In the heart of the Big D lies the rock and roll arena known as Deep Ellum, and the first week of the first round took place in one of the finest venues there, known as The Liquid Lounge. The week saw a variety of music, from funk to metal to emo to eclectic, and the crowd's reaction showed that they were hungry for more. Oh, yeah, baby; you know that Emergenza was bringing it! Fenyx fired off the weekend on Thursday night with their own powerful blend of driven blues-rock, led by strong vocals and excellent, creative guitar work. Wilsun Co. came next, with a nice acoustic opening and scar discussions, and then led us into a nice melodic rock sound. The third band on the night, Once Too Young, brought a solid alt. rock sound to the stage. The Opposites Attract came with a new wave eclectic rock sound reminiscent of early Smashing Pumpkins or Stone Roses. V.A.L.O.'s aggressive, driven rock was led by screaming yet melodic vocals backed by a tight band. The Liquid Lounge got its first taste of funky stuff with Villain Vanguard. Soulful vocals and monster horn stabs led the crowd into a frenzy of funky styles, dancing on top of monstrous bass lines and a time machine drummer. June's Descent, who possessed a great original rock sound, wrapped the night. Passionate, strong vocals and great stage presence led a tight band. Friday night saw The Conundrum play first, with a very unique Muse meets Spanish meets Davis/Coltrane sound led by a singer with great range and an all around good sound. As Hollow brought our first metal band of the weekend. The lead singer prowled the stage like a tiger, and the driven guitar was intense! Shallow Promise produced an aggressive rock show, with solid work on the guitars and strong vocals. Kingfish's eclectic electro-acoustic sound was led by pure vocals and interesting guitar work. They brought the holiday spirit to the stage with an interjection of “Oh, Tannenbaum.” A Last Chance shot through with a great alt. rock sound, and left their mark on the crowd. With more bodies on the stage than a prom gone bad, The Artful Dodger brought a unique, eclectic folk sound with pensive melodies, simple yet artistic vocals surrounded by a cornucopia of instrumentation. The night was wrapped by the death metal sounds of Medieval. Those with heart problems, expectant mothers and children under 43” should not ride the metal. Hell, yes. Halftime! Had an excellent tuna steak sandwich from the Angry Dog, and then it was time for Saturday night's entertainment. Kevin's Head brought good fun American Rock 'n' Roll to the stage. NO SLEEP 'TIL DALLAS! Mettlesome took the stage next, bringing stout hard rock and driving vocals. SOCOE was impressive, with excellent vocals and nice technical drumming. They definitely rocked the crowd! What's a case of vertigo when you can rock like Advent? Their driving rock was strong and cut through the rest of the night! Market Zero had incredible vocals backed by unique guitar, with a very mature and professional sound. Are you a Sublime fan? Lowrise solves your needs. This three-piece dub style group has got it in the pocket, grooving the crowd and leaving you satisfied. Severed Design, who gave us a hearty dose of fun rock, closed the night. They featured exceptional vocals and talented guitar and keys. Last night of shows in Dallas 'til January, and I wasn't disappointed. The crowd was hype, the music was hot and the drinks were cheap. Ruind by Fate led the crowd into frenzy, despite not having their screamer vocalist on board. The other singer pulled off a nice chunk of “Orange Blossom Special” on violin, as well. Legends of the South came to the stage balls out and ready to rock. Their set was like grabbing hold of a hot bucket of fried chicken and squeezing the good stuff out of it. The next band, Valeyra, came with a solid emo core set let by strong vocals and an all-around excellence rarely matched. A break from the norm came with the intricate stylings of<