.A. Johnston booking (more on that in a second), it has been confirmed in recent promotion that Silent 9 are still playing tomorrow, just with a later start time. Tonight's show starts at 9:00 PM as normal, tomorrow's will kick off at 10:00 PM, and regardless, both gigs are 19+ with no cover charges. Visit the above links for more details on Silent 9's classic and hard rock cover action this weekend, and here they are live!

Next up, Hamilton outsider folk/acoustic punk troubador B.A. Johnston will make his own return to the Soo TOMORROW NIGHT at the aforementioned Esquire Club! A well travelled, eclectic, and proudly Canadian musician, B.A. is known for frequently playing here, always at different venues than the last (including at Venue on Queen Street East last year), so him finally landing on The Esquire Club isn't that surprising, even though that venue isn't historically known for booking touring artists. This time though, B.A. seems like the supplement rather than the headliner, as he is playing a one hour set at 9:00 PM before Silent 9 take the stage, and the venue is treating these as separate concerts back to back. Hopefully B.A. crams his hour full of his freewheeling unplugged punk classics, and do give his videos a watch for a better glimpse of what he brings to the table! Maybe he'll even play on top of a car again?

As with Silent 9 (the de facto headliners, you could say), this is a 19+ concert with no announced cover. See above for more details, but rest assured, you'll wanna be there to see what he sings about and who he plays off of in the audience! For a preview, here's B.A. Johnston live!

Also today, you may have heard that WestFest is coming back this summer, so what should you know there? The West Village Revitalization Project launched this event in July of last year at Anna Marinelli Park at 169 James Street as part of their efforts to renew and better the west end of downtown Sault Ste. Marie (Jamestown & Steelton), and last year's WestFest featured family entertainment, vendors, a beer garden, and yes, live music from local artists. WestFest II returns a little later in the year for 2026 (on Saturday, August 8th), and while a lineup announcement is not out yet, organizers are planning to host a talent show to find at least one additional act! On May 14th, the West Village Renewed Facebook page announced that they were looking for "up-and-coming, undiscovered" local musicians to apply for a chance to compete for an opening slot at Beck's Bar on Saturday, June 6th.

I do apologize for the week+ delay on our end, but there is still time, so if your band is interested in a slot at this returning outdoor summer concert festival, contact organizers at the above links for more details by Wednesday! This definitely smells more like a battle of the bands than a "talent show", but perhaps the verbiage is intentional to leave things open to solo artists without compromising (note that Matthew James was the only solo artist on last year's bill). An online application form for the competition is now online, confirming that organizers want artists "ready to bring energy, originality, and a strong live performance", and "selected finalists" will be picked to compete on the 6th in front of a judges panel and "a community audience" (no word on if a fan vote will play into the selections). Only one winner is mentioned there, and while they will be featured in WestFest promotions, I don't know if any other prizes will be awarded.

Just as a point of reference, last year's WestFest had seven acts (including headliners Handsome Sandwich in their final Sault Ste. Marie concert), and all but one were recent performers on Rotaryfest Stage 2, though I hope that doesn't pigeonhole the artist registrations. No word on if they're waiting for the battle to announce the remaining lineup or not, but it will be interesting to see who all is heading west (well, west in the downtown) for year #2! Visit the above links for more details on WestFest 2026 and the talent show applications, and that's all for now, but stay tuned for more news and notes this weekend! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Bone Yard), The Future Of Reggie's West, And PROV3RB5 Updates!!

For our first post of the month, we're diving into two topics that each kinda branch into some interesting subtopics, one being updates from a local original metal project, and the other being LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for the coming weeks! Here's what you should know!

Local southern hard rock trio Bone Yard have announced a batch of upcoming concerts taking place in the next month+ via this photo on their Facebook page earlier today, so what should know here? Not counting the Esquire Club dates and Toystock (which were already announced by the venue & organizers respectively), seven newly confirmed shows lie ahead, but we'll save the one on SATURDAY NIGHT for this weekend's concert previews to avoid redundant coverage. Otherwise, Bone Yard will return to Reggie's Place on Queen Street East for concerts on Friday, November 11th (yes, Remembrance Day, no word on any memorial tie-ins) and Saturday, November 12th, before returning there three weeks later on December 2nd & 3rd! Next weekend's shows will be Bone Yard's first at the downtown Reggie's in over a month, and hopefully Greg, Alex, and Warren deliver more solid weekends of southern rock and heavier covers ahead!

