Sat. May 1

  Rock ‘n’ roll is such a fragmented entity these days, a huge field populated by many sub-genres. Here’s one – power pop – that’s made a comeback, of sorts, lately. Folks got a heaping helping when I last saw the Luxury, last year at the Paradise, celebrating the release of their second CD, “In the Wake of What Won’t Change.” They playthe Hard Rock Cafe Saturday May 1 with Hot Protestants, The Main Drag and Silent Century.  Now, power pop was a term that came into vogue during the early-‘70s with bands such as Big Star, Badfinger and Raspberries, and it continued into the ‘80s with Cheap Trick, the Yachts and the dBs. At its best, it had heavenly vocal harmonies and glue-sticking melodies, backed by rock-ribbed rhythms. Sweet sounds delivered with punch and, sometimes, spiked with cynicism. And it had lots of pep. But, as the hip alt-rock world got more dissonant, power pop slipped to the sidelines.
   Ah, but that is whete the Luxury spends a lot of its time. The Luxury’s lead singer/songwriter/guitarist Jason Dunn (in photo) says he considers them a pop band, from which they “push out.” Fair enough. The quintet’s 70-minute set was pop-centered, but its construction was total Pink Floyd – the entire new album, with songs played sequentially and separate videos accompanying them. Plus, occasional string and horn players and a female vocalist backing up. So, really, the Luxury is a pop/prog-rock hybrid. Two of the encores, The Who’s “Pinball Wizard” and Tears for Fears.’ “Head Over Heels,” brought home that point. Their originals mostly hit their marks – lyrical themes of loneliness and self-defeat buoyed by surging melodies. The Luxury balanced touches of tenderness and angst with an Oasis-like glide ‘n’ crunch. (Adapted from a review I wrote for the Boston Herald.) Note: The Luxury won WBCN's last ever Rock 'n' Roll Rumble in 2009. I was there, a judge at the finals, and they swept the panel, the five of us that is. On Dunn's Facebook page, he recently wrote he was learning Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls" and Elton John's "Rocket Man" for a Queen/John tribute show in Worcester. Starts around 9. Tix: $10.

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