20 weeks deep, 216 bands, 56 gigs and one tired rabbit. We''ve made it! It''s here! The stage is set for the Emergenza National Final at Metro. We played, we promoted, we hustled, we bled and cried and swore and, oh yeah, jammed our asses off. As the smoke clears from the 3 previous rounds we find ourselves with a dozen bands that are starving for more of the juices that competition secretes. Opportunity has knocked and these 12 bands have answered the door wearing a fine Italian smoking jacket with a classic maple pipe packed with the finest cognac tobacco hanging from their grills. They got class, talent, motivation and an agenda to kick as much ass as possible. After blazing through 3 straight weeks at the beautiful Double Door, the cream of crop has been selected. The fans have voted and voted and voted and voted and voted and more votes and vote this and vote that and put this in your pipe and vote it. We got ''em and my word do we have madness to come in the best of ways. For many of these bands the Emergenza Final will be the biggest show of their musical careers and you can bet your ass that when 7pm on the 4th Saturday of June hits…IT''S ON!!!!!!!!! Not just any bunny can give it to you straight like the Easter Bunny can. Since I have commitments on only one April day a year, I have set myself smack dab in the middle of this gracefully wicked festival and I''ve tasted the juices as well. I''ve been back stage, on stage, built stages, loaded gear, greeted bands, gotten smashed, listened closely and got a chance to be proud of what''s to come. In no particular order I give you the strong…. Welcome back to Maxlider and Band Called Pharisee who have proven again that they have what it takes to roll with the big boys of the Emergenza Finals. Each band is making a return visit to the Metro for another crack at taking it to the next level. If you''ve haven''t seen them last year, I''ve got one thing to say, they''ve gotten a whole hell of a lot better and they want it as bad as anyone. I give my best regards to the youth of the finals with bands like Domestic Play, Rise of Ruin and True Story. Between them they approximately 32 pubic hairs, virgin status and the talent of finely aged scholars. I have seen each one of those bands grow in their own ways over the past months which has made babysitting all that much easier and I love each one of you fellas like a younger brother. Making a splash this year is MWC. This is, hands down, the oddest combination of musicians I''ve seem in years past. Something like 114 members who play horns, keys, skin flute, tripping guitars, stylish and precision percussion and one badass, hard core skilled drummer named “Jeet”. Almost Rosario comes to the finals as the only female fronted group and special hello to the hard rockin'' tobacco chewing boys of the South, Four the Fallen. We will have our share of rock and college chicks from Emmis and Lucid Ground who can teach a band or two a few things about how to get around a stage and lure in fans. The beauty of it all is that we still have more. 3 piece studs, Shotgun Elvis have your number. You want fun, you want punk-pop-rock, you want loose women and booze…Shotgun Elvis is your answer. Take it from me, there''s a reason way every fan knows every word of every song, they''re fucking good. Next please…coming into the finals as the number one bands in Chicago is The Redline. High energy, easy listening and one rad guitarist that who blows amateurs out of the water and gives any true professional a run for their money. Ladies and Gentlemen, I give Emergenza Chicago class of 2005.