The Vines
Vic Theatre
Friday
7 p.m.
Chicago
The Darkness
Vic Theatre
Saturday
7:30 p.m.
Chicago
Ben Kweller and Death Cab for Cutie
Odeon
Wednesday
8 p.m.
Cleveland
This week, as it was over Spring Break, the Midwest has so many good concerts that it's better to recommend some than to belittle any. First, consider checking out The Darkness in Chicago on Saturday. The UK-based rock quartet is, as they say, something else. Dan Hawkins, lead guitarist, recruited his brother Justin to front the band after seeing him nail Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" note-for-note in a karaoke contest (take that, Clay). Justin obviously took Freddie Mercury's influence to heart, as he is of the yelping, androgynous, flamboyant type; he even takes the stage in unitards. The band broke in the United States after "I Believe in a Thing Called Love" broke on MTV. But the catchy track led critics to call the band's version of hair-metal "ironic" (see also the pitch-perfect '80s-rock harmonies in "Love is Only a Feeling"). While the band's schtick hearkens back to the days of Whitesnake, the members insist that what they're doing is legit. "Everyone's too uptight these days," bass player Frankie Poullain (who uncannily resembles Derek Smalls of "Spinal Tap") said, on the band's Web site. "I hate the arrogance of bands who think their petty emotions are interesting. If you look at bands from 25 years ago, people have smiles on their faces. We're bringing a bit of that back." So, if you prefer your rock classic and still like Queen rather than Linkin Park, you're going to like The Darkness.
For another good show, consider seeing Ben Kweller and Death Cab for Cutie as they play the Odeon in Cleveland next Wednesday. While Death Cab for Cutie is sincere, yet almost quaint, Ben Kweller is carving an enviable place in the pop underground. Having recently completed a tour and composed an EP with Ben Folds and Ben Lee (titled, of course, "The Bens"), Kweller is out with DCFC supporting his new release, "On My Way." Kweller's first two releases, "Freak Out It's Ben Kweller" and "Sha Sha," are full of surprising turns and varied styles. He is as likely to play lush piano ballads ("Falling" and "In Other Words") as he is to burst into full-out rave-ups ("Wasted and Ready"). Plus, Kweller is still in his mid-20s, so it'd be a good idea to see him now before he starts booking arenas, Elton John-style. Death Cab for Cutie will share the bill with Kweller, touring on the strength of "Transatlanticism," their lush, quiet indie-pop record. Singer/songwriter Ben Gibbard has a voice that, depending on your tastes, either attracts or repels - he might be overly sensitive for some; he might be just right for others. In a live setting, though, one has to wonder whether the sound engineer will let the other instruments drown him out. Still, DCFC has a long catalog of meaningful, tuneful songs, and along with Ben Kweller, Wednesday at the Odeon should be an evening of near-perfect pop.
After the boon of garage rock during The Great Rock 'n' Roll Revival of 2001, we, the listening public, became consumed with what would become of the four biggest "The" bands: The Strokes, The White Stripes, The Hives and The Vines. By no surprise, The Strokes emerged with a (mostly) excellent follow-up album and The White Stripes snagged more critical acclaim and Grammy Awards for "Elephant." The weaker two, The Hives and The Vines, have yet to prove their musical mettle. But while The Hives hibernate somewhere in Sweden, singer/songwriter Craig Nicholls and The Vines have finished "Winning Days," a follow-up to "Highly Evolved," the debut that forced critics to compare them to The Beatles and Nirvana. "Ride," the first single from "Winning Days," continues in such a grunge-cum-psychedelia vein. The song features a catchy guitar hook but the distortion-pedal chorus is predictable. Nicholls is a tremendous songwriter, fully capable of making a complete, lasting pop record. Unfortunately, Capitol Records has put his songs in the hands of producers who are intent on polishing them with a Pro Tools-shine. For The Vines, this doesn't really work. Simply, the band's music would sound better if it didn't sound so good. Garage rock demands a certain energy that The Vines' studio albums haven't yet produced. So right now, The Vines' live show is the only medium that does the band justice.
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