Not the Beer?

Citing a wide range of musical influences-from the obvious (Elvis Costello, Brendan Benson) to the slightly less so (Nomeansno)-What Made Milwaukee Famous hails from Austin, Texas, and has only been around for about five years, though the band's pop sound replicates the kind of music that artists such as Costello, Graham Parker and Nick Lowe were making in the early '80s. The sound is pure pop/rock, but done with a real knack for melodic hooks and energetic performances. In an era in which pop music grows increasingly awful and "good" music grows increasingly experimental, it's nice to be reminded that music can be both catchy and quality at the same time.
Fri., May 16, 7 p.m., 2008