A once-crowded field of some of Indiana’s finest musicians and singer/songwriters has now been dwindled down to just a handful.

And after tonight, only 8 will remain.

The second night of the Acoustic Live Challenge semi-finals is just about to kick-off. Tonight 8 bands will have their chance to claim one of the 4 remaining spots in next week’s finals, but in order to do so, they’ll have to run through a 30-minute gauntlet where they will have to not only impress their own fans, but a panel of judges and perfect strangers who will critique them on their every move.

So who will move on? It’s time to find out. I take my seat at the judges’ table along with Wes Ogden (IndyMojo) former ALC champion Nate Aydelotte (Knollwood Boys), and after a few technical difficulties, our first act looks ready to go.

Jeff Kelly is up first. We’ve seen mostly bands make it out of the first round, so it’s a little refreshing to see a soloist here. Only having himself to rely on, he brings a lot of different elements to try and give his music some personality (guitar slide, harmonica, and even switching guitars midway through the set). However, his biggest strength might also have been his weakness. Switching instruments ended up being a time killer. As a result, we heard his music but didn’t have much time to get to know who he was. In a normal show, this might not be an issue, but we only have 30 minute to get through this. Hiccups aside, it was a nice way to start it off.

As I said earlier, there haven’t been many soloists in the semis, and those who make it through often have to introduce other means to create a bigger sound. Some use things like harmonicas or percussive instruments.

And then there are others who bring an entire band’s worth of equipment so they can replicate having a full band playing, even though it’s just one person.

That being said, let’s welcome Matthew Corken, AKA: Tied To Tigers.

Generally, he has a full band, but this time, he’s going alone and playing almost everything he can get his hands on (guitar, drums, bass, vocals, etc.), sometimes all at once through the magic of looping. Even more impressively, he does it all without looking like he’s breaking a sweat. It’s about as dizzying as it sounds, but it is fun to watch.

Corken’s set might have been a little imbalanced towards the end, especially as he started stripping away some of the layers as he went on, but this is someone who actively embraces the stages and takes to it like he owns the place, and that kind of confidence carry you a long way. How far exactly? We’ll have to wait and see.

As fun as the first round is, the semi-finals just have a different feel to it. The crowds are bigger, the stakes are higher, and there’s a feeling of anticipation and a touch of anxiety that there isn’t during the first 8 weeks of it. Nothing like a few nerves to make it happen.

For act #3, we have the Jerry Allen crew, sans Jerry Allen. We’ll take a few seconds to explain: Mr. Allen had a family issue that he needed to address, so while he went to be with his loved ones, his band took over to play the set for him.

With heavy hearts and minds, they played an enjoyable set that slightly deviated from the original rock/country vibe I had first heard them do. Surprisingly, they were very cohesive in what they were doing. They sounded like a unit. The only complaint I really had is that it still felt a little too “on rails,” but execution trumps everything, and they hit everything they needed to.

*SIDE NOTE: concART.net would like to extend our thoughts and prayers to Jerry and his family.

Almost halfway there, and up next we have 2/5 of Kilgore Trout (Brad Odom and Johnny Ping).

Some of their songs tend to run a little long, and some of us discovered that as their set consisted of only two songs. A little jam band-y, and they do try to throw in as much as they can into each song, but you get an appreciation into how much effort goes into it. They even break out the James Bond theme for a few seconds. Their sound is very tight and it’s clear that they have it together. Their stage presence is nice and they look like they enjoy what they’re doing. The only complaint I had is that some of the songs felt like they ran a little too long, and maybe their sound is better suited for an electric performance rather than the intimate, acoustic setting we have here. Those issues aside, they’re fun, and sometimes that’s all you need.

Let the second half of the evening commence! After a few seconds to switch over and one quick trip to the bar so I can get a Red Bull, our next one looks ready to go. It’s a rap/blues combo led by James Wilkerson.

