The final ROCKN’ to LOCKN’ live playoff was a huge one. Due to high demand, the show moved from The Southern to The Jefferson and you could feel the crowd’s energy rising in anticipation of the show.

The night kicked off with Stray Fossa and their self-described “warm cocoon of lo-fi chill-wave nostalgia” from Charlottesville. They did a fantastic job as the first act and their vibe definitely got the crowd ready to see the acts they’d be voting on that night.

Next up was rock duo Ruckus the Bulldog from Cville. Where do we begin? It was a wild set from start to finish! The Star Wars-themed show featured lots of shenanigans. At one point in the performance, Chewbacca gave birth to Baby Yoda on stage while the Lion King’s “Circle of Life” played. The band divided the packed floor in half to have a lightsaber battle and Darth Maul came out to do the verses of Wu-Tang’s “Bring the Ruckus.” After watching them live, we can definitely see what the ruckus is all about.

Third band on the bill was Sisters & Brothers from Charlottesville. Known for creating a unique experience with the music of Jerry Garcia Band, ROCKN’ to LOCKN’ inspired them to write original material that they debuted at The Jefferson. The crowd responded accordingly and you could see everyone grooving along.

The last band up was The BLNDRS who didn’t miss a beat during their entire set. The crowd was so locked into every note, you could feel the synergy between band and crowd. As soon as we opened voting the fans started dropping tickets in their box. The BLNDRS took the night.

Next up is the FREE FINALE on Saturday, April 25 in downtown Charlottesville at Sprint Pavillion.