LUDO
8 p.m., the Village. $10 adv., $12 d.o.s.
Proud (and slightly sentimental) pop-culture geeks, take note. An
indie-pop band from St. Louis has your number. Named for a character in
“Labyrinth,” Ludo specializes in the kind of bouncy, dramatic anthems
of ironic angst on which bands like Weezer and Jimmy Eat World have
built careers. Lead singer Andrew Volpe uses his adenoidal tenor to
navigate through relationship problems that make him feel like “Elliot
when E.T. drank the beer” or like there’s “a metric-ton of Easy Mac in
[his] soul.” Earlier this year, the band released its third album and
first on a major label. “You’re Awful, I Love You” finds Ludo working
with producer Matt Wallace (Maroon 5, Faith No More) and adding a
pop-rock sheen to its sound. Volpe, too, has left his cultural
referencing behind for the most part, though he’s still retained his
oddball lyrical sensibility. From the album’s title track: “
‘High-maintenance’ means/You’re a gluttonous queen/Narcissistic and
mean/Kill me romantically/Fill my soul with vomit/Then ask me for a
piece of gum.” Sherwood Christian indie-rockers Sincerely September open with Little Rock pop-punks Alert All Arms and Free Micah, from Texarkana.