Tornado watch, effective until eleven pm… Ah, Texas weather. This didn’t deter a soul from coming out to the Saxon Pub for a night of stellar singer/songwriters in the heart of Austin. Michael LaCroix started things off with a trippy, young Lou Reed sound. The lyrics were original (really liked the Cockroach song). He was a little nervous and too young for a shot to calm the nerves, but kept a smile on his face and that of the crowd. Jeff Metil (yeah, pronounced “Metal”) was the next to take the stage. His voice was strong and would have sailed beautifully throughout the crowd even without a microphone, but his balance was great and the songs catchy. This is definitely marketable music! Andy Harvey set off his set with passionate vocals, reminding me of David Grey. His songs were sweetened acoustic melodies set off with good dynamics. Amanda Lepre’s vocals and guitar were at their boiling point, and her self-claimed brand of “metal-folk” was simply outstanding. The stage presence was stellar, and this set was very impressive, to say the least. Wow. Our next talented artist was Amy Wallace. A Joan Baez for our generation with a tinge of Natalie Merchant, her ability to work the packed house at Saxon Pub was unmatched. Her voice was pure and unadulterated, and her songs original and flavorful. Max Guitierrez started his set with a unique song that utilized only his left hand, and was just really damn cool. His set developed throughout, with aggressive strumming and solid musicianship. Very versatile and beautiful, Jeff Buckley-ish vocals. Wonderful! Matt Blagg’s set was full of highs and lows, with a pure sound like water on glass… His vocals strung your mind along over great dynamics, and this guy was great! Andy MacIntyre played a soulful set of blues-rock that rivaled the best of the night. His vocals came from a place deep within his soul, and his guitar work was powerful. I especially liked “Doin’ Time”. Zach Arrington’s set was full of a great sense of humor and a lot of talent. His stage presence was great, and his crowd interaction of getting the white kids to clap along was really nice… And I dig the song about the Viking Apocalypse. Great job, Zach! Our final artist of the night was Joe Lustri. He started out with a jazzy tune that painted a picture for all in the crowd of happy love… thanks to Norah Jones for the inspiration. His set was solid, with some great originals mixed with some great covers. This was an outstanding night of original artists from the top of the myriad Austin artists. I was proud to announce Amanda Lepre as the winner, moving on to Dallas for the Southwest finals, and also Amy Wallace as the winner of the top-notch guitar from Takamine. All of the artists played their hearts out, and really made a great showing of the best that Austin has to offer. I can’t wait to see Amanda in Dallas, and to see these artists excel beyond this show! One Love,