Why You Say Pong

Whenever a Red River regular like Pong plays the Continental Club, it's always a little like the kids taking over something normally reserved for adults. Or maybe I'm just stuck in a "loyal opposition" mindframe from growing up listening to punk rock. Either way, Pong rocked the house last night, setting off a mad dancing frenzy in front of the stage as they always do. The CD release show for their second album, Bubble City, is on February 19 at Room 710.

Cat Scientist was also pretty incredible, garnering a rare opening act encore. They're danceable like Pong, but instead of a full-on rock groove, Cat Scientist plays around with kooky samples and guitar riffs that seem to take cues from 70s and 80s Afro-Pop. If the Talking Heads started 30 years later in Texas instead of New York, they might sound a bit like this.