[Image: Pool Cleaners From Distant Planets]

Leg Up Battle of the Bands: Week 1

Here's a quick summary of the event based on my own observations, and my conversations with Myk-El, Webmaster Jeph, Princess Marji, Denver music superfan Tommy, and music promoter Brice, who put the show together. But in the end, I wrote it, so don't give them a hard time if you disagree with anything.

BAND: Safety First
STYLE: punk-pop
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Catchy songs, plenty of energy, fun music.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: The guitars seemed to lag behind the drums a couple of times, and the vocals could use a little polishing. Don't be afraid to cut songs short; there's nothing wrong with the rock standard of 3 to 3 1/2 minutes.
OVERALL: A good start for a promising band. If you're throwing a party and want a house band, think about hiring these guys.

BAND: Blackbird Down
STYLE: hard rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Technically skilled, clearly enjoying themselves, tight sound. The band clearly works hard, as evidenced by a bass player who also sings lead vocals.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: The two guitarists seemed to often be playing the same sort of part simultaneously; either they were both doing lead or both doing rhythm, rather than one on each. Songs were energetic but seemed to be lacking a "hook".
OVERALL: Crank this band up when you're playing video games, especially ones with lots of action.

BAND: U4Ian
STYLE: cover band
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Lead guitarist Ian was absolutely amazing, especially considering he's only 13 years old.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Cover tunes aren't automatically a bad thing, but they count heavily against you when one of the judging categories is originality. The guitar solos could use some discipline, as they tended to last too long and wander too much. The vocals need a lot of work. As soon as any cover band starts "Mustang Sally", they have officially jumped the shark.
OVERALL: Can't wait to see what this kid is doing in a few years.

THE WINNER: Blackbird Down

Leg Up Battle of the Bands: Week 2

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

Here's a quick summary of the event based on my own observations, my conversations with Webmaster Jazzy Jeph, and notes from Dennis of the Whiskey Dawgs, also a judge that night. But in the end, I wrote it, so don't give them a hard time if you disagree with anything.

BAND: Blind Exit
STYLE: hard rock and/or metal
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Tight sound, coordinated movement of band members now and then, interesting lyrics in the song "Masquerade".
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Could use a few more hooks. Catchiness is hard to quantify, but it's worth trying to catch that elusive quality.
OVERALL: Go check 'em out.

BAND: Cosmic Gear Box
STYLE: acoustic/folk rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Always good to see talented acoustic guitarists backed by a band instead of solo, especially when they can absolutely shred on an acoustic guitar. Using the guitar as a percussion instrument is always a fun bonus.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: I wouldn't mind more Irish-influenced stuff, but maybe that's just me.
OVERALL: Why haven't you seen this band yet?

BAND: Witch Mountain Bridge
STYLE: contemporary/soft rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Cooridinating 6 people with 5 instruments and up to 4 vocals at a time. Great harmonies, very talented in general.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: If they did anything wrong, I missed it.
OVERALL: Impressive in general, even more so when you consider this was only their third public performance.

THE WINNER: Witch Mountain Bridge

Leg Up Battle of the Bands: Week 3

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

Here's a quick summary of the event based on my own observations, and my conversations with Myk-El, Webmaster Jazzy Jeph, and Princess Marji. But in the end, I wrote it, so don't give them a hard time if you disagree with anything.

BAND: Action Friend
STYLE: ? ? ?
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: ? ? ?
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: ? ? ?
OVERALL: They had to cancel at the last minute; I hope to hear what they sound like some time soon.

BAND: Unloader
STYLE: metal
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Very tight sound, even on the really fast and difficult tunes. They obviously rehearse a lot.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: A few changes in tempo and variations in types of songs within the genre wouldn't hurt.
OVERALL: Proof that you don't need to scream to rock loud and hard. Metal is alive and well.