It’s an interesting mixtures, especially given the dynamic between Wilkerson and partner Patrick Armstrong. The former is more calculated and precise in what he does while the other breaks out rhymes at breakneck speeds. The difference between this time and the last was instead of easing us into what their sound is, they chose to throw us right into it, doing a great job in establishing what they would sound like. Also another key difference was not acknowledging any mistakes (on stage and in song, no less). Overall, even if this kind of thing isn’t your cup of tea (or your can of Red Bull), they’re very polished, and they operate on the same wavelength, and this combination can be a force to be reckoned with if they can make it past this round.

We’re moving right along to the next one, which is Brad Kleinschmidt and his crew. I saw them not too long ago (or the weeks are just starting to run together…), and I was impressed by not only by their sound, but their attention to detail, and how they’re able to just own the stage like its theirs. Tonight was no different.

One thing to note about their performance was how cohesive it was. All three members were on the same page, their set was a mixture of up-tempo rock songs to slower moving ballads, and Kleinschmidt’s overall personality was very friendly and likable. Even more impressive is the way each of them carries themselves. They may be a band, but their collective personalities make them out more to be three guys who love to play music rather than three guys in a music group that happen to know how to play. They’re having fun, and so are the rest of us.

Two more acts to go, and up next is a group I’ve become very familiar with called The Dapper. There may be only two of them, but they know how to bring a big enough sound to fill the space and put on an entertaining show. The guitar gives it a bold sounding base, while the ukulele gives it a more upbeat and cheery vibe, and using a suitcase in place of a kick drum works out better than you might think (even the rest of the judges agree).

For those who missed their last performance, it was a slightly more polished version their first round appearance.

Kind of…

In the early going, the band was marred by technical issues, including the battery on a microphone going out. If they were phased, they didn’t show it. Putting on their best poker face, they amended the situation by stepping away from the microphone at one point and just projecting really loud. At one point, they even shared a microphone. Eventually they’re able to get them two working microphones so they can finish the set. Minor hiccups aside, they handle themselves nicely and they’re able to recover and put on an entertaining performance, even if at one point frustration got to them for a minute and resulted in them beating the (expletive deleted) out of the ending of one of their songs, but hey, things happen.

We’ve reached the end of the night. It’s starting to get late and a few of us are getting a little tired (nothing’s more rock n’ roll than fatigue!), but of course, we have one more to go. Time to shake this off because I’m actually kind of excited to hear this next one.

Jason Brown closes out the evening. You may remember him as the person who entered the competition 5 hours before the final week and garnered enough points to move on. Not even halfway into the first song, you can tell he belongs here.

It might have felt like he dialed it back a few notches this time (either because it was late or because he last performed here not even two weeks ago), but Brown impresses not just from execution and knowing how to vary his sound (from Johnny Cash-inspired country to modern folk and rock), but also in his ability to take you somewhere during a performance. He doesn’t have to rely on theatrics or gimmicks to get anywhere, just good old-fashioned heart and soul. In short, it’s a realness factor that almost anyone can appreciate. Plus, the 12-string guitar was a nice touch.

It was a performance that could give anyone a run for their money, but was it enough to move on?

Now we get to find out. The last remaining votes are turned in while officials frantically try to count everything and judges award points so we can get out of here. It’s been a long night, but a fun one, and for one of the first times in the 10 weeks we’ve been meeting here, there’s no clear front-runner. Just 8 impressive acts that we’re having problems with trying to decide who to award points to. Alas, we’ll figure it out. Maybe…

After another long wait, we finally have our winners. Our host Rob Snodgrass comes out and thanks everyone for coming, before revealing our 4 finaliists (not in order, because where’s the suspense in that?). So who’s moving on? Let’s find out:

1st: James Wilkerson
2nd: The Dapper
3rd: Brad Kleinschmidt
4th: Tied To Tigers

So there we have it. The 8 Indiana artists who will grace the stage at 247 Sky Bar downtown has been set. It’s going to be a battle, but it will also be one of the biggest celebrations in original music that this city hasn’t seen in some time.

Remember, your votes determine who gets crowned the new champion, so what are you waiting for?

So to all the bands: good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor.

See you all at the finals.