For a certain stripe of one-time high school jock, a Mucca Pazza show must look like a reunion gone awry: In this punk-rock marching band, the band geeks have taken control of the reins. The Chicago-based outfit takes a battery of brass (alongside accordions, guitars and even a Day-Glo pom squad) and weaves in Balkan brass music, '60s surf rock and plenty of pulse-pounding rhythms in its tunes. Mucca Pazza has made a few records, but no amount of high fidelity can compare to the group's all-inclusive live show. So hide your letter jackets: The Big Man on Campus doesn't stand a chance against 30 sets of marching, stomping feet.
Where'd He Go to High School? St. Louisan Jeff Thomas helped found the band, though his guitar playing is a little tough to hear over the saxophones and drumlines.
