Bad Rabbits
Bad Rabbits perform with Travie McCoy, Donnis, Black Cards, and XV on Thursday, March 31, at Slim's. 7:30 p.m., $18; www.slims-sf.com.
When Bad Rabbits were in their ideological infancy, the Boston band counted Deftones and Glassjaw as primary inspirations. It didn't take long for the five-piece group to trade the troubled hard-rock/hardcore angle for the brighter pastures of new jack swing. Debut EP Stick Up Kids proudly cribs from the lovemakers and party starters of the late '80s and early '90s — think Bobby Brown, Keith Sweat, and Montell Jordan — because Bad Rabbits felt the black music of that period wasn't being paid enough affection. The result is that there's no confusing where Stick Up Kids' cultural loyalties lie, as new jack's goofy bounciness and come-get-with-me theatrics are in effect in the band's funky, so-called "new crack swing." Weirdly enough, Bad Rabbits plan on reclaiming the once-abandoned rock elements for their forthcoming full-length. That could be a good idea, or a terrible one.
Tags: Hear This, Show Preview, Bobby Brown (Singer), Boston, Deftones, Glassjaw, Slim's