BAND: Butcher's Blind (no website available)
STYLE: jam/folk rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Fairly tight sound, and pleasant, mellow songs.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Lengthy jams -- which, to be fair, didn't show up until the end of the set -- can lose all but the most dedicated fans.
OVERALL: A legal option for promoting a peaceful, easy feeling.

THE WINNER: Butcher's Blind

Leg Up Battle of the Bands: Week 4

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

Here's a quick summary of the event based on my own observations, and my conversations with Webmaster Jeph, Pool Cleaner Zscaieynn, Princess Marji, and music promoter Brice, who put the show together. But in the end, I wrote it, so don't give them a hard time if you disagree with anything.

BAND: the Dawson Gang
STYLE: cover band
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Good enthusiasm. Familiarity with a variety of eras and musical styles.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Cover songs can be great, but they'll work against you when judging categories include originality and songwriting. Remember that you can do covers and still have original arrangements. Vocals seemed a little off that night.
OVERALL: It's always good when bands know some classics.

BAND: Ten Feet Tall
STYLE: rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Impressive technical skills. Ability to play multiple instruments is always a plus: the keyboard player and bassist also played acoustic guitar, and the bassist played his main instrument at the same time as a trumpet. Very tight sound, even on rapid tempo changes.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Some songs didn't seem to have endings; they just suddenly stopped.
OVERALL: Not something you hear every day.

BAND: Shifty Gears
STYLE: bar band
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Some clever turns of phrase in the lyrics. Good rapport between band members.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Some of the songs could be shorter, and the set ran longer than the scheduled time.
OVERALL: Would like to hear these guys tackle some novelty songs.

THE WINNER: Ten Feet Tall

Leg Up Battle of the Bands: Week 5

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

Here's another quick summary of the event based on my own observations, and a little input from some other folks.

BAND: the Inactivists
STYLE: experimental/novelty
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Incredibly original. Very enthusiastic. Some clever lyrics.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Vocals could use some work. Insturments sometimes lost cohesion. A lot of material seemed to be weird for the sake of being weird, such as a song entirely in Esperanto.
OVERALL: They might be giants, but then again, they might not.

BAND: Quarter Pound
STYLE: metal
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Very tight sound, well-rehearsed, good balance of instruments and vocals. The blues and reggae tunes changed the pace nicely.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: A little too much delay between songs at times. It seemed to take a few songs to build to full intensity.
OVERALL: A very solid band, but remember to grab your beers before you get on stage next time.

BAND: Soul Rabbit
STYLE: folk/jam rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Good crowd response. Fairly creative.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Vocal harmonies were off. Harmonica playing was below average. Some songs seemed like they were going to end, then didn't. Abrupts shifts in style (like suddenly doing rap) can work against you.
OVERALL: Why worry about what I have to say when you have all those loyal fans?

THE WINNER: Quarter Pound

Leg Up Battle of the Bands: Week 6

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

Here's another quick summary of the event based on my own observations, and a little input from some other folks.

BAND: A Melodic Daydream
STYLE: folk/soft rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Very strong vocals. A talented guitarist who is very into his performance. Tight sound. More movement than you usually see from an acoustic duo.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: A lot of the songs tended to sound the same.
OVERALL: Good for when you're feeling mellow.

BAND: Elana Rogers and the Reason
STYLE: rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Solid sound, lots of enthuiasm and talent. Best crowd response I've seen since this began. Good vocals, great guitar solos.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: The notes of one judge (I'm not naming names) specifically requested "no cowboy hats".
OVERALL: Very entertaining.

BAND: Silence the Satellites
STYLE: metal (with a sort of retro-grunge feel at times)
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Fantastic audience interaction -- you almost never see performers actually leave stage to mix with the crowd. Good energy and enthusiasm. Good use of keyboards.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Vocals could use a lot of polishing, and a lot less screaming and growling. Don't be afraid to experiment with your genre of music, or in other genres. Instruments lost each other a couple of times.
OVERALL: A decent band with the potential to be a great band.