All four dates have 9:00 PM start times, no cover charges, and 19+ age limits, so visit the above links for more details! The other two brand new Bone Yard shows will take place on Friday, December 9th and Saturday, December 10th when they perform at.... Jay's Piston Broke Pub?! As it turns out, this is the brand new name for Reggie's West (née The Roosevelt Hotel) at 306 Korah Road, which did indeed get sold by Reggie Daigle to new ownership, as Soundcheck confirmed in their promotion for their gigs there this past weekend. Reggie's West's Facebook page hadn't been updated in almost two weeks before today, but Jay Scott is the new owner of the venue, and rather than stick to the existing name like Reggie's Place did or throw back to The Roosevelt Hotel, Jay's going with new vehicle-themed branding. Full disclosure, there is a Piston Broke Pub already in Brantford, no word on if it was an inspiration, but it is locally unique compared to other bars.

Unlike the sea change of 2014 when Reggie bought The Rosie, things look like the status quo for Jay's as far as bands go (cosmetic changes aside), with Jus' Chillin playing first this Friday & Saturday night, followed by Fort Creek next weekend, and Thursday jam nights will reportedly continue as well. Of course, I hope things go well at the pub in this new era! Sad to see Reggie divest himself of both of his bars (he sold Reggie's Place to separate owners in 2020), but hopefully he's doing well and it was just time to step back. Bone Yard will rock Jay's at 9:30 PM on the 9th & 10th with no cover and a 19+ age limit. Visit the above links for more details!

Next up, here's the latest from local/Toronto progressive metal project PROV3RB5, who we haven't talked about on here in way too long, so what's new to report from them? Over the summer, much of their updates on their Facebook page were about milestones for views and followers, plus the reach that their first three singles were getting from djent-friendly outlets, including video reviews from JMR Music Reviews and I Built The Sky guitarist Rohan Stevenson. In August, a band member(s?) guested on "Distant", a new song by Minnesota progressive metal solo project Stelliferous, whose leader Kevin Xiong previously guested on PROV3RB5's third single "Particles". The links are obvious as such, but the technical prog metal attack will absolutely appeal to genre fans! The Chinese company Dimension Music also interviewed them for this article.

Benjamin & Bryan are asked about the meaning of the band name, how they formed, their lyrical messages, how the music scenes in Canada & China differed (Ben lived in China for five years), and their future plans, among other topics. Not the best formatted review, but there are good insights that many fans won't have known, so give it a look above! Last month, they announced plans to re-issue their first three songs as instrumentals with no vocals (original singer Josh Ratliff left the band in April), and those evolved into what they're calling their debut EP, entitled "What Dreams May Come", which was posted onto Spotify & Apple Music earlier today! Links for both can be found at this Distrokid page. While streaming platforms are emphasized (i.e. no Bandcamp or Amazon availability yet), you can buy "What Dreams May Come" on iTunes for $2.97, so it is on sale!

As such, I can confirm that this EP will be reviewed on the SMS this month! Originally, I had pencilled in Chase Wigmore's new album, which was slated to be released on Saturday, but he has since confirmed that it was postponed, more on that in the coming days. Give "What Dreams May Come" a listen above, stay tuned for more proficient prog metal from PROV3RB5, and check out this new teaser video featuring the instrumental version of "Sea of Tranquility"! Alas, I can't embed it here because Facebook content matched the song to PROV3RB5' own streaming copies of it. That's all for today, but stay tuned for this month's "Where Are The New Albums?" post on the site next! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Scarkazm, Soundcheck, And The Wyld Stallyns!!)

Surprise post on this Friday night, and slightly shorter than normal, as we have some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS to touch on, mostly SHORT NOTICE ones, including events taking place TONIGHT, so let's get things rolling before we're entirely late!

Local funk/hard rock cover band The Wyld Stallyns will return to The Whisky Barrel for one night only TONIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, they are late replacements for new local band Old Stone House (no info on them yet), and were only confirmed on the venue's Facebook page this morning, so kudos to the Speers' and crew for stepping in! Last seen at Oktoberfest, this will be The Stallyns first gig at the Gore Street nightclub & restaurant in over a month. Always good to see everyone rocking out at arguably their favourite venue, so if you're up for some Friday night funk and hard rock covers, you know where to be TONIGHT! Unfortunately, The Whisky Barrel have not given any public indication about Halloween weekend ties or promotions. TONIGHT'S concert is at 8:00 PM with a 19+ age limit and no cover charge. See above for more details, and here's The Wyld Stallyns live!

Next up, local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will return to Reggie's West for standard four-piece concerts TONIGHT & TOMORROW NIGHT! Again, apologies for the short notice, I only learned of these shows earlier today via drummer Glen Thomas' personal Facebook page, and alas, the band has not plugged them on their Facebook page. Now, Glen's posts (private as they may be) about TONIGHT & TOMORROW'S shows mention a big story that the venue's Facebook page hasn't posted about yet, as this will apparently be the last weekend for Reggie's West as we know it. Reggie Daigle has reportedly sold the Korah Road nightclub, with the new owners taking over on November 1st, over two years after Reggie sold Reggie's Place on Queen Street East. It will definitely be a surprise to many to see him sell both of his namesake bars, but hopefully Reggie is doing well and selling for the best reasons!

