The third semifinal round of DC 101s Last Band Standing contained some of the most professional and polished performances of the entire competition. The bands were able to put on an exciting show while playing musical compositions with lush arrangements and exquisitely produced sounds. At the end of the night, The Blackjacks were declared the winners of the show, which was generally considered the most competitive to date.

The Blackjacks are a four-piece band whose sound falls comfortably within the garage-rock revival scene. In this way, the group plays straightforward rock that is driven by crunchy, fuzzy guitars, tribal drumming, and passionate vocals. This energetic sound translated easily to the stage where the band seemed comfortable and confident. Perhaps, the most interesting aspect of this group’s sound is the manner in which they rely heavily on their pop sensibilities to create catchy choruses, which usually consist of three part harmonies that provide a necessary break from their wall of sound. It will be interesting to see how The Blackjacks are received in the final competition of Last Band Standing. If the group plays with the same intensity that they played with on Sunday, it is entirely possible that The Blackjacks will win the entire competition.

The second band that performed was called Shane Hines and The Trance. This band had an upbeat, catchy sound that would be at home on any alternative rock radio station. Shane Hines is an exceptional singer whose nasally tinged vocals create an entirely distinct sound. Shane Hines is also brilliant guitar player; his behind-the-back guitar solo was one of the most exciting moments of the night. While Shane Hines is undeniably the standout performer from this group, the other members of the band demonstrated that they were better than average musicians. In fact, the band’s name is a little misleading, as the group plays more like a cohesive unit than a front man and a backing band.

The second half of the competition led off with a performance by a four-piece group called Honor By August. This band has a spacey prog-guitar driven sound that is extremely big and complex. In this way, Honor By August is exceptionally creative in its usage of guitar pedals and effects. This professional sound and production is complimented nicely by the group’s tendency to write pretty, pop harmonies, which permitted an unexpected level of audience interaction during the performance. While the group’s songs are certainly catchy, Honor By August’s characteristic sound stems most from the band’s exceptional production that is best experienced in person.

The last group to perform was No Second Troy, a five-piece group. This group’s well produced power-pop sound yielded one of the most upbeat performances of the contest. Although the band’s music is reminiscent of groups like Jimmy Eat World and a friendlier sounding Coheed and Cambria, No Second Troy has a unique sound that is rendered through the efforts of a funky rhythm section and atmospheric guitars. The band has mastered the soft/heavy dichotomy and every song that they played seemed to have an epic climax. Actually, the loudest moment of the entire night occurred during the breakdown of No Second Troy’s final song. I would not be surprised if this group experiences an incredible gain in popularity during the next year or so.