Sean Mahoney and Matt Sjelin began performing together when they formed Songs of Shipwreck with several other musicians. Sjelin, who has been playing piano most of his life, had been recruited by guitarist Mahoney to join Songs of Shipwreck, and when life inevitably got busier, the duo broke off from the larger band to form The Trash Cats. Together they sing and harmonize on a variety of alternative rock covers and original story-telling tracks, on many of which Mahoney’s wife has been a lyrical contributor.

Torment is a death-metal powerhouse that has slightly shifted genres, fusing bone-crushing riffs with a dose of hardcore punk chaos. Featuring Kyle Rudd-Pulkinen, Andrew Olson, Matt Erickson, Caden Dudek and Connor Slawson, the band’s ruthless energy is not for the faint of heart. The Pain EP, released in January, delivers a relentless assault of crushing guitar work and guttural vocals guaranteed to strike a chord with souls or leave ears ringing for days; likely both. Torment bridges the divide between timeless metal and raw, unfiltered rage and promises to be louder than anyone’s regrets.

Born and brewed on the shores of Lake Superior, Tin Can Gin is a blend of each member’s musical style. Harrison Olk’s traditional bluegrass banjo, Trevor Marrin’s songwriting and guitar work, Bryan Nelson’s fast folk-pickin’ mandolin, Peter Whiteman’s solid bass and Nori Schwenzfeier’s Celtic fiddle combine to create a rich stew of music, vocals and melody. Their lively bluegrass sound explodes in a style as bitter and sweet as the best IPAs out there today. The band recently reunited after a hiatus for shows in 2025 and beyond.

Don’t touch that dial. Throw Me the Remote cranks up the volume and shakes down the house with raucous riffs, hardcore punk energy and a hint of outlaw edge. There is no down button on this remote. It only gets louder. Kevin Haglund’s vocals charge along with Daniel Haglund’s distortion heavy guitar and John Leppke’s driving bass. Keeping rhythm is Aurora Grund’s blasting drums. Throw Me the Remote has played several recent shows in the Twin Ports, keeping that North Shore hardcore in action.