Emergenza’s first set of elimination rounds took place this weekend in Milwaukee at Vnuk’s Lounge. Vnuk’s Lounge is located in the heart of Cudahy, WI and is the perfect setting for the first round of Emergenza’s International Music Festival in Milwaukee. With a great sound system, excellent bar and highly accredited staff Vnuk’s has proven to be a wonderful place to host Emergenza’s shows for the 3rd year in a row. Thursday, October 26 It was a chilly Thursday evening as Emergenza opened its doors to music lovers of all kinds. With a diverse line-up the audience was sure to be pleased with the entertainment for the evening. P.i.n.c.h.y. opened up the event with Mohawks and makeup as they blasted through a hard rock set with attitude. Blackdog, a classic rock influenced band, twisted in and out of intricate guitar solos and bluesy rifts. Ellis followed with a perfectly pop centered acoustic set guided by the lead singer’s angelic vocals. Keep you eyes peeled for their next Emergenza performance at The Rave in Milwaukee. A Postscript Fatality, composed of several spunky youngsters, followed with a harder rock set complete with loud and effective compositions. Rites, another hard rock group, utilized strong, raspy and deep vocalizations. Virikas then stepped up with excellent guitar soloing, and a very strong presence. Of Her Blood closed out Thursday’s show with a ton of energy and songs like “Your Grandpa has a Bitchin’ Haircut” and “Safari Killing Spree”. Friday, Otober 27 Lucretius kicked off Friday’s Emergenza shows with an excellently composed set. With their drummer on lead vocals and synchronized head banging these guys were a sight to see. Failed System followed with guitar driven rock. They had an excellent rhythm section and strong lead vocals. Wait For Yesterday had the audience on their toes with a rockin’ and flavorful set led by a female vocalist. With nice composition and an excellent use of dynamics this band easily moved to the next round of Emergenza. The Age of Alchemy then took the stage by surprise with a great mix of screaming and singing and an excellent rhythm section. Zetus Deamos closed out Friday’s Emergenza event with an excellent introduction to their set, strong compositions and an overall great band. Saturday, October 28 Saturday’s Emergenza shows were astonishing. Slowly Becoming was the perfect trio. With an old school piano, relatable lyrics and strong vocal abilities this band is not to be missed. High School Heroes was an intriguing group of young rockers with an ear for music and a style to match their unique set. Azrael’s Ashes, a heavy metal band, utilized intricate instrumentation and solid breaks along with outrageous guitar soloing. The John Frederick Band stole the hearts of the audience with acoustic driven rock complete with excellent vocals and a professional attitude. Check these guys out at The Rave later on this spring at Emergenza’s Semi-Final rounds of shows. Dead Meat took the stage and entertained with an eighties style rock set. With songs like “Shut up” and “Tits” the audience was shocked. Fallen was having a lot of fun on stage with a sound to the likes of George Clinton meets Fishbone’s baby. With amazing energy these guys were quite refreshing. Mystic Spiryt, a female fronted metal band with a touch of the blues, closed out this weekend’s events with true rock stances, a great rhythm section and excellent vocals. As usual, Emergenza’s International Music Festival was a hit in Milwaukee. With a diverse line-up, a lot of energy and a great venue the first round of elimination shows for the 2007 season in Wisconsin proved to be an event not to have been missed. You can check out more information about upcoming shows and some of t