Rain. Dammit… so very sick of rain. Austin got a thorough bath and Antone’s got a weekend full of very impressive musicians, and if you were there, you know what I’m talking about. If not… well, here we go. The weekend’s tempo was set by Teabag. Their very original sound was capped by a tight set of driving, aggressive rock. By the way, go check out their video on their myspace page. It’s awesome! Derbin stepped to the plate next, and swung for the fences. Even though the crowd was small, they showed that they have the skills to rock. Acaseofmondays hit the stage next, and seemed to part the waters and fill the club. Soulstrung played hard like a barbwire bullwhip, and left none unscarred. Blown’s authentic alt rock blues sound was stellar, and the vocals were superb! Stage of Existence came solid, dropping heavy guitar riffs and fatass bass licks like two-ton bricks. The night was capped off by Bletzung, who despite being new to the Austin scene are making their mark deep and dark. Friday night’s party was set off with the antics of the Jolly Garogers. They are definitely something unique to the music scene, not only in Austin, but also around the world. Yarrrr! Meet on Denali laid out a plan for nightly domination and followed through with perfection. Dorkstar’s solid sound was unmatched, and the crowd was not disappointed. Andice’s energetic stage show was great, with more energy than an A.D.D. kid on crack. The Oklahomos… first, the t-shirts are stellar, and the world should see them. Second, they came balls out and showed the crowd their teeth. Third, I’m glad the balls didn’t really come out… Billy Harvey’s set was as great as I had hoped, although the crowd just wasn’t there to appreciate it. His unique sound and show are truly a gift, and I hope to follow his success further. Devola burned a hole through the stage with the hottest hard rock of the night. Emura wrapped the night up with face-melting original sounds. No Such Thing pulled the gate on Saturday, with an awesome set of solid originals led by great vocals and rad bass licks. Kinetik’s energy was strong, and the rock was fresh and deep. Awesome!!! The Subtle Creeps brought a unique sound with aggressive vocals and very strong guitar work. Phoenix Down’s set was tight! Their music spoke to the crowd and grabbed them by the heart. The Tastydactyls had some great work from the keyboards, and the cover of “Hey Ya” was an interesting surprise. Amy Wallace was a little cover-heavy, but the voice of a blues angel and an awesome backing band (hottie drummer, ha ha) more than made up for the hunger for more original stuff. The Everyday People took the stage next, and presented an all-original set of sharp, melodic music capped by incredible vocals and the type of band camaraderie that makes a difference. Prime Element wrapped the night in an electric blanket, with acidic vocals and steely guitars. Sunday started with Live Oak Decline, and they rocked the house. Very fresh, solid music! Navin’s Thermos took the stage second, with their very original sound. They were diverse, with solid sax work and nice vocals. Teague’s songwriting and performance skills were the next feature, and he stepped up the class on the night with strong vocals and great work from the backing band (and hottie back-ups, ha ha). Amanda Lepre, who I loved the first round, knocked me over again this time with her articulate guitar skills and her lion-sized vocals. WOW! The Canvas Waiting brought a refreshing sound to the night with their pure music. A Pocketful of Deng’s full-meal-deal filled me to the brim with exciting stage performance and very cool music. El Charco wrapped off our most unique night of the weekend by giving the crowd a fattening dessert of experimental rock. The Regional Final is June 24, at The Parish. I know you will be there, and come early, because you won’t want to miss a beat!