E.L.nO

For far too long we've been told that Electric Light Orchestra were insufferable '70s cheese, a bloated prog-rock monstrosity that valued production technique over real feeling and hovered near the top of the list of Reasons Punk Needed to Happen. Truth is, there was a hell of a power-pop band beneath all those electronic strings and concept-record conceits, and even if Jeff Lynne's bid for Beatledom fell a bit short of that lofty goal, the songs that resulted in the process -- "Don't Bring Me Down", "Mr. Blue Sky", "Do Ya", "Evil Woman" -- are deservedly iconic. Local cover band E.L.nO -- comprised of members of Accident Clearinghouse, Detroit, Billy Johnson's Roadshow and Manplanet -- might not be entirely straight-faced in their tribute, at least if their oversized white-dude-afro wigs are any indication, but they embrace the pop craftsmanship in their homage along with the Xanadu-scoring silliness. City Pages cover subject Little Man share the bill with their own '70s flashback, as they pay tribute to glam icons T. Rex. DJ Mary Lucia opens.
Fri., Oct. 31, 9:30 p.m., 2008