THE WINNER: Elana Rogers and the Reason

Leg Up Battle of the Bands: Week 7

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

Here's another quick summary of the event based on my own observations, and a little input from some other folks.

BAND: Rio Grandiose
STYLE: country
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Being able to play guitar and harmonica at the same time (and play both well) is always a plus, as is the ability to trade lead vocal duties. The sax was a nice change of pace. Continuing to play despite equipment problems shows a lot of professionalism.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: I'm told that the one cover tune that was performed was not up to par. (I'm not familiar with the original myself.)
OVERALL: Worth checking out for fans of the genre.

BAND: Rider Beware
STYLE: rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Good work on the bass and drums, great work on the guitar. Pretty energetic and very tight. The gratuitous crotch-grab was amusing.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Few of the songs stand out individually; more conventional song structures (verse-chorus-verse) might help. Adding a rhythm guitarist would fill out the sound, and enable the lead guitarist to do even more.
OVERALL: I'll be keeping an eye on this group.

BAND: Big Green Lime
STYLE: grunge metal
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: An authentic re-creation of a sound that I thought was gone from the world. Good fan following.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Vocals are very nasal and need work. Lots of unnecessary noodling immediately before and after songs. Sound wasn't very tight in some areas.
OVERALL: It's 1993 all over again.

THE WINNER: Big Green Lime

Leg Up Battle of the Bands: Week 8

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

This summary is a little different, because I didn't actually do any judging this week, I just introduced the bands. So I'm relying on the notes of others to help my recollection.

BAND: Lucky Me
STYLE: rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Tight sound, good skills, catchy tunes. Always a plus when more than one person can sing lead.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Not a lot of activity on stage from most members. More movement would help.
OVERALL: If they're this good in their first show together, I definitely want to see them again.

BAND: Alias Unknown
STYLE: metal (possibly with some emo mixed in)
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Instruments are very tight and players are very focused. Lots of enthusiasm.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Some of the songs had very sudden, rough transitions right in the middle. Also, the lead singer used vocal effects/distortions/echoes on almost every song, seemingly for their own sake.
OVERALL: Not exactly my thing, but good at what they do.

BAND: Epilogue
STYLE: rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Energetic, enthusiastic, tight, well-rehearsed. Catchy tunes that were "kind of an updated New Wave sound". Good crowd response.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Could use a little bit more variation in song styles.
OVERALL: A good example of why this has been such a great way to see and hear new bands.

THE WINNER: Epilogue

Leg Up Battle of the Bands: Semi-Finals Week 1

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

Second impressions of Butcher's Blind:
Musically flawless, and often very reminiscent of James Taylor. Not a lot of variation in style or tempo, though, and little to no interaction with the audience and each other.

Second impressions of Blackbird Down:
For a while now, Blackbird Down has been missing something -- even they admitted it -- and no one's sure what. That night, they found it. The boys definitely had their mojo workin', and we're in for more great shows if they keep doing whatever it is they did. The music was fun, high-speed, rockin' stuff, and there was lots of movement and energy. The between-song banter frequently acknowledged the venue, the audience, and the other performers -- always a nice touch. While the unapologetic use of profanity (both in and out of the songs) might have offended some, I found it to be honest, casual, and entertaining.

Second impressions of Witch Mountain Bridge:
This is, in my opinion, a top-notch band. This is a band I want to see again, a lot. A little more movement and interaction on stage would have helped their performance and audience reaction scores, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with the music itself. I hope we can look forward to an album soon.

THE WINNER: Blackbird Down

Leg Up Battle of the Bands: Semi-Finals Week 2

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

Second impressions of Elana Rogers and the Reason:
In the initial rounds of competition, someone tried to tell me that Elana didn't belong in the competition because she's been part of the scene for a while. I immediately rejected that notion. She's been performing as a solo musician for some time, but the band itself is still new. They're all veterans, though, and they have great chemistry together. They have fun, they sound tight, and the audience loves them. It doesn't hurt one bit that they're very good at what they do, with the six strings on their bass player's instrument being just one item of evidence. Go see this band.

