Next band up: OKGO. Also known as OKgo, or OKGo. Or OkGo, for all I know. I prefer "OKGO" since I'd like to think of these guys as the INXS of the current decade. Obviously, to make that comparison work you need to ratchet down the mystique and ratchet up the smartass. But you have the same basic virtues on display: unpretentious rock that never loses sight of the bottom end - a prominent bass and a snap-to beat you could dance to if you wanted - overlain by catchy-enough hooks and the occasional interesting chord change to fake out your ears. They rocked - with a cocked grin to be sure, but none the less emphatically for it. At one point during the set, I swore that one of their riffs smacked me right in the forehead! I guess it could have been somebody in the crowd. But if so, it was perfectly in synch with the music.
Also of interest was their visual presentation. There was a large screen hung above and beyond the band, on which was projected a cunning array of skits to complement, counterpoint, and/or underscore the song being played. It worked pretty well. Although the visuals occasionally distracted, I would not say that they detracted. The band itself was nothing if not muscular, and quite capable of holding its own.
"Muscular" musically speaking, I mean. From a physical standpoint, they all looked a little on the "weedy academic" side. But just a little!
Did I just say INXS was unpretentious? Well, let's let that pass as well.
Up Next: Pt.3: Snow Patrol
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