I title this after Brett, because he fronted the only band whose full set I saw last night — I was out for him, and while I caught the end of The Stars Explode’s set and most of the Numbers, I was hanging out at the 506 for Brett. (Can I say how nice it is to have all the 506 door folks know me now? I can’t remember the last time I produced a membership card or ID. Maybe the packed Holy Ghost show. Hand stamp, diet Coke, done.)

Back in December, I commented that Brett’s particular electric brand of power pop songwriting, catchy and bright-edged, was the perfect opener for the Big Star tribute show, but last night he sounded more Box Tops than Big Star, more soul infused into his band’s playing than pop music. (There was still a lot of pop music.) Maybe it was guitarist Cameron Lee playing a Fender Strat. (“Did you get pictures of me playing that?” he asked me. “I never do that!”) Maybe it was something in the air, a little piece of spring despite the cold. Regardless, it was a highly entertaining 45 minute set of clean and catchy pop songs that swung a little more Stax, a little more Memphis than Brett normally does. I dug it. You should go see him.

The Stars Explode opened, and I enjoyed the half a set a heard, although I would have enjoyed it more two volume levels down. And the Numbers, oh, oh, there is still no one, no one, in the state of North Carolina who writes a pop song, a pure verse-chorus-verse sing-along sweet and clever radio pop song like Snüzz does. It is always a pleasure and never a chore to go see him play, no matter who he is playing with.