Second impressions of Ten Feet Tall:
Even if these guys were only so-so performers, they'd stand out for their class and their support of their fellow musicians. John, the lead singer, has only missed one week of Leg Up, and then only because he had to be out of town. It just so happens, though, that they're top-of-the-line musicians, with the most smack-you-in-the-face obvious example of that being when the bass player pulls out a trumpet and plays both instruments simultaneously. If you actually watch, though, you'll see they're all working pretty hard. The audience didn't give them as much love as they deserved, in my opinion.

Second impressions of Quarter Pound:
This is one of those bands that is talented enough that it makes me want to hear them perform songs I already know. They're doing fine with their original material, make no mistake about that, but I can't help but wonder how much they would rock doing familiar stuff by acts like Iggy Pop, Judas Priest, and Living Colour. These guys remember that hard rock doesn't always have to sound angry, and that you don't have to be locked in to one style of music. Their blues number in particular is a good addition to the set.

THE WINNER: Elana Rogers and the Reason

Leg Up Battle of the Bands: Semi-Finals Week 3

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

Second impressions of Blind Exit:
I already knew these guys were good musicians. What I didn't realize was how much they care about what they're doing. They rallied their fans to back them in the internet vote to return to Leg Up, sure, but that's only part of it. Shortly after the competition, I was contacted by one of the band members with a message that could be summed up as "What can we do to improve ourselves?" I admire that. This is exactly the kind of band you want performing for you, working with you, or playing at your venue.

Second impressions of Big Green Lime:
Few musical styles ever truly go away. Rockabilly has lots of followers, I recently got my hands on a great album that was influenced by the British Invasion, and disco has legions of fans in denial. If you never wanted grunge to go away, this band is for you. Or, if you just want music that's loud and hard and energetic, which we all do from time to time, these guys will get you what you need.

Second impressions of Epilogue:
Certain things about this band kept half-pushing memory triggers. Certain keyboard riffs, or the lead singer's vocals, for example, would seem familiar but I couldn't exactly say why. If a band can sort of remind me of other musicans yet not seem derivative, they must be doing something right. The main thing that they do right is the energy and passion they put into a show. They start out looking repspectable, but by the end, the band is soaked in sweat. That's rock and roll.

THE WINNER: Epilogue

Leg Up Battle of the Bands: the Finals

So who won?

The short version of the answer is this:
Elana Rogers and the Reason took Third Place.
Blackbird Down walked away with Second Place.
Epilogue finished in First Place.

So who won?

Elana and the Reason won, because they showed that they are a band to be reckoned with, and the band to beat when it comes to bringing an enthusiastic fan base. Also, I've read things that give me the impression that it can be difficult (even these days) for a female-fronted band to be given proper respect, and they showed that they are not a group to be taken lightly.

Blackbird Down won, because they found the passion, the groove, the mojo, the Force that they had been lacking. They went from being a good band to a great band.

Epilogue won, because they went from being a group that many people had never heard of to the gold-medal winners in a competition that's going to give them a lot of the exposure that they deserve -- and some really cool prizes as well.

The Toad Tavern won, because they managed to pull in some great crowds on Thursday nights and, I assume, make a decent amount of money. They also showed a lot of people what a great place they are for local music.

Brice won, because he put the whole thing together, and it was successful. So successful, in fact, that there are plans to do it again.

Most of all, though the fans of local music won, because they got to be introduced to some really amazing local bands week after week -- and newer bands, not bands that everybody had already heard before -- without paying a cover charge, with drink specials going on most weeks, and with a really good sound system in a friendly, clean place.

As a local music fan myself, I'd call that a victory. And I don't intend to be a good winner, either -- I'm going to be smug about it.