OK Go
Friday
8 p.m.
Magic Stick, Detroit
Herman's Hermits
Saturday
6 p.m., 9:30 p.m.
Bertram Inn, Aurora, Ohio
Simple Plan w/ MXPX
Friday
6 p.m.
Riviera, Chicago
Safe bet
OK. Go ahead and laugh about the terrible punning start to thisweek's "Sound Sense." Go ahead and laugh at OK Go, a Chicago-basedquartet led by singer/guitarist Damian Kulash that specializes insmartly crafted, literate power pop, because the band encouragesthat. A glance at the lyrics sheet ("What to do? / Sweetheart,you'll find / mediocre people do exceptional things all the time;""C-C-C-Cinnamon lips and candy kisses on my tongue / Fun!"), orwatching the band's mock table tennis training video on its Website clues you in. Ira Glass, host of National Public Radio's "ThisAmerican Life," supposedly wrote the band's official biography. Wecan't be sure if it is Glass or not, but the author writes, "Theband's message seems to be: Rock 'n' roll can be fun without beingdumb. It can be a pleasure without being a guilty pleasure. ...They're like a boy band that got seduced by Queen and wound up incollege instead of Orlando. They seem like people who just loverock music and want to indulge in all the amusing, thrilling thingsit can do." Fans of The Cars, Fountains of Wayne and The NewPornographers are sure to like OK Go, as the bands each share anaffinity for soaring keyboard lines, crunchy chord progressions andinstantly memorable melodies. Last bad pun: If you like catchy,competent power pop and have a ride to the Magic Stick in Detroit,go, OK?
50/50
Our generation missed Herman's Hermits the first time around.Fortunately, thanks to "oldies" stations across the state (whichhave the best, most-consistent play lists), our pleasure is onlybelated, not absent. Though some fans are partial to genres ormovements, "British Invasion" rock 'n' roll is hard to criticize ordislike. Herman's Hermits is a British Invasion pop group, but it'snot The Beatles. It's not even The Zombies. Herman's Hermits wasone of the first twee bands and was tacky and charming in the '60s,so the pastiche has started to wear thin after 40 years. But it'shard to deny the appeal of lead singer Peter Noone's thick Englishaccent on songs like "I'm Into Something Good" and "Mrs. Brown,You've Got A Lovely Daughter," both singles from "Herman'sHermits," released in 1965. It's hard not to smile when the Hermits(Barry Whitwam, Keith Hopwood, Karl Green and Lek Leckenby) jump inwith classic backing vocals. After a semi-successful acting career,Noone is touring across the U.S. with the Hermits. If you have ataste for kitsch or sense of history, check out Herman's Hermits inAurora, Ohio.
Fold
MXPX should not be opening up for Simple Plan. We know theuniversal laws of fairness, equity and justice are skewed horribly,but this is an egregious slip in judgment by whoever's in charge.MXPX are relative pop punk legends; Simple Plan is not good.Hopefully, tickets will be sold, and fans will gather to see thefirst 40 minutes filled with songs like "Responsibility," "I'm OK,You're OK" and "Chick Magnet," and then leave, forcing Simple Planto play their whiny, pandering, feeding-the-fire schlock to theRiviera's custodial staff. Like Sum41, another Canadian band withspiky haircuts and lots of attitude, Simple Plan's demographicappeal is markedly limited. The band is popular now becausedisregarded teenagers have a lot of spending money. Don't worry,though, as TRL fame doesn't last forever -- ask Nick Carter. We cantrust that the creative fires of singer Pierre Bouvier and leadguitarist Jeff Stinco will burn out, and we won't be subjected toanother "I'd Do Anything" or "Perfect" in two years. We can hope,at least.
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