The next outfit to take the stage was a fresh-faced five-piece named Showoff, a pop-punk group that is signed to Madonna's Maverick label. To paraphrase one of its labelmates, a band called Showoff on Madonna’s label -- Isn’t it ironic? Don’tcha think?. Everyone present seemed to marvel at the band’s mass of equipment, which included a wall of guitars, wireless microphones and amplifiers, and a whole mess of top-notch, state-of-the-art stuff, all procured because Showoff suckled Satan's teat and signed on the dotted line.
The band played an energetic-as-fuck set, filled with members literally bouncing off walls -- wireless bass player runs amok, footage at 11 -- but Showoff let its guard down between songs and periodically revealed its disdain for its plight. How can you live La Vida Loca when you’re playing punk shows for a baker’s dozen or so? The crash heard through the strangely echoing confines was the sound of major-label dreams of instant success crashing down around the band’s pogoing feet. Nonetheless, Showoff put on an entertaining set, and was, for the most part, professional about its lot in life. There is nothing worse than a whiny punk band, and Showoff, realizing this, kept its grumbling to a minimum.
Let's Go Bowling was Showoff's polar opposite. If Showoff’s members were Madonna's loco corporate lackeys, then the members of Let's Go Bowling were the champions of independent, do-it-yourself showmanship, as evidenced by a sticker on the band’s bass drum that read "Getting Signed Is For Pussies." This seven-piece ska ensemble took the stage at about 10 p.m., and carried the small throng on an engaging journey. These musicians might have been as old as their fans’ parents, but they sounded young-at-heart as they shuffled artfully through songs such as "Pin Stripe Suit" and "Crying." LGB was limber, spry, and tight as any band has a right to be. Its music explored the groove inherent in ska, as the band treated the slight herd to a masterful set. The group took requests, joked with a fellow wearing a shirt bearing the words "My Balls," and even changed lyrics to reflect that simple message, all while smiling, having legitimate fun on stage, and satisfying its appreciative following.
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