[Image: Pool Cleaners From Distant Planets]

Get a Leg Up Battle of the Bands II: Week 1

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

Thanks go out to the Toad Tavern for hosting this fine event again. We got off to a good start this week. We had a great crowd show up who had a good time listening to three bands that had a very solid idea of where they want to go musically. These comments, as always, are based on comments from some of the judges as well as personal observations.

BAND:The Jimi Austin
STYLE: Pop/Rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Great musicianship and a strong drummer. Interesting arrangements that took some risks. Use of vocal harmonies.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Would like to see more range within the harmonies. Lead singer seems to have trouble at high end of his vocal range. Could improve crowd interaction. Seemed to be holding back a bit.
OVERALL: Tons of potential with this hooky pop band. They have a high ceiling and I hope they can reach it.

BAND:The Stigmas
STYLE: Rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Not lacking for confidence and no stage can contain them. Very together as a band. Like that they were ready to go as soon as their introduction finished. Know what they are doing.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Their throwback sound tends to give them a more generic feel. Would like to see them find a bit more of their own sound. Band members might leave the stage to interact with the crowd a bit too often. Though popular with the crowd, Johnny Cash covers may not be their strong suit.
OVERALL: Excellent, enthusiastic performance. Focused, confident and possibly cocky (not a bad thing for rock). Clearly rehearsed and prepared and I'd like to see them again.

BAND:Soul Feel
STYLE: Roots Rock/Jam Band
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Crowd pleasing easy to dance to grooves. Strong when playing the lap slide acoustic guitar. Vocal harmonies = good.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Time between songs was not well covered with banter. Discussion of forgotten tuner comes off as unprofessional. For all their skill, didn't seem that well prepared.
OVERALL: I was far more taken by the bluesy tunes done with the acoustic slide guitar than with other songs. Good at what they do, just not my preference.

THE WINNER: The Stigmas

Get a Leg Up Battle of the Bands II: Week 2

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

BAND: Jakobz Ladder
STYLE: jam band
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Good response from an obviously loyal fanbase.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Hardly any interaction with the audience or each other. Vocals are very rough and could use some work.
OVERALL: There really wasn't much grabbing me.

BAND: Brainpan
STYLE: As Jeph said, "Metal with a twist."
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Dropping off a copy of your set list with the judges isn't a necessity, but it was a nice, professional touch. The frontman worked the crowd well, and they responded well; several of them spent the whole set on the dance floor. The band was musically skilled, talented, balanced, and clearly having a good time.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: It might be possible for them to emphasize their originality even more, but I'm not exactly sure how they would go about that.
OVERALL: Enthusiastic, impressive, and fun.

BAND: Tangible Stereo
STYLE: Experimental?
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: They're technically skilled and they enjoy what they're doing.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: The songs had jarring transitions, lots of repetition, and no hooks. There were almost no gaps between the songs themselves, and when there were gaps, hardly anything was said to the audience.
OVERALL: Seemed somewhat self-indulgent.

THE WINNER: Brainpan

Get a Leg Up Battle of the Bands II: Week 3

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

BAND: Chance
STYLE: solo guitar virtuoso
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Technically superior guitar playing. Originals on par with cover material he performed from the Joe Satriani and Steve Vai catalogs. Obviously into his music.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Lacked real fire and didn't interact much with the crowd. Performance seemed more like a rehearsal. Songs started to run together.
OVERALL: Fine music to have in a dining establishment.

BAND: Double Down
STYLE: hard rock with country influence
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Good songs, hooky. Skilled musically. Tight performance. "Icarus" stood out.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: For all their skill and desire to engage the audience, couldn't win over the crowd or keep their attention.
OVERALL: Good potential and look forward to seeing them again.

BAND: Swany's Flying Lab
STYLE: Avant-Garde folk-based jam band
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Good rhythm backing. Some good guitar picking. Brought some folks out who were into it.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Perhaps a bit too esoteric. Difficult to tell if occasionally incoherent vocals were part of act or not. Crowd that wasn't there for them seemed to get lost pretty quickly.
OVERALL: Unusual music with limited appeal.

THE WINNER: Double Down

Get a Leg Up Battle of the Bands II: Week 4

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

BAND: Ghost
STYLE: metal
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Lots of enthusiasm and fire for what they're doing, a really tight sound.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Didn't really acknowledge the audience until forced to stop by technical problems. Songs tended to sound very similar, and even ran into each other with no clear stopping points at times.
OVERALL: The fact that they had people willing to follow them from Fort Collins to Littleton for a show says a lot.

