Helix, Kick Axe & Killer Dwarfs – August 16, 2024

Event Details

Reserved Seating – All Ages

Date: Friday, August 16, 2024

Doors Open: 6:30 PM

Show Time: 8:00 PM

Event Cost: Tickets starting at $49.00 (Plus applicable fees)

 

About This Performance

Helix

Helix has been on the Canadian music scene now for almost 50 years.  The band first got together in Kitchener, Ontario in 1974.  From 1974 until 1979 they honed their craft through incessant touring through the bars, releasing their first indie album, Breaking Loose in 1979. The band’s second album, White Lace & Black Leather came out two years later and produced the hit song “Women, Whiskey & Sin,” which attracted interest in England. The album became a Number 1 British import.  This led to articles in SOUNDS & KERRANG MAGAZINES and eventually to the band signing a worldwide record deal with CAPITOL/E.M.I. in 1983 with the band’s third album, No Rest For The Wicked.

 

Their first release from No Rest For The Wicked was “Heavy Metal Love.” The video shot to heavy rotation on MTV in the U.S. and led to the band touring there extensively, playing with everyone from MOTORHEAD to Molly Hatchet and Heart. After three months of touring the States, the band headed to Europe for a 13 country tour with KISS. Subsequent albums on E.M.I/Capitol led to more tours and gold and platinum albums.  The band’s fourth album, Walking The Razor’s Edge, broke the band wide open with the hit track, “Rock You” and led to platinum sales. The band once again toured Europe, the U.S. and Canada, and played with a multitude of the world’s greatest rock bands:  The Scorpions, MOTORHEAD, Ronnie James Dio, and Black Sabbath. There were more hits: “Make Me Do (Anything You Want)” and “Gimme Good Lovin’.” In 1985, Long Way to Heaven was released and the band immediately headed for Sweden to begin touring, taking the album to Number 1. Meanwhile, in North America the first single release, “Deep Cuts The Knife” was zooming up the charts and receiving heavy video play from both MTV and Much Music back home. The band followed up with the song, “The Kids Are All Shakin’.”

 

Helix’s final album on the E.M.I./Capitol label was Wild In The Streets, produced by Mike Stone at The Manor Studios, just outside of Oxford, England.  This album produced the hits “Wild In The Streets” and “Dream On.”  The band toured Europe, the U.S., and in Canada headlined their first tour.

 

Their first album after leaving Capitol/E.M.I. would be Back For Another Taste, which the band would record and produce themselves. The first single from this disc was “The Storm,” followed by “Running Wild in the 21st Century,” and “Good to the Last Drop.” 

 

Tragedy would strike in 1991 when Paul Hackman would be killed coming back from a western Canadian tour in a freak car accident. It looked like the band was finished, but in 1993 they would bounce back with It’s A Business Doing Pleasure on the Aquarius label. There were several songs that received considerable airplay, most notably, “That Day is Gonna Come,” “Tug O’ War,” and the Lee Aaron/Vollmer duet “Look Me Straight In The Heart.”

 

Throughout the ’90s and up until present, the band has continued to release music: “Half-Alive,” “Rockin’ In My Outer Space,” “B-Sides,” “Don’t Trust Anyone Over 30,” “Vagabond Bones,” “The Power of Rock and Roll,” “Rock It Science,” “Bastard of the Blues,” “A Heavy Metal Christmas,” and “EAT SLEEP ROCK.”

 

 

Kick Axe

Kick Axe, a Canadian hard rock powerhouse, burst onto the music scene in the 1980s with powerful vocals, electrifying guitar riffs, and energetic live performances. The band swiftly captivated audiences with their fusion of heavy metal and melodic rock, earning a fervent following both at home and abroad. Since the monumental success of their debut album Vices, Kick Axe has maintained an impressive trajectory, consistently releasing new music and embarking on global tours alongside iconic acts like Judas Priest, Scorpions, Quiet Riot and Whitesnake.

 

Beyond their four studio albums, Kick Axe has left an indelible mark on pop culture with their contributions to film soundtracks. Their tracks “Hunger” and “Nothing’s Gonna Stand In Our Way” featured prominently in the original Transformers: The Movie, while their rendition of the Humble Pie classic “Thirty Days in the Hole” graced the Up The Creek movie soundtrack. With anticipation building, Kick Axe is currently putting the finishing touches on their highly-anticipated fifth studio album, slated for release in the upcoming fall of 2024, ensuring their enduring legacy in the annals of rock history.

