Ok Go - Opening Act for the Caesars and the Kaiser Chiefs: By Christine

Ok Go has come a long way since their beginnings in 2001 (Chicago) Now based in L.A., they have evolved into a tight, well oiled, heavier-edged pop machine. The bandmates (Damian Kulash - singer) Tim Nordwind (Bassist) Dan Konopka (drummer) and new guitarist/keyboardist (didn’t catch his name - sorry) sport an Austin Powers dress code that is both kitschy and flashy.

When performing their high energy set, you feel vibes of Elvis Costello meets EMF, and Weezer meets the Thrills. The band cites Inspiral Carpets and the Charlatans as past influences. It's the kind of music that does what good rock 'n' roll is supposed to do - it appeals to a diverse age group

Their third album Oh No was produced in Sweden with Tore Johnannson (of Cardigans and Franz Ferdinand) and the band falls into David’s aptly-put “angular” genre. The album is due out in August 2005 and they played several excellent songs from the future release: ‘Do What you Want’, ‘Invincible” and a remix of The Cure’s ‘Love Cats’ - a far better version than The Cure’s.

It's a tricky thing being on the road in support of a new album that doesn't come out for 3 months -- especially when your show depends on building the crowd's energy. However, they are smart and well versed as musicians. The choruses and the riffs echo traditional pop but there's something discordant about their guitar lines and harmonies, something that strikes off-kilter rather than where you expected it to land.

Thank goodness for Ok Go's sense of humour. Kulash has said, “I'm already pretentious enough as it is. The last thing I need is to try to make pretentious music, too." So their final song was the hit of the night - The band opted to perform a choreographed lip-synch/dance number to the song ‘A Million Ways to be Cruel’. Drop dead hilarious. They incorporated pop culture dance steps from Pulp Fiction, Matrix, Saturday Night Fever, Charlies’s Angels, Austin Powers, and the Full Monty, to name just a few.

This number brought the house down, and had the audience buzzing, long after into the second group’s (the Caesars) performance. The Ok Gos are the ones to watch for! 9/10