From what I've read, Reggie's West will still host live bands (Fort Creek already confirmed their return there next month), but no word on if anything else will change. Of course, it is worth reminding everyone that until Reggie bought it in the spring of 2014, 306 Korah Road was The Roosevelt Hotel. As for TONIGHT & TOMORROW'S Soundcheck concerts, they are 19+ affairs with 8:00 PM start times and no cover, but I have not seen any firm references to a Halloween theme TOMORROW. Visit the above links for more details, and here's Soundcheck live!

Also for new concerts, here's a pair that have plenty of advance notice, as Traverse City, Michigan metal trio Scarkazm will return to The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino on Friday, November 18th & Saturday, November 19th! The band has not confirmed the dates yet, but they are listed as part of November 2022 lounge concerts on Kewadin's entertainment page (the only brand new heavier dates confirmed there that the bands proper hadn't done yet). Surprisingly, these are Scarkazm's first announced dates in the Eastern Upper Peninsula since April, an unusually long gap for Adam, Dave, and Jeff, with their sister band Peril being seen by local fans instead over the summer. Hopefully Scarkazm deliver a solid weekend of hard rock and metal covers & originals for fans in St. Ignace in three weeks! As usual, these are 9:00 PM gigs with 21+ age limits and no cover charge. Visit the above links for more details!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Fort Creek & Project 906), Plus Halloween Weekend Concert Previews!!

The Halloween weekend is upon us, usually a strong time for heavier concerts in the Soo, but in 2022, it's not really the case this time. There are multiple venues hosting events on both sides of the border, but heavier groups are mostly not involved (though Tarnished will be playing out of our area in the Kewadin Casino in Manistique this weekend). Pandemic-related recovery and Halloween being on a Monday this year are likely contributing factors, and J.D.'s Halloween party has not been held since he moved. That said, what is going down for hard rock concerts this weekend lies below, but first, here's some LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for next month!

Sault Michigan blues/hard rock quartet Project 906 will headline the Halloween party at The Islander Bar in nearby Hessel THIS SATURDAY NIGHT, but in a new confirmation, they'll also return to The Strongs Tavern in nearby Eckerman on Saturday, November 5th! The Strongs Tavern date was announced by band & venue earlier this week, and coincides with Heather's birthday (I believe she is one of the higher level staff there), but the tavern's Facebook page implies that it's "everyone's birthday", listing four other names. Regardless, hopefully 906's upbeat hard rock classics set the mood well for the occasion next week! Project 906 last played in Eckerman last month, but their previously announced Islander Bar gig will be their second there in October 2022. Of course, this is 100% a Halloween party, so costumes are encouraged, and there will also be a a pumpkin carving contest, and cash prizes await!

Yes, there will be "spooky drink specials" too. These dates have 21+ age limits, no cover charges, and 8:00 PM start times as recently normal. Should be a good time for fans in the E.U.P. this weekend and next, so definitely visit the above links for more on Project 906's next two shows, don't miss them in Hessel this Saturday night, and here they are live!

Next up, Sault Ontario southern hard rock quintet Fort Creek will end their almost three months-long hiatus when they hit Reggie's West for concerts on Friday, November 11th & Saturday, November 12th! Last seen at the same venue on August 19th, this will accurately mark their return in "late fall" as was teased when they announced the hiatus in the first place, and while they haven't explained why they took the break, remember that they do still have a debut EP in the works, and the band photo on the show's poster is new to Facebook. Hopefully Fort Creek are back ready & raring to go with their southern fried brand of hard rock covers and originals for fans in the west end in two weeks' time! Not unlike other Reggievelt dates, these are 19+ events with no announced cover charge, and a 9:30 PM start time is advertised for both nights. Visit the above links for more on Fort Creek's return weekend next month, and stay tuned for updates from Fort Creek's camp when they come in!

Now back to this weekend's concert previews, and we'll resume at The Esquire Club, where local classic/hard rock cover quartet Obsession will finally make their return to the public stage TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! While they have played live in White River and at least one private event since, these will be Obsession's first public events in the Soo since Rotaryfest in July, and will mark the first time that a general audience in town can see them with new frontwoman Jessica Amadio, who replaced Valerie Powley shortly after her guest appearance at Rotaryfest. Obsession chose to take their time and gradually introduce Jess, so that does bode well for their preparation as a live act, and hopefully this weekend's shows are huge hits! Their first Esquire Club dates since April, tomorrow's show is standard fare (singer change aside), but Saturday's is absolutely a Halloween party with a costume contest to take part in.

