America Owns the Moon @ Showcase VI

Local heroes America Owns The Moon took the stage next in their series of "Last Shows Of The Summer." Every time I see this band, I'm more impressed by their songwriting and performance skills. Vocalist Ben Messner has an expressive, yearning quality to his voice that suits the Elvis Costello-style songs very well.

Devil to Pay @ Showcase VI

And then, doom overtook Birdy's. Devil to Pay ascended (descended?) to the stage with the stoner rock that has caught many people's ear since their Battle of the Bands debut a few short months ago. They delivered every riff and scream with the force their reputation deserves. I lost count of the horns being thrown that night.

Scottish McMillan @ Showcase VI

Like water and aspirin the morning after, so is an acoustic act necessary after such fury. Scottish McMillan headed up the acoustic stage with energetic acoustic singer/songwriter fare. McMillan is quickly earning a reputation locally with his fiery guitarwork, drawing comparisons with Michael Kelsey and other gifted players. It was an engaging set.

The Dirty Third @ Showcase VI

After recording their album at Echo Park recently, The Dirty Third have been trying to get their radio-ready sound to the public through a series of local and regional shows. Their full sound and well-crafted songwriting entertained the crowd and showed why their attracting more attention.

Bulletproof Soul @ Showcase VI

The folks making up Bulletproof Soul have seen a variety of lineup changes over the past year or so. However, they remain true to their mission to bring funk to the still-sleeping populace of Naptown. Vocalist Jumbo Shrimp's antics always keep the audience on the edge of their seats, and the rhythm section maintained a steady groove and flow. A right performance.

Resurface @ Showcase VI

Resurface displayed a more modern, nu-metal sound as the night began to wind down. While the room had emptied out a bit by this point, owing to the hour, the band still kept those present thoroughly rocked.

ID10T @ Showcase VI

Taking one for the team, ID10T wrapped up the night with their fusion of hip-hop and rock. While this is not a new idea by this time, they seemed in sync with each other and dedicated towards pursuing their music. This sync carried over into their songs, producing a locked-in sound.