Friday, April 20th Hat Trick had good energy from the start with a great bass player that really got the crowd into it. These guys are all good players with good stage presence. They are also tight as a band and have very dynamic vocals. Azrael’s Ashes is a progressive hard-rock band that has good music but is missing a good stage show. More interaction with the crowd will really reach out to new fans. Black Ice has a huge sound. They have great energy which starts with their front-man. Bass, guitars and drums really do a good job as well and they do a lot of the little things well like transitions and interaction with the crowd. Strike Zone has a good rock sound as a whole. They need more work on their stage presence and need to always have their attention turned towards the audience. A powerful sound and a very talented band will hopefully get these guys more shows in 2007. Black Dog was the best band of the night. A great funk-blues-rock sound with very talented musicians and just a great band to listen and watch. They have a great vibe on stage, guitars blend very well together, the drum and bass hold down the rhythm and the vocals are always on. Can’t wait to hear these guys again. Ides of October is a pop-punk band with pretty good vocals and the music is solid for being such young guys. It is always my hope that younger bands can look at more mature bands and learn how to really put on an intense, dynamic, musical and interactive set. These guys have lots of potential and I wish them the best in the future. Prolapse is a very hard working and very mainstream sounding band that really grew from the last show. The music and vocals are very solid and their energy does not detract from that. They have great interaction with each other and their crowd. The Mut Show is one of my favorite bands to see every time I’m in Milwaukee. Great stage presence, great energy, very dynamic music, great mainstream sound and overall great guys to work with. Check these guys out in the semi-finals. Rrecoil was our last band for the night and they are a very solid hard rock band. Need a little work on their look and stage presence, but a solid band nonetheless. Good luck in the future guys. Saturday, April 21st Zetus Deamos is a group of young guys that have pretty good talent. They play 80’s hard rock and need more stage presence and a much better look, but they have good dynamics musically on stage. Von Din is a solid 3 piece with a mature sound and good musicians. They have some very diverse sounding music and some good vocals to add to the music. Red Letter Diaries are a band that has a lot going for them. They have a mainstream sound, good energy, pretty good vocals and some big stuff ahead of them. They sound like Ben Folds meets Maroon 5. Rites is an intense metal band with a huge sound and screaming vocals. Check them out in the semi-finals in May. Good guys to work with too. Rocket Boy 55 is a pop-punk band with strong vocals and lots of energy to keep the crowd going. Good guys to work with and they definitely improved with their playing and stage presence from last time. Best of luck guys. Anecoic is a good sounding hard-rock band with good lead vocals and a definite mainstream sound. They need a better look and maybe a better band name, but they rock for sure and the semi-finals is a better show with them involved. Sunshine Harrison is one of the most unique and creative bands I’ve heard in the last 6 months. Great look, great energy on stage, good playing and good interaction on stage. Roxstar played another solid set, just like before. Thanks for coming out guys. Conniption capped off the night with another solid hard-rock show. From guitar work to drums and vocals, this entire band really sells themselves on stage.