Unspecified prizes await winners of the costume contest, and other Halloween frills are expected on Saturday, so keep everything in mind! Whether you're coming for business as usual tomorrow or the Halloween party the next night, Obsession's hard rock-leaning classic rock covers will await at 9:30 PM with a 19+ age limit and no cover charges. Visit the above links for more on the new look Obsession's first public test in city limits,  and here's Obsession (with Jess on backing vocals) at Rotaryfest! Ignore the thumbnail, it will start at Obsession on stage.

Finally, local acoustic classic/hard rock artist Tym Morrison will return to Shooters Downstairs Lounge for his third and final matinee concert of the month on SATURDAY! Moved from his prior Sunday scheduling there but still taking place in a matinee timeslot, this is the part of his current run of alternating weekend gigs at the 68 Dennis Street nightclub through at least November 12th, with country musician Leslie Cook playing in weekends where Tym isn't. As far as Halloween goes, Saturday's gig does not have any advertised seasonal tie-ins (whether Tym's very open religious beliefs are related is not for me to say), but Shooters will host classic rock cover band Mid Life Crysis for their proper Halloween party that night. which will also serve as the kick-off for the re-opening of the former Union Hall upstairs, which has been renamed The Queen of Hearts Club, and it will host comedy hypnotist Hernandez that evening before a Halloween video dance party.

Visit this SooToday article for more on the upgrades at 68 Dennis, but it's great to see that things have grown to this level, and with The Algonquin Hotel's venues still on their hiatus from live bookings, I do like that someone is trying to replicate the formula! Tym's unplugged classic & hard rock covers can be seen downstairs at Shooters on Saturday at 3:00 PM before any of the other events, this is a 19+ affair, and there's no cover charge. Visit Tym's and the venue's Facebook event pages for more details, and here's Tym live in concert earlier this year!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Tym Morrison, Soundcheck, And Bone Yard), Weekend Concert Previews, And More!!

Busy concert weekend is ahead to send September 2022 out and welcome October, so our previews of tomorrow night's Apocalypse Afterparty/Tech N9ne and Tarnished shows will be in our next post. Schedule-wise, the amount of Friday nighters is very imbalanced compared to Saturday this weekend, and the amount of SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS didn't help in that regard, but here's what you should know to kick things off with!

Local southern hard rock trio Bone Yard will return to Reggie's Place for one night only TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, the band only announced this show via this promotional image on their Facebook page earlier this evening. TOMORROW'S concert will be Bone Yard's second in a week's span, following another one-nighter there this past Saturday. Good to see Bone Yard playing public shows a little more frequently in the fall season, and hopefully they deliver the hard rocking goods at the downtown Reggie's TOMORROW NIGHT! This is a one-nighter due to or resulting in another late notice show coming up in a bit. As was the case this past weekend, TOMORROW'S show has a 9:00 PM start time, a 19+ age limit, and no cover charge. Visit the above links for more details, and for a preview, here's a new live concert video of Bone Yard at Reggie's from this past Saturday!

A cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Simple Man", this was filmed by an attendee and live-streamed to their Facebook page during their first set. Not a bad performance, with Greg's lower-register clean vocals an interesting approach compared to the original versions, and while the video is shot vertically, the band is captured in frame throughout! Give it a look below, and look for much more from Bone Yard TOMORROW NIGHT!

Next up, local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will return to Reggie's West for normal concerts TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Again, apologies for the short notice, the band has not confirmed these shows publically at press time, but drummer Glen Thomas confirmed them in personal Facebook postings this week. While Soundcheck are certainly no strangers to the Reggievelt via their Cameron-less hosting duties at the venue's Thursday jam nights (yes, they'll be playing tonight), TOMORROW & SATURDAY'S shows will be normal four-piece concerts for Soundcheck, their first such at the Korah Road nightclub since the end of July. Hopefully a solid crowd turns out TOMORROW & SATURDAY for Soundcheck's hard rocking cover selection, and tonight for the jam night too! Expect 9:00 PM start times, no cover charges, and 19+ age limits. See above for more details, and here's Soundcheck live!

Also this weekend, who's playing at Reggie's Place on SATURDAY, October 1st? Local acoustic classic/hard rock musician Tym Morrison, that's who! Apologies again for the short notice, Tym only announced this show via it's Facebook event page this evening. Though Tym's best known at Reggie's for playing in their Sunday matinee rotation, he is not a stranger to playing standard nighttime shows there, most recently on Friday, September 2nd (though a Sunday matinee was his last show period there on the 18th). Speaking of matinees, might as well roll in Tym's previously announced matinee gig at Shooters Downstairs Lounge on SUNDAY here too, his first in three alternating Sundays in October, so if you want to enjoy his unplugged cover attack at this recently prominent nightclub, you know where to be later this weekend! SATURDAY'S Reggie's concert has a 9:00 PM start time, no cover charge, and a 19+ age limit, as usual for their nighttime gigs.