BAND: Author
STYLE: hard rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: The lead singer made a real effort to reach the audience, and had something to say before every song. During their last song, they showed real professionalism by continuing to play despite a dead microphone. Lots of energy, movement, and enthusiasm.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: They sounded just a little on the raw side.
OVERALL: This is a promising band with a lot of potential. If they could find a Mutt Lange to help them do some polishing, I think we'd really see something.

BAND: Artisan Grace
STYLE: rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Tight sound, lots of energy on stage, some downright pleasant songs. Worked the crowd pretty well before they started. Good skills with their instruments -- their was even one guitar riff very much in the Van Halen style.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Not a lot of audience interaction between songs (but at least the gaps between songs were brief). I think the vocal harmonies could have been just a little bit tighter.
OVERALL: In a word: entertaining.

THE WINNER: Artisan Grace

Get a Leg Up Battle of the Bands II: Week 5

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

BAND: Ari
STYLE: solo acoustic rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Good command of his voice, excellent skill with his guitar. Unlike some other solo performers, not all of his stuff sounds the same. Plays without a backing recording. Made a real effort to reach the crowd, especially on the last song: when he was having sound problems, he unplugged and went into the audience.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: I understand how difficult it can be to find a backing band, but if he ever does, it should turn a good show into an amazing one.
OVERALL: I'd see him again.

BAND: Yerkish
STYLE: metal/punk/art rock/experimental
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Energy near the top of the scale. Very tight sound, even during sudden tempo shifts. Powerful vocals, and very solid skills from the rest of the band; the lead guitar was especially impressive. Lots of style changes kept the music interesting. Several people were impressed by the video they had running during their performance.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Try to make your set match the time slot you've been given. (Although stopping early like they almost did is preferable to going on too long.)
OVERALL: This band has only been together about a year? Seriously? Wow!

BAND: Daddy-o
STYLE: jam/folk rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Smooth changes in songs, instrumentally solid. Good individual singing.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Harmonies were rough. Could benefit from having one or two more up-tempo numbers.
OVERALL: As one Pool Cleaner put it, "Average White (Jam) Band".

THE WINNER: Yerkish

Get a Leg Up Battle of the Bands II: Week 6

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

BAND: Hero to Zero
STYLE: hard rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Lots of energy, enthusiasm, and movement. Did well in getting the crowd involved. Lots of ability with their instruments.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Some parts of the performance seemed uneven, with someone getting behind or someone else getting ahead. Try never to face away from the audience while you're performing if you can help it.
OVERALL: You can tell who their influences are, but they're not derivative.

BAND: Breaking and Entering
STYLE: Southern rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Strong technical skills, tight sound, nice arrangements, ability to let more than one member sing lead.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Not a lot of passion/fire. Also, the usual lead singer's voice is somewhat scratchy; consider using the lead guitarist's vocals more often.
OVERALL: It's possible for a band that doesn't have the fire to find it; I've seen it happen.

BAND: Vagrant Son
STYLE: rock, including several sub-genres
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Some of the funniest between-song banter we've heard in ages. Put their own spin on the covers they did, especially their take on "Escape" (a/k/a "The Pina Colada Song"). Clearly having a lot of fun. Able to play a variety of musical styles.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Frequent feedback during the set. Some hesitation while playing, especially during the first song; think about opening with another tune. More rehearsal as a group could be helpful.
OVERALL: A good example of the idea that if the band has a good time, the audience has a good time.

THE WINNER: Hero to Zero

Get a Leg Up Battle of the Bands II: Week 7

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

BAND: Aloft in the Sundry
STYLE: rock/pop
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Solid skills and a very tight sound. Good energy and enthusiasm -- even the keyboard player moved around a little. Some good banter between songs, including introductions of almost every song.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: The lead singer may be pushing his vocals a little too hard at times. Also, there seems to be a little tension during the banter that isn't present during the songs; stay loose and have fun.
OVERALL: I've started expecting new bands with keyboards to be slow and dull, and I was thrilled to be wrong.

BAND: King for a Day
STYLE: British Blues and Blues-influenced rock (think Moody Blues and Jethro Tull)
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Some very catchy songs with nice arrangements. Very impressive technical abilities all around. Nice use of back-up vocals.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Some songs seemed to fit the lead singer's voice better than others. It wouldn't hurt to speak to the audience a little more.
OVERALL: Do you like the bands mentioned under "style", even a little bit? You'll probably like these guys.

BAND: Universal Sunshine
STYLE: pop/rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Good instrumental skills.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Vocals seemed out of tune at times. No real fire or passion in the performance.
OVERALL: Another band member could really round out the sound with an extra guitar and some back-up vocals.

