When Barcelona enjoyed a fair amount of success between 2007 and 2009, they were dismissed by the Capitol Hill press corps for being Coldplay knockoffs notable only for their formidable mediocrity. How ironic that the same folks who were so quick to crap on Chris Bristol, Brian Fennell and Rhett Stonelake then are now riding high on the clean, melodic wave that’s cleansed Seattle of its grunge. Granted, Barcelona is a completely different animal than groups like The Head & The Heart lush maximalism versus sincere minimalism, in a nutshellbut they all sound really pretty. Only when Barcelona peaked, Seattle was more attracted to pale, skinny dudes who wore Mischa Barton’s hand-me-down jeans and Unabomber beards. In light of this changed landscape, maybe Barcelona will find its hometown to be more receptive to the slew of new tracks it’s road-testing in anticipation of a sophomore album, and maybe the otherwise gifted Fennell has stopped aping Chris Martin’s insanely grating hunchback-over-keyboard schtick live. One can only hope. With Holcombe Waller, Jenny O. MIKE SEELY
Mon., May 30, 6:30 p.m., 2011
