Sat. Aug 14

  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 play the Boston Emissions party Saturday Aug. 14 at Harpers Ferry.  Anngelle Wood is the BE host and moved to WZLX after WBCN went down. 

"The show is a two-part theme," sayd Luxury singer-guitarist Jason Dunn. "One is the Boston Emissions Re-birthday party (one year since WBCN fell and the show lives on), and the most important bit is that it's a benefit to help the family of Ben Garceau from Roman Traffic (our semifinalist competition in the Rumble, along with Dirty Truckers). Garceau, 24, got in a serious accident about a month ago, and has been recovering from body and head injuries at a hospital in New Hampshire. He also has no insurance. His hospital stay cost him in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Dunn: "About a week ago, Harper's Ferry asked us if we wanted to take the night on Saturday, August 14th at their venue. We had a gig in NYC, but the opportunity to set up a benefit for Ben trumped the trip. It was incredibly short notice and a lot of the bands who wanted to play simply weren't able to, but luckily for us the list of supporters was very long, and we've got a great bill together.Anngelle Wood is taking the opportunity to celebrate a year of Boston Emissions surviving the death of WBCN, as all of the bands participating were either in the 2009 Rumble alongside Gravehaven and Ben or, in Streight Angular's case, a hot new Boston act that you simply must hear. Anngelle will be DJing between sets and hosting the evening." Dead Cats Dead Rats and Gene Dante are also on the bill.

Back to the Luxury and power pop. It 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. 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. 

158 Brighton Ave., Allston, 617-254-9743 www.harpersferryboston.com