Hello all! We had another great weekend of rock here in Boston. I know I say this every time, but we really eclectic mix of bands performing together these past couple of days that it warrants mentioning again. Jazz, Hip-Hop, Punk, Metal, they were all represented at the Middle East. Thursday Feb 9th started off with the CV Boys Band, a nine-piece Cabo Verde band playing some groovy dance music. Hemlok was up next playing some serious progressive rock growling vocals from the bassist that hit awesome harmonies. Love Bucket had some great dirty rock and roll tunes and belted vocals from the front man named Johnny Rocker. I’d have compared them with The Doors, except with balls. DeepC had a great acoustic rock set from Deep, the percussionist turned guitarist and his worldly backing band. Fundamental was a sick Jazz Hip-Hop band that had the beats and the lyrics to back it up. Copal was a wildly ethereal band featuring a laptop D.J. and violins and cellos culminating in one trippy experience. The Blue Sky Traffic had an awesome songwriting style that brought in many other elements such as technicality, good time changes and great lyrics. Their song about Dan Snow was brilliant. J4DA (in picture) was the second Jazz Hip Hop band of the evening and even shared some members from the Fundamental, and they were every bit as good. Deprogrammer closed out the night with a thrashing punk metal set that were they not following a Hip Hop band, they might have done better, because I certainly would have voted. In the end it was CV Boys Band, Lovebucket, Copal, and J4DA that moved on to the next round. Friday night at the Middle East was a rarity as far as the festival goes. Normally the music is very different from band to band, which is was, but it was a night of Metal and loudness that removed all the top end from my hearing by the end of the night. Geezer Kill was a heavy rock band featuring hysterical antics from the singer. Eating a zagnut on stage during the song struck me as a little odd. Suicide Dream was a thick and proggy band with operatic vocals and great technical skill. Ashes of the Lost were one of the more solid hardcore metal acts I’ve seen yet and commanded the stage and audience’s attention. Slayed Innocence was a slower more head banging kind of metal. It was funny seeing these guys thrash around the stage in front of a hundred people and a couple of them were grandmas and aunties pushing for that senior citizen discount. Octave Eleven was a really heavy metal group from Western Mass. Their set nothing but a thick wall of sound with screeching vocals and distorted guitar loops. Silversted from Providence wasn’t so much metal as really heavy rock somewhere in between Stained and 3 Doors Down. Forevers Fallen Grace was a real pro Gothic Metal Band with excellently solid band with great epic songs. Indignation closed out the night with a good rock set that reminded me of a New Metal ACDC (there’s no lightening bolt on my keyboard) and they certainly had the crowd going with them. In the end it was, Ashes of the Lost, Slayed Innocence, Silversted, Forevers Fallen Grace, and Indignation that moved on to the next round. Saturday turned out to be my favorite of the weekend. The bands were all so good and different that there was something for everyone at one time or another. Kidnapkin is an awesome band. They are truly original and talented. Just check them out, right now. The Fly Agaris Sky was the definition of Power Trio. They were loud, thick, progressive, and had a hell of a lot of fans. Sir Q, The Impostor was a wildly entertaining band that I guess I could only describe as Stoner rock. But that barely covers all of there bases. Ara Vora was a simple Indie act that stripped it’s music down to the roots and rediscovered what catchy is. Il Papas were a jammy rock band that had a great percussion sections and killer solos. Gone By Daylight was a true rock act. They arrived a