THE WINNER: Aloft in the Sundry

Get a Leg Up Battle of the Bands II: Week 8

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

BAND: Bone Engine
STYLE: no-show
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Nothing.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Call or e-mail the booking person when you can't make it to a show.
OVERALL: Unprofessional.

BAND: Grandma Jukes Trio
STYLE: blues rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Tight sound, good energy, some catchy tunes. Solid technical skills in the whole group; the rhythm section was especially impressive.
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: Little to nothing said in between songs. Too much reliance on standard blues riffs in some songs. Probably not a good idea to do completely new songs at a battle of the bands.
OVERALL: It's not often you hear the humor and lyrical creativity that went into their closer (a song about VD).

BAND: Ashfield
STYLE: hard rock
WHAT THEY DID RIGHT: Good presence, definite fire, lots of energy and crowd interaction. Plenty of talent. They put their own spin on the one cover that they did (EMF's "Unbelievable").
ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT: One judge noted that the lyrics weren't grabbing him. I have to confess that I don't recall any lyrics, so he may have a point.
OVERALL: Not exactly my thing, but very good at what they do.

THE WINNER: Ashfield

Get a Leg Up Battle of the Bands II: SemiFinals Week 1

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

Second impressions of Double Down:
This is a fun band to listen to -- a little rough at times musically, but in a good way. In fact, they probably wouldn't sound right if they were more polished. They've got lots of energy, they clearly enjoy what they do, and their country-rock sound has crossover appeal. Speaking of appeal, I like their cover of "Rocky Mountain High" better than the original. Finally, basing a song on the myth of Icarus shows that this isn't the sort of band you encounter every day.

Second impressions of The Stigmas:
I missed the first week of competition (that summary was written by my colleague Myk-El), so this was actually my first impression of this group. I had been wondering for weeks why he (and other people) had been talking about these guys, and now I know why. They remember rock and roll radio. The lead guitar plays riffs that stay crunchy in milk -- including a few that seemed inspired by Hendrix -- and the bassist has flying fingers. The whole group has energy at the top of the scale, and they don't mind leaving the stage to perform in the middle of their fans. It makes me want to mug a less-deserving band that has wireless gear and give it to them.

Second impressions of Brainpan:
First off, it's always a good sign when you've got a drummer who shows love for Animal. If you missed that detail, all of the fans screaming before their set even started might have been a clue that Brainpan puts on a great show. Their performance had lots of energy and fire, lots of jumping and headbanging, and butt-kicking songs with really short breaks in between. Bonus points were awarded for use of a didgeridoo in a non-hippie manner.

THE WINNER: The Stigmas

Get a Leg Up Battle of the Bands II: SemiFinals Week 2

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

Second impressions of Artisan Grace:
These guys have the kind of sound that has been frequently lumped into the catch-all category of "alternative", except that their sound is a lot less whiny than most of the other stuff found in that file. As far as I could tell, it's not whiny at all, which of course makes it pretty listenable. They've got good skills, with some stand-out work done on the lead guitar. (The riff borrowed from .38 Special was a really nice touch -- I wouldn't have minded a full transition into a verse or two from the source.) On the flip side, a little more movement and activity on stage would help the show. And while it's a purely personal and completely non-musical opinion, I think they should leave the hats off while performing.

Second impressions of Hero to Zero:
This group brings amazing amounts of energy to their performance, and they have a loyal following to help them keep those energy levels up. Their sound was much more coordinated this time around, and their top-of-the-line instrumental skills were as much in evidence as their previous performance. I think the vocals could possibly be a little sharper, but that's a minor nitpick, as they write (and cover) songs suited to the singer they have. Speaking of songwriting, while I don't recall if this is the actual title or not, I especially liked the song with the lyrics "This is my life and I hate it."

Second impressions of Yerkish:
If there's a more original way to promote your group than passing out bananas with band stickers on them, I've never heard of it. Their originality also shows in the DVD-provided montage of weird and interesting images that runs while they perform. (Between the DVD and the short breaks in between songs, it's a pretty ADD-friendly show.) As for the performance itself, it's full of activity, enthusiasm, and passion. They also have impressive musical abilities, with their lead singer being particularly noteworthy. I'm not sure if I could pin them down to a single genre, and I'm not sure if whatever they're doing would necessarily appeal to "the mainstream". What I do know is that whatever they're doing, they're damn good at it, and the mainstream is overrated.

