Classic rockers tired of all the noise and pop will be pleased to meet Blitzen Trapper. The Portland foursome mirrors the styles of artists such as Neil Young, Steely Dan, Led Zeppelin and, more recently, Pavement, giving some tunes an unexpected experimental twist. The friendly sound of ย“Wild Mountain Nationย” is classic Southern rock, while the raucous ย“Devilย’s A-Go-Goย” shows the band has more on its mind than just repeating the past. After Blitzen, stay tuned for more of the same with Chicago singer/songwriter David Vandervelde, who closes out the evening.

This article appears in Jul 12-18, 2007.