Friday night ended up shorter than expected, but we had a great time, regardless. The band to fire off the weekend was Open Air, formerly known as WestBend. All of the bands tonight got extended sets. Open Air used the time to showcase their blend of Americana-folk, ska and acoustic rock. The set was balanced and clean, and the vocals complimented one another. Great work from this three-piece! Uptown Creepers hit the stage next with a punk ska sound reminiscent of Rancid and Buck-O-Nine. The energy these guys had got the crowd on their feet and built the night up substantially! The horns were solid as a rock, and the rhythm section set it off just right. The vocals soared over the band perfectly! Knights of Apollo were the third band of four to take the stage, setting of a stretch of eclectic and intriguing rock featuring great keys and backline. The vocals floated over all of this, and invited the crowd to nod, sway and dance. Friday was wrapped by Out of Order, who came this season with an additional guitar player that freed the vocals to really break out and lead this outstanding punk group into the next round. Outstanding job all the way around! Our second night of the weekend was fired off with last season’s vets, Rhyme Mind Theory. This unique blend of hip-hop with a funky influx of horns and keys and Latin percussion set the night off right at Reptilez. The lyrics flowed from the emcee’s mouth like buttah, and the rest of the band kept it live with a solid set of original material. Oh, and nice Adult Swim reference! All-Star Transit took the stage with our first three piece band of the night. Their new rock sound entertained the crowd, as well as their stage presence. The vocal harmonies were outstanding. The third band of the evening was Unbroken Loathe. These guys were T-I-G-H-T! Balls-out Texas metal was the benchmark of their set, accented by aggressive vocals and powerful drumming. The crowd got riled and into this show for certain. The next band, Of My Redemption, followed suit with an intense set of speed metal meets old school punk… yeah; it was a fucking crazy set! The vocals cut like a razor blade and the guitar and synth sailed over psychotic drums. Catch your breath… okay? Now, The Big Nasty Blues Band hit the stage. They played a rocky blues set, featuring some searing guitar licks and dirty vocals that hit you in the soul. The really unique thing about this band wasn’t necessarily the music, but rather the artist that they brought. He started the set with an empty canvas and let the music guide his hand, ending in abstract perfection. Make sure you make it out to the next round to see for yourself! With the ferocity of a lion, Kari took the crowd at Reptilez to a new level of excitement. Her vocals and guitar led this three piece to the peak of the night. “I got caught… with another man’s wife…” Just outstanding. The set started intense and never let up as they rocked the house! The weekend came and went with beautiful weather and superb music. See you at Jack’s Patio Bar March 29 through April 1! One Love,