Everybody wins

Back on June 11, I headed over to Mavericks to check out Edmonton's Striker, who were on tour behind their newish album, Play To Win (I was invited by their PR folks at Asher Media). Also on the bill: Local thrash giants Infrared and Cornwall's Unknown, who started things off; I've seen them before, at House of Targ. This time around they were performing as a trio. Here's guitarist and vocalist Joe!



Percussive action with Neight!



Bass action with Jay!



And so on!



More Neight!



The whole lot!



Extra Joe!



Neight sings!



Unknown action!



Jay sings!



Infrared put on a great show (come to think of it, Unknown was on the same bill at Targ the last time I saw them); here's drummer Alain!



Guitar action with Armin!



Bass action with Mike!



Guitar action with Kirk!



More Mike!



Armin sings!



Mike sings!



Infrared action!



And so on!



More Alain!



Headbanging action!



Even more Kirk!



Alain sings!



On to striker, who really seem to enjoy hamming things up on stage - they're proud carriers of the 1980s power metal torch! Here's new bassist Pete and returning guitarist Chris!



Guitar action with Tim!



Dan sings!



Pete sings!



More Dan!



Hair-tossing action!



Adam hits!



Tongue action!



More Adam!



Extra Chris!



Striking action!



A fun night out for fans of old school metal!

Let there be metal

Saturday night I headed over to the House of Targ for "Metal Nite." Toronto's Manacle, who I've seen a couple of times before, was on a stacked bill alongside Toronto's Axxion and Edmonton's Striker. It was definitely a must-go for fans of NWOBHM outfits. Here's Inti and Phil of Manacle; the band has really stepped up their game since I saw them last.



Extra Inti1



Kevin sings!



Phil sings a bit!



Back-to-back action!



Vicious drummer Jake was playing his second or third show with the band and doing a dynamite job.



Manacled action!



Smokey action!



More Kevin!



And so on!



Even more Inti and Phil!



Axxion also kicked out the metal like it was the late 1970s-early 1980s. Here's some guitar action with Shred!



Hair-tossing action with Alison Thunderland!



Wailing action with D.D. (who sounds like he could give Accept's Udo a run for the money) and bassist Rob!



This was Rob's last show with the band; he's being sent back to Ireland by the feds.



Shred sings!



More D.D.!



Alison sings!



As excellent as Axxion and Manacle were, Striker really kicked things up a notch with their dual-guitar attack. Here's head howler Dan!



Adam hits!



Hair-tossing action with Wild Bill!



Bill sings!



Tim frets!



Extra guitar with Ace!



Dual-guitar action!



More Adam!



Tim sings!



More Ace!



Fist-pumping action!



Faceoff action!



A killer evening all the way through.