As for Sunday at Shooters, that event is at 3:00 PM with no cover charge and a presumed 19+ age limit. Visit the above links and the Shooters Facebook event page for more details on both of his shows this weekend, and here's Tym live!

Finally for this preview post (another hits the site tomorrow, don't worry!), here's a show that had lots of advance notice, as local funk/hard rock cover band The Wyld Stallyns will make their Shooters Downstairs Lounge debut with a one-nighter TOMORROW NIGHT! After an off weekend, this show will be The Stallyns' first public concert since rocking The Whisky Barrel two weeks ago. Shooters is not too far down the road, so hopefully some of their regular fans there come to Dennis Street for all of their varied but often hard rocking cover action tomorrow! A one-nighter due to or resulting in Mid Life Crysis' own Shooters debut on Saturday, tomorrow's Stallyns show has an 8:00 PM start time, no cover charge, and a 19+ age limit. Should be a good time, so welcome the Speers' and company with open arms tomorrow night, visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here they are live!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for our Apocalypse Afterparty & Tarnished previews (and more) tomorrow! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Oktoberfest) & New Concert Videos!!

Two topic news post to check out on this Saturday morning, including some new live concert videos, but let's lead off with big LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS for next month regarding a notable fall event!

Local psychedelic hard rock quartet The Uncanny Valley and funk/hard rock cover band The Wyld Stallyns will both be on the lineup for this year's Oktoberfest outside of The Machine Shop on the weekend of October 14th-15th! Oktoberfest is not a foreign concept locally, as fans of LopLops' version from the 2010s will attest, but LopLops has only been open on a limited basis during the pandemic. Outspoken Brewing hosted their own pandemic-affected Oktoberfest last fall, and with life much more normal now than it was last year, things are scaled up to where Outspoken had always envisioned them, including a two day lineup for fans of live music, family entertainment, and yes, beer. German frills are to be expected, with Oktoberfest proper taking place once again at The Rink, which is the ice skating rink at the Canal District, transformed next month into a Munich biergarten. Click here for current non-musical details!

The Uncanny Valley are the headline act on Saturday, October 15th, rocking out at the 11:00 PM timeslot, so look for their old school hard rock attack then! Co-headlining that day at 9:00 PM are Bookclub, a new local band featuring all of the Inner City Surfers (except Brad Example) and former Room 206 drummer Al Watson. Despite the punk provenance, the description on the website says that Bookclub will be playing indie rock, covering acts like Devo and Weezer. Very interesting, seemingly leaning more to 1980s and 1990s acts from what I've gathered, it'll be interesting to hear how they sound! The Wyld Stallyns are playing on the 15th at 7:00 PM & on Friday, the 14th at 8:00 PM, with the description noting that the full lineup will be on hand, including guest saxophonist Josh Norling (they don't call him a guest, but he doesn't play every Stallyns gig). Hopefully they knock it out of the park both nights as usual!

Other local bands scheduled for Oktoberfest in three weeks include Friday headliners The Hustle Brothers covering classic soul & R&B music at 10:00 PM, new(?) traditional German band Nein German Guys both days (6:00 PM on Friday, 5:00 PM on Saturday), and classic rock cover duo Frankly Speaking on Saturday at 3:00 PM. Note that Friday's schedule of events is shorter and more focused around beer/partying (starting at 5:00 PM), while Saturday's has an extended afternoon block from 12:00 PM onward of family entertainment before getting back to brass tax. Tickets for Oktoberfest run for $45 for a single day or $70 for the full weekend, and can be bought at this link. Aside from the 12:00-5:00 PM block on Saturday, this is a 19+ event, but if you want to bring the kids when able, their tickets cost $5. Adult tickets also include an official Oktoberfest glass mug (stein, if you prefer) and a free 20 oz. draught.

Definitely a lot to take in for Oktoberfest's second go-around under Outspoken Brewing's curation, but fans of Oktoberfest, beer, and a good time should be up for all of that next month, and hopefully the weather holds up! Nicely varied lineup hitting both traditional and more contemporary boxes, so definitely visit the official Facebook event page and the above links for ongoing details on Oktoberfest 2022!

