Sidewalk Driver

Sidewalk Driver plays big, bold, unhinged rock ’n’ roll. Oh, sure, the band knows how to use nuance and dynamics to ensure its melodies never get crushed in the tornado of excess and enthusiasm. But see the quintet in concert and you’ll get swept up in glitter, glam and arena rock showmanship on a punk-at-the-local-club budget. - Jed Gottlieb

Led by chrome-domed, platform-booted frontman Tad McKitterick, Sidewalk Driver is a band of cheeky culture vultures who like to name-check ABBA, Frank Black, and Baryshnikov in songs, but never forget to fuel their dance-floor fun with rock ’n’ roll fire — not to mention glitter-encrusted hooks galore. Call it glam, call it power pop, we’re calling it hard to beat. - Jonathan Perry