William Beckett, vocalist of The Academy Is … strutted across the stage in his Keith Richards fashion and sang his plea to the already mesmerized audience Sept. 26 at the Rialto Theatre.

“”Attention! Attention!”” he bellowed. “”May I have all your eyes and ears to the front of the room, if only, if only for one second, to hear what I have to say!””

Beckett’s vibrant stage presence during the band’s set was nothing short of remarkable. From his acrobatics with the mic stand to the wry smile he flashed at the girls, he had the audience’s full “”Attention!”” from the very first moment. The Academy Is… had its fans literally jumping with excitement during songs like “”Slow Down”” and “”Black Mamba.””

Aside from the radiant stage performance, it was refreshing to see the vocalist of a pop-rock band who can actually sing. With the technology of production these days, it’s not uncommon to see vocalists (for instance, Panic! At the Disco vocalist Brendon Urie) who sound like Freddy Mercury on the album and William Hung live. On the contrary, Beckett hit every high note with unwavering clarity and zest.

Another unique

performance came from indie rock band The Rocket Summer. It seemed that when heartthrob vocalist Bryce Avary took the stage, an all-girls middle school let out and filled the venue with ear-piercing screams and giggles. The vibe was only complete when confetti burst into the crowd as Avary sang his almost uncomfortably high-pitched vocals. Amid a jail-bait jamboree, Avary performed a clean set that showcased his talent as he switched from instrument to instrument.

Armor for Sleep also performed. While its performance was not terrible, it felt a bit contrived as vocalist Ben Jorgensen discussed with audience members whether he thought they were cool. Jorgenson, who looked impeccably like actor Justin Long, seemed a bit uninterested but played the songs nonetheless.

Sherwood also put on a fun performance that got the audience in the mood for the night. One notable part of its set was eccentric-looking keyboardist Mike Leibovich, who rocked out to full effect through the entire set. The audience seemed to appreciate the band’s lack of a “”too cool”” attitude and rocked out right alongside them.

The pop-rock show was a good time that could only have been better with a splash of Coke. Pop rocks and Coke … get it? An explosion – in your tummy.