Finally for today, here's some new videos of a band known to plug shows on the promise of having a beer (or as they call it, a "wobbly pop"), namely classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck! Drummer Glen Thomas had the camera rolling for their Reggie's West jam night on Thursday the 15th, and he uploaded three guest jammer-free videos to his YouTube channel two days later. As usual for their jam night hosting duties, singer/guitarist Cameron Oliver was absent, but so was bassist Paul Belair (or Rob Gilmar, for that matter), with Terry and Glen instead enlisting Cory Valentine, a Toronto-based Saultite who has guested off and on with Soundcheck since at least 2019. The three videos include covers of Men At Work's "Who Can It Be Now?", The Tragically Hip's "New Orleans Is Sinking", and as embedded below, an extended "winging it" jam of Bryan Adams' "Run To You". 

The sharp corner angle with Cory & Terry at the extreme edges of the video frame isn't super ideal, but these are fun performances of these 1980s rock staples, and even as a three piece with a guest bassist as jam night hosts, you can see why Soundcheck draw in a crowd! Give these a watch above & below, and don't miss them tonight at The Esquire Club!

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

Tym Morrison Concert Preview, Plus News From Vanity First & Raincourt/Sylo!!

Before we begin this post, I wanted to apologize for a missed concert in this weekend's concert previews, as local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck played a normal concert at Reggie's West on Friday night. The show was not announced on the band's Facebook page, though singer/guitarist Terry Eaton did launch a Facebook event page on his personal account (albeit on the day of the gig), and it notably featured guest bassist Cory Valentine (who previously filled in with Soundcheck in 2019) in place of Paul Belair. I profusely apologize for missing this show, I'd have covered it had it got any kind of public advance notice, but hopefully it was a hit! Soundcheck played a private event in Echo Bay last night.

Now, let's dive into today's post, starting with a concert preview, as local classic/hard rock singer/guitarist Tym Morrison will return to Shooters Downstairs Lounge for his third Sunday matinee gig there TODAY! Tym previously played there on July 24th and 31st before ceding way to Leslie Cook for two weeks, and after Shooters skipped this past Sunday for a matinee performer, Tym is back for a third go-around this afternoon! If you like his unplugged classic and hard rock covers, let alone while beating the heat as we bring August to a close, don't miss out on today's action on Dennis Street if you can help it! He should be back at The Mike Case Memorial Stage to end the month on Wednesday, and at Shooters next Sunday, for the record. This show has a 3:00 PM start time, a 19+ age limit, and no cover charge. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Tym live!

Today's post covers otherwise has recent updates and/or videos from two different local bands, and we'll start with the apparent demise of a young local hard rock band as we knew them, namely Raincourt. In a post on the Musicians Wanted Facebook group on Thursday, guitarist/namesake Raine Rancourt posted looking to join local bands in need of a lead guitarist, and while he plays hard rock & heavy metal, he's open to alternative, punk, and other genres. In the comments, he confirmed that he not still in the band Raincourt, and given that they're named for him, that's very surprising! Raincourt last posted on their Facebook page on June 16th to hype the imminent release of their second single "War Times", and never even promoted their set at Go Skateboarding Day later that month. Raincourt only launched in August of last year, and were primarily seen at events held on campus at White Pines Collegiate & Vocational School.

My first thought was that the band may have ended due to the end of the school year (young local bands going out with their Grade 12 year has happened), but that doesn't appear to be the case. If you look up Raincourt's singles "Penny Arcade" & "War Times" on YouTube or streaming services, they are no longer listed under that band name, rather Sylo, which is the name you may recall being used by a mystery band who opened for Vanity First during the Harmony Beach clean-up gig from last month. Based on personal Facebook posts, it looks like Sylo are basically Raincourt minus Rancourt, and Elijah, Owen, and Jakob reportedly played together at Reggie's Place on August 13th (apologies again for missing that, I still didn't know who Sylo were then). From what I've seen, a reason for Raine's departure from the band was not publically announced. At this juncture, they have not rebranded Raincourt's Facebook page or visibly launched a new one.

Given how big Raine hyped up Raincourt in his Boar's Nest interview in April, this didn't seem like an option so soon, and while it looks like the rest of the band stuck together, a name change was necessary if Raine left. Hopefully Raine gets a new band going soon, he's a very talented guitarist with a lot of upside, and we'll keep you posted when more comes out on Sylo! For now, I have renamed the band to Sylo in our active band links.

Finally, here's the latest from the aforementioned local punk trio Vanity First, who have advertised two more concerts on their Facebook page this month, both at private residences (including the locale of one of their gigs last month). I'm hesitant to cover shows at locations like this, but hopefully the Harmony Beach gig yesterday was successful, as well as their show next month! Their other big new update is that they released a new single named "Get Out" to major streaming services and their YouTube channel on August 16th! Do not listen to it on Facebook though, as it was, believe it or not, partially muted due to a copyright claim, meaning that Facebook flagged their own upload of the song for matching itself on other services! Amazing. The song proper feels very reminiscent of Pennywise musically (if not lyrically), and while Andrew's vocals don't always mesh on the chorus, it's a solid modern punk track! Give it a listen below!

