NXNE - The Soft Pack

If they were so inclined, the Soft Pack could be the greatest cover band in the history of weddings and/or pubs, as their solid non-sequitur rock has furnished them with a diverse and rowdy, yet not entirely congruent, live show. At turns the band channelled the Sex Pistols, the Replacements, the Troggs, and Joy Division (thank the scattered, high-in-the-mix post-punk bass lines). They were at their best fast, only losing mojo with slowed-down cuts like "Mexico." Regardless, they recovered quickly, returning to the rock with a massive take on "Right and Wrong." Overall, it was a boisterous, sweaty, mostly engaging set.