 

 

KiLLeR DWaRFs

KiLLeR DWaRFs were formed in the fall of 1981 from the ashes of vocalist Russ “Dwarf” Graham and drummer Darrell “Dwarf” Millar’s club bands in Toronto, Ontario. The band was rounded out by Bryce “Dwarf” Trewin (guitar) and Ange “Dwarf” Fodero (bass). KiLLeR DWaRFs quickly gained international success, first in Canada with the Juno-nominated self-titled Killer Dwarfs debut album in 1983 with Attic Records produced by Doug Hill. Their break-through in the United States came when San Antionio-based radio personality Joe Anthony started spinning their album on a regular basis. This came much to the delight of hard rocking Texans. This planted the seeds for what would result in KiLLeR DWaRFs receiving a lot of attention south of Canada’s border.

 

It would be three years before the follow-up was released; due in part to Bryce and Ange leaving the band. They both departed in 1984 to be replaced by Mike “Dwarf” Hall and Bob Ronbo “Dwarf” Mayer. The band soon cut the iconic and now highly sought after album Stand Tall in 1986 on Maze/A&M Records in Canada, and Grudge Records stateside. KiLLeR DWaRFs toured relentlessly in support of it. The first single, “Keep The Spirit Alive,” was an anthem of the times. Much Music’s new Pepsi Power Hour provided substantial airplay for their hits, “Stand Tall” and “Keep The Spirit Alive” in Canada, while MTV provided great American exposure for the band. MTV soon put the band’s videos for “Keep The Spirit Alive” and “Stand Tall” on a 13-week rotation allowing the album to sell an unprecedented 80,000 copies during that time. (It has now surpassed the 100,000 units sold and has sold on eBay for as much as $500!). By the spring of 7987, the video became the most-requested video on MTV, setting a record that would take years to overcome. It still holds the record for MTV’s most-requested independent video of all time. A second video “Stand Tall” was greeted with similar accolades. The exposure led to Russ hosting the MTV “Headbanger’s Ball” with Rob Halford of Judas Priest in 1987. With the addition of national tours of the United States and Canada, the exposure got the KiLLeR DWaRFs noticed and brought Sony/Epic Records to their door offering a multi-million dollar worldwide recording contract.

 

KiLLeR DWaRFs’ first album with Sony/Epic was Big Deal. It was recorded again in Toronto and produced by Simon Halhart, whose previous credits included the likes of Saxon and Marillion, Big Deal continued on the road and the band had paved for itself with hits like, “Starting To Shine,” “Power” and the anthem-like “Desperados,” assisted the single “We Stand Alone” in showing the world the KiLLeR DWaRFs were a world-class metal outfit. That year they went on to tour to support Iron Maiden across Europe on a sold-out tour and appearing at several outdoor rock festivals here and overseas. The next year, the band moved operations from Toronto to Los Angeles to record Dirty Weapons with award-winning and much sought after producer Andy Johns (Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Rod Stewart, Van Halen, Eric Clapton, Bon Jovi and Cinderella). Released in 1990, the resulting album sported “Doesn’t Matter” – KiLLeR DWaRFs’ first radio hit in the US. The song went to #1 in thirteen cities, including two major stations in Los Angeles. The title track, “Dirty Weapons” also became a smash hit and a standard on MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball program. In 1991, KiLLeR DWaRFs were nominated for a Juno award for Best Hard Rock Group but lost out to Rush.

 

In 1992, the band released the album Method To The Madness also with Andy Johns in the producer’s chair. Mike Hall was replaced by Gerry Finn to take over the guitar duties. This album was touted as one of the best hard rock albums Canada has ever produced, including the title track, “Hard Luck Town” and “Cowboys and Conmen” along with the chart-topping “Driftin Back” power ballad. After a few years of touring in support of Method To The Madness, the band parted ways with Sony/Epic.

 

KiLLeR DWaRFs decided to have a “reunion” in 2001 to tie up some lose ends from the past. They recorded a lie CD/DVD in their hometown of Toronto, Ontario which was simulcast live across the US and Canada. This allowed the band almost four years of dates in North America. Reunion of Scribes became a much sought-after release and has recently been re-released in 2013 to fans’ delight. KiLLeR DWaRFs have played some of the largest venues around the world including Wembley Arena, Hammersmith Odeon, as well as Toronto’s historic CNE Grandstand, Ricoh Coliseum. They have performed on many of the largest festival stages and ampi-theatres in Canada and the US. They have also toured and shared the stage with such world-renowned artists as Iron Maiden,  Queensryche, Vince Neil, Warrant, Fear Factory, Faster Pussycat, LA Guns, Slaughter, Skid Row, Pantera, Firehouse, and the legendary Nazareth.