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

LOCAL CONCERT ALERT (Fort Creek), Weekend Concert Previews, And More!!

A relatively quiet concert weekend is in store, but of course, between Northern Vibe and Miparacon next weekend, the summer's not going out quietly! In any event, today's previews are supplemented with two new live videos and related updates, but let's lead off with a SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERT for you to check out in Sault Ontario!

Local southern hard rock quintet Fort Creek will return to Reggie's West for one night only TOMORROW NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, this show was only announced via the band's Facebook page yesterday. Last seen two weeks ago at Shooters Downstairs Lounge, this will be Fort Creek's first show at The Reggievelt in almost a month, so fans of their southern fried hard rock covers & originals should definitely keep TOMORROW's west end show in mind! It is worth noting that, in their Facebook post plugging TOMORROW's concert, Fort Creek indicated that "this will be our last show until late fall", despite Shooters posting a Facebook event page for a Fort Creek show there on Saturday, September 17th (definitely not "late fall"). At this juncture, I don't know whether Fort Creek forgot about the Shooters show or if that concert was indeed cancelled, we'll keep you posted when its status is confirmed either way!

As for TOMORROW NIGHT, Fort Creek will rock Reggie's West at 8:00 PM with a 19+ age limit and no announced cover charge, and while I can't confirm if another merchandise giveaway will take place or not, fans will have noticed that the band hasn't done the usual concert posters on Facebook (which routinely plug the giveaways) at all in August so far. Visit the above links for more details, and here's Fort Creek live!

Next up, let's look at some shows in the Sault Michigan area that had plenty of advance notice, starting with local hard rock quartet Tarnished, who will return to The Rapids Lounge at the local Kewadin Casino for shows TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Last seen in our area via their Cedarville double-header two weeks ago (photos from both the Barge Bash and the outdoor show at Snows Bar & Grill are on their Facebook page), these will see Tarnished returning east after a road trip to Grand Marais for their annual music festival this past weekend. Tomorrow & Saturday's Tarnished shows should give Alex, Josh, Nathan, and Isaac another prime opportunity to deliver their hard rocking and crowd pleasing covers & originals to a receptive local audience, so don't miss out! As usual for The Rapids Lounge, expect 21+ age limits, no cover charges, and 9:00 PM start times. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and here's Tarnished live!

Also this weekend, local hard/blues rock quartet Project 906 will return to The Islander Bar in nearby Hessel for one night only THIS SATURDAY NIGHT! Continuing their recently busy summer season, this will be 906's first show in Hessel in almost a month, though fans in the Eckerman area will have seen them at The Strongs Tavern this past weekend. Should be a fun time for fans of Project 906's wide ranging but often heavy rock cover action, so consider a trip to Hessel on Saturday if you don't live there already! A one-nighter due to or resulting in Robert Malaski playing there tomorrow, Saturday's Project 906 show has an 8:00 PM start time, no announced cover charge, and a 21+ age limit. Visit the official Facebook event page for more details, and for a preview, here's a new live video of Project 906 at The Strongs Tavern last week covering The Police's "Message In A Bottle"!

Bit of a surprise cover, but Billy hits Sting's high notes on the verses admirably! The video may have flown under the radar for fans given that it was included in a post on their Facebook page with photos from that night and not shared separately, but the quality's good, only let down by stage lighting being a little too colourful, which was also a problem in their newest Islander Bar videos. Give it a look for yourself below, and don't miss Project 906 in Hessel on Saturday night!

Finally, let's bookend in Sault Ontario with a southern hard rock cover band who aren't playing anywhere this weekend (at least not with reasonable notice), namely Bone Yard! The guys have not played a public show yet this month, only appearing at private gigs, but their Facebook page has seen updates right along, including this gag video congratulating guitarist Alex D'Ettore on the birth of his new grandson, and as embedded below, a new live video from one of their private gigs! Like with Project 906, this was uploaded in a Facebook post alongside other pictures, so it may not have gotten the usual attention. The 26 second clip appears to be from an anniversary party that they performed at, and they're seen covering The 4 Non Blondes' "What's Up". They and Soundcheck both cover this, is it just an amusing palate cleanser, a crowd favourite, or both? Fun while it lasts, and attendees are into it, so give it a watch below!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for our Tym Morrison preview and more on the site in the coming days! Thanks everyone!

LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS (Soundcheck & Handsome Sandwich) And This Weekend's Concert Previews!!

