When word spread earlier this year that most of the members of beloved local alternative band PAIN were reuniting under the name Salvo, longtime fans hoped the group’s trademark mix of bright, sharp pop punk with a ska edge would survive the name change. Curious listeners can judge for themselves during a two-night run at Alchemy Tavern, 7 S. Joachim St. — Sept. 13 with The Haller and Sept. 14 with Run the Lion, 9 p.m. both nights, $17 through TicketBiscuit.
‘Off the Charts’ arrives for the reunion
The shows coincide with Salvo’s debut album, “Off the Charts,” an offering aimed squarely at both devoted PAIN followers and first-time listeners.
Grand horns open the record on “Anthem of the Middle Aged Man,” a track that will ring familiar to anyone who followed the original band. Frontman Dan Lord’s gift for lyrical meter and animated vocal delivery remains intact, even on the album’s low-key title track, while Adam Guthrie’s guitar work supplies a steady run of intricate riffs that point to the band’s maturity rather than mere nostalgia.
Elsewhere, “Goblin Orchestra” is a dramatic rock overture with a cartoonish streak reminiscent of Oingo Boingo’s early days, and “Why’s It Gotta?” channels the spirit of ’50s-era Everly Brothers harmony pop.