One of the most important parts of the Falcon Ridge experience for me is attending the Emerging Artists Showcase. It is an opportunity to listen to some great new acts and find favorite new bands. For the past two years, I’ve listened to the selected artists recordings before hand on the Internet. I’ve written brief reviews of my impressions of these artists.

Then, on Friday afternoon, I plant myself at the Main Stage from noon until four thirty and listen to each artists, take notes and rank them so that I can give an honest and well thought out recommendation of the three bands that I would most like to see return in the following year.

One of my favorite bands from 2008 was Blue Moose and the Unbuttoned Zippers. They were back as part of the Most Wanted Song Swap, which features those emerging artists that received the most votes on the previous year. They did a great job at the Song Swap and later did a set at the Dance Stage with Beth Molaro calling. I did not hear them at the Dance Stage, but I’m told that they did great. Another performer that I really enjoyed from last year was Amy Speace. She has a great song about a high school girl carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders as her big brother heads off to Iraq and later comes back to be honored at a high school football game with the flag flown at half mast.

For this year’s performers, one artists that I really liked the online music of was Aiden James of Philadelphia PA, (EPK). He was the next to last performer on Friday and did a great job, earning third place on my ranking and his name on my survey for performers to return the following year.

Coming in second was Calaveras of Lafayette CA, (EPK). They illustrate why I consider events like the Emerging Artists Showcase so important. When I listened to their music online, it sorted faded into the general mix of all the performers. However, when they got up on the stage talked about their music and then performed their tunes, I found them very compelling.

In particular, they sang a song, “Ready to Fly” that I really liked. They spoke about performing at an ambulatory care facility and hearing the stories of many of the people there. They wove the stories into a great song with a chorus,

I’m standing on the edge of the water
And I am watching the wild birds fill the sky
And I am longing to be lifted up among them
I am not dying, I’m getting ready to fly

They started off a capella and then joined in with their instruments at the first verse.

Narrowly beating out Calaveras was Angelo M of Lancaster PA, (EPK). He spoke about having been a steel worker and seeing his company reorganize and hear job and years of seniority evaporate. He played a mean guitar and sang well. Like the Aiden James and Calaveras, he should return next year and you should go check out all of their music.

Selecting the top three performers was difficult. Just about everyone who appeared on the stage was noteworthy, and some deserve special mention. Sean Rowe of Albany NY, (EPK) did great. Kim really liked him as well, and he was narrowly beaten out by Aiden James.

I also liked K.C. Clifford of Oklahoma City OK, (EPK), a lot as well as Swing Caravan of Northampton MA, (EPK). Swing Caravan is another group that I enjoyed much more on the main stage than I did online.

Also falling in that category was Nels Andrews of Brooklyn NY, (EPK). His ten minutes of Falcon Ridge fame was quite enjoyable. At the end, he joking told the audience that after his act would be a good time to go get some food or something to drink, since the next performer wasn’t really worth listening to. Nels had spent a bit of time touring with A.J. Roach & His Strange Pilgrims of NYC, (EPK). A.J. was one of those interesting exceptions that I liked better online than I did on the Main Stage. The other performer falling into this category was Robyn Landis of Vashon WA, (EPK). I really liked the music she had in her EPK and expected her to set a high bar for performers that followed her. Perhaps it was because she came on right after Angelo M that she didn’t live up to the expectations.

I chatted with others on the hill in front of the Main Stage who had different impressions and it will be interesting to see who ends up emerging to be in next year’s Most Wanted Song Swap.