Another weekend is upon us, and it's a relatively quiet one for hard rock concert previews after a busy July. It still has to be extended past one post due to the amount of shows ahead, so Tym Morrison's Sunday matinee at Shooters will be in a news post coming either tomorrow or Saturday. In the meantime, here's what you should know for the next two days, including SHORT NOTICE LOCAL CONCERT ALERTS!!

Local punk/alternative quartet Handsome Sandwich will return to Shooters Downstairs Lounge for solo headlining dates TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT! Apologies for the short notice, these were only announced via the venue's Facebook event pages last week, but I didn't hear about them until this past weekend. Last seen two weeks ago at both Rotaryfest's Stage 2 and Shooters on the same weekend, TOMORROW & SATURDAY'S shows are again promoted as being from "members of Handsome Sandwich" (albeit without the "Ourselves" branding this time), though I honestly don't understand why the venue makes the extra distinctions. All four members are pictured on the poster, and the band don't call themselves "Ourselves" or "Members of..." in their own promotions. Maybe it's because of their extra cover focus to fill four sets? No word on why Sault College was hashtagged with the poster.

In any event, you can take in Handsome Sandwich's brand of music weirder than your uncle's jorts TOMORROW & SATURDAY at 8:00 PM, and these shows are 19+ affairs with no announced cover charge. We'll have more from the Sandwich to share soon regarding some new videos and album teasers, so stay tuned for that, but here they are live in concert last year!

Next up, local classic/hard rock cover quartet Soundcheck will return to Reggie's West on Queen Street East for a traditional concert TOMORROW NIGHT before making their previously announced Prince Township debut on SATURDAY NIGHT! Again, apologies for the short notice on TOMORROW'S concert, I only heard about it via drummer Glen Thomas' personal Facebook page earlier today (the band has not updated their own Facebook page since July 4th). TOMORROW'S Reggievelt show will follow up their usual open mic hosting duties at the same venue tonight, so if you want a normal concert from Soundcheck (presumably with Cameron), prepare for their classic and hard rock covers there TOMORROW NIGHT! As for Saturday's gig, this is part of the summer concert series at the Prince Township Outdoor Rink at 3042 Second Line West (20 minutes west of the Soo proper).

It will be interesting to see/hear how they do at a new-to-them location, so don't miss out if you're in the area! Both of Soundcheck's concerts (TOMORROW at Reggie's West included) are 8:00 PM affairs with 19+ age limits, but while there's no cover at the former, the Prince Township show (which is both licensed & covered from the elements) will have a $10 entry fee. Visit the above links and the Prince show's Facebook event page for more details, and here's Soundcheck live!

Now let's head to Sault Michigan and area for some shows that had prior announcements, starting with local hard rock quartet Tarnished, who will play a very rare hard rock concert at The Merchants Bar in Sault Ste. Marie TOMORROW NIGHT before heading to Huck's Pub & Grill in nearby Rudyard on SATURDAY NIGHT! After the better part of a decade without a known heavier concert to plug on here, The Merch at 108 West Spruce Street should prove to be a fitting venue for Tarnished's upbeat hard rocking originals and covers, so don't miss out in the Soo tomorrow! Meanwhile, their one-nighter at Huck's (née Joe's Bar & Grill) is part of the greater events schedule for Rudyard's annual Summerfest this weekend (click here and here for more details), with Saturday's festivities being the effective afterparty for the Dice Run, which ends there before the concert begins (click here for details if you're so inclined).

Note that due to or resulting in the Merch show on Friday, Huck's will instead host local classic rock cover band Steelhead (featuring Tarnished frontman Alex Traynor's old Banned bandmate Alex Schrovenwever) that night. They're talented too, don't bypass them! Both of these 21+ shows have no announced cover charge, and while tomorrow's Merch show begins at 8:00 PM, Tarnished will be on at 9:00 PM at Huck's (11358 West Main Street) on Saturday. Visit the above links for more details on both shows, and here's Tarnished live!

Finally for today, Manistique hard rock duo Fyrbird will return to our neck of the woods for concerts TOMORROW & SATURDAY NIGHT at The Northern Pines Lounge at the St. Ignace Kewadin Casino! These shows are the culmination of a mini-tour east for Jamie & Rikk, which also included a show in Curtis (outside of our coverage range) tonight. This weekend's St. Ignace stops will be Fyrbird's first within an hour of Sault Ste. Marie since January, and hopefully Fyrbird's gritty, to-the-point brand of two man hard rock covers find a solid audience this direction once again! If you miss out, Fyrbird will return to The Rapids Lounge in the Soo in November, and to St. Ignace over the Christmas weekend. Tomorrow's & Saturday's concerts have 9:00 PM start times, no cover charges, and 21+ age limits. See above for more details, and here's Fyrbird live!

That's all for today, but stay tuned for our Tym Morrison previews and more in the days ahead! Thanks everyone!