The Final Four

No, this is not a blog entry about college basketball. I do not know the final four remaining teams in March Madness, and to be totally honest, I could not care less about it. The only bracket style battle I care about is Quick magazine’s Battle of the Bands ’08. It’s been an interesting battle so far, and there have been some great artists that I’ve been disappointed haven’t made it further (Salim Nourallah and Dove Hunter, for example). Nevertheless, two bands I dearly love have made it into the Final Four.

Battle #1: Bridges and Blinking Lights vs. THe BAcksliders
Don’t get me wrong; I saw B&BL for the first time this weekend and enjoyed the show. However, there are very few bands in Dallas that can match the energy and intensity of THe BAcksliders. Kim Pendleton is one of the finest female vocalists in Dallas, and this band showcases her vocal prowess in a way that I feel her previous band, Vibrolux, could not do. The band manages the balancing act of allowing Kim to show off her talents yet allowing the remaining members to shine in the spotlight as well. That is a good thing, when you have as skillful a guitar player as Chris Bonner, plus Taylor Young is one of my favorite drummers in this part. Add Chris’ brother Jason into the mix on bass guitar, and you have a musical force to be reckoned with. Oh, and save your pennies, because their upcoming CD, You’re Welcome, is a must purchase. So obviously, my vote goes to THe BAcksliders

Battle #2: Headkrack vs. Lovie.
Let me confess a certain bias here: as I have Lovie booked for my next GOBL showcase at Opening Bell Coffee (March 29th is the date), I’m obviously rooting for this band. It’s apparent that I am not the only fan of this band out here. Lovie has received plenty of acclaim from Cindy Chaffin (Fine Line Live) and Rich Lopez (Dallas Observer), as well as from yours truly. Why is that? Simple: Lovie focuses on producing simple pop nuggets that are sure to get stuck in your head. Don’t let the fact that this is an all female band fool you; these ladies are great musicians and songwriters who know what they are doing both onstage and on their CD, Harshmellow. While I have lots of respect for Headkrack and his skills behind the mic, my support goes to Lovie.

I would encourage you to click here and cast your vote for whoever you think is best. And if you need something to do later tonight, head on out to Double-Wide and watch The Felons open up for Run Run Run. If you haven't heard The Felons before, watch this live performance of "My Best State" and see for yourself why I love this band.