Rawk the Puck! Conference semifinals

It's playoff time. New and unlikely faces pop up to play hero, old ones trip over the blueline and fall by the wayside. Second lines are clambering over the boards, and depth matters.

This Fire rages, but will it last?

So here they are, your first round results and conference semifinalists in Rawk the PUCK! And as in the first round -- east and west, and for the judges' verdicts go here -- it's a mix of the old, the new, the borrowed and the cheezy. As we move on, saying goodbye to the likes of the White Stripes, Bootsy and high school Hustle lessons, and hello to the stirring comeback of Spinal Tap, think of this as a matchup of old-timey singles now and cast your votes, with bobbleheads and CDs up for grabs (first-round prize winners at bottom):

First round results

CAPITAL Radio (The Clash) over Ride the LIGHTNING (Metallica) 13-1

Like a HURRICANE (Neil Young) over MONTREAL (Blue Rodeo) 11-3

DEVIL to Pay (Johnny Cash) over NEW YORK CITY (Demics) 11-3

BUFFALO Stance (Neneh Cherry) over T.S.O.P. (MFSB) 9-5

SLIPPERY PEOPLE (Talking Heads) over HOTEL YORBA (White Stripes) 9-5

STAR Sign (Teenage Fanclub) over MILE HIGH Club (Adam and the Ants) 7-6

Streets of FIRE (New Pornographers) over Rubber DUCKIE (Bootsy Collins) 9-5

SHARK Sandwich (Spinal Tap) over TENNESSEE Plates (John Hiatt) 8-6

CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS

EAST CLASSIC RAWK CONFERENCE

Rock the HOUSE (Gorillaz) (b-w CAPITAL Radio, The Clash) -- Ottawa
vs.
BUFFALO Soldier (Bob Marley) (b-w BUFFALO Stance, Neneh Cherry) -- Buffalo

HURRICANE (The Roots) (b-w Like a HURRICANE, Neil Young) -- Carolina
vs.
Handsome DEVIL (The Smiths) (b-w DEVIL to Pay, Johnny Cash) -- New Jersey

WEST INDIE RAWK CONFERENCE

STARMAN (David Bowie) (b-w STAR Sign, Teenage Fanclub) -- Dallas
vs.
OIL 1 (Moby) (b-w SLIPPERY PEOPLE, Talking Heads) -- Edmonton

This FIRE (Franz Ferdinand) (b-w Streets of FIRE, New Pornographers) -- Calgary
vs.
MANEATER (Hall & Oates) (b-w SHARK Sandwich, Spinal Tap) -- San Jose

First-round winners: Congratulations and a bobblehead apiece to Dan Monti and Ken. And a hearty handshake and a CD each to Kent MacDonald and Big Dawg (Please email me, folks, to claim your prizes, as I expunge the email addresses before publishing in an effort to repel the spambots).

Comments

[Sean]

Gorillaz vs. Bob Marley

Bob Marley in an ass-kicking -- at least as much of an ass-kicking as possible when mellowed out on Buffalo's finest.

The Roots vs. The Smiths

Rubin Carter's in the house. And The Roots are awesome...4-1 over the despressing Smiths.

David Bowie vs. Moby

Tough matchup, but when in doubt go with the guy who dressed in drag for years and still is too cool. I mean go with the legacy. Bowie.

Franz Ferdinand vs. Hall & Oates

Cheezy Hall and Oates is still listenable years later....will FF be able to say the same? Veterans win 4-3.

[Ken]

Let's see:

Gorillaz vs Bob Marley - no contest whatsoever, Marley wins without breaking sweat.

Roots vs Smiths - Morrissey may be the most depressing man alive, but he's also a musical genius. Smiths win. Which is a shame, as I was hoping for Dylan's Hurricane to make an appearance here.

Bowie vs Moby - Moby edges this one; it's the nerdiness that does it.

Franz Ferdinand vs Hall and Oates - is this supposed to be a contest? What are Franz Ferdinand doing here? Hall and Oates.

[John Kent]

i might be showing my age here, but I would take Bob Marley, the Smiths, Bowie and Hall & Oates.

[spencer]

Is it the cartoon Gorillaz? I'm going with the animated version teaming with the Clash, which would be the baddest posse of musician/hipster/anarchists EVER! Me love Bob Marley, but he gets smoked in this one.
--
Wow. Great matchup on the other side. Neil Young and Johnny Cash cancel each other out.
Some hockey teams are better than others: The Roots skate musical circles around The Smiths. 4-3.
==
I saw Moby at Lollapalooza (don't ask me which one). I can't believe I'm saying this, but he changed my life. He was so good, I missed Cypruss Hill! Marshall Mathers is an idiot: I listen to techno! Teaming Moby with David Byrne is like teaming Hemsky and Peca. Balanced, skill, grit, old with new. Moby and co. in seven.
---
Hall @ Oats and Spinaltap: Can I have some wine with my Cheese & SharkSandwich? Maneater in a sweep!

[Big Dawg]

Gorillaz, Moby and Franz Ferdinand are easy, I know those ones. For the other one, I'd take a handsome devil over a hurricane any day ;)

[pipe smoker]

Marley destroys Gorillaz ... Roots past Smiths ... Bowie over Moby ... H & O rule.

[Kent MacDonald]

Last time i checked it was PEOPLE that played hockey, not Fire, Oil, Wind or Housing establishments. The winners, then, have to be starMAN, MANeater, buffalo SOLDIER and the handsome devil himself. Not contests here.