Emergenza Festival DC Finals
9:30 Club, 815 V ST NW, Washington DC 20001
I wasn't sure whether I would put this entry up because I didn't get to see GoGo, but decided to put it up anyway.

I had bought an advanced ticket from Red the week before to see Mambo Sauce in the Emergenza Festival band competition at the 9:30 Club. This was supposed my first time seeing Mambo Sauce since I started working in my day job.



The hard rain and thunder started before I left the house. I got to the 9:30 Club at about 8:30 PM because the flyer said 9 PM. The crowd was overwhelmingly white and almost all high school and college age. The first band to perform after I arrived, The Miles, was a white Rock quartet: lead guitar, lead vocalist/rhythm guitar, bass, and drums. Their music was somewhat entertaining, but the vocalist’s singing was nothing special. They appeared to be in their early 20s. The next group up was a white Punk quartet: Elixir of Jade, the line up was: guitar/vocalist, guitar, bass, and drums. Their thrash guitar playing was noise to me, reminiscent of the noise on Green Day's Dookie (which I can't stand). They also appeared to be in their early 20s. The frontline members wore matching black formal shirts with green neckties. The next group up was Ainzlee, a white rock quartet: female keyboard player/vocalist, female keyboard player, bassist, and a drummer. The bassist looked to be in his 30s, but the rest were in their 20s. I don't who told the singer she could sing, because her "singing" was awful. For all of these bands, the crowd changed, as supporters of the bands left when their band was done performing. Sam (Black Heart), Sherray (Always Showtime!!), and Ro'chelle (toosweet) arrived. The members of Mambo Sauce and Red arrived over time, except that I never saw Thi Lai (I later learned that it was because she's been replaced by Yendy Brown because she has strained her vocal cords). The last band that I saw perform was the best of the four: Harlen Simple, a Rock quartet: white singer, black bassist, white guitar player, white drummer. They were in their late 30s+. Their singer was good and so was their playing. Their set ended with the power going out in the 9:30 Club. Although they didn't announce anything, people understood what happened and filed out. It was again pouring out. The streets were so flooded that crossing the street to walk to my car, there was no way to avoid having my shoes completely soaked. I passed a PEPCO truck on the way to my car.

Red said Mambo Sauce's makeup performance for the judges was scheduled for Friday afternoon. Unfortunately, they didn't win.