Openers, The O’s, put on a truly amazing set, followed by a beer-brawl style set from The Drams. Each performance was simply great.

Luckily, Rhett Miller and crew upped the ante, with an Old 97’s set that was on fire. Mixing songs from old and new albums, the guys were on top of their game. The wonderful rendition of “My Two Feet” was especially nice.

Unfortunately, the sound became almost unbearable during their set. Depending on where fans stood, it could be too muddy, too piercing or just too blah. The HOB must’ve called in their back-up sound engineer this night, because it got worse, minute-by-minute. In addition to the atrocity coming from the speakers, there was an equally terrible distraction coming from the back of the house. It seemed like way too many people paid good money to ignore the show. Plenty of so-called fans were chatting away, ignoring the stage. Talk about annoying! (Jason Janik)

Blue October - House of Blues, 12/04/08
Blue October returned to their home state to fill the headlining slot on the first night of this year’s sold-out How The Edge Stole Christmas. In spite of a few sound problems, it was an incredible night of raw power. Beautiful violin solos accentuated lyrics dealing with drug abuse, depression and suicide. Highlights were “Hate Me” and “Calling You.” The show began with “Come In Closer” and ended with “Amazing,” “Italian Radio” and “Dirt Room.” Watch for Blue October’s Approaching Normal, which is scheduled for release in early 2009. (Jill Jackson)

16 Second Stare - Red Carpet Material, Mighty Loud Entertainment
These guys rock as solid as any other house band that plays to people drinking blue-collar beer in a smoke-filled bar. “Ballad of Billy Rose” makes that easy to see. It and the title track are the CD’s best songs. Don’t get the wrong impression. They know how to play their instruments, but some of the slower numbers become so soporific, you’ll need a cup of “trucker coffee” just to endure them. Overall there’s one important aspect missing on Red Carpet - originality. This might sound picky, but at times the volume levels are way off. Too bad they didn’t invest a few extra bucks and pay someone to master the CD well. KKK (Shane Epting)

Frost - Self-titled, Inside OutMusic/ SPV
This album is extremely unpredictable, which is great. This disc takes for-freaking-ever to start, but once it does, it doesn’t stop. Frost manages to rock - in their twisted way - from the first song to the last. The random time changes keep the listener’s attention all the way through, and guitar work is crafty and sounds difficult. Although the sound is overly unusual, the instruments blend well- like a bunch of Target-inspired furniture in an Art-deco themed apartment on the upper-west side of somewhere. If you’re into experimenting - with things like drugs and midget porn - then you might like this one, you sick bastard. KKKKK (Shane Epting)

Willie Breeding - Cheap Vodka Rain, Self-produced
Willie Breeding may not be pushing the musical envelope on his new disc, but he didn’t have to. Combining classic, country pedal steel and fiddle with a mix of honky-tonk piano and pop guitar is more than enough to keep things interesting.
Sounding a little like Wilco or The Wallflowers, the eleven alt-country tunes shine. They mix pop and country, providing a solid foundation for Willie’s melancholy tales. Far from winning any American Idol contests, Willie’s less-than-stellar voice actually compliments the “heart on your sleeve” lyrics. It adds a sense of genuine emotion to the tracks, which an auto-tuned voice might lack.
Title track “Cheap Vodka Rain” is as solid as they come. “Really Gotta Go” is another standout gem. Listening to these wonderful tunes, you can only imagine their amazing potential during a live performance. (Jason Janik)

Punisher: War Zone - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, Lionsgate
As far as soundtracks go, this isn’t bad. In fact it’s good - unless you don’t like a nice amount of metal. It’s chalked full of tracks that will properly rip your face off. Rob Zombie opens the CD appropriately with the great title track, “War Zone.” Slayer’s contribution to this heavy collection, “Final Six,” will not disappoint one bit either. Other noteworthy bands include Slipknot, Seether, Hatebreed and Static X. There are some “less-than metal” songs, too. If you typically don’t buy soundtracks, you’re not alone. But if you’re a fan of the previously-mentioned bands, you’ll want to secure a copy for sure. KKKK (Shane Epting)