After five days of rest, relaxation, and reassessment, the Rock And Roll Rumble returns to Once Ballroom in Somerville for a pair of semi-final nights this Friday and Saturday. Earlier in the week we detailed the lineups and wild card entries, but now that we've caught our collective breath, here's a quick primer to get everyone up to speed.
Please note two things: The earlier set times, which will allow for post-show socializing before Once's curfew, and the fact that pretty much any band can go on and win this fucker. Whoever is crowned champ on April 22 won't be much of a surprise, but it's up to the bands at this point to deliver the goods.
Rock & Roll Rumble Semi-Final Night 1, Friday April 15 at Once
Doors at 8 p.m., get advance tickets here
9:00 p.m.: Eric Salt & The Electric City (wild card)
9:45 p.m.: usLights (Night 6 winner)
10:30 p.m.: Abbie Barrett (Night 4 winner)
11:15 p.m.: Worshipper (Night 5 winner)
Rock & Roll Rumble Semi-Final Night 2, Saturday April 16 at Once
Doors at 8 p.m., get advance tickets here
9:00 p.m.: The Devil's Twins (wild card)
9:45 p.m.: Analog Heart (Night 2 winner)
10:30 p.m.: Salem Wolves (Night 3 winner)
11:15 p.m.: Weakened Friends (Night 1 winner)
Another thing that jumps out when scanning the lineups is that each band left standing has some pretty great songs in their arsenal. Perhaps more than years past, this year's Rumble has been defined not only by its new multi-level home of Once or the Ocelot Records gang that took over the prelims, but that we can't get the songs featured below out of our headspaces.
So with the semis fast approaching, here is one song to get familiar with from each band that lives to Rumble on this weekend. It'd made a killer mixtape, if people still made such things.