Sometimes things get so ridiculously negative in the world of local music, that I choose to ignore...or stay in a perfectly delightful state of denial.

Kate called Sam to the mat yesterday stemming from a paragraph in Sam's Handstamp, sort of bashing the bands performing at this year's Deep Ellum Arts Festival. Yeah I saw it, but chose not to comment on it in my weekly D.O. Dish. Why? Because we can bitch and moan and complain and whine and plead and bribe all we want...but it ain't a'gonna change Sam's way of doing things.

However, the guilt I bear is that I've personally all but ignored this year's Deep Ellum Arts Festival; rather concentrating my promotional efforts on this years' Wall of Sound Festival. Shame on me.

So here's a short list of some the bands performing at the Deep Ellum Arts Festival this weekend that I particularly enjoy:

The Bud Light Stage is lookin' pretty darn good tonight with Confusatron, Spoonfed Tribe and Green River Ordinance. (also performing, Chant and Peter Moon, neither of which I've seen/heard before...but I look forward to rectifying that tonight)

The Septien Stage tonight brings on Saints & Sinners at 5 pm, and they's mighty fine. If you wanna rock 'til you drop, then stick around for Seven Story Drop at 9 pm. Remmington Rafael has a buzz goin' for him, so he might be interesting to check-out at 9:30 pm.

On the Texas Singer/Songwriter Stage, Tracie Merchant and Zen Bubba Band are both solid picks.

Saturday, the Bud Light Stage brings you the Dirt Blazers, Silverleaf (Houston), Burning Hotels, Sunward, The Valentines, Belafonte, Space Cadet, AM Zeros & Aschere...not too shabby.

Saturday on the Septien Stage I'd definitely hangout for the Zen Hip-Hop Event w/Merkury, GOAT and Kin Fok Kru, along with indie rockers Auto Escape and harder rockers Glass Intrepid.

The Texas Singer/Songwriter Stage has some excellent artists performing on Saturday including; Desiree Anastsia, Eric Folkerth, Inner Frequency, Heather Knox, & Damon Carroll.

Sunday on the Bud Light Stage you can find Jeff Price, Catfish Whiskey, Confusatron (Fort Worth is quite well represented), Spector 45 and Hard Night's Day.

The Singer/Songwriter Stage on Sunday offers-up Rhett Butler, Terry Allen Hall, Electric Mountain Rotten Apple Gang, Darrin Kobetich & Brad Thompson.

Don't forget all the fabulous artwork that'll be for sale throughout the festival, and be sure to stop by Kettle Art Gallery and thank Frank Campagna for all the faboo artwork he's painted in Deep Ellum, along with his endless support of local music, art and Deep Ellum.

Click here for the entire line-up, directions and more info.

Okay SaMach...I await your best shot...

Cindy now blogs at The Fine Line.