Throw out all the old clichés. Throw out all the excuses that could have existed. Some say small markets are a dead end…Colorado Springs begs to differ. April 7th gave us some amazing bands: 11 bands to be exact. We were short one due to one of our band members passing on in a traffic accident. Adam Hughes, lead singer/guitarist of the band Hughes, had been apart of the Colorado Springs music scene for more than 10 years. He loved music and he loved to share it with anyone willing to listen. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wife and child, and his music will be missed. Our 11 bands gave our audience and judge’s a taste of what’s really happening in Colorado Springs. The first band gave us good energy, good interaction and good music all around. The Hot Finks has improved quite a bit from our 1st round shows. Strong vocals and a great cover of “Fire” really started the night off right. The Shady Rumour is a young punk band that really grew from last show. Better vocals and better mechanics on stage got the crowd involved and excited. These guys really care about maturing on and off the stage as a band and I wish them the best of luck. Out of Time was the most improved band with a great sound for the Rocky Mountain city. A great set with strong, dynamic vocals, great back up vocals, good rhythm section and the night’s best guitar player (as voted by our judges) got these guys the exposure and fans they deserve. Their music really captured the whole audience. Great job guys. Our 1st place band for the night was The Wheel. The best band of the night had great stage presence, great dynamics, very strong vocals, keyboards blended well, tight music and a great look. Their interaction with the crowd really made brought everyone together and excited for the prospect of seeing new bands they’ve never seen before. Good luck in the Denver regional guys. Cephalophile is one of the hardest working bands I’ve met. They are professional, and think bigger than what is right in front of them. An intense metal band, with high energy and an explosive sound has given these guys a great start in Colorado Springs. The Narrow Gate has the most potential of any of the bands because of their age. From 14-16 these guys really grew from our last show all the way around. Guitars, vocals, intensity, interaction with the crowd and a great modern rock sound really worked the room. Great job on the transitions between songs and the stage presence guys. Keeping Sanity has a mature, big rock sound. Good energy, good dynamics, good look and overall a good band should get them around Colorado Springs with the summer coming up. These guys are still in high school and have tremendous potential for the future. Looking forward to hearing from them in the future. Silence Speaks started the night with a great intro to their set. From start to finish the music really stood out from the other bands. Finally, one of the most unique bands of the night, The Glass Gentlemen, performed for great crowd. A very groovy and enchanting electronic rock band: I wish the best for them. Thanks to all the Colorado Springs area bands who participated in our festival. Colorado Springs has a growing and hard working music scene that deserves more attention. Our festival and these bands have hopefully, given Colorado Springs more to shout about.