THE WINNER: Yerkish

Get a Leg Up Battle of the Bands II: SemiFinals Week 3

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

Second impressions of Ari:
If you want to get hammered and have some tunes in the background, forget about Ari. On the other hand, if you want to enjoy the performance of a talented singer/songwriter while perhaps having a drink or two, he's your man. This is music for music fans, not music for drunks. He plays a wide mix of styles, has some depth to his lyrics, and instead of just strumming his guitar, he lets it have a voice of its own. He also likes to mention what inspired certain songs, which is always welcomed by those of us who are big enough nerds to actually read album liner notes.

Second impressions of Jakobz Ladder:
The guys in this band know their way around their instruments. No matter what they were doing, they managed to make it look easy. For instance, they casually announced that their first song was in 7/8 time, which would make lesser musicians twitchy; they didn't even break a sweat. Unfortunately, being that laid back all the time can work against you when it comes to getting your audience involved.

Second impressions of Aloft in the Sundry:
Here's a direct quote from my notes: "A modern keyboard-based band that doesn't sound like pansies? Unheard of!" So maybe I'm being harsh to certain other groups I've heard with similar instrumental line-ups, but the other groups sound pretty lifeless to me, and these guys don't. Simply put, they rock! They've got impressive musical skills, good songs, and an energy output onstage that's easily equivalent to several barrels of high-grade oil. While they all clearly love what they're doing, the lead guitarist in particular is worth watching -- you can tell he's feeling the music, and it translates into good showmanship.

THE WINNER: Aloft in the Sundry

Get a Leg Up Battle of the Bands II: The Finals (Finally)

Hosted by The Toad Tavern

First things first: lots of respect and admiration for The Toad Tavern and all of the other sponsors for doing so much for the local music scene with a great event like the Get a Leg Up Battle of the Bands. Also, thanks to Brice, Jay, Bill, and the rest of the Toad crew for asking the Pool Cleaners from Distant Planets to take part in the judging again. It was a pleasure.

Secondly, I imagine most (if not all) of the other judges on the night of the finals would agree with me when I say that I'm glad it wasn't just my decision. All three bands that night were deserving of fans, prizes, and recognition. I'm not sure I could have ranked them if I hadn't been able to somewhat quantify what was happening on stage with the help of score sheets. In a perfect world, we would have been able to give equally wonderful things to everyone, but naturally, things just don't work that way. I try to comfort myself with the fact that, metaphorically speaking, even a bronze medal is good way to get attention and start a conversation.

So who won what, and what were they like? I'm glad you asked...

THIRD PLACE went to Aloft in the Sundry. As I've written before, I had some misgivings when I saw prominent keyboard placement at the front of the stage. My last encounter that I clearly recall with such a band was one of the couple of times I've seen The Fray. Just so I can avoid any backlash before I comment on their music, I'll mention that I'm pleased that a band from Denver is getting attention all over the place. Also, by all reports I've ever heard, the guys in the band are fine people who haven't let fame go to their head. The problem is, their music doesn't do a thing for me. It's kind of like a ventilation system in a large building: I notice when it starts, I notice when it stops, but I have to really focus to know it's there when it's being played. My worry was that AitS was the same sort of group, but I was so very wrong. Where the sound and energy level of The Fray seem to have (to my ear) a John Tesh element to them, Aloft is more in the spirit of pioneer piano rockers Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard. And though I'm singling out keyboards, the comparison really holds for all members of both bands. In addition, Aloft has the advanage of a natural showman, Alexander Sandoval, on guitar. Needless to say, I became a fan the first time I saw them.

SECOND PLACE went to The Stigmas. Some bands claim to be in your face, but few back that claim quite like this group. I don't just mean the energy, the presence, the actual rock and roll (which they prove to be alive and well, thank you), and factors of that nature. I mean the fact that they're not afraid of their audience. Some groups can't even be bothered to look up at the crowd, but The Stigmas will actually join the crowd given the tiniest fraction of an excuse to do so. Sure, that kind of enthusiasm can be overdone, and it doesn't much good if you don't already have the audience fired up, but when everyone is already energized, it really adds to a show. The Stigmas don't seem to have much trouble getting the crowd worked up, or adding to an already great show. Again, I was instantly converted to fandom.

FIRST PLACE was claimed by Yerkish. I'm not sure that there are words to adequately describe the multimedia extravaganza that is Yerkish. Sure, you can grab a CD and just listen, but this is one of those rare bands that has to be experienced. Seriously. Any groups that are just playing music and not actually putting on a show could learn a lot from Yerkish. And as for the music itself, it's fantastic. I'm sure it's pretty clear that I joined the ranks of their fans right away, but it's still worth mentioning. Go see them as soon as you can.

I know the area still has a lot of untapped talent, and it wouldn't surprise me if there was another band battle lined up at the Toad at some point in the future. If there is, anyone who signs up for that competition has three hard acts to follow.