30 Seconds to Mars / Shiny Toy Guns / Neon Trees

I never would have thought years ago when I was seeing 30 Seconds to Mars play tiny club venues like the Roxy that I’d eventually see them graduate to big venues like the Greek. Not that they don’t deserve it or anything, seeing as they’re like one of the hardest working bands in rock, it just seemed like nobody else really wanted to admit as much. Now a couple hit singles and one best-selling album later, the rest of the media is finally catching on to what fans knew all along. But it’s all good, all those other mags that said actors shouldn’t try to be musicians however many years ago when the band first debuted are all vying for press time the band. Insert eye roll here. Point being, yes, there are a lot of actors who shouldn’t be musicians. Jared Leto is most definitely not one of them. With a voice that can make the walls of any venue shake, Leto is as technically skilled as he is emotive when he cuts loose behind a mic. Not to be outdone, drummer Shannon Leto and guitarist Tomo Milicevic are both just as capable behind their respective instruments, with all three together making some epic friggin’ rock music. Along for the ride with 30, Neon Trees are a ways away from their headliner on the stylistic spectrum, but still just as awesome. Combining all the good of classic rock and early pop punk, without any of the awful parts of either genre that we collectively wish we could forget, these guys can do infectiously catchy rock that doesn’t sound the least bit trite or contrived. - Brien Overly