Syrup, Lofreq and Swampass

This rock & roll thing, it ain't rocket science -- or, at least, it doesn't have to be. Plenty of math-rockers, mod-rockers, post-rockers, jazz-core-rockers and so on fill the record stores and rock clubs these days, but there'll always be a place for the rocker-rockers. Thursday night, that place is the Way Out Club, and those rocker-rockers are Syrup, Lofreq and Swampass. If your idea of a good night out involves getting drunk, throwing the devil sign and hollering, "Whooooo!,"this show should be right up your alley.Opening the festivities is Charleston, Ill., band Swampass (pictured). The latest in a line of central Illinois raunch-rockers dating back to the Didjits, Swampass kicks out short, riff-heavy bursts of punkish rock & roll that go down as smoothly as that third Jägermeister shot. The middle slot belongs to St. Louis' own Lofreq, celebrating the release of the band's debut CD. Lofreq has played a ton of shows in less than a year of existence, building up a nice little following among the hard-drinkin', hard-rockin' set (see "Radar Station"). Rounding out the triple-header is Syrup, from Tallahassee, Fla. The band adds a touch of funk and a flair for glam fashion to Nashville Pussy-style porn-fueled redneck rock. Don't expect lyrical subtlety or tender ballads from any of these boys -- that isn't what this show's about. Thursday night is all about the rock & roll. Whooooo! (Insert devil sign here.)