Don't stop believing.

The Sounds - Night After Night (alternate version)

As The Sounds prepared to take the stage, an oh-so-familiar keyboard intro filtered through the speakers. "Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world..." All in attendance - young and old - sang along, word for word. "A singer in a smokey room, a smell of wine and cheap perfume..." Steve Perry: a man for all seasons. Who knew?

For the band, it was a shrewd and ingenious move, playing this 80's staple as a portent (almost Holly Hunter's favorite word, portentous) of things to come. For me, there has always been a certain amount of cheese, however miniscule, associated with The Sounds - which is what makes their music so goshdarn fun. If I ever threw a block party, my 2 favorite Swedish imports, Sahara Hotnights and The Sounds, would be at the top of my wishlist. I haven't seen that many people truly dance since The Postal Service gig in Austin.

And Maja. Oh, Maja. Possessing a killer voice, super-toned bod, a playful cockiness, and the deadliest of come-hither looks, she totally pwned (a word I have never used until this moment) the crowd. There's a reason why James Iha, Melissa Auf der Maur, and Dave Grohl have all championed the band - and that reason is Maja Ivarsson. She's a star. "A big, bright, shining star."

My ears are still ringing...