The masses filed up the historic “Dom Polski,” aka Fitzgerald’s Entering its 30th year of existence as Fitzgerald’s, this building has seen some incredible musicians over the years. On this night, Emergenza put on an incredible showing of extremely talented bands. Let’s go to the tape, Johnny! Braswell kicked the night off with some indie-alt-rock with a nice, full sound. Their set was definitely well set up, heading from rocking highs to pensive lows. The sound reminded me of early Cure… Green Devon’s blend of “lesbian acoustic face melting rawk” was definitely edgy hardcore, but was tight and solid and kept a strong pace throughout the set. The stage presence was intense, with actions speaking as loud as the vocalist! Of Raven & Ruins took it to the metal zone with some intense heavy action! The instrumentation was stellar, especially with the keyboard rounding out the two guitarists. This set was definitely the stuff of legend. The next band up to bat was Inzurgo, driving home a mix of Spanish and English lyrics with a strong political tone. The revolution is well underway… The vocals were aggressive and had a 90s grunge tone to them, but still set a tone for the future of rock. The genre change came with the poppy, funky, indie sounds of Guttercast. The female lead set it off with powerful vocals and great stage presence. The sax was a tasty treat on top of the fresh, original sounds from this group. Breed Society set it off with a well-orchestrated set of modern-rock with a three-piece twist. The vocals were solid, accented by his work on guitar and the rhythm section locked it in. Regressive Memory hit the crowd at Fitzgerald’s with intensity, spilling forth a cornucopia of modern rock goodness. The vocals soared above a very tight band, kicking an all-original set that got the crowd hyped and the place jumping. Savoy Special was just that… special. This was the freshest set I’ve heard in a long time and the crowd at Fitzgerald’s seem to agree. The songs were original and tight, and the band rocked the house with authority! Great job all around! C-Hines & Purpose dropped some funky beats and some awesome vocal harmonies on the crowd, getting applause and dancing alike. The energy was unstoppable, and the message was positive. YES! Midnigh Over Athens played a trippy set of original goodness tainted with a taste of Nintendo… the feel was eyes closed, smile on my face… needed some chemical inspiration for this set. El Tlazho... definitely a crowd favorite. Their blend of Tejano and rock was truly something to see as well as hear. These guys definitely take the stage presence to the next level, and the music is really outstanding as well! Androide’s set was equally infusing, giving us a blend of electronic and organic, bridging the gap perfectly. The sound was innovative and powerful, getting the crowd riled and even sparking a conga line (?). Excellent work! Cerebro wrapped the night in perfect style, playing a fresh set that utilized some effects on acoustic guitars to perfection. The vocals were sliding over melodies that entranced the crowd at Fitzgerald’s, and everyone appreciated this fine band. Despite several groups of people arriving by boat due to the rain, it was one hell of a rock show, with an incredible display of what is alive and kicking in Houston’s local scene. Congrats go out to Savoy Special, heading to Austin on the 23rd for the regional final at The Parish! One Love,