It’s difficult enough to play an instrument, but The Rocket Summer’s Bryce Avary takes care of the vocals and plays them all in his recordings: piano, guitar, bass and drums. He tours with a group of high school friends on the backup instruments but… you get the idea. The kid’s got talent. The music is upbeat and poppy — sometimes painfully so — but you just can’t help feeling uplifted by the carefree vibe. And now that people are finally forgetting about Phantom Planet’s “California” and its association with The O.C., it’s socially acceptable to like them as a band again; recent release Raise The Dead is a legitimate alt-pop venture complete with ba-ba-bas and high hats. The audience might end up a bit on the young side, but the music is what really matters — right?

Wed., Sept. 17, 6:30 p.m., 2008