Saturday, January 6th Although it was a few days after the champagne corks had popped, and the fireworks displays lit up this City By The Bay, for the official start of the New Year, it was a great night for Rock ‘n Roll on Saturday, January 6, 2007, at S. F.’s premier live music emporium, Rockit Room, with a full fare of nine great bands performing a mix of genres, and a house packed full of fans to support them in the continuation of the Emergenza International Music Festival’s 1st round competition. Bands and their fans from as far away as 100 miles attended this event. El Zakador, an indie-pop band, took charge of the stage, performing their original songs in a captivating debut performance. This tight quartet delivered potent vocals, with a strong lead guitar, and excellent drumming by an Emergenza alum, B-Swayzee, previously with a band, The Feed, who went to the Emergenza finals last year, at San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall. The big news is that this New Year’s Baby is going on to the 2nd Round. Congratulations, Zak! Katie Jane is an alternative-rock, female-fronted quartet from Davis, California. The vocalist, singing original material, particularly the bluesy ballads, blended into a captivating atmosphere with the band’s savory accompaniment, that left us wanting more. Throckmorton, a progressive-alternative-experimental band from Sacramento, California, exploited the hard-edged textures of lead guitar distortion and tone, and their lead vocalist’s intensity, to drive home their original material with conviction and great spirit. Then Glug: this five-piece hard-rock band from Davis, California, aspires to great heights, and gave the Rockit Room a memorable performance, characterized by an overall strong presentation, of original material and polished musicianship. Expect Glug to rise up and sail away. Not 4 Nothin’, is a blues hip-hop band from Modesto, California, that came in at #1 for the night. The Rockit Room rocked with their supporters, and the crowd surged with every word of Not 4 Nothin’s crisply delivered hip-hop verses set to a tight rhythm foundation. Congratulations you guys! Triple Ave is a four-piece hip-hop band, including a guitar, harp, and DJ. Harp—a real concert harp with a pick-up. Their original sound is striking, and they are polished performers. This band came in #3 for the night. C’mon, walk down the Triple Ave, and pass Go--onto the 2nd Round!! The Hacks are a grunge band, whose set list of original songs screamed out with the penetrating poetry of life, and intertwined with the lyrics were dissonant harmonies, guitar distortion/feedback, and the heavy drumming we have come to expect with this genre. The Hacks made their presence felt. Vicious Groove is a funky-soul band. Their superbly performed, Prince cover song, “Kiss”, was a showstopper during which a band member with a wireless guitar synth wandered through the crowd, turning up the heat! NO questions asked, Vicious Groove, is in the “ready mode”, as in ready for Round 2. This band came in #2 for the night. Congratulations, Vicious Groove! Khaos is a rap band with two talented dancers, and was formed recently. When the stage lights dimmed, and the music started, everything on stage seemed to move to the beat of Khaos. With their overall strong presentation, it is easy to get caught up in their Khaos. A round of applause for Khaos, and onto the 2nd Round. This band came in #4 for the night. If the first round competition for the New Year was any indication of the enthusiastic support for the Emergenza International Music Festival, in Northern California, it will be a banner year.